Tom Valentis Soft Polenta Recipes

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine the stock and cream, and bring to a boil. Add the nutmeg and salt. Whisk in the polenta and semolina and cook over low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the grains are soft. Fold in the cheeses. Serve immediately or reserve.
• To encourage polenta to come cleanly out of the pan, cook over medium heat. Run a spatula or wooden spoon around the sides of the pan to clean off the polenta. Do not stir, but wait and watch for a few seconds until a large bubble begins to form and pushes the polenta upward. Pour immediately into a warm dish.
• The polenta can be made ahead and reheated: add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or stock, cover the dish, and reheat in the microwave or over low heat. Whisk well before serving. Grate a dusting of Parmesan over the top just before serving.

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is hydrated, about 2 hours.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone, Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and more Parmesan, if desired.

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups water to a full boil in a heavy pot. Simmer the remaining water close by.
• Add the salt and rapidly stir the water with a whisk, creating a vortex. Continuing to stir constantly, add the polenta in a thin stream into the vortex.
• Continue to stir after all the polenta has been added, then lower the heat to a simmer rather than a boil.
• As the polenta thickens, replace the whisk with a long-handled wooden spoon.
• Add the 1 cup of remaining water and continue to stir. Break up any lumps with the back of the spoon pressed against the pot.
• Continue stirring the polenta, reaching to the bottom of the pot as necessary, until it gets thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
• Taste the polenta to test tenderness; add additional water if necessary. The polenta can take 15 to 60 minutes to cook properly, depending on its type.
• During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the pepper and butter, then add the cheese.
• Remove from heat.
• If serving immediately, pour onto a large platter or into a bowl or individual dishes.

Steps:

• Add 4 1/2 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt and the olive oil to a medium saucepot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream, until it is all incorporated and smooth.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook at a simmer until the polenta is creamy and fully hydrated, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Take the saucepot off the heat and whisk in the butter and Parmesan. Season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer the polenta to a large serving bowl and serve.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, salt, pepper, butter, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and whisk in the cornmeal. The resulting mixture will look very loose.
• Cook, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes. Reserve, or if you prefer, leave over low heat and keep warm by stirring frequently, or transfer to a double boiler set over simmering water.

Steps:

• Add the salt to 6 cups of water in a pot, and bring to boil over high heat. Very slowly sift in alternating handfuls of coarse and fine cornmeal, whisking constantly.
• Add the butter, reduce heat to low and stir with a wooden spoon until the polenta peels cleanly off the sides of the pot as it is stirred, about 20 minutes.
• Make a circle of coarse cornmeal 15 inches in diameter on a tablecloth, and spread the polenta over it to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Top with 4 cups of the beans and sausage and serve on the tablecloth.

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a boil in a medium sauce pan.
• Slowly add cornmeal to the pot whisking constantly to prevent clumping.
• Return to a simmer while continuing to whisk.
• Reduce heat to as low as possible, cover, and cook for 30-50 minutes stirring ever 2-4 minutes.
• Serve as is or pour polenta into a rectangular baking dish, chill for several hours to set the polenta, cut into wedges or circles, bake, sauté, or fry the pieces of polenta until golden brown and crisp.

Steps:

• 1.Preheat oven to 325°F. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.
• 2.Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion; cook until very soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 3.Add the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, anchovies, and garlic; cook 3 minutes.
• 4.Add the wines, vinegar, and sugar; raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and add the broths. Leave over medium heat while you brown the lamb shanks.
• 5.Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil into a sauté pan. Over medium-high heat, brown the lamb shanks well on all sides, using tongs to flip them over.
• 6.Transfer lamb shanks to a roasting pan and pour the braising liquid on top. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours more, turning the shanks over every half hour until the meat is very soft.
• 7.Remove the shanks from the braising liquid and strain the liquid. Skim any fat that rises to the surface, then use the liquid as a sauce. Serve in shallow bowls atop White Bean Puree.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. With a sharp knife, cut about 1 inch from the bottom (narrow end) of the shank bones down to the bone and all the way around; this will help expose the bone while cooking. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb, and sear until brown all over, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pot, and set aside.
• Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat. Add celery, carrot, and onion, and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook about 3 minutes more. Stir in red and white wine, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, anchovies, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. Increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes to burn off some of the alcohol. Add veal and chicken stocks.
• Add lamb and return to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven. Cook for 1 hour. Uncover and cook until meat is very tender, turning the shanks over every half hour, 2 1/2 to 3 hours more.
• Remove shanks from braising liquid; strain the liquid and discard the solids. Skim any fat that rises to the surface and use the liquid as a sauce. Spoon some polenta onto a serving plate. Top with a lamb shank. Spoon sauce around plate and serve immediately.