polenta

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Polenta

February 13, 2013 in Food by traveleatlove | 7 comments

Remember that heavenly polenta dinner that I attended in the North End last year? It was on an incredibly cold night, and warm welcomes and hot boards of polenta, along with lots of laughs, good friends by my side, and restaurant family stories made it simply magical.

Polenta is the perfect comfort food, a canvas for all sorts of flavors and ingredients, and my only wish that night was that I could make polenta as creamy and lump-free as the polenta at Lucia.

Well, it’s not quite the same, but I have found a way to make polenta that we love right at home. The secret is Pastene instant polenta. Instant polenta? I kind of assumed it would be lumpy and not great just due to its instant nature. I couldn’t have been more wrong; with boiling water it cooks in minutes and barely requires stirring. It’s the easiest way to start a comforting dinner on a busy weeknight or a slow-cooked sauce and polenta on a Sunday afternoon.

We’ve been eating a lot of polenta, and it’s been fun to experiment with the toppings. One Sunday night, I made a turkey meat sauce, health factor amped up with red lentils, made creamy with coconut cream and spicy with hot paprika. The coconut cream might sound a bit weird, but it just worked. It’s definitely a new favorite Trader Joe’s product.

Another favorite polenta dinner included a spicy chicken sausage and peppers sauce made with caramelized onions, sweet and hot peppers, arrabiata sauce, and some corn thrown in, because while we did a great job snack shopping before Nemo, we kind of forgot groceries for the week. As a result, we’re cleaning out the cupboards and freezer. It’s been kind of fun using things up and getting creative, but I definitely look forward to a fully-stocked fridge and a meal plan again.

There doesn’t seem to be an end to dreary weather in sight, so I think polenta is here to stay. I’d like to make a creamy mushroom sauce soon, maybe with some tofu snuck in to add nutrition and protein.

Are you a polenta fan? Any suggestions for what fun toppings to add?

Tags: chicken sausage, coconut milk, Food, healthy, lentils, peppers, polenta, recipe, turkey, versatile meals

Polenta Dinner at Lucia

March 6, 2012 in Food, Restaurants, wine by traveleatlove | 10 comments

Over my blogging years, I have had the opportunity to attend lots of amazing events with delicious food, wine, and great people. Every now and then, I attend an event that is extra special, usually something to do with the people in attendance, and last night was one of those special evenings.

I was invited to a blogger dinner at Lucia in the North End, the theme of the evening being polenta. I love polenta but can never make it quite right myself, so I was excited to come in from the cold to feast on this hearty Italian staple.

Megan, Daisy, and I walked over to Lucia together from Daisy’s apartment, and when we arrived we were directed upstairs. The dining room that the event was in was cozy and lovely with painted ceilings and a long table that we all sat around.

One of Lucia’s owners, Donato, greeted us warmly and proceeded to spend the evening bringing us into his family business which has been right in that spot since 1977. Donato and his family are from Abruzzo region of Italy, and like people from every region, have their own style of food including polenta.

Donato explained to us that polenta is peasant food, simple and inexpensive fare that is served on the coldest days. Traditionally it is served on a wooden board, and everyone eats off of the board. It’s a food that really brings people together, and Donato and his staff really succeeded in doing that last night.

The Sangiovese (Rapido Red from Puglia) was flowing and provided a cozy, fruit forward sipper that, to me, went well with each course. It was an uncomplicated wine, the type that can please many palates.

Then the food started coming. We started with plates of meats, cheeses, roasted red peppers, and spicy marinated eggplant. I only discovered the eggplant toward the end of this course, but it had a kick that made me want to go back and eat the entire plate.

We also sampled crunchy bruschetta, one option topped with earthy mushrooms and a hint of truffle, the other topped with broccoli rabe.

The bitter green broccoli rabe made a beautiful accompaniment to olive-oil brushed grilled bread. I never would have thought to do this, but it’s something I would definitely make at home.

Donato also had this interesting shrimp dish sent up. The shrimp were lightly fried and dressed in a balsamic vinegar sauce that was tangy and delicious.

While we finished our appetizers, we all got to go down to the kitchen to check on the polenta. I love visiting restaurant kitchens, and it was fun to see all the action.

Donato, multi-tasking as he stirs the polenta and invites us into the kitchen

After we returned to our seats, we were presented with a polenta feast. One option contained rabbit and a truffle-laced sauce, another short ribs and sausage, and another topped with pork (and lamb, I think?). I did not try the rabbit itself, but I tried all of the polenta, some of the sausage, and short ribs, and I was blown away by the rustic simplicity and flavors of each bite. The sausage had the perfect level of spice, and the short ribs were fall-apart tender. And then there was the polenta. It was so smooth and creamy, nothing like the gritty polenta I make. I learned that I need to be getting finer corn meal and adding semolina and corn flour. I don’t know if will ever be able to make anything close to this polenta, but I will try.

Just when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, coffee and dessert came out. Plates of hazelnut cake with lemon and coconut gelato along with coffee capped off the evening perfectly. Both gelatos were dreamy, and the cake was nutty, slightly sweet, and would be the best breakfast ever, Megan and I decided.

The whole night felt very warm, cozy, and relaxed. There was lots of laughing and sitting back taking in the lively group of people around me. Lucia is homey with great food; when a place has been around that long, they have to be doing something right! After sharing the details of the evening, my husband has asked when I am going to take him to Lucia, so I am sure we will be there again soon.

Tags: blogger events, Boston, dinner, Food, North End, polenta, wine

Easy Homemade Polenta

August 10, 2011 in Uncategorized by traveleatlove | 7 comments

I love soft, warm polenta as a canvas for all sorts of flavors, from seafood in cream sauce to a spicy fra diavlo, but I have always purchased my polenta in those handy supermarket polenta logs. I had no idea just how easy homemade polenta was to make until last week.

Inspired again by the Moosewood cookbook, I decided to make homemade polenta cutlets with a spicy tomato “meat”sauce. The polenta was as simple as following the directions on the bag of Bob’s Red Mill organic polenta corn grits.

Two cups of cornmeal, six cups of water, salt, and butter later, I was forming my polenta cutlets in a well oiled glass baking dish. Fruity California olive oil gave them some beautiful flavor in addition to making it easy to get them out of the dish.

Once the polenta was done, I made a quick meat sauce using meatless meatballs, lots of garlic and crushed red pepper, and a can of tomatoes.

When dinner time rolled around, I topped slices of polenta with sauce and parmesan cheese. The sauce was spicy and the polenta was pillowy, soft goodness, perfect in every way.