Fit Fare

Green Veg, check. Protein, check. I know you’re busy, but don’t forget the gang is coming over for that fit-fab dinner party next week. The menu is fleshing itself out, but now we need to round it out with something really substantial. What to feed the party guests that will leave them satiated but not sick? Satiated with just enough room for dessert? It’s not porridge, it’s not pudding, it’s better: it’s polenta.

Polenta is really just cornmeal mush. A staple of the Italian diet for centuries, polenta is popular in one form or another around the world. It’s made from coarse, medium or fine ground cornmeal which you cook slowly in the boiling liquid of your choice; cream, stock, water, or a combination thereof. You stir and stir and stir until the polenta becomes thick and just a little bit slop-like and then you add whatever delicious extras you like: parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, parmesan cheese (you see which way my mind tends). Serve it hot and creamy or spread it into a pan and let it set. Then you can slice it or cookie-cut it, grill it, bake it and top it (but we’ll save that for the next party).

A great accompaniment to most meats, polenta works wonderfully with veggies too. It works as a side-dish or a main event and it’s a hearty whole-grain option when bulgur feels boring and brown rice is burned out. However you serve it and whatever you serve it with, just make plenty — they’ll go back for seconds.

Creamy Polenta with Herbs

You can find polenta in fine, medium or coarse grinds. All of them will work perfectly well here, but I prefer the coarse, just because I like the texture a little more, uh, coarse. I have trouble being still so jobs like polenta, pudding, risotto — the ones that make you stand and stir — are good for me, but by all means feel free to use instant or “quick-cooking” polenta, there’s no shame in that. I confess to adding a half a cup of grated pecorino Romano to this batch, I just couldn’t resist.

6 cups water or stock, or a combination of the two
2 tsp kosher salt
1-1/2 cups polenta
2 Tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (thyme, basil, flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, whatever you have on hand)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium sized pot, bring salt and water or stock to a rolling boil. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until mixture is thickened and cornmeal is tender (it should be creamy, not crunchy) about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the herbs and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6