RECIPE :: Polenta and roast vegetables

(serves 4 people) Ingredients
Polenta
200g of maize flour,
2tbsp of olive oil,
1100 ml of water,
1tsp of salt,
1 stick of celery (minced),
1 onion (minced),
2 sun dried tomatoes (minced),
½ handful of fresh parsley (minced) and
2tbsp of fresh lemon juice.

Roast vegetables
1 small aubergine (roughly chopped),
1 yellow pepper (roughly chopped),
1 red pepper (roughly chopped),
4 shallots (roughly chopped),
2 courgettes (roughly chopped),
1 red onion (roughly chopped),
100ml of olive oil,
2tbsp of fresh lemon juice,
1tsp of salt,
½ tsp of pepper and

8 vine tomatoes,
100g of rocket.

Method
1) To make the polenta; blend the maize flour, olive oil, water and the salt until creamy.
2) Place the maize mix, celery, onion and tomatoes into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat until only a few bubbles appear (like molten lava) and cook for 20-30 minutes stirring very regularly until you loose the raw flavour. Once cooked mix in the fresh parsley.
3) Place the thick maize mix into a 9" spring form cake tin. Pour the lemon juice over the polenta. Store in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
4) To make the roast vegetables; pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7 / 220C / 425F.
5) Place all the roughly chopped vegetables into a large roasting tray and coat with the olive oil. Bake for 55 minutes.
6) 10 minutes before the vegetables are cooked cut the polenta into 8 pieces and griddle over a medium heat for 5 minutes each side.
7) Cut the tomatoes in half and fry face down over a low heat for a couple of minutes
8) You are almost ready to serve up now so take the vegetables out of the oven and mix in the zest of the lemon, salt and pepper.
9) To serve; place the rocket on the bottom of the plate, then place the roast vegetables on top of the rocket. Take two pieces of the polenta and place them on top of the vegetables. Finish off by putting four tomato halves on top of the polenta. Can be served hot or cold.