Some people consider polenta a boring, sloppy and pointless side. My theory is that those people don’t put enough butter or cheese in. In fact, when prepared with a little love, it’s a glorious accompaniment to slow-cooked meats and stews, masses of garlicky mushrooms or fatty cuts of pork.
The instructions below are for polenta that hasn’t been pre-cooked. If you have the instant or quick-cook type, add the same flavourings but follow the cooking instructions on the packet. Personally, I would only serve one other side dish with this, or sometimes none at all where the braised meat, stew or ragu it’s to accompany already contains plenty of vegetables.
Ingredients
- 240 g polenta
- 80 g butter, cut into small dice
- 150 g strong mature Cheddar, ideally a good-quality Somerset Cheddar, grated
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Make It
- Put 1.5 litres water and a hefty pinch of salt in a large pan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Sprinkle the polenta into the pan in a slow, steady stream, stirring continuously. For a few moments it will seem as though there’s far too much water, but after 3–5 minutes the polenta will swell and thicken. Continue to stir – nay, beat – almost without interruption for 10–15 minutes over a very low heat. Once the grains are less visible and the polenta starts to become smooth and slick, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for a further 10 minutes, beating – nay, whipping – every few minutes to prevent sticking and to keep the polenta smooth. Add an extra glass or two of water during cooking to loosen the mixture if necessary.
- Add the butter, cheese and a twist of pepper and whisk furiously for 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. It should be loose and smooth, although it will quickly firm up as you ladle it onto a dish.
