I had never had polenta when I first made this recipe so I don't know what to compare it to, but I do know this: my 2 year old son LOVED it!! I remember being shocked because he has texture issues, but I also remember him having two whole bowls of it.
I found this recipe when I was looking for a side to go with Bittman's "Chicken Cutlets Roasted with Tomatoes" and together they were fantastic! This is a very easy side to make, so if you are looking for something last minute and you have cornmeal, reach for this recipe.
At the end of this recipe is one of my favorite Bittman features: the list. In this case there is a list of "14 Dishes to Serve on Top of Polenta" (p.486 or p.544). I don't know that I would like to eat polenta all by it self, but if makes an excellent base dish that other proteins or vegetables can be served on top of.
HTCE p. 485-6
HTCEV p.544
Here is a full recipe with Parmesan and Sausage
I made this week for the first time and didn't have terrific luck. I know in America's Test Kitchen, they specify coarse ground cornmeal over something like stone ground (which is what I used). Bittman calls for coarse ground, but doesn't say you shouldn't use something else (so, in true Bittman fashion, I subbed something else!). I think coarse ground is the way to go--it will have some substance, but not be as rough as stone ground. I'm going to try it that way in the future.
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