ready mix polenta

[edinaeats]

I finally found it at the local supermarket. Does anyone have any tips? I had it once served cut in a square- it had been cooked, then spread into a rimmed cookie sheet. It was a fun side dish.

[toodie jane]

I bought some and found it to be rather flavorless.

Pheasant Brand raw polenta cooks in about 5 minutes in the microwave. Add roasted garlic paste, butter, salt and parmesean, maybe a pinch of thyme. S'really good!

Serve it as is like grits, or spread and cool then cut into shapes and grill or use in a layered cheesy-tomato-veggie casserole as others have indicated. Even better the next day.

One of my favorite cinematic food scenes is from teh movie 1900 with Sterling Hayden as an Italian peasant family patriarch. At the farmhouse communal dining table, a plank of wood is used to serve a huge portion of soft freshly cooked polenta that everyone helps themselves from. I think of this every time I make polenta.

[coney with everything]

You can chill it, cut into shapes, then fry or broil (brush with oil) so it is crispy. I also like to make it and serve warm with butter and a good Parmesan.

[scuzzo]

I don't buy it ready made, but I love polenta! I like to use Bob's Red Mill corn grits. The corn is coarse ground, and I dig the texture a lot! I like to cook, then add cheesen then set up in a jelly roll pan, then slice and fry for a nice crispy outside!!! Oh, yea!!! So good. Chicken with portobellos and sage on top! Or whatever you want.

Another fun tip, cut into 9 x 13 sheets and make a polenta lasagna, layering two sheets of polenta with other stuff. I had a version of this with a good sausage and sauted veggies like zuchinni, tomatos, eggplant, and maybe rutabaga and cheese.

[paulj]

Are you referring to polenta in a plastic tube? I usually slice it into rounds about 1/2" thick, fry them, and serve with a meat sauce of some sort.

paulj