Preparation / Directions:
*Use this recipe to make the basic polenta required for preparing the "Polenta `Lasagna' with Beef, Tomato, and Red Wine Sauce", "Soft Polenta with Porcini Mushroom Sauce", and "Polenta Crostini with Tuna Butter and Capers." Many of these dishes require that you cook the polenta, cool it, and cut it into squares. However, the soft polenta prepared to serve with Porcini Mushroom sauce has a looser texture. If you find that the polenta made from this master recipe is too stiff for the soft polenta and mushroom dish, stir in 1/4 c boiling water to "loosen" it. TO COOK: Bring 7 c water to boil in a large saucepan. Add 1T salt. Stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon, add cornmeal in a slow, constant steam o prevent lumps from forming. Simmer, stirring constantly until polenta is very thick and creamy and pulls awarom the sides of the pan, 25 to 30 minutes Proceed immediately a ructed in the individual recipes.
MICROWAVE VERSION: (Just as good but er) Put 1 T salt, the cornmeal, c water in a 4 qt microwave-safe bowl. Cover and chis mixture on high power, stirring every 6 min until cr 24 min in all. Proceed immediately as your are ucted in the individual recipe of your choice. Makes 7 cups. * Because polenta contanly cornmeal, salt, and water, the texture of the cornme important. Unless you have access to a specialty foop or want to use mail order, the exact texture of the cornme you find taly is unavailable in the US. To find out how to best approximate Italian po, using cornmeal that is available here, COOK'S tried m it with fine-ground, coarse-ground, and an equal re of the two types (in all cases, Goya brand meal wad
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