Savory Polenta

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004

Show: Good EatsEpisode: True Grits

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (53)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(53)

Cook Time:
50 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 50 min
Total:: 1 hr 0 min

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for grilling or sauteing if desired
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and salt and sweat until the onions begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.

Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock, bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every

10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Once they are incorporated, gradually add the Parmesan.

Serve as is, or pour the polenta into 9 by 13-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or grill.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Savory Polenta
Janet Surprise, AZ 11-04-2009
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Polenta
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Have read all comments-thanks. Question. Can I prepare this 1 day ahead and reheat? I do want it creamy. planning to do... mushrooms as side dish with tenderloin Az.JanetRead more
recipe Savory Polenta
Dawn Severn, MD 10-22-2009
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Love This Polenta
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is soooo good! I have even halved the butter and cheese to improve the nutritional profile; it's still awesome. I'll... never make polenta the old fashioned way again, Thanks Alton!Read more
recipe Savory Polenta
Amanda Pullman, WA 10-16-2009
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Delicious!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is soooooo good! I took a cue from the other reviewers who said it was too salty and I used just a dash of salt when... sweating the onion, and then did not add any salt when I added the butter and pepper. I used less sodium stock (33% less). It is perfect!Read more
recipe Savory Polenta
NICOLE sacramento, CA 10-11-2009
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Very Good Flavor Needed salt adjustment
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This is a 1st rate technique for cooking polenta and the onion and garlic added allot of great flavor to it. I used canned... low salt broth and found it needed NO added salt at all once I added the unsalted butter & Parmesan cheese. If you are using home made stock with very low salt content it would need a bit of salting at the end. It helped to wait until end to taste and adjust for saltiness. I also added 1/3 cup heavy cream throughout the last 15 minutes of cook time as I wanted this ceramy and not too firm. Delicious! . Read more
recipe Savory Polenta
Tanya Charlottesville, VA 09-25-2009
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WOW!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I'm a polenta novice, and have only ever had it once before this. It was fried, ans closer to a cake consistency than creamy.... But this was simple to make, and absolutely delicious. I'm generally a fan of Alton's recipes, thought they often seem quite involved. This was not as hard as it might seem to the novice cook, and it's a great way to try something different with dinner. I'm now addicted to polenta and can't wait to make my next batch. I will say, the recipe can be a tad on the salty side, but i liked it that way. I also used salted butter, which was all i had on hand. But it's easy to adjust the tast of this at the end, so that should really be an issue. Thanks again Alton, for another great recipe. Read more
recipe Savory Polenta
Carlos Ashburn, VA 07-13-2009
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Watch the salt
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Easy to prepare and very savory indeed, however, depending on stock and butter salt contents (if you dont carry salt free... butter), it may turn into a very salty dish. I also used white onions (instead of red) and Kraft parmesan cheese and turned out well.Read more