All the Other Smart Uses for Polenta
Polenta, sometimes referred to as “Italian grits,” most often serves as a trusty sidekick to spotlight-stealing protein, or sits smothered under tomato sauce and cheese. Make no mistake — it’s delicious in both contexts, but this classic cornmeal dish is far more versatile than tradition suggests. Here are our five favorite ways to give polenta a long-overdue chance to shine.
1. Sweeten it with fruit and honey. Start your day with this just-sweet-enough breakfast polenta recipe, studded with fresh summer blueberries and drizzled with honey. (Your oatmeal will be jealous.) Take sweet even further by using polenta in cookies or a cake. Or, you know, have more breakfast polenta after dinner.
2. Fortify your base. Polenta is usually made with water or milk, which results in a more neutral flavor. Next time you make it, try using a liquid with a little more personality: stock, either vegetable or otherwise, and coconut milk will both add depth to the final dish.
3. When in doubt, put an egg on it. If food trends in recent years have taught us anything, it’s that most food items — burgers, stir-fry, pizzas, fried rice — are only improved by a beautiful, sunny-side-up egg. Polenta is no exception. We especially like it as a base for wilted escarole and olive oil-fried eggs.
4. Square things off. Polenta’s texture stands up well to grilling, griddling, or broiling, especially when you make it into beautifully cut squares (or circles). Bonus points for super-crispy edges; extra bonus points for topping them with a savory sun-dried tomato and walnut tapenade.
5. Use fresh corn. It’s corn season, after all, and your farmers market haul is begging to be turned into creamy, delicious polenta. If that’s not enough of an incentive, this amazing recipe from Yottam Ottolenghi should be.
Blueberry Almond Breakfast Polenta
Serves 3 to 4
4 cups milk
3/4 cups quick-cook polenta
1/2 cup almond meal
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup blueberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinches of cardamom (up to 1/4 teaspoon)
Crème fraîche or sour cream (optional)
Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
Reduce heat to low and add polenta, whisking constantly until smooth. Add almond meal and continue whisking until the polenta thickens to a creamy consistency. Add butter and whisk until it melts completely.
Turn heat off and whisk in honey, blueberries, vanilla and cardamom. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and an extra sprinkle of blueberries.
