Polenta Croutons

Polenta croutons make salads and soups much more delicious and fun to eat!

• 1 cup Bow & Arrow Brand yellow cornmeal
• 3 ½ cups water
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons nondairy margarine
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• Oil for pan-frying

Instructions:

1. In a medium pot, whisk the cornmeal with the water over high heat.
2. As soon as the mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Continue to whisk often over low heat until the mixture is very thick. This will take about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the salt, margarine, pepper, and garlic until well combined.
4. Press evenly into a lasagna-style baking dish so that the mixture is about ½-inch thick. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until very firm.
5. Once firm, cut into ½-inch cubes with a sharp, non-serrated knife. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin layer of oil. Once hot, add enough cubes to fill about half of the skillet (don’t overcrowd). Once lightly browned on the undersides, flip over and cook the other side. Remove from heat and continue to fry the remaining cubes in batches, adding more oil if needed.
6. Serve your croutons over salads, soups, or bean dishes.

Serves 6