Invigorate your normal family suppers by serving a staple food of the Italian cuisine, polenta. This interesting dish originated from Italy's peasantry centuries ago. Polenta is made by simmering corn meal with water and salt into a thick pudding-like concoction. It is then seasoned with butter and Italian cheese and served as is or used as the base for other dishes, such as chicken cacciatore or sausage and peppers.
Instructions
1. Read the label ingredients on the dry polenta meal that you buy. Make sure the corn meal is stone ground, which is tastier.
2. Find out if the corn meal polenta is whole grain or degerminated. Since polenta has a coarser texture, you'll want to buy polenta with degerminated cornmeal, which has a finer texture.
3. Decide whether you want to cook polenta on top of the stove or in the microwave. The stove-top method is traditional but risky, because you must stir constantly. If choosing the microwave method, buy polenta made from medium-ground cornmeal.
4. Buy pre-cooked polenta, sometimes known as "polenta chubs." Italian grocery stores and even some supermarkets are selling polenta chubs. The chubs are easy to use and you can serve them as is or heated. Just unwrap, slice and serve.
5. Get seasoned polenta chubs when eating the polenta as is, without highly flavored sauces or other ingredients. If using polenta as the base for stews or meat dishes, buy unseasoned polenta chubs.
6. Contact an Italian specialty foods supplier for the widest selection of polenta products available. Many now sell certified organic polenta.
Tags: , corn meal, whole grain
