‘If you plant corn, don’t be surprised to get corn’
This recipe comes from. ‘At home with the whole food kitchen’ by Amy Chaplin and Johnny Miller
I made this polenta and served it a few different ways. The first step is to cook the polenta in water. You can add salt and pepper and in Italy they like to add a decent amount of Parmesan or pecorino cheese. This gives you a grits type dish which Mr. B loves. The second preparation is to place this mixture into baking tray, let it cool and bake it. This gives you a firmer, crouton texture. I cut up little blocks and pan fried them for gluten free croutons and make squares with toppings for canapés.
‘As the joyful belly notes, corn contains a sizeable amount of potassium. A high potassium diet may just be ideal low sodium diet. As a diuretic, potassium actually reduces water retention and thus counteracts the action of the sodium in the body. Corn is thus a boon for those with high blood pressure, especially in the spring when water congestion reaches it’s peak’.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup corn grits
- ¾ cup sweet corn kernels
- ½ tsp. course pepper
Method
- Oil a rimmed baking sheet and set aside
- Add water and bay leaves, bring to the boil, cover po, reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Disregard the bay leaves.
- Add salt. Raise heat to high and slowly pour in the grits, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until the mixture sticks to the spoon. You will need to stir the mixture every minute or so to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- 5 minutes from the end of cooking, stir in the corn kernels. They will bring a lovely sweet pop to the end dish. At the pepper at this point also.
- Once cooked, pour into the baking tray and spread evenly. Make it about ¼-1/2 inch thick if possible.
- Leave to cool until there is no more steam coming off it
- Once cooled place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until you are ready to bake it
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with oil and set aside.
- Tip out the polenta and cut into small triangles. Place them on the baking tray, making sure they do not touch. Lightly brush with olive oil.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy and golden.
- Remove from the oven and served warm.
Topping suggestions:
- A sprinkle of pecorino/parmesan/vegan cheese
- Chucky salsa or guacamole
- Garlic butter (miyokos garlic parm oat butter)
