"Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the cornmeal thickens, for 30 to 45 minutes."
Those instructions have daunted countless would-be polenta makers. After all, who wants to stand over a steaming pot for 45 minutes, stirring cornmeal nonstop⢠Well, as anyone who has discovered the tastiness and versatility of this savory comfort food in its slow-cooked form would be able to tell you, it's worth the wait.
A staple of Northern Italian cuisine, modern polenta dates back to the mid-17th century. It was during this time that the Venetians introduced American corn to the region. Prior to the 1600s, one variation of polenta was made using chestnut flour, while another version may have existed that used barley.
Cooked in an unlined copper kettle, the combination of yellow cornmeal, or ground corn, and water was ceaselessly stirred until a thick mush formed. To test for doneness, the cook would insert her wooden spoon in the center of the mixture. If the spoon stood up on its own, the polenta was done.
Once finished, the polenta was either served immediately in its porridge-like state or spooned out of the pot, spread out on a flat surface to cool and solidify, and then cut into squares. The pieces would then be grilled or fried and paired up with seafood, vegetables or a sauce.
An extremely adaptable food, polenta was offered as a first course, side and even an entree. When teamed with spicy sausages or sweet syrup or preserves, it became a hearty breakfast.
Today, cooks vary the ways that they create this dish. "Every region in Italy has a different way of preparing polenta," says Paolo Berton, an ardent cook and IT professional who resides in Rome. "Normally, in the south it is more fluid and yellow as it's made from corn flour. In the north of Italy it is solid and thick as a cake, and either yellow or white from corn flour or black from buckwheat flour." Paolo uses cornmeal and a traditional copper pot when cooking polenta, he says.
Another way that cooks may vary their recipes is to choose fine or coarse grain. Coarse-grained cornmeal will create a more robust, flavorful polenta.
For the impatient, there is instant polenta, but be forewarned that it doesn't have the rich taste of the slow-cooked variant. Instant works best when the polenta is to be combined with full-flavored ingredients such as sausages, pancetta or a zesty sauce. The heartiness of these ingredients compensates for instant polenta's relative blandness.
Another deviation is to bake, rather than simmer, the cornmeal mixture. With this method, the ingredients are cooked on the stovetop for 15 minutes. The polenta is then either left in the oven-safe pot and covered with a lid or tumbled into dish and covered with foil. It is then slid into a pre-heated oven and baked at 350 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes, stirred every so often to ensure even baking.
To add a little gusto to the dish, substitute chicken, pork or beef stock for water. Add finely chopped onions, shallots or garlic into the simmering polenta or mix in grated Parmesan or Gruyere, crumbled Gorgonzola, or chunks of fontina cheese once the polenta has cooked. A dab of salted butter, a saute of wild mushrooms or coating of tomato sauce can also bring a bit of excitement to the finished offering.
Although polenta is delicious on its own, it can also compliment a variety of delectable foods. Stewed, braised or roasted meats, grilled fish and shellfish, and roasted fowl all couple well with it. When working with meats and fish, be sure to reserve some of their cooking juices so that the liquid can be used as a light sauce for the polenta.
Additionally, polenta can serve as a stand-in for such basic ingredients as pasta in lasagna. Just spread out, cool and cut the cooked polenta into strips. Place the strips in a baking dish and cover with cheese, meat or vegetables and tomato sauce, and bake.
When left in its soft, mush-like state, polenta makes an appetizing alternative to mashed potatoes. Mound the polenta onto dinner plates, pour chicken or beef gravy over top and serve alongside warm, sliced chicken breast or roast beef.
This is a basic soft polenta recipe with a little cheese and chicken stock added for flavor.
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, bring the water and chicken stock to a boil. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, stirring with a wooden spoon as you add it. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for about 30 minutes or until the polenta is extremely thick and the spoon can support itself in the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan cheese and ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
For the polenta:
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons for frying
• 1 cup instant polenta
For the topping:
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained and with juice reserved in separate bowl
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh, chopped parsley or 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, stirring with a wooden spoon as you add it. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon the polenta into a rectangular, lightly oiled, 2-quart baking dish. Allow the polenta to cool and solidify.
Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, mix together the tomatoes, garlic, oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, parsley and pepper. Depending on how thick you want the topping to be, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved tomato juice to the mixture and stir together.
After the polenta is firm, cut it into triangles about 2 inches in diameter at the base. (You can do this by first cutting the polenta into a rectangle and then slicing it diagonally to make 2 triangles.)
In a nonstick frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place several polenta triangles in the pan and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and arrange the cooked polenta on a large plate or platter. Repeat these steps with the remaining triangles.
Spoon the topping over the fried polenta and serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for brushing onto the polenta squares
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, stirring with a wooden spoon as you add it. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for about 30 minutes or until the polenta is extremely thick and the spoon can support itself in the pan. Remove from the heat and spoon the polenta into a rectangular, lightly oiled, 2-quart baking dish. Allow the polenta to cool and solidify.
While the polenta is cooling, heat the grill. In a medium-size frying or saute pan, heat the butter. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium heat until slightly softened. Add the shallots, salt and pepper, and continue cooking over medium heat until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Cut the polenta into 2-inch squares. Brush each side of the squares with olive oil to prevent sticking and place the squares onto a sheet of tin foil. Grill the polenta until lightly browned on one side, for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully flip over the polenta squares and grill on the other side for the same amount of time.
Place the grilled polenta onto a platter. Top each piece with a spoonful of mushrooms and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
