Finely ground cornmeal is called polenta it comes in yellow or white colours. It is coarse or finely ground and is boiled with water or stock to make porridge. It can be baked, fried, grilled or even eaten directly. It originated in Italy and is now eaten world over under different names. Cereals, used are usually maize, buckwheat, white maize and mixtures thereof. Coarse grains make coarse polenta while finer grains make creamy polenta.
Polenta does take a long time to cook. Polenta once cooked can be shaped in to balls, patties or stick and then they fried in oil, baked or grilled till they are completely golden brown in colour. Fried polenta is very popular in Brazil. Polenta makes for an excellent breakfast dish.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of cold water
- 1 cup polenta
- ½ cup thin cream
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan
- Salt
- Some butter
- White pepper – finely ground
Cooking time:
- 20 minutes [5 minutes preparation time and 15 minutes 15 cooking time]
Method:
- Boil the water in large pan in high heat. Stir the water with a wire balloon whisk. Then gradually add the polenta in a thin steady flow, while whisking continuously until all the polenta is mixed in the water. Whisking is the best way because it ensures that the polenta blends in to the liquid in the best possible way. Add the polenta slowly such that it does not become all lumpy.
- Now lower the heat and cook the polenta slowly in the heat cooking it too fast will make the polenta cook too fast and you will have to constantly add water to it. Use a wooden spoon to stir it continuously and let it simmer. Do this for 10 minutes till the mixture gets thick and the polenta is soft. Now take the polenta between your palms and rub if you feel it grainy continue to cook and pour in water constantly till the polenta is really soft and creamy.
- Now remove the mixture from the heat and add cream, butter and parmesan. Stir nicely until all blends. Season it with salt and pepper and serve hot.
- Serves 4
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