Polenta Primavera Recipes

BASIC POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.

SPRING POLENTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Add the water, milk, salt and pepper to a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture just to a boil.
• Slowly pour in the polenta in an even stream, whisking the entire time.
• Turn the heat down to low and cover partially with a lid. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, whisking every few minutes to get out any lumps (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan), until the polenta is thick and creamy.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the olive oil, fresh basil and lemon zest. Taste and season with additional salt / pepper as desired.
• Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Add in the asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, peas, salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender to your liking. Remove from the heat. Taste and season with additional salt / pepper as desired.
• To serve, spoon some of the polenta into a bowl. Top with some of the veggies and garnish with some basil and walnuts. Serve immediately!

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.

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.

POLENTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Grease 9-inch pie plate.
• Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan.
• Slowly add cornmeal over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thick.
• Stir in fontina cheese, cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for additional 2 minutes or until very thick.
• Spread into prepared pie plate; cool for 1 hour or until firm.
• Cut into wedges; serve topped with sauce or tomatoes. (I prefer sauce).