The Kitchen Slave is the expert on this one, which makes it hard for him to write. I tried my hand at it this evening, so I’ll give you the run down.

Ingredients

1 cup Polenta

4 cups water

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

Seasonings of your choice. Today I used way too many sun dried tomatoes (3 would be about right, I did 9… it was too many), basil (12 fresh leaves), garlic/onion powder, white pepper, Parmesan (about a tablespoon shaved).

That’s pretty simple, so let’s give it a shot.

Boil water, butter and salt. Whisk in polenta, reduce heat to medium. Stir until your arm falls off. When the polenta is venting air bubbles that are leaving behind solid pockets, (I call them volcano bubbles, because they spew molten polenta at you) add about 2 cups more water, 1/2 cup at a time. Add seasoning. Stir more. When the polenta has been cooking for 30-45m (and your arm is super sore), you should be able to rest your spoon atop it. This is the consistency you’re going for. Serve immediately for soft polenta, or let set.

Tips:

The longer you cook your polenta the smoother it will be, but you will add more water over the course of cooking. I added about 2 cups for a 35ish minute cooking time before I decided it was good enough.

Certain ingredients fare better added earlier (sun dried tomato, dried herbs) and some later (parmesan, fresh herbs). Use your best judgement.

Set polenta is very tasty the next morning fried. To set polenta:

Spray down a small baking sheet or bread pan (depending on desired shape) with cooking spray

Pour your polenta in

Let sit for a few minutes until mostly cool (see the patterns in the top of the cooled polenta from how it was poured? You want that)



Refrigerate covered (preferably overnight)

The next morning I slice and fry these for a tasty breakfast.

And for a bonus… The kitchen slave and I got a puppy today. His name (subject to change) is Bigfoot. Here he is with the kitchen slave. Notice the GIANT paws. Boy are we in for it.

~ K the Honorary Gay 😉