Come Over and Eat, I've Got Polenta

Why was I ever intimidated by this creamy, luscious dish? Was I intimidated by it’s multi-syllable name? Perhaps I should have thought of them as grits. They’re the same thing, after all.

I first found Mark Bittman’s article on the subject, but it didn’t seem foolproof. The recipe has you boiling a 1:1 ratio of cornmeal and water over medium heat, adding water as necessary to keep the mixture loose. I could see myself burning it. I needed something easier.

This recipe, adapted from Marcella Hazan’s “no-stirring” method, sounded a lot easier. You boil 4 cups of salted water, add the cornmeal in a stream, lower the heat to low, and cook it covered, stirring every 10 minutes or so for 45 minutes. This recipe took a little more time, but seemed a lot easier to me.

I adapted the recipe a bit further, making a slurry of 1 cup cornmeal and 1 cup of water to add to 3 cups of boiling, salted water. This combined Bittman’s lump busting technique with Hazan’s “no-stirring” method. It worked out beautifully. I ate a bowl of polenta with some gently braised kale and black beans. Homey and easy.

Creamy Polenta (adapted from Bittman and Gourmet)

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (not quick-cooking) or yellow cornmeal (5 ounces)

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil with salt in a 4-quart heavy pot, then add a slurry of polenta and the remaining cup of water, 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.