Soft Polenta with Easy Toppings (Fast & Slow)
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time1¼ hours
- Slow Cook Time5½ to 6½ hours
- Active time plus cooling10 minutes active
- 4
Thick, creamy polenta is a breeze to make in a pressure cooker, as the cooking is completely hands-off. This polenta is not enriched with butter or cheese, so the sweetness of the corn is front and center. A simple topping (recipes below; each makes enough for four servings) can turn a bowl of plain polenta into a light meal or a delicious first course. Polenta also is a perfect accompaniment to many stews and braises, such as Tuscan Beef and Black Pepper Stew, or serve it in place of pasta with Short Rib Ragu.
Don't use fine yellow cornmeal, which cooks up pasty and gluey. For the best flavor and texture, use coarse stoneground cornmeal; steel-ground cornmeal has less flavor. We especially liked Bob's Red Mill Organic Polenta Corn Grits (cornmeal).
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