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Polenta |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Polenta
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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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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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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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sussex by the sea
Posts: 2,068
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Fry it in LOTS of butter.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,851
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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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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 752
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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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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
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. 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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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 684
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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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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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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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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,851
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Quote:
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 Just looked it up and it looks alright, I'd certainly try that if I saw it in the supermarket |
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 15,890
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Polenta with mushroom ragu. Mmmmm.
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
Fry it in LOTS of butter.
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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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
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 ![]() Epicurean, cooked how please? |
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,851
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Quote:
Go on, pronounce it.
![]() Epicurean, cooked how please? I'd try it as a substitute for rice or cous-cous |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 30,072
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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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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,035
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Quote:
I'm assuming it's the white polenta/cornmeal that is popular in the US to make Grits.
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,035
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Quote:
Quinoa and cous-cous is lovely. I'm a recent convert to the later.
Polenta is still vile though. |
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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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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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 15,890
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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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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Cheers, epicurian.
I've thrown out my Solvite based on your advice
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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Quote:
Ok,
Polenta v Quinoa v Couscous. Which is the most pointless? Which is best for hanging wallpaper? 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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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
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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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,851
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Quote:
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.
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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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: lala land
Posts: 2,203
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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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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 962
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Quote:
I'm assuming it's the white polenta/cornmeal that is popular in the US to make Grits.
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 962
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Quote:
Quinoa is vile, what do you do with it to make it palatable as I've never been able to?
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