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.

Cornmeal Crusted Tofu

Cornmeal Crusted Tofu

1 block very firm tofu

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup cornmeal (grind it for a smoother texture)

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 large egg, beaten

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dry the tofu very well and season with salt and pepper. Mix together the cornmeal, salt, paprika, and garlic powder and place in a shallow dish. Cut the tofu into pieces (any size you wish) and coat with flour. Dip in beaten egg then coat in cornmeal mixture.
Pan-fry in hot oil on all sides until crispy.

Roasted Tomato Cornbread

Roasted Tomato Cornbread
2 cups roasted tomato bisque
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan with parchment paper.
Stir all ingredients together until smooth.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly, then cut.

This is another take on my basic vegan cornbread recipe. I had some leftover tomato bisque around so used that as the liquid. This made the bread a nice color and added flavor. Served here with a spicy aioli. 

Spicy Cornbread Triangles

Spicy Cornbread Triangles
2 cups non-dairy milk (I used almond)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add the vinegar to the milk and let sit for a few minutes.
Whisk in the oil and molasses until frothy.
Stir in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing to combine.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly, then cut into triangles. 

I cut my bread into 32 squares, 4 cuts wide and 8 cuts long, then I cut each square on the diagonal into 64 triangles. These makes tiny, bite-sized pieces perfect as an hors d'oeuvres, but you can cut the pieces as large as you like if you are serving them along side a main course. Feel free to play with the herbs and spices as well!

Corn Bread Triangles

Corn Bread Triangles
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup water

Mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the oil. Then blend in the water gradually to form a soft dough that is just dry enough to handle. Roll out to a thin circle (as thin as you want/can get it) then cut into triangles. Bake at 400◦F for 20 minutes or so until crisp and golden.

This is a cornbread-style recipe I came up with when I wanted something tortilla chip-like to use for my dip for a Latin/Caribbean buffet. This is what I came up with. The recipe doubles or halves well and has a nice texture and crunch. Alternately, the dough can be baked as biscuits, or cut even thinner and fried in oil or deep-fried.

Humitas

Humitas (Ecuadorian Tamales)
6 dried corn husks, soaked in cold water for at least two hours
2 cups corn kernels
2 Tablespoons chopped white onion
1/2 cup oil
3 egg yolks
1/2 - 3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Purée the corn and onion together in a food processor, then add in remaining ingredients except for egg yolks. Mixture should be fairly stiff and not runny, add more cornmeal if needed. Fold in the egg whites. At this point, the mixture can be chilled until later (this helps firm it up as well).

Place about 1/4 cup of filling near the bottom of each corn husk, then fold up (fold edges in, fold bottom in, then fold top over). Secure with twine or with a skewer if desired.
Steam for about 45 minutes until filling is firm and cheese is melted. Serve with hot pepper sauce.

Cheesy Polenta Bake

Polenta is an Italian dish composed primarily of cornmeal, water, and salt. It can be served warm or cold, as a thick sauce or hearty squares, and goes with many different dishes. Polenta is primarily used as a starchy side dish to soak up juices and sauces from other foods. It goes exceptionally well with red sauces, olive oil, and chicken dishes. Polenta is relatively bland on its own, which is why it is used as a "broom" to sweep up other foods. Tonight I made a polenta dish based on a recipe I came across in one of my cookbooks, but I made several changes. This recipe does not have salt, but adds cheese and uses chicken broth in place of water for flavor.

Cheesy Polenta Bake
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. hard margarine
1/2 - 2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Spray a small casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking constantly until smooth. Add pepper and continue to whisk for another minute or so until mixture boils and begins to chicken. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Spread half of mixture into prepared casserole dish, dot with half the margarine and half the cheese, repeat. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Bake covered for 25-30 minutes until firm and bubbly. Cut into large squares and serve.