Polenta Part I

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Corn meal, grits, polenta, call it whatever you want as long as you’re eating it. Polenta is more versatile than most other starches I can think of. So much so this post has to be split up in two parts. We all know the deep breakfast roots corn meal has so let’s talk about other ways to employ them.

Because our food supply is so shady right now it is really important to stay away from GMO foods period. Corn is at the top of the most genetically modified food list here in America so make sure you buy organic corn meal for this recipe. I like Bob Mills brand, it was $3.49 at Whole Foods so don’t give me that crap about how expensive organic is. This one little 1lb package is good for about 8 meals for a 4-person family, that’s a steal for health and your wallet.

Polenta is perfect for babies and kids of any age. It can be made in porridge like consistency for infants to a sliceable loaf for bigger mouths.  A perfect food to learn how to use a spoon with too. It is pretty bland by nature so you are free to pair it with just about anything. Dinner tonight is a polenta mash up with sautéed mushrooms and a tomato salad. Mm hmmm

Turmeric is really great for heart, brain and liver health. It has also been linked to inhibiting cancer cell growth. It is really mild in small doses; I even throw it in my juicer on occasion!

Mushrooms are a great source of fiber, potassium, niacin and selenium among other things. Selenium is an antioxidant that helps fight cancer and shut down free radicals. Don’t like mushrooms? Try using only the white button mushrooms they have the mildest flavor. Still scared? Get over it.

Follow the directions for whatever brand of Polenta you buy. I made 1 ¾ cups (dry) which yielded about 6 cups cooked. (1 ¾ cups corn meal, 6 ½ cups water). Make sure you stir frequently as you do not want the polenta to burn at the bottom. Add the fine chopped scallions or chives from below in at the last minute. 

Mash-up:

1 small organic sweet potato

1-2 small raw organic turmeric root

¼ cup hot water

Bake the potato at 375 until fork tender (I started dinner late so I nuked the potato, don’t tell anyone..)

When the tater is done cut into 4 pieces and toss it skin and all into the food processor with the turmeric root. Process the potato and turmeric while adding just enough water to get a baby food puree.

Set aside

Topping:

1 small- medium Organic yellow onion

1-2 cloves Organic garlic

4 cups chopped Organic mushrooms (mix and match for more flavor and texture, I used shitake and oyster)

¼ cup sherry. Yes, Sherry…

¼ cup Veg stock

3-4 sage leaves (julienned)

1 bunch Organic chives or scallions (fine chopped)

S&P to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in a small amount of EVOO, when the onion is almost translucent add all the mushrooms and let them cook down naked. When I say naked I mean DO NOT salt at this point. You will lose all the juicy goodness your looking for in the first place.  In 8-10 min they should be about half the volume they originally were, add the sherry and sage let the booze cook out (about 3-4 min). If you have a gas stove PLEASE remove the pan from the flame when adding the booze, don’t start a fire here we are just trying to eat.

Add the stock and the salt and pepper. Finish cooking the mushrooms until they are tender. The liquid should have reduced by half.

Portion out enough polenta for everyone eating. You hopefully have some leftover that we will talk about later. Add the potato puree to the polenta and mix thoroughly. The ratio should be about 4:1

So right now you can dish out the polenta into bowls or if you have fun molds use those. I had a mini bundt sunflower pan so I greased’em up with some EVOO, ladled some polenta in and stuck it in the fridge for 5 min to set up.

Top your polenta mash up with your supper yummy mushrooms and enjoy!

I served this with halved grape tomatoes tossed in vinaigrette for olive and I had a salad on the side. Perfect dinner or lunch for summer or winter. You can trade out the mushrooms for any sautéed veg really. If you want to sneak some mushrooms in you can always puree some raw ones up with the potato and mix into the polenta.  

With the remaining polenta I want you to pour it out onto a parchment covered cookie sheet and spread out to about ½ inch thick. Cover and stick in the fridge, we will deal with that in part II!