Basic Polenta
There is huge debate over the difference between grits and polenta. They are both made by boiling cornmeal in water or a more flavorful liquid. There is all kinds of information out there about the kind and texture of corn that defines the difference. But in the end I have had both that were gritty and smooth. The Bob’s Red Mill product says it’s for grits or polenta, so same cornmeal for both.
The biggest difference it seems to me is flavor. I like to make my polenta using broth or stock. Then cheese is added. These flavors really focus polenta toward savory applications. For grits, I would use water or milk because frequently grits are finished with things like butter and syrup.
I really prefer a smoother texture, but if you like your polenta gritty, use a more coarse ground cornmeal.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup water or stock
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Bring salted water to a boil. Remove from heat and sprinkle cornmeal on the water stirring constantly, preferably with a wire whisk. Return to heat and boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. This will become very thick and porridge like. It will also tend to bun on the bottom, so stir! I really like to use a heat-proof rubber scraper for this.
Once it has boiled for the full 5 minutes , add the cheese and stir until blended completely.
Using a spoon dish out a puddle of polenta as a base and top it with your favorite thing. Try the Penne with Sausage and Peppers. Delete the Penne and put the sausage and peppers over polenta.
You could also pour the polenta into a 9x9 pan, sprayed with non-stick spray, and put it in the fridge. Once it is cold and has set up, you can slice it and toast in the oven, or pan fry it for crispy edges. Then top it with roasted vegetables.
Check out the recipe Polenta with Mushroom Sauce!