Teff Polenta Recipes

FOUR-CHEESE POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, add the baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pour the cornmeal into the water in a very slow stream from a measuring cup, all the while whisking in a circular motion to prevent lumps.
• Cook, vigorously stirring the polenta with a wooden spoon for about 10 seconds once every 5 minutes and making sure to scrape clean the bottom and corners of the pot, until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth, about 30 minutes. If the polenta looks like it's drying out too quickly, continue cooking with the lid on.
• Stir in the Asiago, Gorgonzola, mascarpone, butter, Parmesan and garlic. Season to taste with salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. If the polenta is too thick, thin with some milk as desired. Garnish with freshly shaved Parmesan.

TEFF POLENTA CROUTONS OR CAKES

Steps:

• Make teff polenta as directed. Line a sheet pan, bread pan or baking dish with plastic wrap and spoon polenta on top. Press out to desired thickness and cover with plastic. Allow to stiffen completely, in the refrigerator if not using within the hour. You can also spread the polenta into a thin layer on the plastic on your work surface, cover with another sheet of plastic and gently roll over it with a rolling pin. Allow to cool and stiffen.
• Use a cookie cutter to cut rounds of polenta, or just cut into squares. Heat a heavy well-seasoned or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat well. Brown polenta pieces on both sides in oil. This doesn't take more than about a minute on each side. Each side should be crisp and brown. If the pieces are thicker cakes, turn down temperature a little so that they can heat through without burning. Remove to rack to drain. Serve hot or warm, or allow to cool and crumble into salads. They reheat nicely: place on a baking sheet in the oven at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

TEFF POLENTA WITH TOASTED HAZELNUT OIL

Steps:

• Heat a heavy, medium size wide-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and add teff. Shake pan and allow teff to toast until it begins to pop and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Immediately pour in water and remove from heat. Soak at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a 2-quart baking dish on your stovetop. Return saucepan with teff to stove and bring to a boil, stirring often with a whisk so that the seeds don't clump. When mixture comes to a boil add salt and chipotle, stir once and pour into baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out any teff that adheres to the saucepan.
• Place baking dish in oven (set on a cookie sheet if you wish, for easier handling). Bake 50 minutes, stirring with a whisk every 15 to 20 minutes. After 50 minutes whisk in 1 tablespoon of the hazelnut oil and return to oven for another 10 minutes, unless mixture is already stiff. Once teff is smooth, with no more liquid visible in the pan, serve at once, drizzling a small amount of the remaining oil over each serving.

TEFF POLENTA

Steps:

• Boil water in a teakettle. Place the oil in a 10-inch skillet, and warm over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add peppers, and sauté for 2 minutes or, until bright green. Stir in the teff. Turn off the heat to prevent splattering, and add boiling water and salt. Resume heat and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and basil. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water's absorbed. There may be some extra liquid from the tomatoes, but as long as the teff is not crunchy, the polenta is done. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired. Transfer it to an un-oiled 9-inch pie plate. Let it cool for about 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

TEFF POLENTA

Steps:

• 1. Bring the water to boil in a teakettle or small pot. 2. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and the onions begin to soften. 3. Add the peppers to the skillet, and sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in the teff. Add the boiling water and salt, and bring the ingredients to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes and basil. 4. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the teff is soft and most or all of the water is absorbed. Adjust the seasonings, if desired. 5. Transfer the mixture to an unoiled 9-inch pie plate, and let cool for about 30 minutes. 6. Slice into wedges and serve. FYI . . . Nutrient-rich teff is low in fat and high in fiber. An eight-ounce serving contains 32 percent of the Recom - mended Daily Allowance of calcium and 80 percent of iron, which is why I've nicknamed teff "the women's grain."