Basic Polenta
A staple for Native Americans, corn is both a vegetable and a grain. The Italians fell in love with corn as a soft porridge (polenta) when it made it to Europe. I am partial to polenta as a breakfast porridge and I often double the batch to carry over as a snack or dinner. What isn’t eaten at breakfast is spread on a cooking sheet and allowed to set up. You can then brush it with a little olive oil, herbs and Parmesan and broil for a few minutes to get a nice golden crust. Voila…appetizer. Use corn as polenta, to thicken soups and stews. Serve it with a mushroom ragu.
The problem with corn is that it is one of the largest GMO crops so be sure to find it organic. Blue corn boasts higher levels of iron, magnesium and protein. In the past years, we are seeing a glorious return of heirloom varieties of corn raised by environmentally conscious growers.
Servings: 4 CookTime: 10 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup organic polenta (corn grits)
Instructions
In a medium sauce pan bring the water and sea salt to a boil. Add in polenta, reduce heat and stir gently for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for a few more minutes.
Serve as a breakfast porridge with fruit, nuts and milk of choice. Maybe with a kiss of honey
Serve it topped with sauteed greens and soft boiled egg
Serve topped with a sauteed mushroom and herbs.
Spread the polenta on a sheet to partially dry. Brush with herbed olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan, grill until golden brown.
Recipe Notes
With the addition of lysine corn becomes a complete protein. Neutral, sweet and diuretic, corn nourishes the Heart and Stomach and helps to regulate digestion. Relatively low in niacin, corn is often served with lime to increase niacin absorption. Which had me wondering why no one in Interstellar suffered from scurvy - I mean, they were reduced to eating just corn, right? I digress - back on topic. As a neutral grain, it can be eaten by those with cold or hot patterns, excess or deficiency.
