Soft Manioc Polenta Recipes

Steps:

• For the polenta, bring 4 1/2 cups water and the milk to a high simmer in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add salt. Pour the cornmeal slowly into the liquid, stirring with a wire whisk to prevent clumping. Continue stirring as the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes. If the polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep the polenta soft enough to stir.
• Add the butter to pot, and stir well. Add the Parmesan, if using. Taste for seasoning. Set the covered saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water, and keep warm for up to an hour or so.
• Meanwhile, put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, and cover with about 1/2 cup boiling water. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, and pat dry, then chop roughly. Reserve the mushroom stock.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan set over high heat until it has melted. Add the garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.
• Add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and thyme to the pan, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, turning until browned. Add about 1/4 cup of the mushroom stock to deglaze the surface, using a wooden spoon to scrape at the browned bits. Allow the stock to reduce by half, then turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, whisking to combine, followed by the soy sauce, cream and olive oil. Allow mixture to cook until it thickens a little, then remove from heat. Taste for seasoning, adding black pepper, if desired.
• Put the polenta in a warmed bowl, then top with mushrooms and the sauce. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is hydrated, about 2 hours.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone, Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and more Parmesan, if desired.

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups water to a full boil in a heavy pot. Simmer the remaining water close by.
• Add the salt and rapidly stir the water with a whisk, creating a vortex. Continuing to stir constantly, add the polenta in a thin stream into the vortex.
• Continue to stir after all the polenta has been added, then lower the heat to a simmer rather than a boil.
• As the polenta thickens, replace the whisk with a long-handled wooden spoon.
• Add the 1 cup of remaining water and continue to stir. Break up any lumps with the back of the spoon pressed against the pot.
• Continue stirring the polenta, reaching to the bottom of the pot as necessary, until it gets thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
• Taste the polenta to test tenderness; add additional water if necessary. The polenta can take 15 to 60 minutes to cook properly, depending on its type.
• During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the pepper and butter, then add the cheese.
• Remove from heat.
• If serving immediately, pour onto a large platter or into a bowl or individual dishes.

Steps:

• Add 4 1/2 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt and the olive oil to a medium saucepot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream, until it is all incorporated and smooth.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook at a simmer until the polenta is creamy and fully hydrated, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Take the saucepot off the heat and whisk in the butter and Parmesan. Season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer the polenta to a large serving bowl and serve.

Steps:

• Bring fish bones, shrimp shells, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, cilantro sprigs, parsley sprigs, lime juice, salt, garlic, plantain, and water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pot, then reduce heat and simmer stock, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups (vegetables will exude liquid as they cook), about 25 minutes.
• Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids.
• If there is more than 4 cups, boil until reduced; if there is less, add water. If using stock right away, bring to a boil in cleaned pot; otherwise, chill, uncovered, until completely cooled, then cover.
• Add manioc flour in a thin stream to boiling stock, whisking constantly, then whisk in salt. Reduce heat to moderately low and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Stir in chopped herbs and let stand 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sweat for 3 minutes until vegetables are translucent and aromatic. Add chicken stock and cream and bring to a simmer. Whisk in polenta and reduce heat to low. Cook over a low heat for 2 hours, stirring regularly.
• Remove from heat and whisk in cheese and butter, and season with salt and serve.

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine the stock and cream, and bring to a boil. Add the nutmeg and salt. Whisk in the polenta and semolina and cook over low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the grains are soft. Fold in the cheeses. Serve immediately or reserve.
• To encourage polenta to come cleanly out of the pan, cook over medium heat. Run a spatula or wooden spoon around the sides of the pan to clean off the polenta. Do not stir, but wait and watch for a few seconds until a large bubble begins to form and pushes the polenta upward. Pour immediately into a warm dish.
• The polenta can be made ahead and reheated: add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or stock, cover the dish, and reheat in the microwave or over low heat. Whisk well before serving. Grate a dusting of Parmesan over the top just before serving.

Steps:

• Bring the fish broth to a rapid boil, and stir in a little salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste, and stir to incorporate thoroughly. Sprinkle in the manioc flour, a little at a time, stirring vigorously and continuously until all the flour has been incorporated and the mixture has the consistency of soft ice cream. Serve immediately; like polenta, pirao gets stiffer the longer it sits.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to a boil. Very gradually, add cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter until smooth.

Steps:

• Put 6 cups cold water, the salt, and bay leaf into a Dutch oven or a heavy stockpot, and bring to a boil. Bring remaining 4 cups cold water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Add polenta to large pot in handfuls, separating your fingers to let the grains slip through and whisking constantly until combined. Reduce heat until only a couple of large bubbles appear at a time.
• Whisk 2 ladlefuls of simmering water into polenta, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until water has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Continue to add 2 ladlefuls of water every 5 minutes, stirring often and waiting for it to be absorbed before adding more, until polenta is creamy and just pulls away from sides of pot, about 45 minutes. (It may be necessary to adjust heat.)
• If not serving immediately, reduce heat to lowest setting, cover pot, and keep warm until ready to serve (up to 1 hour). Remove bay leaf. Season with pepper.
• For soft polenta only: Stir in butter. Use a damp spoon to serve. Top each serving with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• For set polenta only: Pour into a slightly damp medium bowl (or a 13-by-9-inch baking dish). Let stand until no longer steaming, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold and set, about 1 1/2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 2 days).Turn out polenta. Using plain dental floss, cut horizontally in half, pulling string toward you. Cut in half crosswise, pressing string downward. Cut each half lengthwise into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips, cut strips crosswise into thirds, and then into triangles or squares if desired. (Alternatively, cut polenta with a knife.)

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
• Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken; stir and taste for salt before transferring to a serving bowl. Top polenta with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and about 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish.

Steps:

• For firm polenta use 4 cups water; for soft polenta use 5 cups water. Bring water to a boil in a medium-size heavy sauce pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir. Put a spoonful on a plate, let it cool, then taste. Grains should be swollen and taste cooked, not raw. Adjust salt and add pepper if you wish.
• For firm polenta, lightly butter a baking sheet or shallow dish, approximately 8 1/2 by 11 inches. Carefully pour polenta into pan. Using a spatula, spread polenta to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Cool to room temperature to allow polenta to solidify. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For soft polenta, add 6 tablespoons butter to pot and stir well. Serve immediately or transfer to a double boiler set over low heat, cover and keep warm for up to an hour or so. (Or set the saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water.) Stir well before spooning into low soup bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.