Polenta Slice with Bacon & Boiled Eggs

Ingredients (serves 4 – 6)

• 3 x 70 g eggs, preferably organic
• 3 rashers free range bacon
• 1 large tomato, cut into eighths
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red capsicum, seeded & chopped into 1 cm² pieces
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 900 ml vegetable stock or lightly salted water
• 100 g baby spinach
• 1 cob corn, kernels sheered
• 175 g instant polenta
• sea salt
• green salad, tomato chutney & avocado, to serve

Method

1. Line a deep 20 cm² dish with baking paper.
2. Place eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water and a lid and bring the boil quickly. As soon as the water boils remove saucepan from heat and allow eggs to sit in the hot water for 7 minutes. Rinse and submerge in cold water to cool completely, then peel and halve.
3. Arrange bacon rashers and tomato pieces (cut side up) on a wire rack set in a baking tray. Grill on medium heat for about 6 minutes, flipping bacon halfway through, or until done to your liking. Allow to cool a little then remove rind and chop the bacon into centimetre square pieces.
4. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and saute, stirring, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic and capsicum and continue to cook, covered, for a further five minutes or until everything is beginning to soften: stir occasionally and add a little water if the mixture dries out. Finally mix in the spices with ¼ tsp sea salt and remove from heat.
5. Bring water or stock to the boil in a medium sized saucepan. Steam spinach atop for about 30 seconds, until wilted, then arrange over the base of the prepared dish. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Add corn kernels to the water then, while stirring with a wooden spoon, the polenta in a steady stream. Stir continuously for about three minutes or until soft, then season to taste.
6. Working quickly, arrange the bacon, tomato and capsicum mixture evenly in the base of the dish. Pour the warm polenta over and press down using a spatula to fill any spaces. Make 6 small indentations and sit the egg halves in these. Allow the slice to set for at least an hour before serving, either at room temperature or in the fridge- be sure to let it return to room temperature before eating if you do the latter. Serve with a green salad, tomato chutney and sliced avocado.

* An alternative way to prepare this dish is to simply mix the spinach, bacon, tomato and capsicum into the polenta before allowing it to set then adding the eggs on top: this makes for a great portable weekday breakfast (or lunch!).