Gail has sent in the latest entry into our latest Spam® Food Fight, a "Kinda Cajun Spam with Polenta". At the point, because I don't know of any other entries that might come in other than Dr. Biggles, I'll say "last call" to create a Spam® dish! To see all the entries so far, just click on the Food Fight category in the right sidebar.
Another really imaginative, well executed dish. I'm really impressed with the creativity we've all put in to this!
Gail's Kinda Cajun Spam® with Polenta
Believe it or not, this dish makes SPAM edible. If I were to do a classy version, however, I'd use Andouille. Note: SPAM has tons of salt, so I didn't salt anything else. If you use a good sausage or chicken, you'd have to salt to taste.
The Polenta
Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy pan.
Add a heaping teaspoon of cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
Add two crushed garlic cloves and one large yellow onion, diced.
Heat, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add three and a half cups of water and a half cup of apple cider.
Bring to a boil and carefully stir in a cup of polenta (corn grits).
Cook, stirring, until you have boiled out as much liquid as possible. When the polenta has cooled slightly, you want it crumbly enough to eat with a fork.
The SPAM
Grind together two teaspoons each of black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds, along with one dried red chili pepper or just add about a quarter teaspoon of cayenne into the ground mixture.
Cut the spam into thin strips and roll them in the rub. Fry until "blackened" and crusty.
The Finish
Cut into strips one half red bell pepper, one half orange bell pepper, and one half poblano. Saute in olive oil until slightly softened. Add one large apple, sliced, and saute briefly. Toss in the SPAM, add two tablespoons of apple cider and cook down, stirring.
Serve over polenta. Cover with freshly chopped cilantro and garnish with black grapes.
You will not believe how good the apples and grapes taste with the polenta
Well, I have an idea, but it's going to take me too long to pull it together. Too busy at work, please move on without the Biggles.
I do have a comical idea for a picture, so I'll see if I can't find the kids before the sun goes down and will get that off to you.
Biggles
ps - My recipe was a spam chili. Was talking with a friend about your Spam Hoopla and he mentioned he took second prize at a chili cookoff with it. There were some VERY upset people at the cookoff. Apparently the cookoff only disclosed the ingredients AFTER the awards. Tee hee.
Biggles
Gail did such a wonderful job of putting a prom dress on a heifer!
I love how everyone's doing a Where's Waldo thing! The cajun spam looks great but I'm guessing there was a lot of waste cutting all that spam into grape shapes! What was used for the stems--pickled spam strips?
Actually the Spam IS visible. It's the pinkish brown strips in amongst the peppers, apples and cilantro.
Next time, I'm going to make it without the spam.
Mmmm. Spam grapes.
Urp.