Instructions: Butter the dish you are going to use (or alternatively coat w/ cooking spray, generously) and set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Slowly add the cornmeal to the liquid, whisking as you go. You must stir immediately or it clumps up. As soon as all the cornmeal is added, turn heat to low, switch to a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring occasionally until the polenta starts to shrink from the sides of the pot. Remove from heat and add the parmesan. Stir well, polenta should be creamy but firm.

Moving quickly, use about 2 cups of the polenta to make the bottom layer, top with 1/3 cup pest and half the sun dried tomatoes, cover with 1/2 cup Marinara. Make another polenta layer, use the rest of the pesto, tomatoes and Marinara. Cover with another 1 1/2 cups polenta (leftover polenta? see note 3). Dont worry about making it smooth and pretty. This is nearly impossible, and besides, the dish is supposed to look rustic, and once people start eating it, it wont last to be looked at anyway. Peel the brie, and put the chunks on top. If you give up and dont get all the rind off, dont worry. At this point you have three options. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze it, cover and refrigerate, or cook immediately. If you choose to cook now, preheat the oven to 350 F heat for about twenty minutes, then run under the broiler until the top is golden brown and a little crusty.

If it goes in the fridge, pull it out, let it come up to about room temp, then throw it in a 350 F oven for about 40 min (until warmed through) and then under the broiler for the same treatment. If it went into the freezer, preheat the oven to 400 F, and bake for about 1 hour, 20 min - until warmed through, and (you guessed it) back under the broiler.

Works great as breakfast, brunch, or summer lunch, with a salad and light red wine. Yummy!

Vegetarian

Note: Veggie broth works well, and can give an interesting flavor even if you arent vegetarian. Also, if you are short on stock, 4C water, and 4C stock works too.

Note 2: If you can get sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, this is best. However, you can also buy dry sun dried tomatoes, soak them in boiling water, drain them (the drained water works well as an addition to the stock you have in the freezer), and then either coat them in olive oil, or make a bunch, get the right sized glass jar, pack them in with a few appropriate Italian spices and cover with olive oil, and have them ready for this and other recipes (I would recommend and earlier pen pal forum entry, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta).

Note 3: Extra Polenta? Place in a small loaf pan to mold it. Let it cool and set up. This is great sauteed as slices to accompany breakfasts in place of hash browns or toast. Yummy for lunch or dinner to accompany chunky tomato sauces, especially with grilled veggies. Or, as a base for an open face cheese and tomato sandwich.

(mmm, I think I will make some for lunch)

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