Herbed Polenta

Polenta is coarsely ground yellow cornmeal. Common throughout the northern region of Italy, this humble peasant grain is as versatile as rice and can be made into many dishes (grilled, made into a mush, layered and baked etc) and served with game birds, wild boar or even as a replacement to bread.

Cooking polenta takes a little time but the effort is worthwhile. It requires a lot of continuous stirring to achieve a thick creamy consistency. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup polenta
2 cups of water or more

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp mixed herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme) roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced finely

3 Tbsp of grated Parmesan

Method:

In a heavy saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add minced garlic and herbs and saute on low heat. After 1 or 2 minutes add water and salt. Bring to a boil and add the polenta and whisk constantly to create a homogeneous mixture. 

Cook over low heat and continue stirring using a wooden ladle. It will take about 15 to 20 minutes for the mixture to become thick. Then add the remaining butter and grated Parmesan and serve warm. 

Since I am serving polenta with pork ragu, I added about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra water to achieve a soft creamy texture.