Flavours of home is a series of recipes from around the world cooked by people at home in Otago. This week Claudie Favre from Switzerland shows us how to make polenta.
Polenta is a cornmeal porridge eaten widely in northern Italy that has become fashionable in restaurants in the past few years.
It can be served soft or cut into slices and grilled. Claudie said her grandmother made it soft with milk and parmesan cheese.
Slices of polenta can be served as a side dish with a braise such as boeuf bourguignon, or with cheese or tomato on top with a salad.
Polenta
Serves 4-5
350g instant polenta (cornmeal)
1.4 litres water
1 tsp of salt
2 Tbsp olive oil.
Bring the water to the boil in a large pot. Add salt and olive oil.
Remove the pot from the heat and with one hand quickly pour the polenta into the water, allowing it to rain down from a height while using a wooden spoon in the other hand to whisk it in.
Return the pot to the stove and cook for 5 minutes on a medium flame, stirring constantly. Turn the heat off and let the polenta settle for a minute.
Pour into a flat serving dish and smooth the top. Let it cool and thicken.
To serve, slice the polenta and fry it gently on both sides with olive oil in a non-stick frypan.
Serve with beef bourguignon as shown last week.
Bon appetit!
Tips:
• Polenta is cornmeal, and instant polenta has been precooked, which means it is fast to make.
• Stir the cooking polenta constantly so it does not go lumpy. When it starts thickening, it will blob like frogs jumping - just move it off the heat and keep stirring.
• Polenta will keep for a week in the fridge or can be frozen. Make a large tray and cut slices off to brown as you need.
• Sprinkle browned polenta with a little finely grated parmesan if you like.
Her grandmother had an Italian background so they ate lots of polenta, as it was cheap and filling, especially in a cold Swiss winter.
She married a New Zealander and came here 15 years ago. Now, she organises tours for French-speaking visitors to this country, and in winter, with her two sons, sells Swiss waffles at the Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin.
- Thanks to Afife Harris and Leith Distributors.
