Fried Green Tomatoes on Polenta Rounds with Peppers, Onions, and Bacon

Prepare one whole recipe of my Fried Green Tomatoes recipe (see my TastyKitchen recipe box for this recipe – just omit the caramelized onions part of the recipe).

To make the polenta, bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, then slowly pour in the polenta while whisking. Continue to whisk as the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add butter and let polenta cook for an additional 5 minutes or so until cooked through and butter is melted. Spread polenta into a small rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan. Refrigerate for an hour or so until it’s solid. Tip: This can be done up to 2 days in advance.

Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until fat has rendered and bacon is crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate and set aside. Add diced peppers and onions to bacon drippings and cook until tender and onions begin to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.

When you’re ready to assemble appetizers, remove polenta from the fridge. Using a 2 or 3-inch round cookie/biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds as you can out of the polenta. (Alternately, you can make them square so you don’t have bits leftover.) Place rounds on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until they’re warmed up.

To assemble, place the warm polenta rounds on a platter. Top each with 2 or 3 fried green tomatoes (depending on size), a spoonful of peppers and onions, and a piece of bacon. Sprinkle with chives.

Makes about 8 appetizers with some leftover tomatoes.