Smoked tomato pimento cheese polenta. I think I’ve whispered those words 20 days since I made this dish, smiling and remembering. Without a doubt, this was one of the best tasting sides I’ve ever had. Just a hint of smokiness from the smoked tomatoes and tons of cheesy creaminess. And polenta, my favorite thing no matter what it is mixed with. This makes a big huge batch of polenta, but you’ll find you won’t have any trouble making it disappear. This is a fantastic recipe, one we’ll be making time and time again.
I like my polenta very creamy and a little on the thin side. As opposed to thick and dense. You can cook your smoked tomato pimento cheese polenta a little longer than I did if you want yours thicker. If you get it too thick, stir in a bit more cream to thin it. When reheating polenta I stir in a bit more cream to get it back to it’s original wonderfully creamy state.
Also try my smoked grits and my hot Italian sausage with fresh corn polenta.
Smoked Tomato Pimento Cheese Polenta
Ingredients
- 4 large tomatoes
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups polenta or stone ground grits
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups pimento cheese I used our Easy Pimento Cheese recipe
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fire up your smoker for 250 F. Use a light fruit wood such as apple or peach.
- Use a knife to cut a small slit in the bottom of each tomato and place on the smoker, step side down.
- Smoke for 1 hour or until tender. Remove and let cool.
- Rough chop the tomatoes, removing any hard pieces or stems, and place into a blender or food processor and puree. Add to a large pot over medium high heat.
- Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the polenta. Reduce heat to a simmer and keep stirring until the liquid has boiled away.
- Stir in the cream and pimento cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted.
- Season with salt and pepper and let simmer until the polenta reaches the desired thickness.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.