Your Favorite Way to Cook Polenta: Tips and Tricks

[tammylc]

I don't see why you couldn't put more than one pot in the oven at a time. To make a bunch of squares for frying, I favor the sheet pan idea. I had just enough leftover to fill an 8x8 pan about 3/4 inch deep. It chilled to a nicely firm consistency that came out of the pan clean. If you do it in a loaf pan, most of the surface will be cut surfaces and may not hold together as well during frying. I would also suggest that you use the biggest non-stick pan that you can get your hands on so that there is enough space between the pieces for good browning and easy turning.

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How essential is it to use a non-stick pan for the frying? There aren't any non-stick pans in the kitchen I'm using, just big well-seasoned cast iron pans. I have a double burner griddle at home that I was planning to bring as well, and that's got a non-stick surface on it, although it's not really very non-stick.

I'm going to have to do the frying in multiple rounds. I was planning to hold the already fried ones on a cooling rack placed in a sheet pan in a low oven. I want them to stay crispy, but don't want them to dry out - would covering them loosely in foil accomplish both goals? Anyone have experience holding these? Does this sound like a good plan?

Fifi - you said you had enough leftover to fill a pan that big that deep. How many equivalent pans do you think you could have filled if you didn't eat any of it straight away? (Ie. what portion was left - a half, a third, a quarter?)

[tammylc]

Well, I conducted a polenta experiment yesterday. I cooked up a single batch of polenta using the Sara Moulton baked method. When it was done I transferred it into a loaf pan and chilled it for several hours. It sliced and fried up beautifully! I'm very pleased - I wasn't looking forward to stirring an octuple batch of polenta on the stovetop for 90 minutes, and this way I can just cook a bunch of individual pans in the oven at the same time.

The loaf pan method was really convenient, but didn't really give me the form factor I was looking for - I ended up with an untidy 4"x2" rectangle. But I might get something I'd be happier with if I just filled the loaf pan higher. Or we may just use sheet pans, since that will let us cut the polenta into any shape we want. Just have to figure out how to keep a bunch of sheet pans cold (weather permitting, I can always use the great outdoor refrigerator, since I live in Michigan).

I rubbed my somewhat-non-stick griddle down with olive oil and cooked the polenta slices on medium for about 10 minutes per side. I brushed the tops with olive oil before turning them, because all the oil had been sucked up by then. They didn't get quite as brown and crispy as I wanted - I need to play a little bit more with the time and temperatures.

Thanks for your help - this thread was really useful for me. Any further advice and suggestions are welcome. I'll be talking about the evolution of the entire meal over in the Dinner for 40 thread, if you're interested.

Edited February 17, 2006 by tammylc (log)

[andiesenji]

When cooking breakfast for large groups, I have made large batches of polenta (or grits) and ladeled the cooked grits into tall cans lined with plastic wrap. The cans a chilled at least overnight.

When ready to slice, you pull the ends of the plastic wrap down the sides of the can which will extract the solidly formed grits or polenta, just enouth to slice it to the size you wish. As you repeat this, you get uniform slices 4 inches in diameter, that look very nice on the plate.

The benefit of this is that you can get a lot of these cans into a refrigerator and into an ice chest for transport plus when the bottom of the ice ches has been filled with them you can set flat containers on top. Much easier to handle than loaf pans, unless you have the pullman type pans with a cover.

The tops of the cans do have to be removed with one of the "safety" type can openers, which leaves a clean, finished edge at the top. I use the cans over and over, washing and drying them carefully and storing them where they are not exposed to mositure.

For fund-raising breakfasts, I have prepared 20 of these cans. Each will make 10-12 slices, as we generally slice it a bit over 1/2 inch thick and fry it on a hot griddle brushed with clarified butter.

We usually have about 500 people and serve pancakes, my 'mock' French toast and fried grits with sausage and bacon.

Edited February 17, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[russ parsons]

that's a great idea andie. and to tell the truth, i've never been able to tell that much difference between regular polenta and instant polenta once it's been chilled and fried.

[andiesenji]

that's a great idea andie. and to tell the truth, i've never been able to tell that much difference between regular polenta and instant polenta once it's been chilled and fried.

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I can tell the difference if I have a particular whole dried corn that I grind myself but otherwise there is not a great deal of difference in the commercial brands.

If I am short of time, I often cook polenta in the microwave - using a micro rice steamer and taking it out, allowing it to sit for a bit, stirring then returning it for two or three short periods of cooking, until it is the way I like it. It takes a bit of experimenting, every microwave is different, but I can usually finish it in less than 15 minutes, depending on what else I am doing and how long I let it "rest."

[mikeycook]

By far the best polenta I have ever eaten is the creamy polenta served at L'Impero and Alto. The recipe is contained in Scott Conant's New Italian Cooking and I would highly recommend trying it (I would eat virtually anything served on a bed of it).

[Mottmott]

I don't see why you couldn't put more than one pot in the oven at a time. To make a bunch of squares for frying, I favor the sheet pan idea. I had just enough leftover to fill an 8x8 pan about 3/4 inch deep. It chilled to a nicely firm consistency that came out of the pan clean. If you do it in a loaf pan, most of the surface will be cut surfaces and may not hold together as well during frying. I would also suggest that you use the biggest non-stick pan that you can get your hands on so that there is enough space between the pieces for good browning and easy turning.

←

How essential is it to use a non-stick pan for the frying? There aren't any non-stick pans in the kitchen I'm using, just big well-seasoned cast iron pans. I have a double burner griddle at home that I was planning to bring as well, and that's got a non-stick surface on it, although it's not really very non-stick.

I'm going to have to do the frying in multiple rounds. I was planning to hold the already fried ones on a cooling rack placed in a sheet pan in a low oven. I want them to stay crispy, but don't want them to dry out - would covering them loosely in foil accomplish both goals? Anyone have experience holding these? Does this sound like a good plan?

Fifi - you said you had enough leftover to fill a pan that big that deep. How many equivalent pans do you think you could have filled if you didn't eat any of it straight away? (Ie. what portion was left - a half, a third, a quarter?)

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I don't have a non-stick pan and always fry my polenta on cast iron. Works wonderfully. Anyway, well seasoned cast iron won't stick.

edited for spelling

Edited February 18, 2006 by Mottmott (log)

[tammylc]

Thanks all for your help! The meal went off perfectly. You can read about it over in the Cooking for 40 thread.

[SMW]

A little late for help with the dinner, which seems to have turned out splendidly, but, in my experience (crispy 'corn meal mush' for breakfast once a week) the best way to get it nice and crispy is low and slow on the stovetop. That is, not that high of a heat (although actually medium low is more accurate than low) and let it sit - don't try to stir too much or loosen it from the bottem of the pan. When the polenta releases itself from the bottem of the pan (and I use cast iron that's well-seasoned) it's ready to be turned. It can take around 15-25 minutes a side, but I find the texture contrast of crispy outside and creamy inside to be well worth the wait.

[tammylc]

A little late for help with the dinner, which seems to have turned out splendidly, but, in my experience (crispy 'corn meal mush' for breakfast once a week) the best way to get it nice and crispy is low and slow on the stovetop.  That is, not that high of a heat (although actually medium low is more accurate than low) and let it sit - don't try to stir too much or loosen it from the bottem of the pan.  When the polenta releases itself from the bottem of the pan (and I use cast iron that's well-seasoned) it's ready to be turned.  It can take around 15-25 minutes a side, but I find the texture contrast of crispy outside and creamy inside to be well worth the wait.

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I've never had any problems with it sticking, actually, but I'd gotten the "low and slow" tip from another eGullet thread. I cooked it for about 10 minutes per side on medium.

[piazzola]

Well all know that is and was a poor man dish so much so that is the staple food of most Balkan countries

Polenta cu brinza?

Polenta and vegatables?

Polenta and sausage (not to be outdone salcicce) "Don Camillo style" Italian wartime food

Polenta and char grilled vegetables?

Fried polenta

Gnocchi Romana

Polenta and semolina

What else?

and I have never read or seen a Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver book!

OK I was born before them anyway

[azureus]

One of my favorite ways to serve polenta is with Goulash di Manzo. It's a Northern Italian dish with heavy Eastern European influences. It's become comfort food for me in the wintertime.

April

[qrn]

One of my favorite ways to serve polenta is with Goulash di Manzo.  It's a Northern Italian dish with heavy Eastern European influences.  It's become comfort food for me in the wintertime.

April

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my grandparents were from the Tyrol and I remember this from my childhood in the late 40's...I have done many of the dishes she made from memory but I

forgot about this one,,,Thanks!!!

[Eden]

One of my favorites is Polenta Marchigiana, which is basically just bacon & sausage mixed into the polenta when it's basically done cooking. simple but SO tasty.

[azureus]

One of my favorite ways to serve polenta is with Goulash di Manzo.  It's a Northern Italian dish with heavy Eastern European influences.  It's become comfort food for me in the wintertime.

April

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my grandparents were from the Tyrol and I remember this from my childhood in the late 40's...I have done many of the dishes she made from memory but I

forgot about this one,,,Thanks!!!

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You're welcome! How similar is the recipe to what you recall? You should share some of your recipes. . .

April

[qrn]

One of my favorite ways to serve polenta is with Goulash di Manzo.  It's a Northern Italian dish with heavy Eastern European influences.  It's become comfort food for me in the wintertime.

April

←

my grandparents were from the Tyrol and I remember this from my childhood in the late 40's...I have done many of the dishes she made from memory but I

forgot about this one,,,Thanks!!!

←

You're welcome! How similar is the recipe to what you recall? You should share some of your recipes. . .

April

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Its very close ,except I am sure that there was no Cumin.

The other things that I remember were Canerderlie(sp.) and a Salt cod in a cream sauce that was served over wide noodles.

Grandfather made wine, and we always had homemade vinegar for salads that

used it, they were very simple ,always with paper thin sliced onions,and oil.

My job was to stir the polenta until it was done...

Bud

[OldSchoolMeetsNew]

Cool little polenta trick... spread a loose polenta onto a sheetpan with parchment and place in oven at 300 for about a half hour and it crisps up like a cracker, I like to put crushed pistachios in mine.

[andiesenji]

A note about cooking grits, polenta or cornmeal.  Sometimes traditional recipes leave out an essential step because a lot of cooks who have been preparing something for decades, simply "assume" that "everybody knows to do that"  and soaking grits, sometimes overnight, is one of those steps that are often omitted.

 

One of my aunts contributed several recipes to a "Ladies Auxiliary Cookbook" quite a few years ago in Paducah, KY and sent me a copy.

 

I read through the book and phoned her (before internet) and asked her why she did not mention soaking the grits for a particular recipe that I KNEW she prepared that way, because I had been in her kitchen when she had done it.

Her reply was, "Honey, EVERYBODY knows that grits have to be soaked before cooking them."    I pointed out that "everybody" doesn't - and they added an "errata note" to the book before it went on sale...

 

So, it all depends on the type of cornmeal you use - some has been manipulated to cook without the soaking, but it has also lost some flavor (and nutrients) and in my opinion, does not produce as good an end result as the plain old or heirloom varieties that do require a bit more effort but the results are far better.

Edited June 13, 2014 by andiesenji (log)