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I don't know what made
me decide to learn to make polenta except it's just a glorified
grits dish, and I love grits.
Ingredients:
boiling water (or other)
cornmeal (or other)
salt
The basic is boiling water
and about a cup of large flake cornmeal. You can often find polenta-style
grits at a health food store or deli import. But, I usually make
it with just plain old grits, or even yellow cornmeal and it turns
out fine.
The difference:
Meat - Flavored -
I usually start my polenta-making
a couple of days before when I have meaty bones leftover from
other meals. Bones from meats cooked on the grill make an especially
fine stock.
When we grill a rack of
chevon (goat) ribs, I usually freeze the bones for stock for polenta.
Put on a large pot of cold water and add your reserved bones.
Simmer several hours until it's reduced and the broth has some
of the meat flavors. Set into the refrigerator overnight or several
hours to let the fats solidify. (On goat meat it won't be very
much fat.) Beef will have a good deal more.
Skim the fat out. And note
that the broth will spoil pretty quickly so freeze it if you're
not making polenta right away.
Vegetable - Flavored:
Reserve any cooking water
from cooked vegetables if meat is not on your diet. This makes
a very delicately flavored polenta. (Asparagus liquid is nice,
and so is the 'pot liquor' from mustard greens.)
To make Polenta:
I use about a cup of stock
to a cup of water. If your stock is lightly flavored, you can
use all stock or, if it is somewhat fatty, cut back on it. The
ratio is 2 parts liquid to one part dry meal. Salt lightly and
bring to a boil. Add a cup of cornmeal, a 'sprinkle' at a time.
Whisk or stir very often
while continuing to boil. This will stick!
Turn the heat down and simmer
uncovered until it thickens.
Keep stirring!
When the meal has absorbed
all of the liquid, it's about done. When it's stiff and somewhat
hard to stir, let cool a little.
There is another method
I haven't tried, but it seems easier to incorporate the dry grits
into the hot liquid. Just blend the polenta or grits into an equal
amount of water, then add the gruel slowly to a pot of simmering
stock. Stir until thickened.
CHEESY:
For a variation, you can
add a little grated cheese to melt in while the polenta is hot.
To Chill:
Have a buttered cookie sheet
or other large flat pan. Pour the polenta out onto this and chill
until it's set well. When set, it'll be firm, yet 'wet' to the
touch.
When you're ready to (finally)
make it to serve, cut the polenta into large, serving size and
fry or grill until the outside is toasted slightly.
I have grilled it outside
over the gas grill and it was smoky and wonderful.
Toppers can be anything
you like. A little warmed tomato sauce, some cheese, anything
you might want on a pizza will work to top polenta.
Plain is nice, too.
If you just use water and
grits, you end up with tasteless cornmeal mush. After you try
my method with the meat or vegetable seasoned stocks, you're going
to be dissatisfied with all other polenta!
Text
and images copyright 1998 Martha
Wells
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