Don Pintabona's Polenta Lemon Cake with Fresh Berries
Book Description
If you'd consider a chef-inspired three-course meal for four for $20 the answer to your prayers, Chef on a Shoestring is a must-have. More often than not, following recipes shared by great chefs involves hours in the kitchen and breaking the bank, but this companion to the weekly segment of the same name on CBS's Saturday Early Show is proof that great food does not have to come at a great price.
This dessert couldn't be more simple to prepare and makes unique use of polenta. When shopping for lemons, be sure to choose bright yellow ones with a strong fragrance, both of which are good indicators of the potency of the zest.
Servings: 6 to 8
FOR THE CAKE:
11 ounces (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
Grated zest of 2 lemons (reserve juice for berries, below)
3 1/2 cups ground almonds (almond flour)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
7 tablespoons corn oil or vegetable oil
5 large eggs, at room temperature, slightly beaten
2/3 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal
1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
FOR THE BERRY SAUCE:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Juice of 2 lemons (see recipe in left-hand column)
2 1/2 cups fresh berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, cleaned and sliced if necessary
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
To MAKE THE CAKE: Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the almonds, vanilla, lemon extract, oil, and eggs and beat until well incorporated. Fold in the polenta, cake 1 flour, baking powder, and salt and combine thoroughly into a homogeneous mixture. Pour into a buttered and floured 10-inch cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, and then remove from the pan.
To MAKE THE BERRY SAUCE: Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar melts and a thick syrup is formed. As soon as the first hint of brown caramelization shows, immediately remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then the berries. Spoon the berries over wedges of the polenta cake and serve.
