Polenta - Yeah, Right!

[Selkie]

I'm amazed that foodies go ga-ga over adding polenta to their dishes. Polenta is the the Italian name for porridge, cruel, cornmeal mash, cornmeal mush, peasant food, and even some names that I should't say in public or nice company! IT'S BOILED CORNMEAL! The poorest of the poor man's dishes! Culinarily I would rank it below a single slice of white bread.

As I was growing up, my dad, who is NOT a cook, would cook cornmeal, let it set over night and then slice and fry it the next morning as breakfast, served with butter and syrup before we headed out for a day of fishing.

It carries no flavor of its own, and is about as bland as any food on earth. It's a filler - period. Perhaps it could be a textural thing, but that's about all. In a supermarket I've seen it come prepared in a roll the size of liverwurst. Why? They sell you 3 cents of cornmeal for $1.98!!!!! If you can't boil cornmeal yourself and refrigerate it over night, then maybe you should stay out of the kitchen. The skill level is right up there with making toast.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

ROFL!!!

Good Morning, Selkie!

I agree, it's a no-brainer...but, it does add something to some meals and it does take additions rather well.

 

[jennyema]

Personally, I like polenta a lot. It's a blank canvas for a creative cook.

 

[CraigC]

So, how would you describe pasta? Seems both are vehicles for sauce or toppings. However, you can add herbs and cheese to polenta while cooking to give it some personality! Can't do that with a box of dried pasta. Add some crisped pancetta, fresh greated parm and thyme. You have something that tastes great without being slathered in sauce or ragu. Could also say the same thing about potato gnocchi.

Craig

 

[Zereh]

I'm a huge polenta fan: 4 c water + 1 c polenta + 3 T butter + 1/3 c cream cheese = heaven!! I can eat it with anything and I can eat it alone.

Potatoes and rice were the first two things that came to mind as comparable and they are both the exact same way; there is nothing special about either of them until they're dressed up by a creative cook.

 

[Selkie]

I guess what bothers me the most about "polenta" is that, without the butter or cheese or any other flavor enhancer, some people treat it as though it's a gourmet item. Rice, potatoes, pasta by themselves aren't gourmet. Why polenta? It just seems very pretentious.

 

[medtran49]

Although I would never buy it, the premade polenta is just another of those "convenience" foods for those that don't want to take the time to cook it themselves. And I've never seen it for $1.98 a roll where we live, WAY more $$ in fact, which is also one of the reasons I wouldn't buy it besides the inherent preservatives in "convenience" food.

And I agree with the others, it's the same as rice, pasta, potatos, although I certainly would never say no to eating a bowl of gruel on its own flavored with herbs, pancetta, onions, garlic, etc., etc, with some cheese thrown in, or any of the others with the same combos mixed in.

Karen

 

[Zereh]

It's more a matter of exposure, I guess. It was certainly never something that graced our tables as I was growing up. I had never even had grits before until I moved to Seattle (which meant that I was at least 24) and it was probably at least ten years after that before I'd ever ate polenta. It's just having a revival.

 

[CraigC]

Then again, we all seem to forget the peasant roots of most Italian food that we love!

Craig

 

[pacanis]

I've never had polenta. I do however like a plain slice of white bread.

 

[jennyema]

I've never thought of polenta as pretentious. Just the opposite.

Years ago it was popular on tv and on fine dining menus, but not so much anymore.

I make it because i like it. Same with grits. In the summer I grill polenta or grit cakes outside. It might be my favorite way of eating them.

 

[Mama]

I've never had "polenta" but I love my cornmeal and I love my grits! From what I understand, they are the same thing except for the grind.

It wouldn't matter if I won the lottery, I'd still be cooking and eating my cornbread, homemade corndogs and cornmeal breaded fried foods as well as my grits, fried grit cakes and breakfast casseroles containing grits. I guess maybe I'm a cook on the lower end of the culinary spectrum but I've never had any complaints

 

[Alix]

Mama, are grits a coarser grind of cornmeal?

 

[Janet H]

Polenta, grits, potates, rice, bread.... in my estimation they are all butter delivery systems. They are the foundation for additional flavors.

I agree that prefab polenta roll is expensive and an unnecessary shortcut, but if folks want to spend their cash that way it's thei business, I guess. Have you noticed that they sell pre-cooked rice and mashed potatoes in the freezer section? Go figure....

 

[Alix]

Polenta, grits, potates, rice, bread.... in my estimation they are all butter delivery systems. They are the foundation for additional flavors.

I agree that prefab polenta roll is expensive and an unnecessary shortcut, but if folks want to spend their cash that way it's thei business, I guess. Have you noticed that they sell pre-cooked rice and mashed potatoes in the freezer section? Go figure....

Precooked RICE? You have GOT to be kidding me! I was rolling my eyes at the peeled and diced potatoes in the freezer section. Lordy that's a sad statement.

 

[Katie H]

I've been eating polenta all my life, but that's because I have deep Italian roots.

And...I've also been eating fried mush (with butter and white corn syrup) since I was a child because of my Southern roots. I came from a large family and fried mush was a great way to fill up lots of hungry children on a weekend morning. I made it for my children and they like it as much as I.

We like polenta here mixed with garlic and basil and some Parmesan cheese. it's great as a side with chicken cacciatore. It's a wonderful canvas to slather with the tomato sauce.

I've seen the roll-like packages of polenta in the market and just shake my head. I wouldn't have the nerve to charge the $$ for precooked cornmeal, water and salt. Sheesh!

 

[Mama]

Well Alex, here's the way I understand it: Polenta, cornmeal and grits all come from corn. Polenta and cornmeal are basically just different grinds, cornmeal being the finer grind. Grits, as well as Mesa come from hominy which is corn that has been treated with lye...grits being the coarser grind.

 

[Zhizara]

I think it's just a vocabulary thing, wanting to use the fancier word. I don't think of my corn meal as pretentious. I love grits. I even like the word.

 

[Katie H]

I think it's just a vocabulary thing, wanting to use the fancier word. I don't think of my corn meal as pretentious. I love grits. I even like the word.

My late husband, Buck, was a Yankee and he discovered grits after we moved here. He loved grits and was always asking me if it's grits "is" or grits "are?" Told him I didn't know and didn't care as long as my grits were served hot.

 

[LPBeier]

Selkie, I totally understand how having something done the same way for much of your childhood could put you off it in later years. I am that way with red river cereal/porridge. I didn't like it then and would never eat it now. But I know that others enjoy it so it's not a problem.

I hadn't really experienced polenta until we befriended a family who spent 8 years in Italy. She, like my DH, is gluten intolerant (living in the nation of pasta!) and came to love polenta because it was made from corn. She showed me so many ways to make it and enjoy it. Then I went to culinary school and learned even more ways to use it. We "worked" in a fine dining restaurant for 3 months where we learned to make gourmet versions of potatoes, rice, polenta, couscous, etc. Yes, all bland on their own.

I would never buy the "instant" version of any of these starches, but I am sure there are people out there who would or they wouldn't stick around on the shelves.

Hmmmm, I am thinking about a Golden Chef Challenge - Polenta down the road?