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My vegetable farmer closed the stand for the winter so I went there to stack up on cornmeal, potatoes and bought the few vegetables they had left. Yes you heard right cornmeal, this year they cultivated an antique variety of corn and then brought it to a mill that ground it and packed it for them. The color of the grain is dark yellow and the flour has a golden and vivid color, it actually smells of corn and tastes even better much better than all the other organic varieties I’ve been trying lately.

Polenta is the winter dish for excellence in the Northern Italy we prepare it in every possible way. In the old days was consumed by the poor that couldn’t afford  bread. I remember my grandma that used to eat it the day after it was prepared cut in pieces in her milk for breakfast. She had other options but she just loved it that way. In the old days polenta was prepared in the copper cauldron and cooked over the fire place a woman was not a woman if she wasn’t able to make polenta and make it that way. Nowadays we only whisk it in when the water boils and then we cover it (if using a thick bottom pan). It’s still possible to find the copper cauldron to use on the stove but I’ve never had the courage to try it. The classic polenta is thick and it is usually a mix between fine and coarse grained cornmeal. It’s poured over a round wooden board and when firm it’s cut with a thread. I like the classic style but I also love it soft as the polenta I made in here. The recipe is adapted from the magazine Sale & Pepe (January 2009).

Not all the corn flour reacts in the same way so it is usually better to follow the instructions listed in the package. I actually don’t follow any instructions. After making it for so many years I perfectly understand the quality of the flour in the moment I’m making. It just takes practice.

Polenta is usually served with meat stews or chicken, baked with meat and/or cheeses and often served with fish or seafood. Give it a try!

Shrimps with curry sauce and polenta

Ingredients:

For the polenta:
2 cups cornmeal
7 cups water
2 tsp. sea salt

For the shrimps
1 clove of garlic
2 Tbsp. finally chopped Italian parsley
3 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp. hot curry powder according to your taste*
14 oz. diced canned tomatoes
14 oz. shrimps cleaned and divined, you can use frozen shrimps too
sea salt to taste

Yields: 4 persons

Preparation:

For the polenta:
Salt the water and bring it to a boil in a large and tall pan. Add the cornmeal a bit at a time mixing constantly with a wire whisk. Be careful, as the polenta thickens up it will splash.
Once all the polenta is mixed in reduce to a low heat.
Cover and let simmer for 40 minutes. If you have a nice stainless steel pan with a thick bottom you can leave it simmer alone. If you don’t have such a pan you are going to have to mix it often with a wooden spoon. It is normal that the polenta gets attached to the bottom of the pan.

For the shrimps:
Warm up the oil in a nonstick skillet add the chopped garlic and parsley and cook at medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook the sauce for about 15 minutes add the curry and salt to taste and then cook for 10 more minutes at low heat. At last add the shrimps and cook them for 5 minutes. Serve them with polenta.

Notes:
* For a gluten free recipe make sure that curry is gluten free.

Comments

Cookbooks

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• The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread
• Hot Dish Heaven: Classic Casseroles from Midwest Kitchens
• The South Beach Diet Cookbook
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