how much polenta for 7 main course

What are the best polenta prepared options?

Aug 16, 1999 · Directions. Instructions Checklist. Step 1. Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Pour in polenta steadily, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until polenta is thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon. This can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes.

What is the correct ratio of polenta to cornmeal?

Polenta. Prepare a saucepan full of water, and bring it to a simmer for eventual use during the preparation. Put 7 cups (1600 cc) of water and salt in a pot and turn heat to medium. Bring the water to a boil and when the water starts simmering, add the corn flour a little at a time, stirring continuously with a whisk or a wooden spoon to ...

What's the difference between Bob's Red Mill polenta and regular polenta?

To make PERFECTLY creamy polenta, you need a 4:1 liquid to dry polenta ratio. That’s 4 parts liquid to 1 part dry polenta. For the liquid you can use water, milk, broth or any combination of those. In my example here I chose to use 2 cups of water, 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of polenta. I opted for half water and half milk because, for me, that is the perfect level of creamy richness.

How long does polenta take to cook?

Nov 21, 2013 · 25g grated parmesan (optional) Put the milk in a large, heavy-based pan along with 600ml water and the salt, and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, measure out the cornmeal and put it …

How much is a portion of polenta?

What is the ratio of polenta to water?

Can polenta be made ahead of time?

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How do you reconstitute polenta?

How thick should polenta be?

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Are grits and polenta the same?

How do you thicken watery polenta?

What is Quick Cook polenta?

Is cornmeal the same as polenta?

Directions

Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Pour in polenta steadily, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until polenta is thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon. This can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes. Pour polenta onto a wooden cutting board, let stand for a few minutes.

Nutrition Facts

110 calories; protein 2.5g; carbohydrates 23.5g; fat 1.1g; sodium 10.7mg. Full Nutrition

Reviews (78)

This is the basic way to prepare polenta, which is cooked corn meal, I felt like giving it less stars b/c I was annoyed this recipe doesn't mention that. I pictured people walking through the store searching for polenta to add to the water...anyway, 3 parts water, one part cornmeal, and you have polenta.

1 Pick Your Polenta

Polenta is a staple in my kitchen. If you find yourself trolling the aisles of your local grocer looking for a bag specifically labeled “polenta” though, you will likely be out of luck. Unless you are in a specialty food store, what you will most likely find is going to be medium or coarsely ground cornmeal.

2 KNOW YOUR RATIO

To make PERFECTLY creamy polenta, you need a 4:1 liquid to dry polenta ratio. That’s 4 parts liquid to 1 part dry polenta. For the liquid you can use water, milk, broth or any combination of those. In my example here I chose to use 2 cups of water, 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of polenta.

3 STIR

If you read recipe reviews about polenta on the internet, you’ll see lots of complaints about all the stirring. “I love polenta, but hate all the stirring!” or, “This recipe is great, but my arm is tired from all the stirring.”#N#These complaints are unfounded. Here’s why: you aren’t making risotto , you’re making polenta.

4 HOW TO SERVE

Your polenta is ready to eat. Just like this with a little pat of butter, it is incredible and qualifies as one of my favorite comfort foods.

What is Polenta?

Polenta is simply, cooked corn meal, and it has always been a very popular dish in Italy. It’s really a “peasant” dish, and I make it the way my mother taught me, which is how her mother taught her, which I’m sure goes back many generations. Polenta can refer to the corn meal itself, or the dish after it’s cooked.

How is Polenta Different from Corn Meal?

While corn meal is a more coarsely ground corn, polenta is much more fine. It’s almost like a flour, but not quite as fine. That said, if you only have corn meal, use it in place of polenta as the flavor is just as good, but it’s the texture that is different.

Is Polenta Good or Bad for You?

Polenta is definitely a nutritious and healthy dish, given of course, that it’s made with good quality ingredients and not topped or made with unhealthy additions. It’s naturally gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Don’t take my word for it, though, read about its health benefits here.

How do you Keep Polenta Creamy?

My tip for avoiding lumps is written in the recipe below, but besides whisking the grain into cold water before it comes to a boil, I find it easier to wet the polenta and then add it to the pot of water.

Variations of, and Ways to Serve Polenta

The following recipe includes rapini, which is the way my Nonna made it most frequently, however, you can absolutely omit the greens if you want a plain polenta. In fact, you can even omit the onions, but these ingredients only add to the nutrition and flavor of the dish. I highly recommend trying it if you can source the ingredients right now.

Step 1

Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat until translucent and just starting to brown.

Step 3

Immediately add the wet polenta to the pot before the water comes to a boil.

The secret to great polenta is to use the right ratio of liquid to cornmeal

Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.

What Is Polenta, Anyway?

Polenta, in short, is a cornmeal porridge that's a common dish in Northern Italy. Long before corn was brought from the Americas to Europe, polenta was already a staple food—it just wasn't made from corn, obviously.

The Cooking Time and How to Shorten It

So, if we're using a proper ratio of liquid to cornmeal, the next question is how long to cook it. This is another area that a lot of people get wrong all too often, serving the polenta while it's still very runny. Of course, there's space for personal preference, and if you want a runny polenta, I won't argue.

Alternative Methods For Cooking Polenta

As part of my testing, I played with a few other methods of making polenta, including an oven method, a double-boiler method, and a microwave method.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 30g) unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more oil to sear or grill, if desired

Directions

If Using the Presoaking Method: Combine water with cornmeal in a large mixing bowl and let stand, covered, at room temperature overnight. When ready to cook, scrape soaked cornmeal and water into a large saucier or saucepan and set over high heat. Continue with step 3.

Notes

Any medium- or coarse-ground cornmeal will work here, whether the package says "polenta" or not; avoid instant polenta, which promises a quick cooking time but delivers subpar flavor and texture.