This is one of those recipes that epitomizes what comfort food really means. It’s hot, it’s filling, it’s starchy, and its taste is soothingly mellow. I know instant polenta is frowned upon, but when making this for one person it seems silly to make a whole pot of authentic polenta. Besides, instant polenta is so enticingly and even blandly perfect as a foil for the other ingredients that it holds a soft soft in my heart for this particular recipe. The addition of Greek yogurt and butter emulsifies the whole mixture into an extra creamy bowl of calming warmth and the vivid orange yolk seeping into the polenta rounds out the entire meal. I tend to use spinach as a stir-in green because I almost always have a bag of it in my fridge but fresh herbs like parsley, dill, basil, and even scant amounts of thyme and oregano are also delicious.

polenta and poached eggs:

(serves 1 hungry person)

1-2 eggs

2 tsp. white vinegar

1/4 cup instant polenta, I like to keep it in the measuring cup with a spout so I can easily pour it into the water

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup of water

2 cups of spinach

1 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt

1-2 tsp. butter

About 1 Tbsp. of grated parmesan

1. Poach your desired amount of eggs in plenty of water and the 2 teaspoons of white vinegar. As soon as the eggs are beginning to cook heat up the 1 cup of water for the polenta  over medium-high heat in a separate small saucepan.

2. Take the eggs out of the water and gently transfer them to a plate lined with a clean tea towel. Quickly make the polenta by whisking the premeasured instant polenta into the water in a steady stream. The polenta will come together very quickly, as soon as it looks and tastes done take the saucepan off of the stove and stir in the spinach, Greek yogurt, and butter (the spinach will wilt into the polenta within seconds).

3. Decant the polenta into a bowl and place the poached eggs on top, dust with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan before eating.

I have such a soft spot for Kylie Minogue – I love her! Besides the brilliant campiness of her music she’s made several appearances on Kath & Kim, one of my favourite shows ever, as Ebo-NAE: Kim’s deluded and ridiculous future daughter. Also, this is a Michel Gondry music video and that inevitably means impressive, playful, and fun to watch.

Kylie Minogue – Come Into My World