Pesto Meatballs & Fresh Corn Polenta

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Pick the basil off the stems; discard the stems. Halve the tomatoes; place in a bowl with half the basil (roughly chopping before adding). Drizzle with olive oil and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Peel the garlic. Mince 3 of the cloves. Mince the remaining clove; smash with the side of your knife until it resembles a paste (or use a zester). Finely chop the walnuts. Peel and small dice the onion. Remove and discard the husks and silks of the corn. Cut the kernels off the cobs; discard the cobs.

Add the arugula and remaining basil to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until wilted. Drain thoroughly. Transfer to a strainer; rinse under cold water. Hold or rest the strainer over a bowl. Using a spoon, press down on the greens to release as much liquid as possible; discard the liquid. Transfer the greens to a cutting board; very finely chop. In a large bowl, combine the chopped greens, garlic paste, walnuts and half the cheese. Slowly stir in enough olive oil to create a paste; season with salt and pepper to taste. Rinse and dry the pot.

In the pot used to cook the greens, heat 6 cups of water and a big pinch of salt to boiling on high. Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion and minced garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Add the corn and polenta to the pot of boiling water, whisking to break up any clumps; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, whisking frequently, 10 to 12 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter until well combined; season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the polenta cooks, add the ground beef and breadcrumbs to the bowl of cooked aromatics; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix until just combined. Using your hands, form the mixture into 24 equal-sized meatballs. In the pan used to cook the aromatics, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the meatballs. Cook, turning occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat.

To the bowl of pesto, add the cooked meatballs and 2 tablespoons of water. Toss to thoroughly coat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the cooked polenta between 4 dishes. Top with the finished meatballs and marinated tomatoes. Garnish with the remaining cheese. Enjoy!