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carianna-in-wa

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I'm planning on making a spicy pork chili and serving it over a creamy cumin and cheese spiked polenta next weekend for around 12 guests.

Problem: I've never actually made polenta before.

So I've been looking at lots of recipes online and doing some resarch and the info is all over the place. Some swear you can't get true and tender polenta without an hour of cooking, diligently stirring once every 10 minutes. I'm totally okay with this, if that's what it takes. But other recipes call for it to be done in 6-8 minutes. Wha?

I get that there's a quick-cooking polenta, but I'm not interested in that. And it should be noted that some of the 6-8 minute recipes don't even CALL for quick-cooking polenta.

Also, some recipes say you can completely make it ahead of time and reheat on a low stove adding additional broth and it's fine. Others say it has to be made at the last minute. Again, all over the place.

Questions I have:

1. What is the tastiest brand of polenta?

2. What is a seriously reliable and swoonable recipe for it?

3. How much cooked polenta does uncooked polenta yield? How much do I need to cook for 12-14 servings? And is 1/2 cup about right for a serving?

4. Can it actually BE made ahead? Cause that would make my life a lot easier.

5. Is there anything I'm too stupid to know to even ask?

 
Carianna, I just use regular yellow cornmeal. The recipe I use is in the link. There's lots

of stirring involved. This recipe calls for a higher ratio of water to corn than most, and when it's done it almost has a gelatinous texture. If you want it soft you should plan to serve it right after cooking.

I like it better made ahead of time, and I make it plain and dress it up later. It sets up and you can slice it and bake it with cheese or other flavorings, or cut it out with a biscuit cutter and pan-fry it. It's very versatile.

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=70240

 
I use Bob's Red Mill Polenta, which is the same as Yellow Corn Grits

And I follow the ratio of liquid to grits (polenta), but typically use chicken broth (or a bit of "Better Than Broth" concentrate) unless that flavor might compete.

The directions say it won't be done for 20 minutes, but it's ALWAYS done within 10 minutes. Once i kept cooking and cooking, thinking something miraculous would happen after the 20 minute mark (like Alice Medrich's chocolate buttercream), but no...it looked/tasted exactly the same. Only now my arm was really tired.

I use a teflon pot just to ensure it doesn't stick.

Stir with a whisk while adding to avoid lumps, then switch over to a silicon spatula and continue stirring.

When most of the liquid is gone, it may start to "sputter". Dont' walk away from it then.

I find it needs a bit of salt. It can go from bland to perfect with just enough salt.

It can be thinned down with more liquid, but it thickens as it sits.

You can pour it out on a cookie sheet, smooth it out with an offset spatula to 1/4" and let it cool. Then cut in in two and lift out the entire sheet as a large lasagna layers to fit your pan.

Reheats very well in the microwave, covered with a bit of liquid added.

 
I'm a believer in the long stirring--it creates a distinctive texture. The article describes it well

"like a soft cheese."

 
I use the Marcella Hazan method of cornmeal slipping through the fingers along

with constant stirring. Then just follow her directions as noted above. The result is thoroughly cooked grains and a soft, smooth texture throughout. I like it creamy with the addition of just cheese, but then I like to lay some out to cool, flat, for grilling on the Q later with rosemary and oil.

I guess I'm saying that if you want it to be stellar, it takes work. But it sure can be cooked easily if you don't mind it being grainy. If you use a good teflon pan, you can just stir it when you get the chance and cook it for 10 minutes or so. The result just isn't the same and the 'polenta' isn't really cooked the way you might want. Depends on your guests, perhaps.

But if you cook it ahead I think you'd have trouble getting it to reheat and be reasonably smooth no matter how you add the broth. I'd like to know if this works though.

 
I'm stuck at home in the snow today, anyway. Maybe I'll make a small batch using the regular

cornmeal I have in the pantry and let it chill and try and reheat. Pretty cheap test, and at least I'd have that one answered.

I love this board.

 
I like Lidia's recipe. I've copied one from ATK that intrigues me.

The recipe in "Lidia's Italy" is very good. It has quite a bit of stirring at first, less later. It serves way more than the recipe says. I've used both imported polenta and Red Bob's with good results.

Here is something I've not tried but it interests me:
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
America’s Test Kitchen Serves 4 as a main course with a topping or 6 to 8 as a side dish

Coarse-ground degerminated cornmeal such as yellow grits (with grains the size of couscous) works best in this recipe. Avoid instant and quick-cooking products, as well as whole-grain, stone-ground, and regular cornmeal. Do not omit the baking soda—it reduces the cooking time and makes for a creamier polenta. The polenta should do little more than release wisps of steam. If it bubbles or sputters even slightly after the first 10 minutes, the heat is too high and you may need a flame tamer, available at most kitchen supply stores. Alternatively, fashion your own from a ring of foil (see Homemade Flame Tamer step by step below). For a main course, serve the polenta with a topping (see related recipes) or with a wedge of rich cheese or a meat sauce. Served plain, the polenta makes a great accompaniment to stews and braises.

INGREDIENTS
7 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
Pinch baking soda (see note)
1 1/2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal (see note)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces good-quality Parmesan cheese , grated (about 2 cups), plus extra for serving
Ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring water to boil in heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in salt and baking soda. Slowly pour cornmeal into water in steady stream, while stirring back and forth with wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting and cover.
2. After 5 minutes, whisk polenta to smooth out any lumps that may have formed, about 15 seconds. (Make sure to scrape down sides and bottom of pan.) Cover and continue to cook, without stirring, until grains of polenta are tender but slightly al dente, about 25 minutes longer. (Polenta should be loose and barely hold its shape but will continue to thicken as it cools.)
3. Remove from heat, stir in butter and Parmesan, and season to taste with black pepper. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

 
Initial results (without testing reheating yet)

Definitely a proponent now of the longer cooking method. Yes, the liquid in the polenta was well absorbed by 6-8 minutes, but the taste and texture of the polenta was markedly different and better past the 30 minute mark. I think I cooked it for around 45 or 50 minutes or so.

I cooked it with a 4:1 ratio as Marcella Hazan recommended. I thought it was too stiff at the end. When I make it next weekend I will go with the 6:1 ratio and I think that will be better.

It's in the fridge now. I'm going to pull it back out tonight and reheat gently over low heat with more liquid. I'll let you know how that portion of the test turned out! smileys/smile.gif

 
Well, as Marilyn would point out... I have variable issues.

I didn't make a base batch before I made a batch with the soda so frankly, I have no idea if the the soda made any difference or not. It certainly didn't hurt, if that helps at all.

What can I say? I majored in English, not Science.

 
I really hope y'all have checked in several times today to see my results of a final test... LOL

Can you make polenta ahead and reheat? Yes.

Is it worth it? Nope.

A) It took about an hour to cook my original batch and I stirred it every 10 minutes or so.

smileys/cool.gif It took about an hour to REHEAT my polenta, stirring it every 10 minutes or so.

Let's let that sink in, shall we? How am I saving time there? Oh, that's right, I'm not. Same time to reheat as to cook, and now I've paid TWICE for the propane on my stove as well as the additional milk and water I added during the reheating process.

End result: the taste was just as good in the reheated polenta. However, the texture was not s good. The chilled and reheated batch had some lumps that were much more challenging to disperse that the fresh-cooked batch didn't deal with.

Overall, I say that while, yes, you can make it ahead and reaheat it... there really isn't any advantage at all in doing so.

I will be cooking fresh polenta Saturday night. 6:1 ratio of liquid to cornmeal.

 
I've been watching smileys/smile.gif curious to know what type of polenta/corn meal

you started out with. smileys/smile.gif
Thanks for all of the notes-- really helpful.
I've been wanting a good recipe for a while now. smileys/smile.gif

 
Was also surprised to see in this month's F&W, Mario Batali recipe using instant polenta smileys/frown.gif HUH?

 
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