Spicy Greens Over Polenta

The kids were out of town with their Grandparents a couple of weeks ago.  I used the opportunity to make a dinner that Neal and I love, but the kids don't care for.

Spicy Greens over Polenta

4 cups water

1/2 cup each stone ground cornmeal and quinoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 thinly sliced onion

2 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced

crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

6 to 10 cups of washed, chopped greens (spinach, chard, kale, collards)

1 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

eggs

1. In a small bowl whisk together 2 cups water with the cornmeal, quinoa and salt. Bring the remaining 2 cups water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the boiling water, and continue stirring. Be careful! The polenta may spit and sputter and the hot bits of polenta can burn. Turn the heat to very low and cook the polenta for 40 minutes; stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes.
2. Make the spicy greens while the polenta cooks: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onions. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until they have softened. Stir in the red pepper flakes and the garlic, saute for 3 minutes. Then add the greens.  Saute until the greens have cooked down, adding a tiny bit of water if needed (with tougher greens like kale and collards) to get the greens to soften and cook down.  
3. When the polenta has cooked for 40 minutes, sprinkle the green onions and grated cheese into the polenta. Stir well. Mound the polenta on plates, make a well in the center of each mound and top with greens and a sunny side up or poached egg.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and additional chili flakes to taste.

adapted from the book Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons