Polenta

Elvis’s mother, Gladys, frequently prepared meals from cornmeal, as it was a cheap and common ingredient for families with limited means. Gladys boiled the cornmeal with milk or water and salt until it was soft. Cooking a larger portion of polenta could take approximately 4 hours. She would then pour cold milk, sugar or some kind of sweet sauce over the cooked cornmeal.

Nowadays, cornmeal and semolina have regained popularity as they are gluten-free, rich in protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins, they are suitable for those that follow a gluten-free diet.

Meals made from cornmeal or semolina are known in many countries, and an entire cookbook could be filled with recipes made only with this ingredient. In Europe, cornmeal is especially popular in Italy (Polenta) and Romania (Mamaliga). Cornmeal is available in a finely-ground instant form that requires shorter cooking time, typically 20-45 minutes depending on the type.

Polenta

Meals made from cornmeal or semolina are known in many countries, and an entire cookbook could be filled with recipes made only with this ingredient. Individual recipes may require different consistencies, which means the ratio of water to cornmeal and the cooking time may vary. Pay close attention to the recipe instructions. Polenta can be cooked with milk or a mixture of milk and water.

Cuisine: American Kitchen, International Courses: Breakfast, Main dishes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 45 mins Rest Time 15 mins Total Time 1 hr 15 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 4

Hozzávalók

Servings

• 600 ml water
• 150 g medium or coarsely ground cornmeal or corn flour
• 1 tk salt
• 400 ml water (in a separate bowl)

Elkészítése

1. Boil the water in a tall, thick-walled pot. Add the salt.

   Boil the rest of the water in a second pot.

2. Once the water is boiling, gradually add the cornmeal in small amounts while stirring constantly with a whisk. Make sure you break up all lumps by mixing before adding more cornmeal.

   The secret of cooking polenta is to have a second pot of boiling water on hand. Continuously add water from this pot during cooking until you reach the desired consistency. The consistency of polenta is ideal when large bubbles appear during cooking.

3. Polenta is ready when it is very thick, resembles mashed potatoes and separates from the side of the pot. Depending on the type of cornmeal cooking takes approximately 20-45 minutes.

4. For creamy polenta: Serve it immediately while it is warm.

5. For sliced polenta: Pour the creamy polenta into a 23 cm x 28 cm (9 x 11 inch) silicone tray. Level the surface with wet hands or a spoon. Leave it to set for 15 minutes. Remove the cooled polenta from the tray and slice it with a thread into approx. into 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) thick slices.