Parmigiano-Reggiano Polenta

Whether as a base for cooked meat or a great addition to an Italian dish, you can’t go wrong with this cheese, creamy dish

Polenta is grits’ fancy relative. This version combines the creaminess of the corn grits with the nutty, salty flavor of Parmigiano. While it makes for a great side dish for any meal, the leftovers can be fried and served with a marinara sauce for an Italian dinner. Check out the variants section for more uses. Polenta is very versatile.

SOFTWARE

·         1 1/2 c. milk, room temperature

·         1 1/2 c. water, room temperature

·         1 bay leaf

·         Kosher salt

·         1 c. polenta, coarsely ground

·         1/2 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded

·         4 oz. crème fraiche

METHOD

1.       In a medium pot over medium heat, bring the milk, water, and bay leaf to a boil. Be very careful, because as the boil occurs, the fluids may foam up and over the container’s edge.

2.       Add two to three heavy pinches of kosher salt and stir.

3.       After the boil occurs, whisk in the polenta in small batches. Once all the polenta has been added, reduce the heat to medium low and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until it begins to thicken up.

4.       Keep stirring regularly until the polenta absorbs all the liquid. Give it a taste. It should be creamy, not gritty. Add a bit more salt if you think it needs it. If you aren’t there yet, continue cooking for a few minutes more.

5.       Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and crème fraiche until fully integrated.

6.       Serve immediately.

7.       Enjoy.

VARIANTS

Polenta is so versatile and can be used in so many Italian dishes in place of noodles or integrated into meatballs once you have dried it out. There are also recipes out there that use it in chocolate cake. I’ll let you figure out if that’s for you. But I like it as a base for pork chops, steaks, or other cooked meat.