Emeril Lagasse’s Creamy Polenta
On Monday I promised to post the recipe for the amazing polenta I cooked to accompany the chicken in milk dish. Polenta is pretty straightforward; the preparation steps and basic ingredients stay the same with a rotating cast of accoutrements like wilted arugula, parmesan, and heavy cream. Emeril’s take on it is quite simple, which makes this a nice accompaniment to a really flavorful main dish. This polenta is: creamy and rich. This polenta is not: good for saving. Unless you’re serving a lot of people, I recommend cutting this recipe in half because it doesn’t reheat very well the next day. The recipe says it serves 4, but that is really generous. It’s more like 6 or 7! Unless you want to just eat this for dinner, which isn’t such a bad idea actually…
Creamy Polenta fromEmeril Lagasse
4 c. water, plus more as needed
4 c. milk, plus more as needed
3 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
2 c. polenta
1/2 c. creme fraiche
1/3 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano
In a large saucepan, bring the water, milk and butter to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water and whisk in the polenta. Whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to prevent lumps. Simmer for 45 minutes, partially covered and stirring every 10 minutes, until the polenta is thick, smooth, and creamy. Add the creme fraiche and Parmesan. Check for seasoning and adjust consistency by adding milk or water to the polenta. Polenta may be made up to 20 minutes ahead of time and kept covered until ready to serve.
Similar Posts:
This is similar to the way I make grits for Shrimp and Grits. It’s sooo good! I have heard of people cutting the polenta into squares the next day and pan frying it. I’ve never tried that, though. It doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
margie, you know… i really should have tried that. the leftovers went to waste. there’s always next time!