Cooked Cornmeal Mush Food

BASIC POLENTA

Steps:

• For firm polenta use 4 cups water; for soft polenta use 5 cups water. Bring water to a boil in a medium-size heavy sauce pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir. Put a spoonful on a plate, let it cool, then taste. Grains should be swollen and taste cooked, not raw. Adjust salt and add pepper if you wish.
• For firm polenta, lightly butter a baking sheet or shallow dish, approximately 8 1/2 by 11 inches. Carefully pour polenta into pan. Using a spatula, spread polenta to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Cool to room temperature to allow polenta to solidify. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For soft polenta, add 6 tablespoons butter to pot and stir well. Serve immediately or transfer to a double boiler set over low heat, cover and keep warm for up to an hour or so. (Or set the saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water.) Stir well before spooning into low soup bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/2 cup water and salt in small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Mix cornmeal with remaining water in a small bowl.
• Add cornmeal mixture slowly to boiling water, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat to low; cook stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened.

CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• Mix together cornmeal, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• If using as cereal, spoon mush into bowls and serve with milk and sugar, if desired. If frying, pour mixture into a loaf pan and chill completely. Remove from pan, cut into slices, and fry in a small amount of oil over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Serve with sauce of your choice.

FRIED CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• Bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil over high heat.
• Combine cornmeal, 1 cup cold water, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
• Gradually add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, constantly stirring while adding the mixture.
• Reduce heat to medium-high and cook the cornmeal until thick.
• Reduce heat to low and cover the pan.
• Cook 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.
• Pour cooked cornmeal into a loaf pan.
• Cool the cornmeal to room temperature then refrigerate it for several hours.
• Turn the cornmeal out of the loaf pan and cut it into 1-inch slices.
• Put just enough oil in a skillet to cover the bottom.
• Place the skillet over medium heat and heat the oil until hot. It will begin to shimmer. Do not let it get too hot or begin smoke.
• Fry the cornmeal slices slowly in the hot oil until browned on the bottom.
• Gently turn the slices over in the pan and fry them until browned on the bottom.
• Serve fried mush hot with butter and syrup.

CORN MUSH RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cornmeal, milk and salt.
• Slowly pour the cornmeal/milk mixture into the boiling water, stirring constantly.
• Bring it to a boil again, then reduce heat and stir almost constantly (to avoid clumps) for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is thickened to the consistency you like.
• Serve warm with cream and maple syrup.

COOKED CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• Combine the cornmeal and cold water in a bowl. Mix well and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the salt and hot water over high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the boiling water and mix quickly. Bring the mixture back to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Let the cornmeal mush simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened. For a sweeter cornmeal, stir in a little sugar (to taste). Serve with butter and shredded cheese or maple syrup.

NEVER LUMPY CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cornmeal and saute, stirring constantly, for about a minute so that the grains are coated with oil. Add the broth and bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, whisking all the while. When cornmeal comes to a simmer, it will bubble up vigorously. Quickly put a lid on saucepan, turn heat down to very low and cook the cornmeal until it no longer tastes raw, about 20 minutes.

CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• MAKING 1) In a slow cooker, place the cornmeal, ½ teaspoon of salt and water. Cover the cooker. 2) Set on LOW and cook for 6 to 8 hours. FINALIZING 3) Into large soup or cereal plates, spoon the preparation. 4) Top with 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter. SERVING 5) Serve the mush as and when preferred, hot, cold or at room temperature. Salt or sugar can be served on the side.