Soft Polenta with Corn and Sage, no longer your mawmaw's grits.
In the South, I grew up thinking grits made a fine supper. Now they're called polenta, and served in the best restaurants. This recipe, with shallots, corn fresh from the cob, and sage sauteed in sherry and olive oil, is a perfect accompaniment to a hearty fall menu.
Who was that crazy Italian who first discovered if you stirred cornmeal in simmering water long enough, it turned into creamy polenta? Then he had to go and ruin it by shaping it into slabs and frying it in oil. What's the point, when the soft version is so good? And almost as comfortable as the gold standard of comfort food, mashed potatoes.
There's a lot of stirring involved, but what can be better on a cold day than standing over a hot stove, stirring a pot of grits polenta?
Soft Polenta with Corn and Sage
1 large shallot or 2 small, chopped
1 cup corn, removed from the cob
1 small handful chopped fresh sage, or 1 tablespoon dried
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry
freshly ground black or red pepper
1 1/2 cup polenta (coarse yellow cornmeal)
6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Sauté the shallot in olive oil and sherry until softened, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the corn kernels and sage, and cook a few more minutes. Sprinkle with a dash of black pepper (or feel free to use cayenne) and set aside.
Bring water to a boil. Add salt, and slowly pour in polenta, whisking constantly. Cook over low to medium low heat, stirring constantly, for about 20 minutes. When the polenta begins to pull away from the side of the pan, it's done. Stir in the corn mixture, and serve. (It's best to have all the other dishes ready to go before you start the polenta.)
Notes on ingredients: Polenta is coarsely ground cornmeal, also known as yellow grits in the south. I got mine at Fortnum and Mason, not to be snobby but because I was there and needed some. Health food stores usually carry them as do supermarkets. I have used frozen corn kernels, but fresh is better, if available. And don't tell Gordon Ramsay, but I used vermouth since I was out of sherry.
