Fried (& baked) polenta with chipolte sauce and cilantro pesto

Kind of an experiment of going from dried polenta to something edible. I have heard some horror stories about "the never cooking polenta" on top of a stove. I have also had a bad experience as a child with the polenta that comes packaged in a tube, which is a bad idea in itself paired with my mother's experiment to make a pizza. I don't think I had polenta for ten years thereafter...

So a new experiment. I started by soaking the polenta in the fridge for 24 hours. Then transferred the swollen mixture to a glass baking pan. Then baked it until the grains were soft.

I then refrigerated the mixture until I was ready to eat it. I then cut it into rectangles and fried them in butter.

At the same time I was soaking the polenta I also soaked three chipolte chilies, I then blended these vegan mayo and lime juice. I ended up pureeing a fresh tomato with the sauce to cut some of the spice.

Cilantro pesto is my new favorite item to have prepared and ready in my fridge. I add fresh garlic cloves, olive oil, some Italian parsley, cilantro, lemon juice and some nuts. I think in this version I used toasted pine nuts, but lately I have been using soaked almonds or walnuts.This is such a great way to always having fresh on hand but not letting any of it go to waste. I have been eating it on a steamed veggies, really good.