One of the few things in life better than creamy polenta is crispy polenta. Both delicious, the latter just looks good to eat. Golden brown, crispy on the outside, cream inside, it really dresses up a plate and goes with just about any kind of sauce, but my go to favorite is an Italian red, or spaghetti sauce. If you are Italian, it is simply, gravy. It also pairs beautifully with Green Chile (made with pork shoulder and butt) or regular, red Chile. We had it the other night with a bowl of Green Chile.
I started making polenta in the early 1990s, when it first started trending in America. Or at least in my world it did. I don’t recall but I probably came across it at an Il Fornaio or other Italian eatery. In its creamy form, it instantly spoke to my palette. Creamy, with butter and cheese, it was better than mashed potatoes, with its deeper, corn flavor, and more suited for dinner than say, grits, which I prefer with breakfast. However, and to contradict myself, serve me a bowl of shrimp and grits for lunch or dinner in New Orleans and watch it disappear!
I made creamy polenta for a ladies’ luncheon in what must have been 1991, maybe 1992. The three years from 1990 to April 13, 1993, are something of a blur to me. That was another big life transition, post-divorce from #2. The lucrative sales job I had in the mid-late 90s had evaporated with the 1990 recession and I found myself doing odd jobs. Bartending, neighborhood handyman/labor work, some freelance writing. Whatever I could to make rent. I met the co-founder of Cisco Systems through my volunteer work at the local Humane Society, Sandy Lerner. She was a board member of the Society. We were similar in age and almost attracted to each other. I know our minds were attracted to each other. When I shared my love of cooking with her, she invited me to her home to cook for some of her friends. There were 6, 7, or 8 women and the luncheon went well. The food was a hit.
A day or two later I was on the phone with my mom, a very Italian women, when I told her about the luncheon. She naturally asked, what did you make? I said: “Grilled chicken seasoned with oregano, creamy polenta, red bell peppers sautéed in olive oil and garlic, and steamed broccolini drizzled with lemon-infused olive oil and red pepper flake.”
My mother was aghast!
“What?” She said. “You made polenta for a group of affluent women? Polenta is peasant food, for poor people,” she said excitedly. And my mother rarely got animated. But she was then, on the phone with me, 375 miles apart.
Mom went on to explain that polenta was a staple for Italian families that often could not afford meat. Make a big batch of polenta and cover it with red sauce. It’s a meal. I get it. I tried countering her, without success, which polenta had become popular in high-end restaurants and the chefs were serving it with a variety of main courses in innovative ways.
By the mid-90s and after cooking with polenta for several years, one of my favorite meals to make for a gathering became a Southwestern-style Thanksgiving. I had gone to Santa Fe and took a cooking class. I started giving the big bird a Southwestern spice rub, stuffing it with onions, lemons, limes, herbs and olive oil, then putting it on the Barby. Served with creamy polenta, sautéed Poblano peppers, fried tomatillos and a Caesar salad, it’s a fine meal.
To make crispy polenta, first you have to make a batch of the creamy stuff. Enjoy a meal with creamy polenta and the crispy becomes a great dish several days later.
Dried polenta, sold in one pound or three pound bags, is found in most grocery stores. I see tubes of pre-made polenta in some grocery stores but have never bought one. Just make this from scratch ok!
Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
- Polenta, just under one cup
- Salt, about one teaspoon
- Water, just over three cups
- Butter, half of one stick
- Cheese, almost one cup, grated
A note on cheese: you can use any non-pungent cheese though the best are combinations, such as Jack and Parma, Manchengo and Parma, Gruyere (ok almost pungent), Havarti, Cheddar of course, and even that pre-blended Mexican cheese sold in stores.
In a non-stick, 2-3 quart pot, heat the water on medium. When it is warm, not boiling, stir in the polenta and salt. It is best to use a wooden spoon. Have the bowl you plan to put the leftover in at the ready. I use an 8 inch, somewhat shallow soup, or large (individual) salad, bowl.
Once the polenta starts getting hot, and near bubbling, add the butter. Give it a stir and turn the heat off, and put the lid on the pot. Let it sit for 10 or more minutes, and about 5 minutes before you want to serve the creamy polenta. Whoever coined the phrase, “comfort food,” may have done so after a bowl of this food.
Turning the polenta off and leaving it unattended may be sacrilege to some veteran polenta makers, as a traditional way of making polenta is to stir it constantly. I did it that way the first couple of years I made the dish, until I realized I can’t make the rest of the meal if I am stuck at one station. By turning the heat off and covering the pot, it allows the polenta to develop without evaporating any water, and hence, keeping it creamy.
When 5 minutes from serving, take the lid off, turn the heat back to medium and add the shredded cheese. Stir somewhat constantly and it will start to bubble from the heat. Within minutes it should achieve the desired thickness, which is not runny but doesn’t “plop” when you plate the polenta. I use a regular plastic serving spoon, and the mixture is runny enough to pour into the leftover bowl for the creamy polenta.
Have a spatula handy for this task so you can get all the polenta out of the pot.
Do this immediately after plating the creamy polenta!
If you don’t, it becomes like concrete in the pot. You will still be able to repurpose the polenta, but not into pretty wedges of crispy polenta.
Crispy Polenta
- Cool the leftover in the fridge and once cool, cover it with plastic wrap. When ready to make crispy, loosen the plastic wrap and turn the bowl upside down, over counter space. The polenta should drop out in one whole piece – and 8 inch “pie.”
- Pre-heat oven to 450.
- Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil on top of the polenta and smear it around. I use a corner of a paper towel. Then slice the polenta into wedges.
- Use the same paper towel section and smear oil on an oven-friendly skillet. Cast iron is best. I use a Le Creuset, of course.
- Place the wedges in the skillet and make sure they don’t touch. Put the skillet in the oven. Cook for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.