If you’ve never made polenta, let this be your introduction. Its so creamy and satisfying – just what I want to eat now that temperatures are dipping. Don’t bother with tons of stirring and slow cooking on the stovetop. Let your oven do the work. At this time of year I like to add a little fresh corn at the end so do that while it lasts. If it’s already out of season, just leave it out.
(If you’d like to watch a reel of me making this, check that out here on Instagram.)
Side note: It’s worth making this oven-baked polenta for the leftovers alone. See the second recipe below for details.
Ingredients
- 1 cup slow cooking polenta (not instant – the package should say it takes at least 45 min to cook)
- 2 cups milk
- 2.5 cups broth / stock of choice
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- Lots of black pepper
- 1 fat garlic clove, minced
- 3-4 cups corn fresh corn kernels
- 3-4 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2-1 cup parm
Method
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large (4 qt) baking dish, combine polenta, milk, broth, salt, pepper and garlic. Whisk and transfer to hot oven for 20 min.
- Remove from oven after 20 min, whisk and return to oven.
- Remove from oven and whisk. Add corn, butter and parm and stir until incorporated. Return to oven for a final 10 min. You’re cooking it for 50 min total.
- Enjoy oven-baked polenta warm topped with sautéed wild mushrooms, or roasted tomatoes/shallots as pictured, or roasted sausages and grapes, or your favorite ragout.
Serves 6ish
Oven roasted tomatoes (pictured): Toss 2 pints tomatoes and 2 thickly sliced shallots with evoo, salt and pepper and roast alongside polenta for 30-40 min.
Crispy Fried Polenta Squares
- Spread leftover oven-baked polenta into a baking dish the night you first enjoy it so that it’s about 1/2 thick. Cover and refrigerate. It will firm up as it sits.
- When you are ready to enjoy it again a day or two later, slice into squares or triangles and use an offset spatula to remove from dish.
- Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over med/high heat. Drizzle very lightly with evoo. Cook squares for about 3-5 min a side until a nice crust forms.
- Enjoy served alongside poached eggs and sautéed greens, torn into chunks and served on top of tomato soup or tossed into a hearty green salad.