First off, a hearty thanks to Meg of Too Many Chefs for featuring last week's lamb-bit as one of their "posts of the week." The site is a "group" food blog, with a wide variety of topics in the posts. Check it out, great content and a cool, somewhat retro design.
Now then, this little work of deliciousness pictured above was my attempt to use the coarse-ground cornmeal that has been sitting in my cupboard for over a year. I still haven't returned Nick's copy of Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Italian Cooking, so I began searching it for polenta recipes. To my delight there was a recipe for this baked polenta (its a bit like lasagna, only with sheets of polenta instead of lasagna noodles), which required ragu alla bolognese. I just happened to have a container of it in the freezer from a batch I made several weeks ago.
The polenta was easier to make than I might have imagined, and turned out quite well. The ragu was combined with a quickly-whipped-up bechamel sauce. The only thing I added to the recipe was the sprinkling of sauteed mushrooms and onions over the top, but I found these to be unnescessary. Distracting even.
I won't post the recipe here. You should buy the book. Its fabulous, and many people feel content to consider it the authority on Italian cooking, and everything I've made from it turned out wonderfully (in fact, I've got a stew cooking at home right now, also drawn from this book--and yes, its lamb stew).
The drawback to me telling you all of this is that Nick is going to want the book back now.
8 comments:
The polenta looks great! I've been meaning to try making it for some time now, and this looks like a great use - besides just lumping on the plate as a side dish. Mm... inspiration makes me hungry!
that looks so so so so tasty.
Now you've made me hungry!
I don't even like polenta.
Well, i like it sometimes, it has to be a pedigree one - and this certainly looks like a best in show!
Damn straight I want my book back.
Dangit Monkey Boy. Sometimes it's better just not to post. Secrets.
Biggles
Thanks Nic: I'm of the mind that if a food has to be "lumped," it probably shouldn't be eaten.
Sam: I was never crazy about polenta myself, but this was extremely good. As Marcella says in the book, its all about cooking it for a long time and stirring frequently.
Nick: You'll get your damned book when I'm ready! How about this evening?
Dr. Biggles: That's "Mr. Monkey Boy" to you.
Only removed my post because I couldn't figure out a way to fix a dang typo. :)
Not a fan of polenta, but your picture alone is making me rethink that. And I don't have Marcella's book either ... perhaps time for another cookbook purchase, not that I need too much arm-twisting in that department. Nice blog. I have a link for you on mine.
I'm so glad I work in a library, I going to have to check out that book and give it a try. It looks fabulous!
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