Polenta — coarsely ground dried corn cooked in water or stock until the starch gelatinises into a smooth, cohesive mass — requires only three things: the correct ratio of liquid to polenta, constant stirring throughout the cooking, and sufficient time. Instant polenta is not polenta — it is a processed approximation. Correctly made polenta requires 40–50 minutes of stirring and produces something both humble and extraordinary: an ingredient that takes on the character of whatever it is served with or cooked in while maintaining its own substantial, slightly sweet corn flavour.
- **Coarse polenta:** The medium or coarse grind (not instant, not fine) — the coarser the grind, the longer the cooking time but the more pronounced the corn flavour and the better the final texture - **The liquid ratio:** 1 part polenta to 4 parts liquid (water, broth, or a combination) — [VERIFY] Hazan's specific ratio - **The whisk-to-spoon transition:** Begin with a whisk (preventing lumps as the polenta is added to the simmering liquid), transition to a long wooden spoon when the polenta thickens enough to warrant it - **The salt:** Added at the beginning — polenta needs more salt than intuition suggests. Without sufficient salt, polenta tastes of nothing - **The fat finish:** Butter, Parmigiano, or both — beaten through off heat at the end. The same mantecatura principle as risotto produces the same creaminess - **Consistency decisions:** Soft polenta (more liquid, for serving immediately with braise or stew); firm polenta (less liquid or further reduced, then poured into a vessel and set to slice and grill or fry) Decisive moment: The final minutes of cooking — the polenta should pull away from the sides of the pot in a single clean motion when a wooden spoon is drawn through it. This pulling-away indicates that the starch has fully gelatinised and the water has been absorbed. Before this point, there is always the risk of under-cooked starch.
Hazan