Costa Rica Fare and Polenta Recipe

This Polenta Cake is butternut squash. The recipe can be found on the Food 52 website.
(See below)

Beans Rice and More
For the past week I have been in Costa Rica: San Jose and Jaco. Ok hubby and I did spend a day in the rainforest on a zipline tour and a day at Tortuga Island thanks to my brother-in-law Dan who lives in Jaco. I could talk hours about the beaches, the pools, the weather, the people, etc, but I really want to stick to food.

Breakfast
Beans and rice, plantains, tofu, fruit and eggs and more.

Lunch
Beans and rice on the casado typical meal and more. Casado, or married man, is served by the wife. Along with the beans and rice, plantains, salad, some potato dish, and optional meat (beef, fish, pork or chicken). The Saving Aeneas blog has a great photo and post on it.

Dinner
Beans and rice, plantains, salad, some potato dish, and optional meat (beef, fish, pork or chicken), Yes a repeat from lunch but varied. Perhaps a different bean (red instead of black), a different piece of meat (fish instead of pork), a mashed sweet potato instead of roasted; you get the picture. But, it is often served with a sweet corn dish. My favorite was corn polenta patty.

I usually HATE polenta, but this was pretty delish! I asked for the chef (lucky for me I speak fluent Spanish - thanks Mom and Dad) at Las Tejas the international restaurant inside the Double Tree Cariari resort in San Jose and he shared this recipe:

Polenta Cakes with Corn Recipe
8oz  polenta
2 cups of broth (chicken or veggie)
2 cups of water
1 ear of corn shucked
1-2TBS of chopped up sun-dried roasted tomatoes
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 (or you can deep fry).
Cook polenta with liquids for about 20 minutes or until it pulls away from pan. (I don't use quick cook). Stir in corn (or other veggies - see below). Season now with salt and pepper before making patties. Let mixture cool! You may even wish to refrigerate your seasoned mixture.

Using a molding dish, form polenta into round cakes and place in greased dish. Bake until firm. If you fry, it will probably hold the form better. Just drop by the 1/4 cup or form as you wish.

I would probably add a cup of spinach, some garlic and sauteed onions for a variation and healthier option, and a sprinkle of red pepper to remind me I'm alive. Maybe even substitute the tomatoes for pimientos.

The Food52 butternut squash polenta recipe as seen on top of this post offers a recipe much different from that offered from the chef at Las Tejas. I hope to try it soon!

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com