For crisp & cheesy polenta
1. Add water to a medium sized pot. Add salt and garlic and bring water to a boil. When the water starts to boil slowly start adding polenta while continuing to stir with a whist, so it will thicken without getting clumpy.
2. While you continue to stir, add the spices, herbs, olive oil and nutritional yeast. Stir for as long as the instructions of your type of polenta suggest. When the polenta is cooked, transfer the mixture to a shallow container. Allow to cool.
NOTE: To get really crispy polenta, you need to wait at least 8 hours for the polenta to cool in the fridge. But you can totalllly eat this polenta immediately and it will be soft, but it will be very good.
4. For crispy polenta, heat a non stick pan on medium heat. Add oil and fennel seeds to the pan. When the oil is hot, add chuncks of polenta and fry on each side until brown and crispy. When they’re done, turn the heat of.
For the Herb Butter
Take your butter, this will be easier if it’s room temperature, though I did it when it was cold and it was fine. Add the butter to a medium sized bowl along with chopped herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pink peppercorns. Mix it up until it’s well combined. I mixed it with a fork, but if you have any better tools for this, feel free to use them.
For the roasted green beans and okra:
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Add veggies, garlic, spices, herbs and oil to the tray. Roast the veggies for 12 minutes, then check on them. If veggies are ready turn the oven off. If they’re not, roast for another 5 minutes.
2. Top with roasted almonds and fried onions when done!
For the fig salad
1. Cut figs into quarters and put in an elegant medium sized bowl.
2. Crumble your vegan feta or other cheese over the figs. Drizzle the figs with glassa balsamic vinegar and chopped mint.
For the filet
1. Sprinkle each side of your filet with salt, onion powder and smoked paprika.
2. Heat a small non stick pan on low-medium. Add oil. When oil is hot add the filet. Cook filet on each side till brown and crispy.
Plating
Add the sting beans & okra, crispy polenta, fig salad and filet to a rustic plate. Scoop some herbed butter over the filet and allow it melt delicately. Devour beside a glass of merlot.