Clif Family Bruschetteria's Polenta Tots with Ranch Dipping Sauce
These addictively delicious Polenta Tots are from the food truck at Clif Family Winery in Napa, California. They are a fun snackable bite meant to be shared. If you've never had polenta cooked this way, you're in for a treat!
Equipment
- Heavy Bottomed Skillet or Dutch Oven
- Deep Fry Oil Thermometer
Ingredients
For the Polenta Tots
- 3 cups Organic dried polenta
- 64 floz water
- 12 floz whole milk
- 1 Tbsp salt
- ¼ cup butter
- ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
- ¾ cup grated mozzarella
- ¾ cup grated fontina
- Adjust salt to taste
- 4-6 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
For the ranch dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dry dill
- 2 tablespoons chives diced
- Lemon juice to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Gently bring water and milk to a simmer in a large pot on medium heat, add salt, then slowly whisk in the polenta. The mixture should be thick and hard to stir with a whisk. Once all the polenta is added, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and stir with a rubber spatula to prevent the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching. Cook the polenta for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the polenta is creamy and tender. Once fully cooked, add in buter, Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, fontina, and additional salt to taste. Stir to combine and melt cheese/butter.
- While the polenta is finishing up, stage a 13”x 17.5” baking sheet lined with parchment and coat it with non-stick spray. Pour polenta onto the tray so that it is level with the top of the edge (about 1” thick) and place a sheet of parchment paper over the polenta to smooth it out and evenly distribute the polenta.
- Refrigerate your tray of polenta in the fridge (uncovered) until fully cooled. Once cooled, unmold the tray of polenta onto a clean cutting board. Cut the polenta into 1”x1” cubes using a ruler and a pizza cutter or paring knife to get clean and even portions.
- Lightly coat each polenta cube in corn starch to prevent them from sticking to each other.
- Fill skillet or Dutch oven with oil until it's about 3 inches deep. Deep fry in 350° F oil until golden brown on the outside. Blot with paper towels to remove excess grease and season with a sprinkling of salt and chili powder. Serve with ranch for dipping.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Pair with a chilled glass of Clif Family’s Mendocino Rosé of Grenache.
Nutrition
Serving: 6totsCalories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 2gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 297mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 151IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 0.1mg
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