The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Looking for a soothing kitchen staple? Try polenta
If there’s one ingredient that offers absolute comfort during periods of crisis, it has to be polenta. This rustic, rib-hugging staple is perfect on its own with cheese and butter, or the blank slate for a variety of ingredients and seasonings.
A staple of the traditional northern Italian kitchen, specifically the Friuli region, it’s basically mush made from cornmeal, with a delightfully grainy texture that can be served as runny as oatmeal, creamy as a thick custard or firm as tofu.
Every region of Italy has its take on it – here in North America, you can buy it to make the old-fashioned way – with plenty of strong stirring – or you can also purchase a five minute cook, and there’s even an even instant version.
And, if you don’t have time for that, there’s always an already prepared tube ready to be sliced, heated or grilled, and topped with your favourite ingredients. And, since polenta is made from corn, it’s naturally gluten-free.
Once considered exotic, polenta is now as mainstream as maple syrup. “The popularity for polenta continues to grow, as it’s a very versatile product,” notes Frank Di Biase, president of Molisana Imports, a company specializing in foods from Italy. “Polenta is … one of the most user-friendly foods around,” and makes a great substitute for similar grain-based ingredients.
Polenta “is a product that’s inexpensive yet can turn many dishes into something upscale,” notes Toronto-based Claudio Demarchi, who has been in the Italian food import business for more than 40 years. “There are so many ways of preparing it: pan fried, oven roasted, barbecued, even as a main ingredient in desserts. Plus it’s great for vegans and vegetarians.
“It can be a fast snack – think polenta fries – or an elaborate dish.”
Demarchi says when he was growing up “my mom used to cook up a big square, slice it up, grill the pieces, brush each with olive oil, then top each one with diced fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, olives and fresh basil – like a caprese salad.”
PUTTING ON THE POLENTA
Polenta can be eaten hot, with a dab of butter or layered like a lasagna, sliced or cubed, grilled or fried, says Frank Di Biase. “You can even use cookie cutters to create elegant-looking hors d’oeuvres for that perfect wow factor for any party – especially when topped with tomato sauce, pesto or olive paste with a sprinkling of cheese and broiled for a few minutes.”
Polenta can also be the perfect base for a variety of desserts, including puddings and cheesecake – Nigella Lawson makes a mean polenta cake!
Here’s a selection of serving ideas once you’ve cooked the polenta as per the package instructions:
1: Saute a variety of sliced fresh mushrooms in olive oil with garlic, parsley, dried sage and hot chili peppers. Season with salt and pepper, and cook thoroughly. Divide polenta into bowls and top with mushroom mixture and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
2. Grill your polenta slices, brush with olive oil and top with bruschetta toppings.
3. Brush polenta with prepared pesto sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.
4. Top with meatball and tomato sauce.
5. Open a jar of marinated vegetables and spoon on top.
6. Use the polenta as the base for a caprese salad.
7. Top with some of your favourite pizza toppings and low-grill in the oven for a few minutes until cheese is bubbling.
POLENTA ON THE BOARD:
Canadian author Valerie Mitchell penned an absolutely delightful read in her beautiful book Polenta on the Board – Italian family cooking, Abruzzese style. I’ve had the cookbook for years and it offers a gorgeous collection of tested recipes which follow the traditions of the Abruzzo region of Italy. The book offers fabulous recipes not just on polenta but other traditional dishes as well, and it stands out for its captivating family stories that gives the reader an intimate peak into the hallowed kitchen of the traditional Italian cook. Available on Indigo and Amazon online.
GROWING UP IN AN ITALIAN KITCHEN
In our house growing up, my mom used to saute some chopped sweet onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil before adding the water needed to create polenta (which when dry flows like a finer form of cornmeal). She would then add slices of cooked sausage to the polenta before the mixture was quickly poured onto a large wooden board. Once slightly cooled, we’d place the board in the middle of the table and then each of us would take turns carving out a slice to eat while enjoying the company around the table.