SAN DIEGO — When I worked at Santi's in La Jolla, we served Polenta with so many different dishes because it is truly Italy's version of mashed potatoes.
Polenta
- 1 rounded cup Polenta, uncooked
- 1 box Chicken broth, 32 oz
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Butter
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tbsp Italian Parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp Kosher salt, + or - to taste
Start with a stock pot on medium heat and sauté the garlic in the olive oil for no more than 1 minute, you do not want it to brown. Add the chicken stock and then whisk in the Polenta to make sure there are no lumps.
Bring the mixture to a slow boil while stirring constantly, lower it to a slow boil and keep stirring. This will take 18 to 20 minutes. As the Polenta thickens add a little water at a time to reach the consistency you like, more water for creamy, less for firm.
Season with salt at the end to your liking, add butter and parmesan cheese just before serving and top with parsley. You can also go with sauteed mushrooms, asparagus, a grilled meat; the options are limitless.
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