Polenta

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
• 4 cups water
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, or other sharp salty cheese
• 1 teaspoon, salt plus more if needed
• Black pepper, to taste
• 3 Tablespoons, unsalted butter (for soft polenta only)
• 1/2 cup milk or cream (for soft polenta only)
• Olive oil, for frying polenta cakes

Directions

Put the water and cornmeal together in a pan and stir together.

Bring up to a boil while stirring with a whisk, making sure to mash up any lumps that form. (Cooking them both together from water seems to form less lumps.) Add the grated garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt.

When it comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer. Keep cooking until the grains are cooked, stirring constantly - if you taste a bit it should not be at all gritty, but smooth and soft. This takes around 10 minutes if you're using fine grind cornmeal, and 20 minutes or so if you're using medium grind. Stir in the cheese, and add pepper and more salt if needed to taste.

To serve as soft polenta for dinner, add the cream or milk and stir until blended. Add the butter and stir in. Serve immediately, optionally with a pat of butter on top of each portion and even more cheese.

To make polenta cakes the next day, pour the polenta (before you put the cream or milk and butter in) into a flat container or onto a plate to a bit less than 1 cm / 1/3 inch thickness. Let cool - it will become firm at room temperature. You can store this in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Cut into pieces, and fry in a little oil or butter on both sides until golden brown. Optionally sprinkle on top with more Parmesan cheese if as you fry the second side. Serve hot, or let cool and pack into a bento box.