Besides the flavor of roasted vegetables, any way you roast them, the creamy, cheesy polenta is a great side dish to these flavorful, lightly charred mouthfuls. As for the spelling of Cheddar in the title? Live in Maine long enough, and it is only natural that the “ah” in Cheddar flows from the brain to the fingertips when I type.

Serves four.

/ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon garlic powder

/ teaspoon each cumin, ginger and red pepper flakes

2 small onions, peeled and halved

2 cups fresh cauliflower florets

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cooked carrot slices

1 cup milk

/ cup chicken broth

/ cup cornmeal

/ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salt and cracked,black pepper to taste

Mix the soy sauce, honey, cumin, ginger and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add all vegetables, tossing to coat evenly. Let veggies sit in marinade for at least one hour in refrigerator. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lift vegetables out with slotted spoon onto a large baking pan, shaking off excess marinade and discarding. Roast 20 minutes while preparing Cheddah Polenta.

When you have 5 minutes left on the vegetables, prepare polenta. Bring milk and chicken broth to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt and cracked pepper. Remove vegetables from oven; set aside.

Spoon polenta into servings dishes and top with equal amounts of roasted vegetables.

Note: Here are two ways of enjoying this dish when the weather beckons you to turn on the grill. You can simply add all the vegetables in a couple of tin foil packets and barbecue them over indirect fire until tender. You can also thread vegetables onto skewers and cook over indirect heat. When ready to serve, simply remove from skewers or serve.

— Chef Jim Bailey is The Yankee Chef and an authority on New England food and its history. He is a respected food columnist from Maine and is married with four children. You can email questions or comments to theyankeechef@aol.com and visit theyankeechef. blogspot.com.

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