POLENTA

The English tend to use corn as a general term for wheat, barley, rye etc. The Americans use it to mean maize. This corn/maize has many varieties, but the main ones grown are popcorn, sweetcorn, and dent corn, which is dried and ground to make maize meal, or cornflour. The commonest types of corn produce black or yellow grains but there are blue, red, and even black seeded varieties. The flavour, texture & colour of maize meal improves whatever it is added to. It turns a short crust pastry egg yellow & crumbly. It makes a pizza base almost as good as its topping, & pancakes are far tastier too.

Polenta is a granular form of maize meal, and has become a staple in Italian cookery. It can be served hot or cold, and once cooked is highly versatile.

BASIC COOKING METHOD

1.1 litres (2 pints) water

5 ml (1 tsp.) salt

150g (5 oz) Polenta

Bring the water & salt to simmer, then gradually shake in the Polenta. Simmer very gently for 45 minutes, stirring constantly. The Polenta should come away from the sides of the pan. It can be served immediately, as hot soft Polenta, a sort of porridge; or turned out on to a baking tray and eaten with cheese & butter, or tomato sauce, or boiled broccoli; or allowed to cool on the tray & then cut into pieces for frying in olive oil or grilling.

Alternatively there is a quicker, American cooking method: here is....

QUICK POLENTA

1 cup maize meal or Polenta*

1 teaspoon salt*

Half a cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons butter/margarine*

Paprika*

* Ingredients sold at Daily Bread

Bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil. Combine Polenta with 1-cup cold water & salt. Stir into boiling water & cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Pour into a bread tray & refrigerate until firm. Shortly before serving, cut the Polenta into slices about half an inch thick & place in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan, dot with butter, and shake paprika all over. Grill until brown - about 4 to 5 minutes.

Adapted from Vegetable pleasures, by Colin Spencer.