polenta fries

I've got a few pantry staples that take up room that I really only use for one or two recipes.  Cornmeal is one of them.  I thought I'd try something new and make fries with them.  I cut mine like steak fries because I like them thick, and I thought they would hold together better if they were thicker.  They turned out pretty yummy.  They obviously don't taste like fries, but they were good (looked a bit like fish sticks), and Liam thought he was pretty cool helping me.

Just like real fries, they go perfectly with ketchup, or just plain.

The rule is 4 cups of liquid and 1 1/2 cups corn meal.  If you're desperate you can use all water, but you'd have to add quite a lot of seasonings to keep the fries from being rather bland.

For liquids I used 2 cups of chicken broth, then a cup each of milk and water.

Add your liquids and corn meal with the salt and stir until the mixture thickens.

Pour the thickened corn meal onto a lipped pan covered in foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Try to smooth out the top with the spoon for nicer looking fries.

Take out the cooled pan and cut fries.  Thick ones hold together better, but feel free to make thinner ones .

Spread the fries out on a lipped sheet lined with parchment paper.  Mine look a bit ugly because I manhandled them quite a bit.

Liam helped me drizzle olive oil over the fries, then I seasoned them.

He thought the olive oil and seasonings should be blended in, so he rubbed it all in.

Your fries should look golden and delicious.

Enjoy by themselves, or with ketchup.

print recipe

polenta fries

by Liesl July-3-2014

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups corn meal
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp oregano

Instructions

1. Add broth, milk, and water into a large pot with corn meal and salt. Bring to a boil, then let simmer, stirring until thickened. Stir often prevent burning or sticking.2. Pour the polenta into a lipped pan lined with foil. Smooth out the top, then place in the fridge for half an hour.3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the polenta into fries and lay them close together on a parchment lined lipped pan. Drizzle olive oil over top and season. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 20. Your fries are done when they are golden and smell wonderful. Eat warm alone or with ketchup.

Details

Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 1 hour 25 mins Yield: 4 servings

polenta with white beans and veggies

This dish is my version of comfort food.  Jeff thinks I'm crazy.  He says comfort food is supposed to be really bad for you, so this can't count.  Whatever.  This is delicious.  Another reason I like this dish is that I can have it prepped ahead of time and have it hot and on the table exactly when Jeff gets home.  I never know exactly when Jeff will get home from work, but it doesn't matter when I make this dish.

The polenta is nice and creamy and flavorful.  If you like creamy polenta, eat it directly out of the oven before it firms.  If you like firmer polenta that can hold a shape, let it sit out of the oven and firm up.

Wait until the broth, milk, and water mixture has boiled before adding the cornmeal to make the polenta.

Pour the polenta into a prepped oven safe dish.

Cut the carrots and onion into evenly sized pieces

The polenta is ready to remove from the oven when the edges are slightly golden, and the polenta is solid but soft.

Add the tomatoes to the veggies, and cook until everything is soft but not mushy.

Mix the beans in with the veggies.  Plate your polenta and top with the beans and veggies.  You can do any proportions you like.  If you have beans and veggies left over after the polenta has been eaten, eat them as a side side.  They are yummy solo!


ingredients:
2 3/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
2 C water
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C cornmeal
4 tsp garlic, separated
4 tsp thyme, separated
1/2 tsp salt
2 14.5 oz cans of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 tbsp olive oil

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray an 8x8 pan lightly with PAM or butter.  Bring chicken broth, water, milk, 2 tsp garlic, 2 tsp thyme, and salt to boil in a large pot.  Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook until the polenta is soft, and the mixture is thick and creamy, stirring occasionally.  Transfer the polenta to the 8x8 pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Serve immediately for soft and creamy style polenta, or let sit 10 minutes for firmer polenta.
Note:  At this point the polenta can be stored in the fridge overnight in an airtight container if you aren't planning on eating it until the following day.
2.  For the topping dice the carrots and the onion.  Saute them in a pan with the olive oil until they have softened a bit (around 5 minutes).  Add the tomato, stirring often.  Add the remaining garlic and thyme, as well as the white beans.  When the onion is soft, but the carrots still have a bit of crunch, make sure everything is well mixed and hot, and remove from the heat.  Serve over the polenta and enjoy!

Note:  The beans and veggies should be stored separately from the polenta in the event of leftovers to prevent the polenta from getting soggy.  The beans and veggies taste pretty yummy on their own too, you know, for if your husband finishes the polenta, and leaves you just the topping.  Great little side dish.
Serves: 4 starving men-9 waifish little girls