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Food/Recipes

What can I do with a packet of polenta?

20 replies

frogs · 18/04/2005 14:41

Not even the easy-cook variety, I am afraid. It's sell-by date is rapidly approaching. Please help prevent me having to throw it out!

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enigma · 18/04/2005 14:43

Can't help because I think it's vile stuff. Once tried a recipe with it and it was inedible.

I'm sure a more culinary gifted person will come up with some good suggestions however.

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AnnieQ · 18/04/2005 14:47

There are some recipes here

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triceratops · 18/04/2005 14:56

Bin? I am with enigma. I don't like natchos either, same flavour.

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Leogaela · 19/04/2005 09:53

Don't bin it!!!! I like it and have a good vegetarian recipe which I have served to guests several times and had good comments.

Cut red peppers in half lenghtways and fill them wiht a mix of chopped tomatoes, black olives, capers, garlic and some fresh basil (you can add other stuff like anchovies or ham I guess). season with slat and pepper and pour over some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Roast in the oven.

Follow instructions on Polenta packet or my recipe book says:-

For 100g of polenta (supposedly for 2-4 people).

Put 500ml water in a pan with a pinch of salt and bring to boil. reduce heat and sprinkle in the polenta stirring constantly.
Keep cooking and stirring on a v.low heat until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. takes about 15 - 30 mins. The polenta should be thick and lump free.
Add butter (25g) - I don't bother with butter.

Cut 50g of Gorgonzola (italian blue cheese) into small chunks an add into the polenta.

The recipe then says - transfer to a shallow tray or wooden board (dampened with water to prevent sticking) and cool until firm. cut the polenta into 4 squares put on a non-stick baking sheet and cook under a hot grill until the cheese melts.

I usually - put the polenta into an ovenproof dish and stick it in the oven until the peppers and every thing else is ready (you can make the polenta upto a day before).

Serve with a rocket salad.

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cat82 · 19/04/2005 10:22

Hi Frogs, I have the yummiest recipie that uses Polenta flour if that's what you have.

Ingrediants-

8-10 inch Flan case
8oz unsalted butter, softened
8oz Caster sugar
8oz ground almonds
3 eggs
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
2 vanilla essence
3 drops of lemon essence
4oz polenta flour
3/4 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsps salt
Handful of flaked almonds to decorate

Beat butter, sugar together until creamy.
Stir in the ground almonds, vanilla essence.
Beat in the eggs a little at a time and add the polenta, lemon zest, juice, baking powder and salt.
Spoon into flan case, decorate with the almonds and bake in a pre heated oven for 45-55 until brown on top.

Trust me it's delicous if you like almonds and lemon!

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cat82 · 19/04/2005 10:27

Sorry forgot the temp of the oven! 160 degrees centigrade

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frogs · 19/04/2005 10:27

Thing is, I don't know if it's polenta flour. It's a packet of orangey stuff, not as fine as flour, slightly coarser than grains of salt. The packet says "Organic Polenta". No instructions, no nothing. I'm assuming it's not easy-cook polenta, or it would say so.

It just all sounds like an awful faff, a bit like making risotto only not so nice. I was hoping for something along the lines of "Bung it in a pot with x, y, z and a bit of a, b, c and push it in the oven for 30 mins". Or am I deluding myself?

Maybe I should just save it for fluffing up roast potatoes, although it will be well past the sell-by date next time I bother with roast spuds. Oh well.

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enigma · 19/04/2005 10:30

Go on chuck it - you know you want to

(No disrepect to Cat and her probably yummy recipe)

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SoupDragon · 19/04/2005 10:30

I coat chicken mini fillets in out of date polenta, lightly fry them and serve them to my children...

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expatinscotland · 19/04/2005 10:32

yuk. like sweetcorn rubber. could cut it into discs and use as hocky pucks.

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gingerbear · 19/04/2005 10:33

mix two parts polenta with one part PVA glue and one part water to smooth paste.
Use to fill in hairline wall cracks before decorating.

  • thought I had better add that just in case you tried it.
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gingerbear · 19/04/2005 10:34

Could it be made into playdough??

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cat82 · 19/04/2005 10:35

My packet doesn't say Polenta flour on it, but on the back it does say Pre cooked corn meal for polenta.
It does sound from your description that that's what you have!

Enigma i suggest you try it!

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frogs · 19/04/2005 10:35

gingerbear!

I think I can feel a consensus developing here...

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cat82 · 19/04/2005 10:37

Bah i know when i'm beat

chuck it

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ks · 19/04/2005 10:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Leogaela · 19/04/2005 12:13

No, don't chuck it! It is really easy! Just cook it in some boiled water and stick some cheese in it! if you are cooking it and it isn't thickening up then chuck a bit more in!

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SoupDragon · 19/04/2005 12:18

When cooked as a coating, it has something close to that authentic Nugget Orange colour

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WideWebWitch · 19/04/2005 12:20

I think it's vile too, throw it out! I did cook with it once in 1998 (it really was, how sad am I that I remember?) and vowed never again.

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Gwenick · 19/04/2005 12:24

otherwise known as SADZA

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