POLENTALOGIST OLG GROSSUTTI SHOWS US HOW TO MAKE 'SCRUPLES' POLENTA. WOOD BURNING STOVE NOT NECESSARY.
AHHHHA -- MOLTO BUONO. NO 'SCRUPLES' POLENTA AT CESARE E ANNA MARIA COMELLI'S
CASA IN NIMIS-RAMANDOLO, FRIULI, ITALY.
IVANO SAYS: Last week, Donna Maurillo's column in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/had a few suggestion on how to shorten the time to prepare polenta. In this week's column she published some of the responses she received. Very interesting.
Donna Maurillo: Column on quick-and-easy polenta stirs up quite a response
By Donna Maurillo
Posted: 03/03/2010 08:02:12 AM PST
Last week’s column about polenta generated much more response than I’d anticipated. A lot of you must love polenta, and you have your own favorite ways for preparing it in a snap — or at least without much stirring. Here are a few comments. Gail Levy says, “I’ve been making cold water polenta for years, and it has never failed. Stir the grain into cold stock or water, then stir as it comes to the boil. Add more boiling liquid as needed and stir in the butter at the last — perfect lump free creamy polenta in under 30 minutes.”
Ivano Franco Comelli wrote, “Making polenta the traditional way was almost a ritual — no additives or shortcuts please.
Imagine my chagrin when I received a photo from my cousins in Italy making polenta in a large electric cake mixer.
Nobody has any scruples anymore.”
To that, Richard Smith of Aptos wrote, “I don’t need any stinking scruples! Is there any way my bread machine can make polenta? Now that sounds cool.”
A reader with the screen name Polenta Casserole Junkie said, “I whisk in two cups of polenta to four cups boiling water, turn the heat down low, and I only stir it twice in 15 minutes of cooking.
I turn off the flame and let it sit for five more minutes. I do not cover it with a lid. It is always great.”
Ken Clark, an impressive 99 years old and still cooking, says, “Have you
ever cooked polenta in the microwave?
In a Pyrex large bowl, mix polenta with three times as much water. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook for 5 minutes. Add sour cream, butter and cheese, stir well. If too thick, add some milk. If not hot enough, just microwave for 1 or 2 minutes more.
No splatters from the hot stuff.”
Keith and Barb, no last name, wrote, “Another way to make polenta without stirring is to start with cold water.
Add pinch of salt and two tablespoons butter to cold water. Stir in polenta.
Turn on low heat and bring to a slow boil. Stir occasionally. Polenta is cooked shortly after coming to a boil. Add cheese before removing from the stove.”
Marianne Plastina says, “In an ovenproof pot, add salt to 5 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil on the stove. Melt butter in a skillet and stir in 1 cup polenta to coat, toasting it slightly.
Whisk toasted polenta into the boiling water.
Place the pot in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Whisk until smooth.”
NOT THE SAME
Whenever people ask what my favorite restaurant is, I have the same response. My mother’s dining room table. There’s just nothing like the food you can get at home.
A few days ago, I was having an alarm system installed in my home, and Saul the installation guy was talking about the fine Mexican food his mother and grandmother could make. “No matter what restaurant I go to in Watsonville,” he said, “it just isn’t the same.”
We thought maybe it was the ingredients.
But no. Restaurants can access the same ingredients your family can find — and sometimes even better.
Or maybe we just happen to like the cooking we’ve grown accustomed to as children. But I think the real secret is the love that goes into it. You just can’t get Mom’s love at a restaurant.
BE NICE
If there’s one thing that annoys party organizers more than anything, it’s the increasing lack of responses from invited guests. The season is coming up for graduations, weddings and other milestones.
Please remember to respond to your invitations, and do it before the requested time.
Your host and hostess are depending on an accurate count to ensure enough seating and refreshments. And please do not ask if you can bring a guest of your own. Many party budgets are limited, especially in this economy.
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IVANO SAYS (CONT'D): Sempre Avanti, Donna and keep stirring the pot.
