# ISO Polenta Advice



## legend_018 (May 9, 2007)

I'm in the mood to learn and try some different things. Especially after hearing some of you talk about them a lot "lol". 
I don't think I'll do this today, but I bought a block of instant polenta from Bellino. 

On the back it says instructions basically boil water, gradually pour in polenta and stir for 3 minutes.

Than there is a recipe that says pour polenta into pan, cover with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese and bake in oven for 20 minutes on 350.

Does that mean I first follow the instructions part first before I follow the recipe on the back? I'm confused about that.


----------



## Andy M. (May 9, 2007)

You got it right.  first make the polenta by pouring the ground corn into the water and stirring then, when it's done pour the mixture into a baking dish and add the sauce.


----------



## GB (May 9, 2007)

One hint for the future. Don't buy those blocks that are labled polenta. Get a container of cornmeal. The only difference is the name. When they call it polenta they can charge a heck of a lot more than if they just called it cornmeal. It is the exact same stuff though.


----------



## kadesma (May 9, 2007)

_Legend,_
_when I do polenta, instead of water I use chicken broth. Polenta by itself is rather bland but cooking in the broth perks it up. Adding a a good size piece of butter and a nice sauce over the top when done and fresh grated parmesan cheese, makes it outstanding. _

_kadesma _


----------



## BreezyCooking (May 9, 2007)

For some reason I've never been able to warm up to polenta with tomato-based sauces.

When I make it, I either cool it overnight, cut into squares, & saute in an obscene amount of butter for breakfast; or cool, cut into squares/portions, & top with mushrooms sauteed in butter & wine.  I also enjoyed it in a local restaurant topped with a duck & rabbit ragout, which was out of this world.

I just, for whatever reason, don't enjoy it with tomatoes.


----------



## Katie H (May 9, 2007)

I like to serve polenta as a side dish instead of potatoes or pasta.  When I cook it, sometimes I'll add a little salt and minced garlic.  Then, slice it and brown it up nice and serve it with a little grated Parmesan.  Great with a steak.


----------



## Aria (May 9, 2007)

Polenta...never made it.  This will give me the reason to try.  Thanks


----------



## SurvivorGirl (May 9, 2007)

I can never seem to find "instant polenta" at the store

at the moment I have this bag of cornmeal that is less fine then the regular stuff b/c I hear that that is the stuff to use. is it quicker/possible to make it with the finer ground stuff?

also, isn't there a way of just popping it in the oven with water (in a pan covered) and letting it cook itself?


----------



## kadesma (May 9, 2007)

SurvivorGirl said:
			
		

> I can never seem to find "instant polenta" at the store
> 
> at the moment I have this bag of cornmeal that is less fine then the regular stuff b/c I hear that that is the stuff to use. is it quicker/possible to make it with the finer ground stuff?
> 
> also, isn't there a way of just popping it in the oven with water (in a pan covered) and letting it cook itself?


SurvivorGirl,
yes, you can do your polenta in the oven..I do that each time as I make quite a lot and have other things I need to tend to, so this frees me up to get other things done.Standing there stirring and stirring will not make it taste any better than right from the oven..
1-c. polenta
3-1/4c. warm chix stock or warm water
1-2 tea. salt 
1-2-Tab. butter
Preheat oven to 3350 place all ingredients into oven proof bowl you've buttered Stir with fork til blended. Cake uncovered 50 min or so. Run fork through and bake 10 min more.
Great with butter and parmesan chesse on top or your favorite sauce..Gorgonzola can be added to polenta before serving for a different taste...
This should serve 6

kadesma


----------



## SurvivorGirl (May 9, 2007)

kadesma said:
			
		

> SurvivorGirl,
> yes, you can do your polenta in the oven..I do that each time as I make quite a lot and have other things I need to tend to, so this frees me up to get other things done.Standing there stirring and stirring will not make it taste any better than right from the oven..
> 1-c. polenta
> 3-1/4c. warm chix stock or warm water
> ...



Thx!!
I now know what to put in "what's for dinner thread"
it sound delish!


----------



## AllenOK (May 9, 2007)

When I make polenta at work, I always start with salted water, bring it to a boil, and start adding cornmeal mixed with water, whisking the whole time.  Once it's thick, I stir and stir for a few minutes with a spoon until it really starts to thicken.  I'll remove the pan from the heat, add some whole butter, and parmesan cheese, and stir until the butter and cheese are melted.  We usually serve it shortly after it's cooked, so it's always soft.

At home, I prefer to pour the hot polenta into a well-greased loaf pan, and let it chill and solidify in the fridge overnight.  I'll slice and pan-fry it later.  Usually, though, it's not polenta, but "cornmeal mush", just cornmeal and salted water, and after the slices are fried, I'll top them with maple syrup.


----------



## Katie H (May 9, 2007)

AllenOK said:
			
		

> Usually, though, it's not polenta, but "cornmeal mush", just cornmeal and salted water, and after the slices are fried, I'll top them with maple syrup.



Oh, Allen, cornmeal mush is a favorite in our house.  When one of our sons was young (10-years-old, maybe) we couldn't fill him up.

Ours is a blended family and he and his father had never heard of, much less tasted, cornmeal mush until they met me.

I made it for breakfast one weekend morning and was astounded at how much the boy liked it.  He's now 35-years-old and still requests it.


----------



## AllenOK (May 10, 2007)

I never heard of it until I moved up to Michigan 5 years ago.  PeppA's mom would buy a tube of the stuff, slice it like sausage, fry it, and serve with syrup.  I'm a "from-scratch" kind of guy, and prefer to make just about everything from scratch.  So, when I do make it, I don't even think about the store-bought stuff.


----------



## ChefJune (May 10, 2007)

AllenOK said:
			
		

> ... Usually, though, it's not polenta, but "cornmeal mush", just cornmeal and salted water, and after the slices are fried, I'll top them with maple syrup.


 imho, Polenta is just the Italian (and therefore in US "fancy") word for cornmeal mush!  My father would not even consider tasting mush, but years later when I served polenta as a side dish for Osso Buco, he polished off two big helpings. Seems it was the sound of the name "mush" that he couldn't wrap his thoughts around.


----------



## vyapti (May 10, 2007)

My favorite way to make polenta is to layer polenta then zucchini (sp?), mushrooms, sausage then polenta, bake it and top with meat sauce.


----------



## legend_018 (May 10, 2007)

vyapti said:
			
		

> My favorite way to make polenta is to layer polenta then zucchini (sp?), mushrooms, sausage then polenta, bake it and top with meat sauce.



Wow thanks for the recipe. I"m going to give this a try sometime soon!!


----------

