Polenta Three Ways

The other night I made a big batch of polenta for dinner for something different and decided to do it three different ways. I made a basic pot of polenta using one cup of yellow cornmeal and five cups of water and salt to taste. I brought the water to a boil, then whisked in the salt and cornmeal. Then I cooked it over low heat until it was tender, poured it into a 9x9-inch pan lined with parchment paper, and cooled it until it firmed up.

From the basic batch I made three different types:
1. Fried polenta shapes (golden stars in the center)
2. Crispy spicy polenta fries (rectangles to the left)
3. Creamy soft polenta (base of plate)

I will share the techniques and recipes for the three variations within the next few days.