Italian

creamy polenta
M a k e s a b o u t 6 1/2 c u p s ;
s e r v e s 6 t o 8
11/2
3 cups water
2 cups coarse-ground polenta
3 cups cold milk
1/2
tsp. salt
cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
This simple polenta side dish needs only a bit of butter to enrich it.
Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Combine the polenta with the milk
and salt and stir until smooth. Slowly add this mixture to the boiling water,
stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until the polenta begins to thicken. Reduce
the heat to medium and continue to cook until the polenta begins to bubble
and pop. Reduce the heat to low, add the Parmesan and butter, and continue
stirring until the polenta begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about
10 minutes for soft polenta or about 20 minutes for firm. Serve immediately
as a side dish or mold into a dish and let stand to make firmer polenta.
—Earl Le Claire
PER SERVING: 150 CALORIES | 7G PROTEIN | 16G CARB | 8G TOTAL FAT | 5G SAT FAT |
2G MONO FAT | 0G POLY FAT | 25MG CHOL | 570MG SODIUM | 1G FIBER
goat cheese polenta
S e r v e s 6
1 quart whole milk
Kosher salt
1 cup instant polenta
1/2
1/2
lb. fresh goat cheese,
crumbled
Pinch of cayenne
cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Pair with a seared rib-eye steak,
or for a vegetarian meal, top
with sautéed wild mushrooms or
a quick tomato sauce.
1. Bring the milk to a boil in a
4-quart saucepan over mediumhigh
heat. Season with 2 tsp. salt.
Slowly whisk in the polenta and
cook, stirring constantly, for
5 minutes until the polenta thickens
and begins to pull away from
the sides of the pan.
2. Add the goat cheese and cayenne. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in the
cream and add 1/2 to 1 cup water to thin the polenta to a porridge-like consistency.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. —Arlene Jacobs
PER SERVING: 400 CALORIES | 16G PROTEIN | 32G CARB | 25G TOTAL FAT | 16G SAT FAT |
7G MONO FAT | 1G POLY FAT | 80MG CHOL | 520MG SODIUM | 0G FIBER
182 P o l e n ta & R i s o t t o