Breakfast Polenta with Chorizo and Queso Fresco

For additional flavor, use chicken stock when making the polenta/grits. I love the whole chorizo, tomatoes, cilantro mix...add a jalapeño or some pickled jalapeño would be "top 'o the mornin". I would even consider the possibility of using an extra sharp cheddar. Talk about flavor filled!!

• bbracken677

• Dallas

• 11/13/2016

After seeing a play based upon Jane Austin’s Sense & Sensibility, I posed a similar polenta based recipe that includes some crystalized ginger and pepitas. Check out my post at http://www.cookingthekitchen.com/hasty-pudding-breakfast-jane-austen/

• bar49

• Brooklyn, NY

• 2/20/2016

在我开始之前,我想这个评论我s the kind of review i always hate to read. you know the one..."i changed all but 1 of the ingredients in the recipe and i loved it" -- but i think this recipe has some great bones and that is why i wanted to review it. there is a bunch of snow on the ground and i DID NOT want to dig my car out...and so i was looking for something to make with things i have in the house &/or i could buy at the local wine & cheese shop. i substitued dried chorizo, fried it til brown, added some frozen peas (b/c thats the only veggie i had on hand) and half a jar of my italian mother's stewed tomatoes. the polenta i followed except that i didn't have any corn. it took longer than 25min, but was the easiest I've ever done, so i will re-use that method in the future. i had some cilantro from my garden that i had in the freezer that i mixed with mined/chopped pecorino cheese. so this is what i mean by "good bones": while i didn't make this exactly as it was written, this dish turned out amazing. this is one of those recipes that you can keep in your pocket and make on the fly with whatever you have and it will always be good. the combo of the chorizo, tomatoes, and cilantro + a salty cheese over polenta is pure gold. so i encourage everyone to make this...either exactly as it is written, or with mini changes to suit the inventory of your pantry.

• effulgent

• baltimore, md

• 1/21/2012

Excellent, filling breakfast. I made the grits using a different technique, but it still turned out awesome.

• spinal77

• Williamsburg, VA

• 11/15/2011

Really liked this recipe. There are other ways to prepare the sauce. You can mix tomatilloes with the cherry tomatoes and add spices like epazote. Surprisingly, it would also work with mint (yerbabuena).

• margash

• 11/5/2011

I used what I had on hand - the normal chorizo, which I sautéed and drained before adding tomatoes. I didn't have cilantro and used some garlic chives. Delicious!

• tgunnison

• 3/5/2011

This was a huge hit at my brunch and people have been asking for the recipe ever since. Simply delicious! I bought ground chorizo from the meat counter. Made no other changes and it tasted great. Very easy, and very tasty!

• jrgessler

• 11/30/2010

I thought this meal was very satisfying. I did not think that so much cheese and cilantro were necessary though- I just sprinkled a little of each at the end. And I skipped the baking dish prep for the polenta. I just made it in a saucepan on the stove and spooned it onto the plate. It's a great dish as it is, and a great base to personalize.

• nchelle2

• Los Angeles

• 7/18/2010

I thought this was great! The polenta took a bit longer than 25 min to firm up. I loved the cilantro/ queso fresco, tomato combo. I used soyrizo and it didn't cook very well but I've never used it before so I don't know if it was the brand or veggie product that didn't do well. So I just cooked the tomatoes and the dish turned out wonderfully. I did add green onions which really brought it together if you plan to skip the chorizo.

• evadesserre

• Pasadena, CA

• 4/1/2010

Excellent brunch dish. The amount of polenta should serve 8, though. I'll be making it for guests during Round-Up this year. I'll increase the chorizo topping by about 1/3 and serve it with eggs and fresh fruit. May add a can of diced chilies to the polenta. Johnsonville makes a very nice chorizo sausage that is not greasy and has lots of flavor.

• Anonymous

• Pendleton, OR

• 3/9/2010

This is a ski season breakfast staple! Hearty, but full of energy. Using link Chorizo is key. We tried with traditional Mexican Chorizo and it was a mess and greasy. We sometimes add some unlinked breakfast sausage and green chili and serve with a poached egg. Leftovers are also very good the next day.

• Anonymous

• Vail, Colorado

• 11/27/2009

I made this with some modifications. I cooked the polenta in the conventional way on the stove in a pot with chicken broth and then added parmesan cheese. I made a well in the middle of the polenta mound on the plate and placed a poached egg. I added onions and peppers to the chorizo sausage and tomatoes and served this next to the polenta /egg. Sprinkled it all with feta. Had it for dinner. Everyone including the kids loved this. A great meal. Personally, I think it would be a very heavy breakfast.

• Anonymous

• Toronto

• 3/4/2009

Great! I halved the soyrizo because that's all I had left. I sauteed and added a minced jalapeno and some chopped onion to the chorizo. Yumm!

• Anonymous

• boston, ma

• 1/27/2009

I made this with the ingredients I had on hand: Soyrizo, field tomatoes, italian parsley, feta, and polenta from a tube. It was fantastic. I only wish I had queso fresco instead of feta - the feta was a bit too salta and didn't provide enough contrast with the salty soyrizo. I also added half a chopped onion and a pinch of toasted cumin seeds to the tomato. Pro-tip for soyrizo users: Saute the soyrizo, then set it aside while you cook the tomatoes. Add the soyrizo back into the tomato mix 3-4 minutes before you serve, so that the flavors blend but the soyrizo doesn't disintegrate.

• vst631

• cambridge, ma

• 11/15/2008

seriously good flavors and textures. i also added diced onions to the polenta and a can of black beans to the chorizo/tomato mixture. even more yummy for lunch the next day.

• dcfoodiebaby

• DC

• 5/28/2008