1 I N G R E D I E N T – 3 WAY S
POLENTA Wondering what to do with that bag of polenta at the back of the cupboard? Rukmini Iyer shares three new ideas to transform it into a moreish nibble, a quick dinner or an irresistible sweet treat photographs JONATHAN GREGSON
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olenta is one of my favourite storecupboard ingredients – it’s endlessly versatile, and just the thing when you want a quick meal. I often get asked about which kind is the best to buy, as some supermarkets sell it already made up in a solid block. Go for the ‘quick cook’ polenta instead, which is a fine, bright yellow grain – it takes just five minutes to cook in a pan with hot stock. You’ll end up with creamy cooked polenta, which is perfect with parmesan and butter stirred in, and you can then use it as a vehicle for savoury toppings. Try my Sicilian-style roasted cauliflower with pine nuts & raisins for a lovely mix of sweet and savoury. When baked or fried, crisp polenta is perfect to serve with drinks. You’ll also find my recipe for crisp polenta with olives & sundried tomatoes. And if you’re in the mood to bake, polenta adds a grown-up edge to cakes and biscuits. I love using it in moreish saffron-scented madeleines.
Writer and food stylist Rukmini Iyer is the author of the bestselling Roasting Tin series of cookbooks. She has appeared on Saturday Kitchen and Dr Rupy Aujla’s Cooking in the Doctor’s Kitchen on BBC iPlayer. @missminifer
56 BBC Good Food Middle East February 2022
