Today’s Taste Safari Larder Staple is one of my favourite grains to have on hand – Polenta. It’s even more special for a cook like me as it is incredibly versatile and allows me to create a vast range of recipes – each so very different from the other. As with all ingredients I adore, my inner culinarian will always want to look into its history and how Polenta came to be as we know it today…
Polenta’s name was originally derived from puls, or pulmentum . This was the Roman name that it was known by and was very much the centre of their diet in that era. In its earliest days, polenta was made from grain usually millet or spelt, a primitive form of wheat. It wasn’t until many many years later that Polenta was made from corn, when it was introduced into Europe in 1654.
Pulemntum was the staple cuisine of Roman soldiers, whose field ration consisted of two pounds of grain. The soldiers would toast the grain on a hot stone oven fire, crush it, and store it in their haversacks. When they stopped and constructed a bivouac, the soldiers would grind the grain to a gruel-like consistency, and boil it to form porridge. The soldiers would consume it in this form, or allow it to harden into a semi-leavened cake.
“No other food requires such a precise ritual, such particular utensils, perfect measuring of water, salt, and flour, such scrupulous and attentive care: if today we wish to make “good” polenta, we must follow that ancient ritual, use the same equipment, the same ingredients, use the same proportions and carry out the same ancient gestures.” —from The Knights of Polenta handbook
Traditionally, polenta was cooked in a pounded copper cauldron called a paiolo. Copper conducts heat evenly, the curved bottom exposes a greater portion of the cornmeal to the heat and insures there are no corners for the polenta to get stuck in, and the long handle keeps the cook a comfortable distance from both the fire and the sputtering cornmeal. Constant stirring with a long-handled paddle, stick, or spoon is necessary to keep the polenta from burning.
There are so many ways to use polenta in your cooking. I use it as a replacement for mash in my delicious chicken, chorizo and spring vegetable stroganoff recipe . The smooth texture creates a lovely topping that results in a slight crunch on the surface as it is grilled with a layer of cheese, to give away to a delicious soft centred warm polenta.
I also use it as a lovely doughy, creamy base for my pepper-topped brunch dish that it always a crowd pleaser, and thick wedges of this delicious paprika spiced polenta are insatiable. It also makes scrumptious stuffing that goes perfectly with roast turkey!
Everyone has by now, somewhere in the world eaten polenta chips that are one of the greatest recipe inventions of this era. Simply let your thickened polenta cool and harden in a shallow baking tray and then cut up into ¼ inch thick ‘chips.’ These can then be deep fried in hot oil and branches of rosemary, seasoned liberally with salt and black pepper and served crispy and hot as a side dish.
Now, the challenge lies in creating the perfect creamy, buttery polenta. Fear not, I have the perfect guide that requires a little patience, but it is absolutely worth the effort.
To prepare, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the corn flour “a pioggia” – which literally means “like rain”, but in practice it means the polenta should be sprinkled lightly by hand over the entire pot of water. Stir with a whisk constantly, then reduce the flame and switch to a wooden spoon and continue stirring. Cook for 40–45 minutes, stirring as often as you can, then use a ladle to serve immediately. I like to always add a large tablespoon worth of butter just at the end for that extra bit of love. Alternatively, pour the polenta onto a large wooden, preferably round, board. This way, leftovers can be later cut in slices and used for other preparations.
Polenta can always be additionally seasoned to accentuate a certain flavor. Chicken broth can be used along with an addition of milk to create a more creamy, richer flavour texture.
Quite often, I will add some grated cheese, from a mature Parmigiano for that salty sharpness to Fontina for a more creamy earthy flavor. Cheese polenta toasties make a great snack for the kids.
Also what is wonderful about this grain is you can add anything to accompany polenta – my favourite Italian farmhouse recipe is a simple garlic, herb and mushroom sautée, that is simply served over a soup bowl of creamy polenta.
So please make sure you have this globally celebrated grain in your larder, and keep it in mind next time you want to cook up a menu with a classic, Taste Safari Twist!
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