Recipe by Chef Heidi Fink
Soft Polenta
- Prep time 5 mins
- Cook time 45 mins
- Ready in 50 mins
- Yield Serves 4
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Creamy soft polenta makes the perfect base for any type of sauce that you would normally serve with pasta. I often pair mine with a rich beef ragu, delicious in the winter!
The best quality “polenta-grind” cornmeal will yield the best results in terms of both flavour and texture.
Ingredients
Directions
- Combine the water, salt and polenta/cornmeal in a saucepan or Dutch oven with a heavy bottom (for even distribution of heat). Water does not have to be boiling.
- Bring to a boil, stirring or whisking constantly.
- Reduce heat to lowest setting and cook polenta, stirring semi-frequently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula and scraping bottom to prevent scorching, until polenta becomes thick and creamy, and starts to pull away from sides of saucepan, about 45 minutes.
- This whole time, the polenta should be barely simmering. If it is bubbling or spitting during this 45 minutes, make sure to turn heat to lowest setting, or (if you have a gas stove) use a flame-tamer. If polenta becomes too firm or begins to set before it is completely softened, add a small amount of water and beat in with a whisk until liquid is fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
- Continue cooking until polenta is completely cooked, soft, fluffy, and creamy. Stir in the butter, mixing until melted and completely incorporated. Taste polenta to see if it needs more salt. Serve right away with accompaniment of your choice.
- For the cheese, I usually save it to sprinkle over the stew or braise that will accompany the polenta, but you can also stir grated cheese into the polenta itself for extra richness and flavour.
