Both grits and polenta were once (and for many, still are) a peasant food, but high-end restaurants and famous chefs have transformed them into fashionable food. Polenta and grits have a lot in common. They are both made from dried and ground corn. Traditional grits are made from yellow corn coarsely ground on a stone mill. Although more modern and quicker ways now take precedence, this is still the preferred method for grits connoisseurs. Polenta can be either coarsely, medium or finely ground and consists of yellow or white corn, depending on the region. Both are slow-cooked to a rich and creamy state, with a grainy smoothness.
This cornmeal mush makes an appearance in the cuisines of Croatia (palenta or pura), Serbia (palenta), Brazil (angu), and South Africa (mealie pap), to name a few. Perhaps the most scrumptious renditions come from the American South, where shrimp and grits or grits and gravy are two of the most popular dishes. In Italy, prosperity and industrialization have meant a sharp decline in the consumption of polenta. American Southerners still happily eat their grits for breakfast with shrimp, butter, milk, red-eye gravy, fried fish, hushpuppies, sugar, or other varied combinations.
Although these foods can be expensive when dining out, polenta and grits are some of the cheapest foods to prepare at home. Both polenta and grits are also great blank palates for the addition of seasonal ingredients. So start ridin’ gritty.
Creamy Polenta with Sautéed Wild Mushrooms and Andouille Sausage
Serve the polenta when it is very hot because it hardens as it cools. If your polenta is done before you finish the rest of your masterfully prepared meal, continue to stir and slowly add water while keeping the polenta over the heat.
Ingredients for the polenta:
¾ cup polenta (not quick-cooking)
3 cups of water
Grana Padano cheese (use Parmigiano Reggiano if you want to splurge) butter to taste (I use 2 tablespoons but less works too)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring salted water to a brisk boil in a 2 quart heavy non-stick saucepan. Whisking constantly, slowly add polenta. Cook over moderate heat, whisking for the next 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover. Stir 1 minute for every 10 minutes of cooking until very thick, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, butter, salt and pepper to taste.
For the mushrooms:
1/3 pound mushrooms
1 sprig of thyme
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 clove garlic
Heat olive oil in a pan. Do not wash mushrooms; they will absorb the water. Clean them well with a damp paper towel and cut off the stems. Quarter the mushrooms and add them to hot oil. Finely mince garlic and add to pan. Once mushrooms are done turn off heat and stir in butter for flavor. Salt and pepper to taste.
For the Sausage:
1 large Andouille sausage
Add sausage to hot grill pan or sauté pan. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until brown on one side. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes. Take off heat and chop to a crumble. Add to mushrooms. Make a bed of polenta. Top with mushroom sausage mixture.
Serves four.
Estimated cost of ingredients: $7.50 at Whole Foods Market
What to do with leftovers: Put any remaining polenta in a bread pan. You can form and slice it the following day. To reheat: grill or deep fry and top with runny eggs for a hearty breakfast.
Tasty Tidbit: The term “hominy grits” refers to grits made from corn that has been nixtamalized. This funny word means soaking the grain in lye water until the germ is dissolved. These grits are commonly sold in supermarkets outside of the Southern US.
Some claim that grits is short for “grains in the south” but history points to the Olde English word grytta (meaning a coarse meal of any kind) and the true origin.
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