| LIKE risotto, polenta suffers from the misguided belief that it’s a hassle to make. Experts say you have to “rain in the grain” — adding water to a large pot of water while constantly stirring the cornmeal in it to avoid lumps. And purists can be fussy about what type of cornmeal to use. These notions serve to intimidate the novice or average cook. Let’s set the record straight: it takes a while to make polenta, and you do have to pay attention. But its high-maintenance reputation is highly overstated. It’s easy enough to make for breakfast, and quite good with maple syrup. The key to making the process easy is starting out with a slurry, a slush-like mixture of cornmeal and water that you whisk together before cooking. You then put the slurry over not-too-high heat, bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and gradually add more water as needed to keep the mixture smooth and loose. Aside from the occasional need to whisk to stop lumps from forming, all you need to to do from here is to make sure that you cook it long enough to rid the cornmeal of its raw taste. Coarse cornmeal will take up to 30 minutes, while a finer grind can cook in as little as 15 minutes. Once the polenta is tender to the bite and reaches the consistency you want — aim for the thickness of sour cream — add black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese and butter: more is better. Polenta can be topped with almost anything: sausage and other juicy meats are nice, but consider sautéed wild mushrooms, roasted vegetables or anything saucy. Polenta is adaptable, in more ways than one. 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 good-quality sweet Italian sausages 1 cup medium-to-coarse cornmeal 1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste 2 tablespoons butter 1. Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside. 2. Meanwhile, put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream’s. 3. Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper; serve topped with sausages. |