Your Favorite Way to Cook Polenta: Tips and Tricks

[cakewalk]

cakewalk: "In the meantime I like it, but I don't quite get what people think is so great about it."

Don't worry. It was really a poor people's dish for decades. Some friends of mine outright refuse to eat this "hen's feed".

←

Oh I have no qualms whatsoever about eating a "poor people's dish."

This morning I had the leftover polenta for breakfast. I had divided the leftovers into muffin tins. (I think someone here recommended that? Good idea.) So I fried them in butter until brown and crispy on the outside, and then sprinkled fresh parmesan on top. Very very good this way. But I still need to play around with it. I used the double boiler method, which seems to be a compromise between the stovetop and the oven methods.

It is interesting that nearly everyone seems to have some sort of emotional association with this food, and that association has such an influence on how you react to it. I can understand. I don't have it with polenta, of course, but I react pretty much the same way toward anything that is made with beets, especially borscht, because they remind me so much of my grandmother.

[Mottmott]

Boris, I'll give that a try. I even have some sage in the garden. Thanks.

(I looked up Gnocchi a. Romano, but there seemed to be a bunch of versions.)

[Mottmott]

edited to remove duplicate. Sorry

Edited October 16, 2004 by Mottmott (log)

[helenas]

this is a very good no-stir polenta that i learned from paula wolfert (hi paula!). many years ago i did a series of tests and this was the only shortcut that offered a really deep, toasted flavor.

2 quarts water

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Combine water, salt, cornmeal and butter in 3- to 4-quart oven-proof saucepan. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour 20 minutes. Stir polenta and bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and set aside 5 minutes to rest before serving.

←

note - if you halve the recipe, the time should be reduced to 45 minutes.

[Mottmott]

this is a very good no-stir polenta that i learned from paula wolfert (hi paula!). many years ago i did a series of tests and this was the only shortcut that offered a really deep, toasted flavor.

2 quarts water

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Combine water, salt, cornmeal and butter in 3- to 4-quart oven-proof saucepan. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour 20 minutes. Stir polenta and bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and set aside 5 minutes to rest before serving.

←

note - if you halve the recipe, the time should be reduced to 45 minutes.

←

Atually I did mine at 1 hr 20 min in an LC casserole, lid on (total). Turned out great.

[fifi]

Bumping this up because I have recently made the best oven cooked polenta that I have done . . . ever. As many of you might know, we are having an eG Spotlight Conversation with Sara Moulton this week. A couple of weeks ago I took her recipe for Creamy Baked Polenta out for a trial run. Note that Sara graciously allowed us to include this recipe, from her new book Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals, in RecipeGullet.

This recipe is a winner. I made it in my little 2 1/2 quart Le Creuset. I used some medium grind whole grain cornmeal, Bob's Red Mill brand. It was about the only whole grain that they had at my local grocery. I also used Boar's Head brand aged provolone. The method was faster and gave a good toasted flavor. I could maybe say that the toastiness was due to my little magic Le Creuset. But, I don't know about that. Anyway, the recipe just worked.

I was a little worried when I went to do the stirring after 40 minutes. There was all of this liquid in the center and sort of a crust along the sides and bottom. But, with a few whacks of my small whisk and the last 10 minutes in the oven, all was well.

The provolone is now my favorite cheese for this dish. And I can envision several variations on the recipe. But I think I will adopt the method.

I didn't take any pictures because polenta is damned hard to photograph and make it look good. I probably should have photographed the nicely browned squares that I sauteed in butter the next day. That is the first time I have been able to do that without ending up with a pan full of mush.

[russ parsons]

that is a great recipe. it's an adaptation of the one from the back of the Golden Pheasant brand bag--added cheese. that's nothing against sara, certainly. in fact, i did a piece on this in 1997, trying to track down the source. as i recall, i'd heard about it from paula wolfert, who had heard about it from michelle anna jordan, who, as i recall, had gotten it off the bag. i think we've all done our twists on it.

it's a great recipe with one drawback--it doesn't scale up easily and the polenta is so good it barely makes enough for 3.

[fifi]

When the other oven methods came up before, I was intrigued and tried it. Then Sara's version was faster and really really good. You are right. I would expect that it wouldn't scale up well. But I am not entirely convinced. I am wondering if I used my big Le Creuset (9 1/2 quart) if it might not work. I am thinking surface area to volume ratio. Anyway, I am usually cooking for one, maybe two, so I might not get to test that any time soon.

[tammylc]

I'm planning a menu that involves a crispy polenta base topped with a mushroom ragu then some sliced duck breast (or goat cheese for the vegetarians). For about 30-40 people. Any tips on cooking polenta for a crowd?

If my only intention for my polenta is to chill it and slice it for frying, is there any difference in the recipe or technique? Is it best to use a sheet pan or a loaf pan? If I use a loaf pan, how many slices would I get from a loaf pan? How much polenta does it take to fill a loaf pan?

I'm planning to do a trial run in smaller quantity this weekend, since I've never cooked polenta before, but I know that things can go weird when you size up recipes, so I'm looking to avoid unexpected pitfalls. Any help/ advice is appreciated!

[snowangel]

I'm planning a menu that involves a crispy polenta base topped with a mushroom ragu then some sliced duck breast (or goat cheese for the vegetarians).  For about 30-40 people.  Any tips on cooking polenta for a crowd? 

If my only intention for my polenta is to chill it and slice it for frying, is there any difference in the recipe or technique?  Is it best to use a sheet pan or a loaf pan?  If I use a loaf pan, how many slices would I get from a loaf pan?  How much polenta does it take to fill a loaf pan? 

I'm planning to do a trial run in smaller quantity this weekend, since I've never cooked polenta before, but I know that things can go weird when you size up recipes, so I'm looking to avoid unexpected pitfalls.  Any help/ advice is appreciated!

←

Tammy, no advice on quantity or anything, but upthread (post 55), Linda talks about the baked method of Sara Moulton's. There's a link to the recipe in RecipeGullet in Linda's post, too.

[tammylc]

Tammy, no advice on quantity or anything, but upthread (post 55), Linda talks about the baked method of Sara Moulton's.  There's a link to the recipe in RecipeGullet in Linda's post, too.

←

From the conversation, it sounded like the baked method probably didn't produce something with the right texture for chilling and grilling. But now that I read it again, it looks like that's not the case, since Fifi references nicely browned squares the next day.

This would certainly be easier. I'd have to do multiple batches, of course, but I assume I could bake them all at the same time.

Anyone want to weigh in on that idea?

[fifi]

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.

[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.

←

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.

←

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?)

←

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.

←

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

←

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!!!