Have you tried polenta? This was a first for us and it most definitely will not be the last. I’ve had polenta on the list of foods I want to try for over a year now. I finally decided to make it along with the Twisted Chicken Piccata I posted yesterday. They went together perfectly.
Polenta is soft and creamy when it is first cooked, but it hardens into a firmer dish as it cools and you can slice it as well. It is traditionally an Italian dish, although polenta is made all over the world today.
Oven Baked Polenta
Recipe from and with thanks to Martha Stewart
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cornmeal I used freshly ground corn, but store bought works as well
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram or 1 teaspoon fresh
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a covered dish with a lid, whisk together the water, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes*, stirring halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and add the milk, butter and marjoram. Whisk quickly until the polenta is smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
- *Side note: Apparently, a microwave will work in a pinch as well. My oven caught fire, the actual electric coil at the base of the oven broke off and starting sparking and smoking, in the middle of the baking process. I turned off the oven and when the sparks stopped, I simply placed the glass dish in the microwave and continued cooking it that way, stirring every couple of minutes until it was done. I'm waiting for delivery of a new stove now and looking forward to lots of holiday baking with a shiny new oven!
Sonia (Nasi Lemak Lover) says
Old one go, new oven come, you must be excited! Thanks for sharing a new way of prepare cornmeal .
[email protected] Mama says
I have never had polenta… but I always have the ingredients… Looks awesome!
Sue/the view from great island says
We love polenta in our house, it's a winter staple. I just wish it stayed creamy because it just doesn't appeal to me in it's hardened leftover form. That's good to know abut the microwave, though—and congratulations on a new stove!
My Journey With Candida says
I grew up eating fried polenta, only we called it fried mush. I never liked it as a kid but was made to eat it. Have not tried it since becoming an adult.
Reem | Simply Reem says
I love polenta,such a warm and cozy food it is.
Your recipe looks so good Mary….
Loved the yummy looking chicken too…
Tricia @ saving room for dessert says
Polenta is on my list too. You make it look so easy and delicious. Thanks!
Janeen says
Quite honestly… I'm about ready to get rid of half my cookbooks and start coming here!
Angie's Recipes says
Love polenta, but don't make them often enough. Looks so tasty with chicken piccata.
EcoCatLady says
Holy Moly! That's a dramatic way for an oven to die… mine bit the dust in the "great pea soup disaster of 2002." For future reference, when using a pressure cooker… if it stops making noise part way through, this means the thing is clogged and one should remove it from the heat. Ignoring it will lead to an explosive mess and an entire kitchen coated with a fine layer of pea soup. It was an interesting way to redecorate, but apparently there was just no way to clean the soup out of the oven controls and get the thing to turn on again, so alas, it had to be replaced.
The polenta looks great BTW!
Marjie says
My oven did that a while back. I just replaced the element and moved on. I've never had polenta before, but it sounds good.
[email protected] Baking Bookworm says
Mary – polenta is also on my 'gotta try' list. This week I finally tried quinoa and really enjoyed it. Maybe next week I'll whip up some polenta. 🙂
Juliana says
I love polenta, but never used oven to "cook it"…will have to try this method next time.
Hope you are having a nice week Mary 🙂
The Starving Student says
I have made polenta plenty of times but always on the stovetop. I will definitely have to try cooking it in the oven sometime!
Geni says
I've always wanted to make polenta as well. Yours looks scrumptious!
The Slow Roasted Italian says
Polenta sounds divine! Wish I had a bowl of it. ; )