Ingredients

• 230g/8oz fine polenta
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• chopped
• 100g/3½oz Parmesan
• finely grated
• 100–150ml/3½–5fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 veal kidney
• fat trimmed to 1cm
• 1 shallot
• thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh root ginger
• finely chopped
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 260ml/9fl oz veal stock
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
• 4 tbsp pain d’épice crumbs (or alternative crumbled ginger cake)

Directions

• To make the polenta
• bring 1 litre/1¾ pints water to a simmer in a saucepan. Gradually add the polenta
• whisking all the time until smooth. Season and stir until it thickens. Turn the heat to its lowest setting and simmer for 35–45 minutes
• stirring every 5 minutes to stop it from sticking.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Season the kidney with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. Add the kidney and colour on all sides; you do not need to add any fat to the pan.
• Transfer the kidney to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Add the shallot
• garlic and ginger
• lower the heat to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the kidney from the pan and leave to rest.
• Place the pan back over a medium heat and deglaze it with the vinegar and stock. Cook until reduced to a sauce consistency
• then finish with sesame oil and chopped coriander.
• Put the pain d’épice crumbs on a plate. Roll the kidney in the crumbs
• place on a baking tray and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Leave it to rest for 20 minutes.
• Stir the butter
• Parmesan and cream into the polenta.
• To serve
• slice the veal and arrange between two plates with a side of polenta. Drizzle the sauce on top.