Cornmeal & polenta glut

[THewat]

I don't know how I ended up with so much. Suggestions? I make a not-very-pretty-but-quite-tasty baked polenta w/ Wild Mushroom Ragu, (http://www.formaggiokitchen.com/node/47) but that's hardly going to use up the polenta, much less the cornmeal...

[c oliver]

For when you DO want to make polenta, here's thew's oven baked, creamy polenta. I ONLY make it this way any more. I did try a MW version but it boiled over sohaven't tried it again.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/4546...

[THewat]

Thanks so much. I just read Thew's string, and there is polenta in my oven as I type! Happy :-)

[THewat]

Yummy. :-)

[c oliver]

I'm one of those people who, when entertaining, don't want to spend all MY time in the kitchen. So now that I have a no-labor polenta I make it pretty often. And people are soooo impressed :)

[THewat]

Yeah. I'm single, and I find simultaneous entertaining & cooking to be a challenge. I don't want to stop doing it, so anything that helps me focus on friends & still put a good meal on the table on time is great.

[agoodbite]

Polenta (I know it better as cornmeal mush) is endlessly delicious and useful. Sometimes I'll eat it with a little butter and hard grating cheese for breakfast. Top it with a poached egg if you like. Add some sauteed greens if you want. Pair it with any braised meat.

Make some cornbread and serve it with a bowl of beans. It makes a great side for pork roast, spareribs and the like.

[starkoch]

After reading the recipe I don't see why it wouldn't freeze very well. Just portion into what ever would be a serving size for you and freeze.
As for the cornmeal, like cornbread? Just kidding, it will keep very well in the refrigerator or freezer.

[THewat]

Thanks starkoch. I could make the ragu & freeze it - I'm not so good at freezing things (and I'd like to be), so that would be smart. Actually, though, I was beating back the dried goods in my cabinets & realized I'd amassed rather more dried corn products than I had realized (I also have Masa Harina). Cooking with them for a bit would get them down to a manageable quantity & perhaps give me some new recipes & a fun cooking focus.

[starkoch]

Oh my gosh, if you have masa harina and the mushroom ragu, make cocktail size <one or two bites> tamales and have a party. ;-)
Use the ragu as a tamale filling. I made mushroom tamales a few years ago, and they were delicious.
re: freezing, just make sure that what ever you freeze is well wrapped. I have a foodsaver system and for my needs, money well spent.

[THewat]

I have never made a tamale. I'll do a search, but talk to me...

[chowser]

If you have space to freeze it, you could just freeze the grain. I also use corn meal to dust for home made pasta and bread, in addition to the other suggestions.

[goodhealthgourmet]

well, you've already hit my favorite default - the mushroom ragu - but there ate TONS of things you can do. cornbread, pancakes, lemon polenta cake, pan-seared polenta, cornmeal-crusted fish, meat or veggies, fried green tomatoes, cookies, biscotti...

http://www.chow.com/search?query=polenta&board_name=Home+Cooking&from_date=1+year+ago&search_board_id=31&type=Topic#!query=polenta&board_name=Home+Cooking&search_board_id=31&type=Topic&from_date=&board_parent=&search_board_id_btn=31&from_date_select=&user_name=&post_title=&search_board_id_btn_pop=31&sort_mode=best_match&recipe_source=

http://www.chow.com/search?query=corn...

[THewat]

Thanks - guess I should have done those searches myself. It's fun to wonder through the threads, although I often find myself following people's links into unrelated territory & making something that has no relation to where I began... I do, actually, have some cornmeal-using recipes in my own "to try" pile - http://www.oliveoilsource.com/article..., for example. Tomorrow, perhaps.

[goodhealthgourmet]

although I often find myself following people's links into unrelated territory & making something that has no relation to where I began...
~~~~~~~~~~~
ha! been there :)

and speaking of cornmeal and olive oil:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10760-oli...