This is the breakfast that dreams are made of - creamy polenta, garlicky sauteed greens, a silky poached egg, and tangy salsa verde. This takes a bit of time and several pots, but is simple in technique and easy to master.
Start the polenta. Bring four cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, whisk in the salt and the cornmeal in a steady stream. Whisk until the cornmeal is incorporated and no longer separating from the water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook 30-40 minutes, whisking occasionally.
While the polenta is cooking, prepare the remainder of the components. Chop and mince the parsley and garlic and place into a small bowl. Add the lemon zest, the juice of half the lemon, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the olive oil and taste for seasoning. Add more lemon juice or seasoning if desired.
Prepare the greens. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and cook until it foams. Add the garlic and sautee until fragrant and barely golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Add the spinach and sauteed, stirring continuously, until barely wilted, 3-4 minutes.
Poach your egg(s). Crack an egg into a ramekin. Bring a pot with 5-6 cups of water to barely a simmer and add the vinegar. With a wooden spoon or whisk, stir the simmering water until a small whirlpool forms in the middle of the pot. Tip the egg from the ramekin, whites first, into the center of the whirlpool. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Compose your polenta bowl. Remove the polenta from heat once it reaches desired consistency; add cheese and whisk until incorporated. Layer ¼ of the polenta in a bowl and drizzle with salsa verde. Add ¼ of the greens and top with a poached egg. Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe can be a little challenging to time just right. A general guideline is to start the spinach once the polenta is half-way done. Cook until the spinach is just barely wilted, then cover and set aside. It will be warm and perfectly cooked once you're ready to compose the dish. Start the boiling water for the poached eggs at the same time you start the spinach, but keep at a simmer until the polenta is 5-7 minutes away from being finished. Once the polenta is nearly done, poach your egg. It only takes a minute or two for the water to come back to simmering so that you can poach a second or third egg. The poached eggs will keep for several minutes resting on a paper towel.