Most life-changing food experiences involve exotic or high-end foods like truffles. But my latest life-changing food experience involved humble grits and polenta – cornmeal mush.
Chefs have been talking about cornmeal, grits, popcorn and polenta from Anson Mills in South Carolina for years. I was late to the party, but I’ll never go home now.
Until my grits epiphany, I had more or less given up on them. I’ve lived in Texas, I’ve had my share of dull white breakfast grits that no amount of butter or salt can make interesting. I’ve tried cooking better quality grits but they seemed to take ages. I now know that I wasn’t cooking them correctly.
And I have long been a polenta enthusiast, but I was mostly content with my generic oven-baked polenta. But Italian heirloom corn, ground with 17th and 18th century artisan techniques, is an altogether different dish. I cook it on top of the stove, not in the oven. It has a creamier texture and more intense corn/floral flavor and aroma than any polenta I have cooked in the past.
These two very different forms of cornmeal mush can be served many different ways, and give you a great opportunity to work more whole grains into your diet. They are wonderful at their simplest – plain, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But they also make marvelous vehicles for any number of toppings, a great stand-in for pasta or rice. Polenta, once stiff, can be repurposed as a crispy medallion or crouton, fried or grilled.
Simple Pencil Cob Breakfast Grits : A humble, simple dish with luxurious flavor.
Grits Rancheras : Grits make a delicious substitute for the traditional corn tortillas in this dish.
Polenta With Wild Mushrooms and Marinara Sauce
Polenta or Grits With Beans and Chard : The beans can be cooked through Step 2 up to 3 days ahead and can be frozen.
Crispy Polenta Medallions : These crispy rounds can be topped with a variety of cheese or sauces.