Had We But World Enough and Time: Polenta

Real polenta takes work. And time -- a whole lot of precious time. Patience, and time, and muscle, mmm hmm, to do it, to do it right.

Polenta can be made from cornmeal of just about any consistency. Coarsely ground cornmeal produces polenta with a toothy texture. Finely ground cornmeal ends up in an airy, heavenly mush. It all takes the same amount of work. Which is, a lot. So put aside your tubes of premade (with preservatives) and your soupy simmered concoctions and roll up your sleeves. Let's get to work.

Put the tea kettle on; you're going to need 2 cups of boiling water right away. While you're waiting for the water to boil, add one cup of cornmeal to one cup of cold water in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan. Stir to combine.

Add 2 cups of boiling water to the mix. (You can increase that amount slightly if the cornmeal is coarse.) Add a little salt. Turn the heat to medium, and stir.

The mixture is going to thicken up quickly, and if you are like me, you are going to be tempted to stop at that point. The water is absorbed; how can it possibly keep cooking?

Continue to stir. As soon as the mixture begins to erupt with air bubbles, spitting up like lava, you can reduce the heat. You're going to need a good thick spoon with a comfortable handle, because the cornmeal mixture is just going to get thicker and thicker. This where the muscle comes in.

Stir continually until the polenta is done, which will take all of fifteen minutes. Finally, the mixture will begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. That's your signal to stop; that, and a delightful creaminess that overtakes this granular cement that has seemed to be hardening into place.

One final stir: Add a third of a cup of Parmesan cheese and stir until thoroughly combined. Optional step, but the Parmesan gives the cornmeal such a rich undertone that I am always reluctant to leave it out.

Polenta is best served warm, and immediately.

POLENTA
serves 4 to 6

1 cup cornmeal
3 cups water, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine cornmeal and 1 cup cold water in a medium-sized saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add 2 cups of boiling water and place pot on medium heat. Add salt. Stir fifteen minutes, until polenta mixture pulls away from pot. Remove from heat. Add Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Serve.

Serving suggestions: Polenta is a versatile grain that  takes easily to black beans, braised greens, Italian tomato sauces, etc., etc. Leave the Parmesan out and serve for breakfast with maple syrup. Leftover polenta can be sliced up and fried. The polenta you make, when slightly cooled, can be pushed into a glass pie pan, baked for 20 minutes, and used as the base for deep-dish pizza.