“Polenta” is an Italian word that refers both to milled corn and to the many dishes that can be made from that milled corn. Polenta, grits, corn meal and corn flour are all nothing more than corn which has been milled to remove the husk and the germ – the only difference between the four is the coarseness of the grind. Traditionally, polenta is much coarser in grind than corn meal and corn flour and just a little less coarse than grits. But the corn we grow at Estancia Buenaventura is harder and has much less starch than the corn grown in other parts of the world and as a result the milling can be controlled more exactly. In the case of de la Estancia polenta, therefore, the final grind is closer in texture to corn meal. In other words, it is finer than other polentas. This difference in grind and the low starch level results in de la Estancia polenta being creamier and smoother than other polentas. And it cooks much faster.

     Huge waves of Italian immigrants came to Argentina at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th and today Buenos Aires bears a strong resemblance to Rome and the Argentine version of Spanish is marked by a lilt that almost sounds like Italian. These immigrants brought their food preferences and recipes along with them and Italian cuisine is well established with polenta a favorite. As in Italy, polenta in Argentina is a dish that is similar to pasta, rice, and potatoes in that it is a high energy food that can be served either as a side dish or as a main dish accompanied with a sauce. In fact, any sauce that you might use with pasta or risotto can be served with polenta.

     Polenta is one of the most forgiving of foods to cook – it is quick (at least de la Estancia polenta is quick) and easy to prepare and there is ample room for individual preference and style. All polenta recipes begin with the addition of the dry polenta to a simmering liquid. Any liquid or combination of liquids will suffice – water, milk, chicken broth, vegetable broth, and beef broth. The liquid is brought just to a simmer and then the polenta is slowly poured into the liquid while being stirred. Keeping the pot at a bare simmer, the cook continues to stir until the polenta thickens to the consistency of Cream of Wheat. In the case of de la Estancia polenta this takes about a minute – other polentas can take 10 to 30 minutes. The standard ratio of polenta to liquid is three parts liquid to one part polenta and the recipes which follow all use that proportion. But, if after trial and error, the cook prefers a thinner polenta simply add more liquid or if a firmer polenta is desired, add a bit more polenta.

     There is no special equipment required to make polenta – just a saucepan big enough to hold the polenta and the liquid. Use a long handled wooden spoon for the stirring. If you have the heat turned up too high the polenta may splatter while it is cooking and the long handle on the spoon can save you from getting splashed.

     Polenta is an extremely healthy food. There is no fat, salt or cholesterol and it is low in calories per serving. While the recipes that follow all call for the addition of some salt, butter, cheese or a sauce, it is quite possible to cook polenta in plain water without adding anything further and enjoy the pure corn flavor. One other thing about polenta – although it is low in calories it is also quite filling so there is no need to prepare large quantities.

     In general, polenta recipes fall into one of two broad categories – single cooked and twice-cooked. The single cooked category is just as it sounds – the polenta is eaten hot straight from the pot as soon as it is ready. The twice-cooked recipes are more complicated in that they all involve first cooking the polenta via the standard single-cooked method and then adding a further cooking step either in the oven or in the frying pan or on the grill.

     The recipes that follow begin with a single-cooked recipe that can be served as a main dish or as a side dish with a variety of main dishes and end with a series of twice-cooked recipes. There are also two additional recipes on the package of de la Estancia polenta and there are many cookbooks, especially Italian ones, that contain a polenta recipe or two. There are even some cookbooks devoted exclusively to polenta! The cooking times for the following recipes are set for de la Estancia polenta – other polenta will require more time.

Polenta with Wilted Greens

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
3 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup polenta
2 cups greens (kale, spinach, or chard) coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Sauté onions and greens in the olive oil in a stock pot or saucepan (7 quart size is about right) for 2-3 minutes. Add broth and salt and bring just to a boil. Add polenta in a thin stream while stirring and cook at a bare simmer until the polenta pulls away from the side of the pan (1-2 minutes). Take off the heat and add the cheese and butter. Serve plain or topped with a marinara sauce. This recipe can also be served as a side dish with any main dish that has been cooked in a sauce such as osso buco or other braised meat or any main dish that produces a gravy. Serves 4-6.

Pizza Polenta

Ingredients
1 pound plum tomatoes
1 small onion, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Oregano to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta
3 cups liquid (water or broth)
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
To make the sauce, place the tomatoes into boiling water for about 20 seconds until the skins begin the wrinkle. Remove the tomatoes from the water, run cold water over them, remove the skins and chop the tomatoes coarsely. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion over medium heat until softened and transparent. Add the tomatoes, the oregano and the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat for about 10 minutes. Don’t be shy with the oregano.

   Prepare the polenta according to the traditional recipe, i.e. in a saucepan bring the liquid just to a boil, add the polenta in a thin stream while stirring all the while and cook until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the saucepan, 1 to 2 minutes.

  Put the polenta into an oven proof baking dish, pour the tomato sauce on top and garnish with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the Parmesan begins to turn golden. Depending on your oven, this step can take up to 30 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Special Occasion Polenta Crab Cakes With Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients
For polenta crab cakes
1 cup polenta
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 - 1/2 pound lump crab meat picked to remove any shell bits

For sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg
Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 12 1-cup muffin tins with butter or olive oil.
Bring broth and milk to boil in a seven quart saucepan. Add polenta and salt in a thin stream and simmer stirring for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and crab and stir gently. Pour the mixture into the muffin tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.

  For the garlic cream sauce, melt butter in a three quart saucepan over medium low heat. Add the flour and cook stirring until the mixture is slightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and the cream, stir until slightly thickened. Add the nutmeg. The sauce should be “creamy” in consistency not like a pudding.

  When the cakes are done carefully remove them from the muffin tins and place two cakes to a plate. Top with the cream sauce and garnish with the parsley. Serves 6.

Grilled Polenta Triangles with Wild Mushrooms

Ingredients
3 cups broth
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups wild mushrooms (any combination of shiitake, criminii, oyster, or chanterelle, for example) coarsely chopped and sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley for garnish
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

Instructions
Bring broth and the teaspoon of salt just to a boil. Add the polenta in a thin stream while stirring. Cook 1 minute until the polenta begins to thicken. Add Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and spread the polenta onto a greased cookie sheet to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Set aside to cool. The recipe can be prepared up to this point a day in advance.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, garlic, chili flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until golden colors appear. Set aside.

   Take the polenta and cut into 4 inch squares. Cut each square again along the diagonal to form triangles. In a non-stick frying pan brown the polenta on one side – about 3 minutes. You can use a small amount of olive oil in the pan if you like. Place the grilled polenta triangles on plates. Top with mushrooms and parsley garnish. Serve with more freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4-6.

Kim’s Mom’s Corn Meal Muffins

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 cup polenta or corn meal
4 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions
Cream butter and sugar and beat until smooth. Combine flour, polenta and baking powder in separate bowl. Add the beaten eggs to the butter mixture and mix well. Alternating bit by bit, gradually add the milk and the flour/polenta mixture to the creamed butter while beating smooth. Bake in buttered muffin tins at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Yield: about 16 muffins.

Spoonbread (Polenta Soufflé)

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan heat the milk nearly to boiling, just until bubbles begin appearing around the edge of the pan. Slowly add the polenta in a thin stream while stirring with a wire whisk. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken remove from the heat – it should have the consistency of thin gruel. Stir in the baking powder, salt and the yolks of the eggs. Gently fold in the whites of the eggs that have been beaten just until stiff. Pour into a greased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve at once with a bit of butter and salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Polenta Breaded Fish Fillets

Ingredients
1/2 cup polenta
1/3 cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon parsley, very finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 pound whitefish fillets, eg. cod, rockfish, snapper, catfish

Instructions
Mix the polenta, flour, salt, pepper and parsley in a small bowl and then pour the mixture out onto a dinner plate. Beat the eggs on a second dinner plate. Dip the fish fillets first into the polenta mixture and then into the egg mixture to coat. Fry the fillets in a medium hot frying pan with a little bit of butter or olive oil. Don’t overcrowd the fillets. Serve hot with lemon wedges and additional parsley sprigs for garnish. Serves 2-3.

Polenta Triangles with Rosemary and Walnuts

Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup polenta
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
8 walnut halves

Instructions
Butter 9” diameter glass pie dish. Bring broth and salt just to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the polenta in a thin stream while stirring. Cook 1 minute until the polenta begins to thicken. Add cheese and half the butter. Stir until the cheese melts. Stir in chopped walnuts and rosemary. Transfer polenta to the buttered pie dish. Using a table knife, spread the polenta evenly in the dish. Cool until the polenta is firm – up to an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cover baking sheet with tin foil. Cut polenta into 8 triangles. Transfer triangles, bottom side up, to prepared baking sheet. Dot wedges with remaining butter (1 1/2 tablespoons). Place I walnut half in center of each wedge. Bake polenta until heated through, about 12 minutes, slightly longer if the polenta was allowed to cool for the full hour.