This recipe is storecupboard-friendly comfort food at its finest

Polenta serves as a welcoming canvas for a cosy supper, says Aaron Hutcherson

(Scott Suchman/The Washington Post)

During the winter months, when sunshine is scarce, cosy suppers are what I crave. For me that means soups and stews, pastas and comforting bowls of grains. Lately I’ve been turning to creamy polenta topped with chickpeas and tomatoes to satisfy my cravings.

If it’s especially chilly where you live, here’s a bonus: this dish calls only for tinned goods and a few other kitchen cupboard staples, so you won’t need to leave the warmth of your kitchen to make it.

The recipe starts with sauteing an onion in olive oil – as many great recipes do – with whole fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt and pepper. A tin of chickpeas adds substance and protein, while fire-roasted tomatoes bind it together with the fruit’s characteristic sweet-tart flavour profile and a kiss of smoke (if you don’t have fire-roasted tomatoes, you can use regular tinned chopped tomatoes and add a sprinkle of smoked paprika as a substitute).

While the chickpea and tomato mixture does its thing, make the polenta.

Polenta is a simple porridge made of cornmeal that turns the humble ingredient into a dish worthy of royalty. It’s made by bringing the liquid of your choosing to a boil – I used water in my testing, but if you have stock on hand, it lends more flavour – and slowly whisking in the ground corn in a steady stream to prevent lumps. Although you can find packages labeled “polenta” in the supermarket aisle, and I prefer the texture of a coarser grind as stated in the ingredient list below, whatever cornmeal you have in your cupboard will do.

Lastly, a bit of butter adds creaminess and flavour. I exercised restraint in the amount called for so as to not scare anyone who looks at the nutrition information, but know that the delightfully decadent bowls of polenta you’ve enjoyed at restaurants can contain multiples more. So feel free to use the recipe amount as a starting point if richness is what you’re after.

The polenta serves as a welcoming canvas for the simply seasoned chickpea and tomato mixture, providing me with a sense of calm and comfort in mere minutes – I hope it will do the same for you. And if you’re in the mood for an extra flourish, a sprinkling of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Polenta with chickpeas and tomatoes

Serves: 4

Total time: 25 mins

If you have cornmeal in your pantry, you can make polenta. Slowly whisk the ground corn into the liquid of your choice and you’re on your way to a big bowl of comfort. Here, it gets topped with a simple yet satisfying mixture of chickpeas and tomatoes.

Storage notes: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. To reheat the polenta, add it to a saucepan over medium-low heat with additional water or stock, whisking to smooth it out, until hot. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.

Ingredients:

For the chickpeas and tomatoes:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion (about 200g), diced

1 tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

½ tsp finely ground black pepper, plus more to taste

One (440g) tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 (400g) tin diced fire-roasted tomatoes

For the polenta:

950ml water or unsalted or low-sodium vegetable stock

140g medium or stone ground cornmeal

½ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces (may substitute with vegan butter)

Method:

Make the chickpeas and tomatoes: in a medium frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes, let it come to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and the flavors meld, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper, if needed.

Make the polenta: meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the water or broth to a boil. While whisking steadily to prevent lumps, slowly pour in the cornmeal. Whisk in the salt, reduce the heat to low, so the liquid is at a gentle simmer, cover partially (to protect from eruptions), and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the butter, a piece at a time, until fully incorporated. Taste, and season with more salt, if needed.

To serve, divide the polenta among 4 bowls and top with the chickpea and tomato mixture.

Nutrition information per serving (1 cup polenta plus 3/4 cup chickpea and tomato mixture): calories: 427; total fat: 21g; saturated fat: 8g; cholesterol: 30mg; sodium: 890mg; carbohydrates: 52g; dietary fibre: 9g; sugar: 7g; protein: 9g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

© The Washington Post