Last summer, in this blog, I identified mastering polenta as one of my cooking objectives for the coming winter. And now, I am happy to report that as of January 13, 2014, I have achieved the desired result!
Soft, creamy polenta, the starting point, has never been the issue. Soft polenta is incredibly easy to make. A 4:1 ratio of water:cornmeal, then add whatever butter, cheese, seasonings you want. Yes, there is labour involved; it needs to be lovingly stirred to get a nice texture. But the requirement to stir does not equal difficulty. Where I had, previously, consistently, failed is in making a crispy polenta. While I like soft polenta, I LOVE crispy polenta.
Last weekend, wanting to take my brand new enamelled cast iron dutch oven, a Christmas gift from baby brother K, for a spin, I made braised beef short ribs. To accompany them, I went with a soft polenta and wilted chard.
I was very pleased with this dish. On top of being fairly pretty, the three components worked well together. Ribs, browned and braised with red wine, bacon, carrots garlic, leeks, onion, thyme, rosemary, and a bit of hot sauce, were tender and flavourful. The wilted chard, slightly crisped on some edges, was both fresh and refreshing. The polenta, enriched with an (un)healthy dose of butter, plus a good chevre (goat cheese), was tangy, corny and delightful Really, the meal was an unqualified success.
(Aside: cast iron casserole/dutch oven is AWESOME. Excellent, even cooking, easy to clean. Mine is Lagostina, and oval in shape. While round might be more ideal, I still cannot rave enough about the virtues of an enamelled cast iron casserole.)
After this delectable meal, I was left with some polenta. As anyone who has ever made polenta before knows, as it cools, it firms up. So even a soft polenta, a 4:1 ratio, as I made, cools to a fairly solid mass. A mass that can be cut into slabs and fried to golden, crispy perfection.
The key, I have found, after much trial and error, is patience. On several previous occasions, I have cut slabs of leftover polenta, popped them into olive oiled pans, or under broilers, and hoped for a crispy result. I had been consistently disappointed until Monday. On Monday, after placing the slabs in a heated pan with some olive oil, I became distracted and left the pan longer than I had historically. I returned, worried that I had ruined the polenta, only to discover that the pan-facing side was perfect. The desired crispy golden crust was achieved, reinforcing the structural integrity needed to flip the slab without it dissolving into a shapeless, oily mess. I left the other side to cook a comparable length of time, and the result was my polenta holy grail: crispy and textured on the outside, decadent and creamy on the inside. The key to the perfect crispy polenta was to just let it go. Don't fuss with it too much when it is in the pan. Have the confidence to let it establish its crust, and then flip and let the other side go. The result is a delightful side that is treat with many meals, and an alternative to the potato-pasta starch dichotomy. Polenta is cheap and versatile; seasonings and cheeses can completely alter the flavour profile, making it a constant adventure. If it is not part of your repertoire, I recommend going forth and experimenting.
Simple instructions:
4:1 ratio, water to cornmeal
Bring water to a boil. Pour cornmeal in using a thin stream, whisking all the while. Reduce heat to medium, and stir regularly to avoid lumps and achieve the desired consistency. As it cooks, add salt and taste to achieve the desired seasoning. Once the desired consistency is reached, stir in equal parts butter and cheese of your preference to taste. With 1 c of cornmeal, I used 1/3 c each of butter and chevre.
Polenta is fairly forgiving. Experiment with butter, cheese, herbs and spices to get your personal perfect polenta. It can be made stiffer by using less water, and to this you can add chunks of sausage or other savoury ingredients.
To fry:
Let chill and then cut into slabs approximately 2 cm (a little less than an inch) thick. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan, then add the polenta cakes and let cook 7-10 minutes per side. Season to taste and enjoy!
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