This was a meal of firsts for me.

My first properly poached egg attempt.

My first try at making polenta.

And my first complete blind faith in the ingredients coming together to make something edible, never mind delicious.

And you know what, aside from a finger dunked in boiling water (and the subsequent massive blister), the whole thing turned out splendidly.

The entire process took a little more time than I was hoping it would, but part of that has to do with the fact that I have no oven, and only a 2 burner stovetop and two pans. So, I had difficulty doing more than one thing at a time.

I had to “roast” the cabbage first, and then put it aside while I made the eggs and polenta.

I’m sure this is one of those things that you look at and say, “Really Carrie? You want me to eat polenta with a side of cabbage topped with a poached egg and feta cheese? “

But, yes, I do want you to. It’s really quite good when it all comes together.

And, if I do say so myself, look at that beautifully poached egg. Not too shab for my first try!

Parmesan Polenta with Poached Egg, Cabbage, and Feta
200 grams Feta, cut into 2cm cubes
olive oil
black pepper
red chili flakes

500ml milk
125 grams quick-cook polenta
60 grams butter
30 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
grilled cabbage
free range eggs

First grill the cabbage. Cut it into quarters. If you have a grill, this is easy. Just brush with olive oil and give it a grill. If not, you can do it in a pan on the stove. Set aside, covered loosely with foil.

Place the feta on a large sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil; season with pepper and sprinkle with chili flakes. Wrap the foil around the feta to form a loose package. Roast for about 8 minutes, or until soft.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. Reduce the heat and whisk in the polenta. Cook, stirring, until it thickens (about 3-5 minutes). Mix in the butter and the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Now poach the eggs. (Bring a pan of water and vinegar to a simmer. When the water is simmering, but not boiling, make a whirlpool in the water with a spoon. Drop an egg into the whirlpool. Continue swirling while the eggs cook (about 3 minutes).

Spoon the polenta on a plate, top with the cabbage and poached egg. Sprinkle the feta over the top.

Eat immediately!