Recipe: Darog's Crispy Polenta Cake with Cáis

At Daróg Wine Bar, head chef Attila Galambos finishes these polenta cakes on a barbecue grill for a subtle smoky hit, but we’ve kept the cooking simple in this surprisingly easy version that is great for serving as a luxe snack with Champagne, Cava or an orange wine. 

Cáis na Tíre (literally ‘cheese of the land’) is an Irish farmhouse hard sheep's milk cheese made by Barry and Lorraine on their farm in Terryglass, Co. Tipperary. It makes a fantastic alternative to Parmesan, while also shining on any cheese board. You can purchase it online or from your local cheesemonger.

Crispy Polenta Cake with Cáis na Tíre 

Serves 8

Ingredients

950g whole milk
450g water
300g double cream
400g fine polenta
40g fine sea salt
125g cold butter, cut into small cubes
200g finely grated Cáis na Tíre, plus a little extra for garnish

Method

1. Combine the milk, water and cream in a pot and slowly bring it to a simmer.
2. Add the fine polenta and salt, stirring with a medium-sized whisk to prevent lumps forming, and cook it slowly for about about 30-40 minutes until the grains soften and the mixture thickens, stirring regularly to prevent it forming lumps or sticking to the base.
3. Meanwhile, to make a brown butter, place the cubed butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and allow to slowly melt, watching closely. Once it starts foaming and turning brown, strain it through a fine sieve.
4. When the polenta is cooked, fold in the brown butter and then the finely grated cheese, stirring with a spatula to combine well. Pour the mixture into a shallow rectangular tray lined with baking paper and spread it evenly.
5. Place the tray in the fridge for at least 6 hours to set, then portion into the desired size: at Daróg, we cook them in finger-sized rectangles but you can make them bigger or smaller as you wish.
6. Fry at 180º–190°C until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately or transfer to a low oven to keep warm.
7. We like to serve these in a little pile topped with some extra freshly grated Cáis na Tíre.

Darog's Zsolt Lukács’s recommended pairing:

"A sparkling wine with some texture from lees ageing like Cava Reserva or Champagne (my ultimate answer to everything!) can stand up to the creamy texture while having the acidity to cut through the fattiness of the cheese. Equally,  a fresher style orange wine like Claus Preisinger's Kalk & Kiesel would be an exciting match. Orange wines usually offer a great texture."

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