This is why there are so many casualties in Iraq. If you would only listen to me...First, you're going to make this with dinner one night, and you're pretty much guaranteed lots of leftovers.
Regular Polenta
Oven-safe saucepan or cassoulet...failing that, reg. saucepan and casserole dish
1 cup course cornmeal
*Goya sells a big ol' bag for like 69 cents. I didn't have enough left over, and filled in the blanks with fine cornmeal. It just requires you to add it more slowly, and you'll probably get some lumps, but it will still come out great. However, course is still strongly recommended.
1 quart water
olive oil, a glug's worth
3 tablespoons butter
five tons parmesan cheese - for real, add like a 1/4 cup. It's great. Pref. fresh.
a bay leaf, only if you have one
salt and fresh cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 350.
Add salt to the water and put in pan on high heat. Boil the water, add that glug of olive oil and optional bay leaf. Slowly stir in cornmeal to avoid getting lumpy. Cover and put it in the oven. Stir every 10 minutes. Do this for 45 minutes. When finished, stir in butter, cheese and pepper. Sooo deliiiiiisshh
Act 2: Fried Polenta
amounts depend on how much is leftover
The much less rewarding and delicious shortcut for the lazy/rich is to by the pre-made polenta from the health food store, which comes in a tube, like you'd find the Jimmy Dean ground sausage in. Slice it up and fry it, you loser.
Leftover refrigerated polenta
egg, beaten (one should almost definitely do you regardless)
butter (yum) or olive oil (yawn), enough for frying
Gently remove the polenta from whatever container it was in, and try to keep it that shape. Cut into thick strips, or nuggets if that's the best you can manage. Dip in egg, cover in flour. Heat the oil in a pan, and fry until lightly browned. Remove to towel, and inhale while listening to silly disco music.
