Marco Polenta Recipes

OVEN-BAKED CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan with a lid, whisk together 3 cups water, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Cover, and bake 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Remove from oven, and add milk, butter, and marjoram; whisk briskly until smooth. Serve immediately.

"MARCO... POLENTA!"

Steps:

• In a boiler, simmer chickpeas, including liquid, with red pepper flakes and garlic for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain spinach, reserving the liquid.
• In a large skillet, heat oil. Add cardamon and cook for about a minute (until the pods pop). Add onions, garlic and ginger and saute until the onions are translucent.
• Add spinach, then cinammon and coriander. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about ten minutes, adding reserved spinach liquid as needed to keep the mixture moist.
• Meanwhile, slice and grill polenta, using a dry skillet or stovetop grill.
• Drain chickpeas and add to the spinach mixture.
• Prepare for serving by placing two slices of polenta on each plate. Use a slotted spoon to drain the spinach and chickpea mixture, and top each slice of polenta.
• (Preparation notes: If you're limited for time, you can skip the step of. seasoning the chickpeas separately. Prepare the spinach topping with the pepper and garlic, then add the chickpeas toward the end so that they are heated. Polenta can be baked rather than grilled.).
• (Ingredient notes: Fresh, firm, polenta can be substituted for prepared.
• One cup dried chickpeas can be substituted for canned, by soaking overnight and then cooking until tender. One pound fresh spinach, wash and deveined, can be substituted for frozen. Dried ground cardamon and ginger can be substituted for fresh.).

CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water and the olive oil to a boil. Add the salt to the water and whisk in the polenta. Whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to prevent lumps. Simmer, partially covered and stirring every 10 minutes, until the polenta is thick, smooth and creamy, 45 minutes. Add the mascarpone and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Check for seasoning and adjust the consistency by adding water if desired. The polenta may be made up to 20 minutes ahead of time and kept covered until ready to serve.

POLENTA WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan bring 5 cups water and salt to a boil then reduce to a bare simmer. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly; it will take about 10 minutes to add it all and will be fairly thick. Cook over low heat, 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Add melted butter, 4 tablespoons of the mascarpone, milk and nutmeg. Stir well.
• Pour hot polenta mixture into a very wide, warmed serving bowl. Top decoratively with mascarpone in 8 heaping spoonfuls. Serve immediately. Pass pepper mill and a bowl of extra mascarpone, if desired.

MOROCCAN POLENTA

Steps:

• In A small to med Sized Sauce Pan.
• Heat Oil over Med - Med High Heat and Saute Onions for about 5 min (Till Soft).
• Place in a Double Boiler, careful not to add to much water.
• Add Corn Meal and Stock and Stir.
• Let cook in Double Boiler for about 15-20 minutes (Until Polenta is soft and Creamy)
• Salt to Taste.
• Serve Hot.

MORGAN'S BREAKFAST POLENTA

Steps:

• In a medium pan over high heat, bring to boil milk and water. Reduce heat to simmer liquid. Stirring constantly, pour in polenta in a thin, steady stream, breaking up any lumps that form. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Simmer, stirring often, until polenta is soft and creamy, about 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix sour cream and 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Ladle polenta into bowls, and top with about 1 tablespoon of jam and a dollop of sweetened sour cream.

POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add salt. Stirring constantly, slowly add polenta, letting the grains pass through your fingers in a steady stream. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring constantly, until polenta is tender but not mushy, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in butter. Serve hot.