I have a dirty little secret. The first time I ever ate polenta, it was the kind that comes in a plastic tube, very much like that refrigerated cookie dough crap at the supermarket. I’d found some sort of weight management recipe that called for sauteed summer vegetables over fried polenta. So being the dutiful little dieter, I trotted off to the grocery store in search of the magical food to be the vehicle for vegetarian yumminess. After a gruelling 30 minute search of the store, I finally found it, nestled deep in the section reserved for organic tofu and wonton wrapppers, aka The Surburbanites-Find-These-Foods-Weird Section.
Knowing no better, I bought the roll, which was ridiculously expensive for a food that was supposed to be cheap, and especially considering I’m feeding a family of four. If the price hadn’t already stunned me, the fact that it looked very suspiciously like cooked cornmeal finished the deal. Why the heck was I paying out the nose for something I could probably cook myself if I looked around?
Okay okay, I’m living up to the name Food Snob there a little bit. I really do disdain the use of processed foods. Call it frugality or snobbery. Either way, I’m not a fan of buying something I can make for myself. Now, I do admit that the polenta I bought that first time far exceeded my culinary expectations, and fueled an ongoing love for the stuff now. A love I wish I shared with my children, but for now I’ll stick to barking, “EAT YOUR DINNER!” The love can come later.
But polenta really is amazingly delicious for what it is. Essentially, it’s yellow grits. For those of you not raised in the south, it’s ground hominy which is a form of cornmeal, albeit, larger pieces than you’re probably used to. Polenta is an Italian version of the Southern favorite, and likewise used in savory dishes. It’s also ridiculously easy to make. If you can make a hot cereal for breakfast, there’s no reason polenta can’t become a delicious base for your dinners. Serve it with some savory black beans on top, or saute some garden veggies and pile them onto the polenta with grated cheese.
No formal recipe necessary. For every two servings you want to make, you’ll need 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of polenta. Mix the polenta and 1/2 cup of the water in a bowl, then set the rest of the water on to boil with a dash or two of salt. (You’re cooking a grain here, remember the salt.) Once the water boils, add the moistened polenta to the pot, then turn the heat down to medium. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until the polenta is good and thick, giving it a stir every so often so it doesn’t stick. Feel free to finish it off with some pepper, chopped parsley or a good handful of Parmesan cheese. You can substitute in chicken or vegetable stock for a nice depth of flavor in place of the water.
