Despite the gritty name, polenta and grits are anything but. A good grits recipe is creamy and smooth—the epitome of simple Southern comfort. You can get ready-to-make stone-ground cornmeal for an even faster dish. The best grits recipe may be of Southern origin but across the pond in Italy, polenta encompasses the same idea of comfort in coarsely ground cornmeal. Whatever you choose to call it, this rustic dish is easy enough to make and endlessly customizable. Never have a boring breakfast again with a stellar polenta and grits recipe.
Polenta with Sausage Gravy
Polenta with Sausage Gravy (Adapted from The Talisman Italian Cook Book)
Boni's writing had few frills, and her rustic recipes followed suit. But a seemingly simple dish of whole sausages braised in marinara has spicy-sweet, cooked-all-day flavor. Garnish with torn fresh basil or Italian parsley leaves for a bright, herbaceous finish. Get the recipe for Polenta with Sausage Gravy »
Polenta With Corn and Wild Rice
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Polenta with Corn and Wild Rice
Wild rice adds a toasted nuttiness to this dish, and breaking it up in a food processor allows the rice to cook at the same rate as the polenta. Get the recipe for Polenta With Corn and Wild Rice »
Grilled Polenta with Dried Cod Mousse (Baccalà Mantecato)
This creamy codfish mousse is delicious served with char-grilled squares of polenta. Get the recipe for Grilled Polenta with Dried Cod Mousse (Baccalà Mantecato) »
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Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragù
Italian Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragù
This simple, comforting dish is a great one to make for dinner parties; the ragù improves over time, so make it the day before, and reheat it just before serving. The polenta can also be made ahead, but you’ll need to whisk in a bit of water to loosen it while you warm it on the stove. Get the recipe for Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragù »
This simple, comforting dish is a great one to make for dinner parties; the ragù improves over time, so make it the day before, and reheat it just before serving. The polenta can also be made ahead, but you'll need to whisk in a bit of water to loosen it while you warm it on the stove. Get the recipe for Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragù »
For soft, creamy, and flavorful grits, chef Harold Marmulstein of Austin's Salty Sow cooks his low and slow, then adds a rich, spicy, bright-green purée of chiles and cilantro. Get the recipe for Green Chile Grits »
Country Ham With Red-Eye Gravy and Grits
It takes longer to determine the origin of red-eye gravy's name than it does to make it. Some Southerners believe that the gravy takes its name from a man's red-rimmed eyes in the morning or from the reddish hue of certain country hams. Others swear that the name comes from the red-tinted layer of fat that forms on the surface of the gravy. Get the recipe for Country Ham With Red-Eye Gravy and Grits »
Redfish on the Half Shell with Creamy Grits
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Chef Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery learned this popular Louisiana fish camp technique—cooking "on the half shell"—after moving to New Orleans from California. Grilling fish skin-side-down with its scales still attached protects the tender meat from ripping and insulates it slightly from the heat, resulting in perfectly tender flesh. Get the recipe for Redfish on the Half Shell with Creamy Grits »
Grits With Brussel Sprouts
For his take on grain bowls, Chef Aaron London of Al's Place in San Francisco tops creamy corn grits with whatever toppings he has on hand. Here, earthy roasted brussels sprouts and chanterelle mushrooms mingle with aromatic poached quince and homemade cheese curds. Get the recipe for Grits With Brussel Sprouts »
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Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes
Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes
Chimichurri and a tomato-onion salad are perfect for offsetting the richness of creamy polenta. Get the recipe for Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes »
Chimichurri and a tomato-onion salad are perfect for offsetting the richness of creamy polenta. Get the recipe for Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes »
Shrimp and Grits
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Like the cooks at Crook's Corner, the celebrated restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, we recommend using stone-ground grits. They take more time to cook, but their flavor and texture are richer than instant grits. Get the recipe for Shrimp and Grits »
Polenta, as you can probably guess from the color, is made from yellow corn, while grits are normally made from white corn (or hominy). This obviously affects the color of both grits and polenta, but more importantly, it affects the texture.
In Italy, you'll find polenta made from yellow cornmeal or white cornmeal, though yellow is more common. The best polenta is made from stone ground corn, which comes in a coarse, medium, or fine grind. Cornmeal labeled polenta is usually a coarse-grind, but you can make the dish with a medium or fine-grind.
Cornmeal is made by grinding dried corn kernels – yellow, white or blue – into fine, medium and coarse textures, while polenta is made from a specific variety of corn called flint corn. Polenta also has a coarser texture than most types of cornmeal.
A ratio of five parts liquid to one part cornmeal by volume produces polenta that's fully hydrated and cooked through, without any little raw, gritty bits. An optional presoaking step helps hydrate the cornmeal and cuts down on actual cooking time.
Polenta is typically made from finely ground yellow cornmeal. The other difference is cultural preparation. Polenta is an Italian dish cooked to a thick and creamy texture, while grits are southern and have a thicker, coarser texture. Grits and polenta have a similar nutrition content.
Polenta is an Italian dish, whereas grits are a dish attributed to the American South. This being so, each region can accurately identify each, and it will be hard to pass off grits as polenta to an Italian cook and vice versa.
Lumps are the biggest pitfall in making polenta, but it's easy to avoid them. Pour the cornmeal into the water gradually – NOT all at once – and whisk constantly as you do it. The constant whisking will evenly disperse the cornmeal grounds in the water, so they won't have a chance to clump together.
In Italy, polenta is often eaten family-style from a large platter or wooden board, allowing guests to serve themselves at the table. Polenta, slow simmered ground corn, is eaten in many ways, as a main or side dish. It can be served simply, with just butter and cheese, or topped with sauce.
Surprisingly, polenta (which is none other than yellow cornmeal) is a powerful source of antioxidants like phenolic compounds, which can help reduce inflammation.
The answer is simple: it's all about the type of corn used. Yellow polenta is made from yellow corn, and it's the more traditional option. It offers a slightly sweet and nutty flavour with a vivid golden hue that can brighten up any plate. White polenta, as you might guess, is made from white corn.
Fortify your base. Polenta is usually made with water or milk, which results in a more neutral flavor. Next time you make it, try using a liquid with a little more personality: stock, either vegetable or otherwise, and coconut milk will both add depth to the final dish.
The black/dark specks you see in your grits are the particles of germ that are left in the product. The germ of the corn kernel is naturally darker in color and it is absolutely normal to see grey/black/dark flecks throughout your corn grits. How do I prepare grits? Grits can be prepared in a variety of ways.
Top polenta with your favorite pasta sauce. Add sautéed greens and protein of choice including meats, cheese, lentils and legumes. Make as a breakfast cereal; add nuts, seeds, dried fruits, fresh fruit, and milk of choice.
The Italian version is known as polenta whereas the Southern version is known as grits. Southern grits and Italian polenta are traditionally made from two vastly different types of corn.
What Does Polenta Taste Like? Polenta has a mild corn flavor. Its neutral flavor profile means it readily soaks up other flavors while cooking, such as chicken or vegetable broth, milk, butter or cheese.
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