What is polenta?

[ACboysmom]

What exactly is polenta? Do you use it? In what and how? My son brought home a recipe for me. He found it in a magazine. It is for sweet polenta. Where do you buy it? Any answers would be appreciated.
TIA
Rosie

[Mothering by Heart]

LOL, there is a dot com for everything. How about http://www.polenta.com :lol

I have never had it, but I did know that it was cornmeal. Some interesting looking recipes there. Sounds good :yum

edited to fix link

[ACboysmom]

Hey! Thanks! I will look at the website now.

[bunbunmama]

I think your basic question has been answered...but I wanted to chime in. I haven't yet made it from scratch (but hopefully will find the time someday soon!), but I have had some that was already made and formed into a little plastic-wrapped "log" - we just sliced it and pan fried it in a little bit of olive oil, and it was pretty good. I've also had some "instant" polenta that my MIL made from a mix...also pretty good with the right seasonings added. I really like mine with some tomato flavor - whether sun-dried as was in the "log" or tomato sauce on top as we ate with the instant stuff. Another BIG key is making sure there is enough salt - otherwise it is verrrrrry bland!!

HTH!!!

[DogwoodMama]

Yeah, polenta is usually used as a "base" in Italian dishes... you can put yummy sauces or topping on top of it- I do a polenta dish with a mushroom ragout that my dh likes, you could also do tomatoes, etc. The "first time" you make it, if you are doing it the old fashioned way, it's soft and unformed, kinda like grits. :) But then Italian cooks would save the leftovers, and it kinda congeals, and you would slice it and fry it up or bake it for the next meal, which is similar to the "log" of polenta you can buy in the grocery store. I have also seen recipes for "polenta lasagne" which sounds interesting! :)

[Mothering by Heart]

Oooooh , BP can you post the recipe for that mushroom ragout? :yum

[Gretchen]

It's like a corn based cream of wheat. I can't stand cream of wheat either, so no surprise that I don't like polenta. However, my DH thought it was great. :shrug I've seen it in stores, but don't remember where since I have no interest in buying it. ;)

Gretchen

[DogwoodMama]

It's a Cooking Light recipe-I'll post it later today when I get a chance! :)

[ACboysmom]

Thank you for all your help.