Basic Polenta
By: Anonymous
Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - 6:57pm

Ingredients




teaspoon salt
cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Preparation

1 6 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE 2 These are the basic proportions for making polenta which can change character according to the kind of cornmeal used and the ratio of cornmeal to water. 3 Polenta should be stirred almost continuously, though you can be somewhat more relaxed about it if you use a nonstick saucepan. As polenta starts to thicken, it tends to splatter - so wear an oven mitt - but once it is quite thick it is less likely to jump out of the pan. 4 In medium nonstick saucepan, bring 4 1/2 cups cold water and salt to a boil over medium heat. Gradually add cornmeal, stirring almost continuously with a wire whisk. When mixture starts to thicken, stir in oil with a wooden spoon. 5 Reduce heat to low. Continue to stir until polenta is quite thick and creamy, taking care to scrape entire bottom and sides of pan, about 30 minutes. 6 Soft version: Serve at once, use in recipes as directed or hold over a pan of simmering water for up to 1 hour. 7 Firm version: Immediately scrape warm mixture into lightly oiled 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.