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Browning Polenta

Alex

By Alex
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Alex

Alex

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Posted

Whenever I brown polenta (usually by cooling first, then sautéing in olive oil for 8 min. or so per side), I usually can get a nice crust. However, the crust tends to separate from the inside when eaten. I remember reading someone somewhere recently (How's that for being helpful?) discussing a better browning method, but wonderfully organized me didn't write it down. So, I'd appreciate any feedback about this just-short-of-burning issue. Thanks.

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

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Wolfert

Wolfert

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Posted

Broiling is a good way to go.

If you still want to grill, this is how I do it:I find that the more slowly a slice is grilled the better the crust and the creamier the interior with no separation. By slow grilling I mean grill for at least 10 minutes per side, the exact time depending on your grill, the type of corn, and the firmness of the polenta. I slowly heat up an oiled ridged grill, then add the polenta slices. I don't turn them until they unstick themselves---their way of telling me they're ready to be turned.

“C’est dans les vieux pots, qu’on fait la bonne soupe!”, or ‘it is in old pots that good soup is made’.

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Jinmyo

Jinmyo

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Alex, perhaps the polenta is just too thick?

Recently I've had one of those brilliant ideas/recognizing the obvious about frying polenta.

I put some EVOO into the bottom of non-stick skillets and pour the polenta into them. When they cool they seperate from the sides. Then I store the polenta. When it's time, I just put the skillets on the burners. Flip out onto cutting boards and either slide back in or just serve as is, sliced into wedges.

Sometimes the skillets will have some grated cheese and herbs or some roasted tomato or panchetta or whatever.

Easy, simple, a great magic truc.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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Alex

Alex

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Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions.

Jinmyo, I discovered that truc, too -- it certainly makes things much easier. My polenta does tend to be on the thick side, though. I'll increase my water:cornmeal ratio and see what happens.

Suzanne, I'll give broiling a try.

Wolfert, I'll slow down the process, as I've been grilling/sautéing over fairly high heat. I like that notion of the polenta letting you know when it's ready to be turned.

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

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  • 4 weeks later...
Alex

Alex

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Slowing down the process helped immensely. Thanks, Paula.

I haven't tried broiling yet.

I played around with the water/cornmeal ratio and found that somewhere between 4:1 and 4½:1 worked the best for cooling then pan-browining. (I'm using Italian cornmeal from Zingerman's.)

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

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