Corny Polenta Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S THREE CORN POLENTA

Steps:

• Melt 1 teaspoon butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir 2/3 of the corn, with a pinch of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper in the hot butter and oil until the corn is fragrant and golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Pour 2 cups water into corn mixture; bring to a simmer and whisk polenta into mixture. Bring to a simmer again, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and polenta absorbs the water, 20 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup water and stir; cook for until water is completely absorbed, about 10 minutes more.
• Stir remaining corn and 1 teaspoon butter into polenta mixture. Remove from heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, and parsley. Stir until the butter and cheese have melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.

CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese. Serve.

CORN POLENTA WITH BAKED EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt butter. (If you like, you can let it bubble and turn brown, about 5 minutes.)
• Stir in the corn kernels (frozen, fresh, canned, or leave the corn out entirely). Let sizzle for a few minutes, then add broth, polenta and kosher salt. Whisk until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
• At this point, add a handful of chopped herbs and a couple of sliced scallions or a shallot, if using. Add the greens, if using. Stir in cheese, if using. Stir in sliced olives or roasted red peppers or marinated artichokes, if using.
• Cover the pan. (Aluminum foil or a pasta pot lid will work if you don't have a covered skillet.) Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and give it all a good stir with a whisk. Cover once more, and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta is tender.
• Add eggs: Use a spoon to make 4 to 6 divots in the polenta, and crack an egg in each. Return the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to taste. You can run it under the broiler for a few seconds to set the jiggly whites, but it's risky because you might overcook the yolks.
• Crack lots of pepper on top, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and strew with herbs and maybe more cheese before serving. Serve alongside a green salad.

POLENTA WITH CORN

Steps:

• In a medium-size saucepan, bring the milk, 2 cups water and bay leaf to a boil. Season generously with salt, almost to the point of over seasoning. How do you know that you are there? TASTE IT! When it has reached a boil, slowly whisk in the polenta in small sprinkles. Once all of the polenta has been incorporated, reduce the heat to medium and immediately switch over to stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta until it begins to pull away from the pan, adding water to loosen it up if it becomes too thick. Add the corn and stir to combine. When the polenta is thoroughly cooked, it should look creamy and not feel gritty on your tongue. Remove it from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and mascarpone.

CREAMY PARMESAN POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Switch to a wooden spoon, add the salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring almost constantly, for 10 minutes, until thick. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly while you're stirring. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, creme fraiche, and butter. Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

CREAMY CORN POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring the broth, 2 1/2 cups water, butter and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy, large saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Continue to whisk until the polenta begins to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the polenta is very thick and tender, stirring often with a flat-bottom spoon or heatproof rubber spatula to prevent sticking or burning, about 20 minutes. Blend the corn in a mini processor until a coarse puree forms. Stir the corn puree into the polenta. Season with more salt if desired.

DEVILLED PRAWNS & CORNY POLENTA

Steps:

• To make the polenta, bring 550ml water to the boil with the milk and bay in a pan. Steadily pour in the polenta and whisk vigorously until incorporated, making sure there are no lumps. Cook for 30 mins, stirring often, adding a little more water if needed, then stir in the Tabasco and cheddar until melted. Remove the pan from the heat, take out the bay leaf and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, take the prawns out of the fridge to bring to room temperature and season with some salt.
• Make the butter by blitzing all the ingredients with 2 tbsp water in a food processor until combined.
• Heat a frying pan. Brush the corn with some rapeseed oil and salt and fry, turning until the corn is puffed and deep yellow and starting to char. Remove from the pan, allow to cool for a min, then slice the corn from the cob and stir into the polenta.
• Heat some oil in the frying pan and add the prawns. Cook over a high heat for 2 mins or until pink, then add the wine, bring to the bubble and turn the prawns over. Add 2 tbsp of the devilled butter to the pan and toss the prawns in it as it melts. Stir another tbsp of the butter through the polenta, then divide between two bowls, top with the prawns, pan juices and spring onion.

POLENTA WITH FRESH CORN

Steps:

• Pour 2 cups water into a medium saucepan. Add the salt, corn kernels, and milk. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a steady stream, slowly pour in the polenta, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until polenta is very thick, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve warm.

CORNY POLENTA WITH WATERCRESS AND GORGONZOLA SALSA

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
• Bring water and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually add cornmeal, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Add corn kernels and stir until polenta is very thick, about 10 minutes.
• Spoon polenta onto plates. Top with salad mixture and serve.

CORN POLENTA

Steps:

• In a sauce pan sweat the shallot and garlic with a little bit of olive oil until cooked (translucent).
• Add the water and quickly bring to a boil.
• Gradually whisk in the polenta a little at a time until all the polenta is in the water (to prevent lumps).
• Turn the heat down to medium-low flame and cook the polenta until done (about 40 minutes or when the polenta 'pulls' away from the sides of the pan).
• Stir frequently so the polenta doesn't crust on the bottom of the pan--this makes cleanup MUCH easier.
• In another pan sweat the corn until fully cooked, no colour, then remove from heat.
• When the polenta is done fold in the corn and grated cheese.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Layout on a pan or into a mold and refrigerate until firm (20 minutes).
• To serve: Sauté, grill, toss with flour and fry for croutons, etc-- the options are endless!
• As an extra option, use 5 cups of water instead of 4 for a soft polenta. Serve warm out of the pan and elevate it by adding some marscapone cheese, whipped cream, or roasted mushrooms.