Creamy Polenta with Parmigiano-Reggiano
The term polenta originated from the Latin word meaning “peeled barley” and links to the word ‘pollen’ which means “fine flour.” Polenta is made by grinding corn into fine flour and is sweet in flavor. We can cook the Polenta texture to be creamy and thick or allowed to harden, and we can slice it the way we want.
Parmigiano Reggiano is a finer, richer flavored parmesan cheese, my preference and well worth the additional cost. It has been made since the 15th century, produced in the region of Parma and Reggio Emilia in central Italy. It’s a hard, white cheese with small holes, which makes it ideal for grating.
Creamy Polenta with Parmigiano-Reggiano
This polenta recipe using a course stoneground cornmeal (see note) and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese makes a smooth, rich side dish or is perfect as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock - homemade is best
- ½ onion - finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal - course or stoneground
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshy grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan) - extra for serving
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- a few tablespoon fresh parsley leaves - coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium-size pot on medium-high heat add in the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic until they are browned about 3 to 7 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Switch to a wooden spoon and finish off the polenta by stirring in butter, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper until completely combined. Cook for 5 minutes more over the low heat. Garnish with parmesan and parsley. Serve hot.
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