Ask the A2K cooks!

OK, pick one, from


polenta, the basic method for making
with butter and cheese
fried
with gorgonzola
with meat sauce, baked
with sausages

and I'll type it.




Me, I do the old stir thing, and serve it with a spicy meat sauce sometimes with mushrooms.


Polenta seems to come in some kind of soft soap fillet like form... in fancy restaurants.

or corn grosso, which I'm more familiar with.

I like both, much of the time. I've also thrown out my own endeavors.


(Waves to Mum)

Thanks for the suggestions/directions on polenta.

I've only made the one batch, but will try something different next time (like chicken stock, & more cheese).

We tried it several ways (plain, just cooked;fried, with a tomato based sauce; baked with leftover bolognaise sauce & Parmesan) - I think I like it better the next day (or the day after).

Just found this thread.

What is the correct way to season a new wok? I ask because I just bought a new one, followed the seasoning directions, but it don't appear to have done the job properly. Worse, it appears that sort of "scorch"/burn mark has developed on the bottom of the wok, where the flame makes contact. Any ideas of what's caused the problem? Any suggested remedies?

Don't worry about answering my last question. I received the advice I needed today.

As Emily Litella would say, "Never mind." ;-)

Precisely, Swimpy!

(er ... who is Emily Litella? )

Hey, Squinney, I'm always super impressed by your culinary efforts. Tell me what you've been cooking lately, so I can drool ...
Me, I'm rediscovering the delights of slow cooking (not that I was exactly brilliant at it before!) as a result of buying a BIG flame-proof casserole at my local op (thrift) shop! It's terrific. Last night I cooked an (Italian) black eyed pea & spicy sausage (plus other ingredients) concoction for dinner. Yum!

Emily was a character that Gilda Radnor played on Saturday Night Live. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afi2xeM5ZSI&feature=related

Ah, I see.

Thanks, Swimpy.

Time for me to type some Marcella Hazan recipes. Her basic polenta is somewhat time consuming, and there are lots of other recipes online, not to mention grocery store packaged polenta, but I tend to listen to her. I use a coarse grain polenta most of the time, but also like a finer grain sometimes, for some recipes.

I'll put in the basic polenta recipe and then add some polenta and.... and then after that stop with the typing and see what I find in my cookbook cupboard and links (I'd look up Lydia Bastanich, Patricia Wells, Giuliano Bugialli, Mario Batali, and look at the Babbo restaurant (New York City) menu and see what they are doing there in the fall (well, spring in Au).

OK, then,
basic method for making polenta, marcella hazan
from The Classic Italian Cookbook

1 tablespoon salt
2 cups coarse grained polenta

1. Bring 6 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large, heavy kettle.
2. Add the salt, turn the heat down to medium low so that the water is just simmering, and add the cornmeal in a very thin stream, stirring with a stout, long wooden spoon. The stream of cornmeal must be so thin that you can see the individual grains. A good way to do it is to let a fistful of cornmeal run through nearly closed fingers. Never stop stirring, and keep the water at a slow steady simmer.
3. Continue stirring for 20 minutes after all the cornmeal has ben added. The polenta is done when it tears away from the sides of the pot as you stir.
4. When done, pour the polenta oto a large wooden block or a platter. Allow it to cool first if you are going to slice it in preparation for subsequent cooking. Otherwise, serve it piping hot.

Note
It may happen that some of the polenta sticks to the bottom of the pot. Cover the bottom with water and let it soak for 25 minutes. The polenta will then wash away easily.

I had an earlier version of this book, in two paperback volumes, and I had to throw out volume II, due to complete falling-apartness. I swear that in that book she added something like 4 or 6 tablespoons of butter as the polenta was
just about done... heh, heh.

Next up, polenta with sausages...

polenta with sausages
Polenta con la luganega
Marcella Hazan

2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped carrot
3 tablespoons chopped celery
1/4 pound sliced pancetta, cut into strips 1/2" wide
1 pound luganega sausage or other sweet sausage, cut into 3 inch lengths
1 cup canned italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
polenta

1. Put the onion in a saucepan with the oil and saute over medium heat until pale gold
2. Add the carrot, celery, and pancetta. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the sausages and cook for 10 minutes, always at medium heat, turning them from time to time.
4.. Add the tomatoes anad their juice and cook at a gentle simmer for 35 minutes, stirring from time to time. Cover the pan and transfer to a 200 degree oven to stay warm while you prepare the polenta.
5. When the polenta is done, pur it onto a large platter. Make a depression in the center and pour in the sausages and all their sauce.
Serve immediately.

(I suppose I should have put this recipe first. Oh well.)

Next, Polenta with butter and cheese. NOW I see why she left the butter out of the basic recipe...

Polenta with butter and cheese
Polenta al burro e formaggio
Marcella Hazan
for 4 - 6 persons

Polenta recipe typed previously, cooked with an additional 1/2 cup of water to keep it a little thinner (Osso, if I'd already done the polenta, I'd just add boiling water.)
1/4 pound butter
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pour the polenta onto a warm platter and mix with the butter and cheese. Serve promptly.

Menu suggestions
In case this polenta is served as a first course, it may be followed by any meat or fowl. Particularly suitable are the roasts of lamb, pork, or chicken.

Fried polenta
Polenta fritta
Marcella Hazan
for 4 - 6 persons or more, depending on how it is used

Polenta
Vegetable oil, enough to come 3/4 inch up the side of a skillet

1. Prepare the polenta as directed in the basic recipe and allow it to cool completely and become firm. Divide it into four parts, then cut these into slices 1/2 inch thick. (The traditional way to cut polenta is with a tautly held thread.)
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil is very hot, slide in as many slices of polenta s will fit comfortably. Fry until a transparen, not colored, crust forms on one side, then turn them and do the other side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Menu suggestions
Fried polenta is ideal as a component of the Mixed Fried Meats, Vegetables, Cheese, Cream, and Fruit (she gives a page number). It can also accompany Sauteed Calf's Liver with Onions, Venetian Style (page no.), or any roasted meat or fowl. In this case, a soup rather than a pasta or rice would be preferable as a first course.


Next, polenta with gorgonzola

Polenta with Gorgonzola
Polenta col gorgonzola
Marcella Hazan

Polenta prepared in this manner is excellent a an antipasto or as a nourishing snack.
Polenta, allowed to cool and sliced as in Fried Polenta, above
Gorgonzola, or any ripe, tangy cheese

1. Preheat the broiler to its maximum setting
2. Toast the polenta slices under the broile until they are light, spotty brow on both sides. Spread the cheese on one side of the hot, toasted slices and serve immediately.

Next, Baked Polenta with Meat Sauce

Baked Polenta with Meat Sauce
Polenta pasticciata
Marcella Hazan
for six persons

Bechamel Sauce, see below, step 2
I'll give the ingredients, don't want to type the whole thing on making bechamel.. at least right now.
2 cups milk, 4 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/4 tsp salt. (I presume she means unsalted butter, not sure.)
2 cups Meat Sauce, Bolognese
I've already got that on a2k, will have to find it. It is a long slow classic bolognese with the meet cooked in wine and then milk. Will chase down the link.
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Make the bechamel, keeping it on the thin side by cooking it less. It should have the consistency of sour cream. Set aside.
3. Slice the cold polenta horizontally into 3 layers, each about 1/2 inch high. Watch both sides of the polenta mass as you cut to make sure you are slicing evenly.
4. Lightly butter and 11 -inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of polenta, patching where necessary to cover uniformly.
5. Spread bechamel sauce over the polenta, then spread the meat sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover this with another layer of polenta and repeat the operation, leaving just enough bechamel, meat sauce, and Parmesan for a light topping over the next and final layer of polenta. Dot the top lightly with butter.
6. Bake in the uppermost layer of the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until a light crust has formed on top. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for about 5 minutes before serving.

Note
You may prepare this entirely ahead of time up to the point the dish is ready for the oven. It may be refrigerated overnight, but it should be returned to room temperature before baking.

Menu suggestions
A very nice preliminary to [..] is sweet prosciutto, served with a slice of ripe cantaloupe. A suitable second course would be Rolled Stuffed Breast of Veal, Roast Spring Lamb with White Wine, Sauteed Lamb Kidneys with White Wine, Roast Chicken with Rosemary, or Stewed Rabbit with White Wine.

(Osso says.. I've watched her cookbooks use more english or french words as time goes by, bechamel, for example, and Parmesan.)

Indefatigable cook, that woman. I'm tired from just the typing.

Osso

I just have to comment on your sig line.

I love seeing a bit of Roy and HG here!

I was about to change it, I've a funny one (to me) about water polo, not by roy and hg.. but it has dawned on me that I don't think there's a way to change siglines yet. Well, maybe there is, but I don't find it yet.

So, I'm extra glad you like it, margo.

Edit profile, go to the bottom of the page and edit your sig line there.

Thanks. I looked at edit profile and missed it - and there it is plain as day. Rolls eyes at self.