Polenta has been our food crush so far this fall. There were quite a few recipes featuring polenta in last month's Quick Weeknight Meals contest, and we're just enamored of its easy, creamy goodness. But first, let's revisit the basics. What exactly is polenta anyway?
Marcella Hazan's No-Stir Polenta
Recipe Reviews
Polenta is simply coarsely ground cornmeal. Usually when polenta is referred to, though, it's referring to a thick, creamy porridge of cornmeal cooked with water, broth, or cream. This porridge is a wonderful base for meat or vegetables. It's also a terrific breakfast. Sometimes, too, when people say "polenta" they mean polenta porridge that's been cooled and allowed to harden, then cut into shapes and fried or baked. This is also very delicious. (We like it with maple syrup.)
Polenta, though, is not always made from corn, so the terminology does get a little confusing. Sometimes it's made from semolina, and in some places it has ground buckwheat mixed with the cornmeal. But in general, when you see "polenta" for sale, it's coarsely ground cornmeal.
We buy our cornmeal for making polenta from the bulk bin of stoneground cornmeal at our co-op — no need to get fancy about it. We've even made polenta from finely ground cornmeal, which has a slightly different final texture, but is just as delicious.
Which brings us to our point: Marcella Hazan's polenta. Polenta is like risotto: it has a reputation for needing lots and lots and lots of stirring. Constant stirring! This is supposed to keep out lumps and create a creamy texture. Well, we are lazy and fortunately Marcella Hazan's recipe enables us in that. She has a recipe that always turns out creamy, lump-free, and delicious.
It's very easy: you bring your water or stock to boiling, thoroughly whisk in the cornmeal, bit by bit, and then simmer it on low with a lid on. You do stir a couple of times, but mostly you just let it sit there and do its thing. Then take off the lid and ta-da! Perfect polenta. We don't know why we'd do it any other way.
We like to throw in a half cup of mascarpone cheese to make it extra-creamy, or Parmesan for a little more flavor. But that's gilding the lily, to be honest; polenta is so creamy all by itself it doesn't need much help.
• Get the recipe: Creamy Polenta from Marcella Hazan at Epicurious
How do you make polenta? Do you have any tried and true tricks for good polenta?
More polenta:
• Quick Weeknight Dinner Recipes with Polenta
• Good Question: What is Polenta?
• Recipe Review: Polenta with Andouille and Broccoli Rabe
(Images: Faith Durand)
Tags
Recipe Review, comfort food, polenta, Marcella Hazan, grainRelated Links
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I've never made polenta any other way than this no-stir method - I'm too scared by the polenta volcano that I can never seem to avoid to stir any more frequently than a few times!
view MissKatieMay's profile
Deborah Madison uses a double boiler method, which I've never tried, but she says there's no need to stir it either. The only downside is that it takes an hour or more to cook.
And there's the baked version in How to Eat by Nigella Lawson. You put the pot, covered, in the oven, and it's supposed to come out great, but it always comes out lumpy for me.
view sjbreeze's profile
No-stir polenta? No-knead bread?? No-cook fudge??? Nice!
I'm going to turn on the crock pot, start the dishwasher and wait for Rumpelstiltskin to come clean my house! That, or pretend I live in 2062 with the Jetsons... I want more dishes where I need to do NADA. :-)
view keltrue's profile
Sooooo...polenta = grits?
view ehme's profile
i think the constant stirring reputation came from people using cheap pots so it doesnt stick or burn. if u use a thick one like porcelain enamel its no fuss at all!
view SydneyBristow's profile
You had me at Marcella Hazan.
view EasilyAmused's profile
I make polenta in a pressure cooker. No stirring at all and it's ready in 15 minutes.
view bubble's profile
Sometimes I stir, sometimes I don't, but it always turns out delicious. It's not really that fussy.
Also, if you add a tablespoon or two of masa harina to the pot (then you do have to stir, even whisk!) it gives it an even more velvety texture. mmmm now I'm upset that I've already eaten lunch...
view gourmandizzy's profile
Grits are usually made from hominy corn, though there's some contention on that.
view mollyjade's profile
yes, polenta=really good grits, not the white instant kind.
view SuperErin's profile
I usually make polenta in the microwave (the blog fatfreevegan has a recipe). Easy-peasy. It does produce some lumps, but I like the lumps!
view buffy415's profile
Don't boil the water before adding the cornmeal/polenta. Add the cornmeal to cold water and you won't get any lumps. And you won't be able to tell the difference.
Traditionally, polenta is cooked in a copper pot. Using one that doesn't cause any sticking is blasphemy! After dinner, put the pot back on the stove and heat it until the stuck polenta comes off in chips. Yum, yum!
My family's recipe: 8 cups water, 3 cups of cornmeal, 2 teaspoons of salt. When it's pretty well cooked, add 1/2 stick butter. Then, at the end, 1/2 lb. good quality white American cheese.
Leftovers get sliced and fried in butter and onions.
view cara_mia's profile
If you want to be specific, grits are usually made from hominy (corn kernels soaked so the outer layer explodes). The color doesn't have anything to do with the quality. Polenta is usually a coarser grind of yellow cornmeal. There are good quality stone ground grits available.
view welllnowww's profile