Miso Polenta with Fresh Corn
A bowl of creamy, hot polenta is pure comfort food. I love having a bag of polenta on hand and usually serve it as a grain component, just like rice, farro, quinoa, etc.
I’m pretty particular about cooking polenta. I combine it with cold water, instead of pouring it into explosive hot water as per traditional recipes, and it works just as well. I also like the water to polenta ratio to be pretty generous, more generous than most recipes call for. I find that polenta can absorb water almost endlessly, so adding more water ensures that it will stay creamy instead of seizing up. I also love adding miso to polenta, since it contributes umami and saltiness, kind of similar to cheese. And in the summer, I add fresh, grated corn to my polenta. The corn yields so much extra flavor and almost makes the polenta taste more like itself.
Miso Polenta with Fresh Corn
serves 4-6
6 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 1/2 tablespoons white miso
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 ears of corn, shucked
olive oil
In a large pot, combine the water, polenta, miso, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, whisking frequently, for 30-35 minutes, until creamy.
Meanwhile, cut the corn ears in half crosswise and grate the corn on the large hole side of a box grater. Add the fresh grated corn and its juices to the polenta and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat, add a generous glug of olive oil and more black pepper. Taste the polenta for salt and adjust if needed. Serve warm.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
Polenta is so versatile, and another great way to prepare it is to sear it until crispy. To do this, follow the above recipe, but reduce the water to 4 cups. Once the polenta is cooked, pour it into a shallow baking dish, smoothing it out into an even layer. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, allowing the polenta to set and firm up. Once firm, slice the polenta into individual portions and sear in olive oil for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy.