i finally decided to push forth with my own recipe involving roma tomatoes, fresh parmesan-reggiano, and fresh basil, rosemary, and lavender from my garden. I used a food network recipe for roasted tomatoes for the time and oven temperature, but otherwise I was on my own. here's what i did:
1. cut 4 roma tomatoes lengthwise into 8ths, then half horizontally
2. toss in a large bowl with fresh basil (8-9 leaves), rosemary (approx. 1/4 tbsp), a tiny bit of lavender, and some sun-dried tomato basil infused olive oil 3. roast in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees
4. in a large skillet, heat 2-3 tbsp. olive oil with some italian-blend seasoning thrown in.
5. cut polenta into 1/2 inch rounds, then place carefully into hot olive oil, turning frequently until each side is browned (approx. 5 minutes for each side)
6. as the polenta is cooking, season each side with fresh ground black pepper, french grey sea salt, and cumin
7. when polenta rounds are nicely browned, place on plate and top with the roasted tomato mixture.
8. grate fresh parmesan-reggiano cheese onto the top of each round.
the picture isn't great, but wow! this tasted amazing...
