No Stir Polenta Recipes

EASY OVEN-BAKED REAL POLENTA (NOT INSTANT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Pour water into the prepared dish; stir in polenta and salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until polenta is thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir in squash, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese. Continue baking until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

BASIC POLENTA

Steps:

• For firm polenta use 4 cups water; for soft polenta use 5 cups water. Bring water to a boil in a medium-size heavy sauce pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir. Put a spoonful on a plate, let it cool, then taste. Grains should be swollen and taste cooked, not raw. Adjust salt and add pepper if you wish.
• For firm polenta, lightly butter a baking sheet or shallow dish, approximately 8 1/2 by 11 inches. Carefully pour polenta into pan. Using a spatula, spread polenta to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Cool to room temperature to allow polenta to solidify. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For soft polenta, add 6 tablespoons butter to pot and stir well. Serve immediately or transfer to a double boiler set over low heat, cover and keep warm for up to an hour or so. (Or set the saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water.) Stir well before spooning into low soup bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

NO-STIR POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy pot.
• Add the salt; then add the cornmeal in a very thin stream, letting it run through a closed fist. Stir constantly with a whisk while adding.
• When all the cornmeal has been added, stir with a wooden spoon 2 minutes, and then cover pot. Adjust heat so the water is at a lively simmer. After 10 minutes, stir 1 minute; then cover pot again. Repeat three more times. Let polenta cook 5 minutes longer, for a total of 45 minutes.
• Stir vigorously for another minute. Transfer to a moistened bowl (rinsed but not dried), and let polenta rest 10 to 15 minutes. Unmold onto a platter and serve at once, or let it cool to use in other recipes.

RICE COOKER POLENTA (AKA NO STIR POLENTA)

Steps:

• Place the ingredients into your rice cooker and cook on the white rice setting until done.
• Add cheese or other ingredients just before serving.

CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil with salt in a 4-quart heavy pot, then add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer polenta, covered, stirring for 1 minute after every 10 minutes of cooking, 45 minutes total. Remove from heat and serve warm.

"NO-STIR" POLENTA

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan bring water and salt to a boil and gradually whisk in cornmeal in a thin stream. Cook polenta over moderately low heat, stirring, 2 minutes and cover pan. Cook polenta, covered, stirring for 1 minute after every 10 minutes of cooking, 45 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm. Stir polenta just before using. Polenta will keep warm, covered, about 20 minutes.

NO-STIR OVEN POLENTA

Steps:

• Mix everything in a shallow pan which is ovenproof.
• Put it in a 350 degree oven.
• After about 40 minutes, give it a stir and see if it's done.
• If not, cook another few minutes.
• You can add less or more liquid, depending upon whether you like the polenta soft or more solid.