Mexican Polenta Bake

This dish is a serious crowd pleaser! It’s also very easy to make—I promise. Simply prepare the polenta the night before (or morning of) and you can throw this together in no time. Invariably, people will request the recipe for this very flavorful and satisfying dish.

Polenta:

• 1 cup Bow & Arrow Brand yellow cornmeal
• 3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons margarine

Layers of Love:

• 2 cans (15 oz. each) of black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed (3 cups cooked beans)
• 1¾ cups finely chopped yellow or white onion
• 2 cups (lightly packed) baby spinach
• 12 oz. jar of green tomatillo sauce
• 12 corn tortillas (or Corn and Flour Tortillas, made with Bow & Arrow Brand cornmeal)
• 2 cans (14 oz. each) enchilada sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 cups grated cheese (I use nondairy cheddar shreds)
• 3 small-medium tomatillos, thinly sliced (paper-like skins removed)
• ¾ cup chopped kalamata olives

Garnish:

• 3 scallions (green onions), chopped
• ½ cup chopped cilantro

1. Place the cornmeal and water in a medium pot set to medium-high heat. Allow it to cook, whisking continually, until it begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until very thick (about 5-10 more minutes). Stir in the nutritional yeast, salt, and margarine until well combined. Press into a large, lightly oiled oven-proof pan (the kind you’d use for lasagna, one that is at least 5 x 13.5-inches in size). Make this layer of polenta as compressed and flat as possible (so that it creates a solid base once firm), using the palms of your hands. Cover andrefrigerate for several hours or overnight (until very firm).
2. Preheat your oven to 400° F. Remove the polenta from the fridge and evenly scatter half of the beans and onions over the top. Place all of the spinach on top of the beans and onions. Pour all of the tomatillo sauce on top of the spinach.
3. Next, place six of the tortillas in a (relatively) single layer on top of the spinach and sauce. Cover the tortillas evenly with the remaining beans and onions. Pour one can of enchilada sauce evenly on top of that. Sprinkle the sauce with the juice of ½ lime.
4. For the next layer, repeat with the remaining six tortillas. Pour the other can of sauce onto the tortillas and place the cheese evenly on top of that. Place the tomatillos evenly on top of the cheese and scatter the kalamata olives on top of that. Sprinkle with the juice of ½ lime.
5. Lightly cover the pan and place it in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden browned and bubbly. Serve immediately. This will keep for about a week in the refrigerator and it also freezes well.

Serves about 12