By Camille Gibson

I am a huge fan of polenta. I keep slices of it in the fridge to use in my lunch box on work days. A slice of this will also keep tea time munchies at bay! The blue cheese and pear in this recipe make a delightful combination. Serve with a green salad for a light, tasty lunch.

Serves 4

 Ingredients

1 litre water

175g fine polenta

60g butter (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

175g Gorgonzola cheese, cut into thin slices (or a blue cheese of your choice)

3 large pears, cored and thinly sliced.

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, to serve.

Method

Bring the water to boil in a heavy- bottomed pan and gradually pour in the polenta, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the polenta thickens. You will need to keep stirring to stop it from sticking.

Stir in the butter and olive oil and season. Cook for another few minutes.

Turn the polenta out into a greased dish (approx 10” by 10”). Allow to cool and then place in the fridge for a few hours (I usually skip this bit and serve the polenta immediately! Its a little more fragile, but still good to go.)

When the polenta is ready, cut it into slices and brush each side with olive oil. Grill or fry until golden brown.

Serve, topped with slices of Gorgonzola or blue cheese and pear and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

*Adapted from a recipe by Chris Caldicott