Grilled Polenta With Asparagus, Sweet Onion And Manchego Cheese

• For Basic Polenta:
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups polenta, about 8 ounces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
• Olive oil
• For Toppings:
• 1/2 bunch fresh asparagus (thin is good)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• 1 large sweet onion
• 8 Campari tomatoes
• 2 ounces shaved Manchego cheese (aged 12 months)

1. Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the polenta and salt while whisking. Bring back to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue whisking until very thick, about 15 minutes.
2. Lightly grease an 8x8 plastic food storage container with olive oil. Pour in polenta mixture and spread into a smooth, even layer with the back of a wet spoon. Allow to cool completely then cover and refrigerate. The polenta should be prepared at least 2 hours and as many as 24 hours in advance.
3. Pre-heat the grill for direct grilling at medium heat.
4. Wash the asparagus and tomatoes. Snap off the base of each piece of asparagus at the natural breaking point and discard. Toss the asparagus with the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons olive oil and season liberally with salt. Stem the tomatoes. Cut a single slice from the onion at its widest cross section about 1/2" thick. Insert toothpicks from each side to hold the rings together while grilling. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
5. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces and brush lightly with olive oil.
6. The onion goes on the grill first. Cook over direct heat until nicely marked and softened, about 12 minutes per side.
7. Add the polenta slices when the onion is turned and cook over direct heat until nicely marked and heated through, about 6 minutes per side.
8. Add the tomatoes and asparagus when the polenta is turned and cook over direct heat for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally. If you do not have a Kalamazoo vegetable surface, build an asparagus raft using bamboo skewers or cook them in a pre-heated perforated grill pan.
9. Remove the polenta slices and toppings from the grill. Place the polenta slices on individual appetizer plates. Quickly slice the asparagus, cut the onion rings into quarters or eighths, as you like, and chop the tomatoes. Combine these toppings in a bowl with the juice from the tomatoes and then top each polenta slice. Add the Manchego to the plates and serve warm.

polenta, water, polenta, kosher salt, olive oil, fresh asparagus, lemon, olive oil, salt, sweet onion, tomatoes, manchego cheese

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/grilled-polenta-with-asparagus-sweet-onion-and-manchego-cheese-1268302 (may not work)