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Old 14-12-2013, 22:43
Toby LaRhone
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Anyone a fan?
Tried it tonight, first time.
"Instant polenta" - 40 minutes!
Milk, cream, garlic, mascarpone et al.
Went from porridge to creamy mash but still grainy.
What's left I've pressed into a ramekin and it's set.
Apparently you can cut it and grill or fry it.
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Old 15-12-2013, 17:34
degsyhufc
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Are you sure it was instant?

Instant polenta should take 5 to 10 minutes.
Standard polenta would take 40 odd minutes with continuous stirring.


I've had set polenta finished on a chargrill. It was fine. Not outstanding.

Never had the loose / mash type polenta yet.
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Old 15-12-2013, 18:18
Gaditano
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Fry it in LOTS of butter.
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Old 15-12-2013, 19:00
swingaleg
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I think I did try it but wasn't impressed.....

Cous-cous on the other hand is wonderful, it's more of less replaced rice as my accompaniment to curries
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Old 15-12-2013, 19:30
TigerBlood
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Think I may give it a miss, a quick google doesn't inspire me.

Swingaleg, still to try quinoa; this definitely won't be leapfrogging it in my to eat list
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Old 15-12-2013, 20:02
Toby LaRhone
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Are you sure it was instant?

Instant polenta should take 5 to 10 minutes.
Standard polenta would take 40 odd minutes with continuous stirring.


I've had set polenta finished on a chargrill. It was fine. Not outstanding.

Never had the loose / mash type polenta yet.
Well, now I'm not so sure it was instant.
It creamed very quickly but remained grainy so I kept cooking it adding more liquid then I realised it was setting rather quickly.
It was cream potato texture when we ate it.
I need to swot up on this as I have half a jar left (storage jar).

On the other hand quinoa and couscous leave me uninspired.
I find both bland as they are.
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Old 15-12-2013, 20:15
lem ramsay
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Being Italian, I've had polenta quite a bit in my life and, I have to be frank, it's got like a soapy taste to it but I don't mind it too much. I do think it's bland. It's just boiled flour after all.
I do prefer it grilled, once it's set and has been left to cool. It can certainly be eaten straight after it's been cooked and left to set for a little while.
I like it with tinned tuna :P
I know it's eaten mainly in Northern Italy, where I come from. In fact people from the South have this stereotype about people from the North that they are polenta eaters.
The most common type of polenta is yellow, but there is a white one as well, that's not easy to find in Italy, so I assume you don't have it here.
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Old 15-12-2013, 20:38
degsyhufc
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I'm assuming it's the white polenta/cornmeal that is popular in the US to make Grits.
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Old 15-12-2013, 21:29
swingaleg
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Think I may give it a miss, a quick google doesn't inspire me.

Swingaleg, still to try quinoa; this definitely won't be leapfrogging it in my to eat list
Quinoa is a new one to me.....

Just looked it up and it looks alright, I'd certainly try that if I saw it in the supermarket
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Old 15-12-2013, 21:34
epicurian
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Polenta with mushroom ragu. Mmmmm.
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Old 15-12-2013, 22:36
Toby LaRhone
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Fry it in LOTS of butter.
I just did.
It softened.
I assumed it would firm up.
Anyway, I then fried two slices of baguette in the pan and spread the polenta on it.
It was like cheese on toast - fairly pleasant.

(Edit: it did contain Parmesan and Mascarpone.)
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Old 15-12-2013, 22:38
Toby LaRhone
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Quinoa is a new one to me.....

Just looked it up and it looks alright, I'd certainly try that if I saw it in the supermarket
Go on, pronounce it.

Epicurean, cooked how please?
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Old 15-12-2013, 22:53
swingaleg
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Go on, pronounce it.

Epicurean, cooked how please?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/quinoa

I'd try it as a substitute for rice or cous-cous
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Old 15-12-2013, 23:00
whoever,hey
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Quinoa and cous-cous is lovely. I'm a recent convert to the later.

Polenta is still vile though.
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Old 15-12-2013, 23:03
DrFlowDemand
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I'm assuming it's the white polenta/cornmeal that is popular in the US to make Grits.
Oh, **** me, now I have a mad craving for grits, with salt and grated cheese stirred in and a blob of salted butter with a sunny side up egg laid on top= om nom nom nom.
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Old 15-12-2013, 23:05
DrFlowDemand
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Quinoa and cous-cous is lovely. I'm a recent convert to the later.

Polenta is still vile though.
Quinoa is vile, what do you do with it to make it palatable as I've never been able to?
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Old 15-12-2013, 23:38
Toby LaRhone
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Ok,
Polenta v Quinoa v Couscous.
Which is the most pointless?
Which is best for hanging wallpaper?
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Old 16-12-2013, 10:18
epicurian
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Hi, Toby

For the mushroom ragu: in some extra virgin olive oil, saute around 12 ounces of mixed mushrooms, including a few shiitake - chopped up, one finely chopped onion and two finely chopped cloves of garlic. After the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated add about 60 mls of dry red wine, twice that amount of tomato sauce (shop bought or your own) and a tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper and let it all cook to a thick consistency. Serve it on top of your polenta.

Stracchino cheese is a good substitute for mascarpone if you can find it.

And polenta definitely makes the best wallpaper paste.
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Old 16-12-2013, 11:26
Toby LaRhone
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Cheers, epicurian.
I've thrown out my Solvite based on your advice
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Old 16-12-2013, 12:04
degsyhufc
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Ok,
Polenta v Quinoa v Couscous.
Which is the most pointless?
Which is best for hanging wallpaper?
Regarding cous-cous, bulgar wheat and the like if people are simply heating in water then that's pointless imo. It will have no flavour whatsoever.

Heat it in stock with plenty of flavours - ginger, garlic, chilli, vinegar and finish off with fresh herbs.

I usually make a jewelled version with roasted red peppers, chargrilled red onions, and other deli things like aubergine, artichoke, beetroot etc.
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Old 16-12-2013, 12:20
Toby LaRhone
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Regarding cous-cous, bulgar wheat and the like if people are simply heating in water then that's pointless imo. It will have no flavour whatsoever.

Heat it in stock with plenty of flavours - ginger, garlic, chilli, vinegar and finish off with fresh herbs.

I usually make a jewelled version with roasted red peppers, chargrilled red onions, and other deli things like aubergine, artichoke, beetroot etc.
My polenta had milk, cream, parmesan and mascarpone for that very reason.
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Old 16-12-2013, 12:49
swingaleg
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Regarding cous-cous, bulgar wheat and the like if people are simply heating in water then that's pointless imo. It will have no flavour whatsoever.
I do my cous-cous in a bowl, pour boiling water over and leave for 4 minutes......then it's cooked

Then I just plonk it in the pan with my curry or stir fry and whizz it round with a spoon to pick up all the flavours and juice

So basically it's a filler, like rice......it tastes of whatever you put on it
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Old 16-12-2013, 13:27
Sallysally
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I am not a fan of cous-cous au natural - far too bland and the texture is not that interesting.
However, I have found that cous-cous and bulgar wheat in a 50:50 mixture is actually quite nice with a tagine but if on its own, especially if fried onions, roasted veggies, spices etc is added.

As for polenta, I have only made it once and found it a bit meh. Unfortunately, I now still have loads in the packet to use up!
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Old 16-12-2013, 18:05
maggie thecat
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I'm assuming it's the white polenta/cornmeal that is popular in the US to make Grits.
YMMV, but no, usually it's made from the finer ground yellow cornmeal. Not the same as grits at all.
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Old 16-12-2013, 18:07
maggie thecat
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Quinoa is vile, what do you do with it to make it palatable as I've never been able to?
Rinse it. Change the water. Repeat until it doesn't feel soapy. It's the saponins that make it taste terrible.
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