Basic Polenta Recipes

Basic Polenta Recipes - How Foods Fight Cancer

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Polenta is a delicious whole-grain food made from yellow corn grits. It pairs well with many
different flavors, although it is typically associated with northern Italian cuisine. Corn grits
come in fine, medium, or coarse grinds. Any type of corn grits can be used in this recipe, but the
cooking time will increase slightly for coarser grinds.

4 cups water or vegetable broth
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow corn grits (polenta)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons chopped roasted garlic (optional; see sidebar)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, sage, or rosemary; optional)


1. Combine the water and salt in a 4-quart or larger saucepan and bring
to a boil. Add the corn grits slowly while whisking continuously.
Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes to prevent the mixture from lumping.
Lower the heat, cover, and cook on the lowest setting for about 40
minutes, stirring often.

2. Use caution when removing the lid and stirring, as hot polenta can
bubble up and splatter. If the polenta gets too thick, add a little more
water or broth. If the liquid is heated before it is added, the polenta
will cook faster (cold liquids will lower the polenta’s temperature
and extend the cooking time). The polenta is ready when it is smooth
and thick and the grains are tender.

3. Toward the end of the cooking time, whisk in the nutritional yeast
and optional garlic and herbs. Add more salt if needed.

4. Serve soft-style, straight from the saucepan. Alternatively, spread the
polenta in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or sheet pan and allow it to
cool. Cooled polenta can be sliced, brushed with a little olive oil, and
then baked in the oven or placed under a broiler until crispy.

5. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Basic
Polenta will keep for up to 4 days. When reheating soft-style polenta,
thin it by whisking in a little vegetable broth or water.

PER SERVING: 164 calories; 1 g fat; 0.1 g saturated fat; 5.2% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol;
5.2 g protein; 33.6 g carbohydrate; 0.7 g sugar; 2.7 g fiber; 160 mg sodium; 14 mg calcium; 2.1
mg iron; 2.5 mg vitamin C; 133 mcg beta-carotene; 0.1 mg vitamin E