Polenta Dumplings With Cheese Food

CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, and parsley. Stir until the butter and cheese have melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.

CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese. Serve.

POLENTA DUMPLINGS WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• To prepare the polenta, check the package instructions. Take only half of the stated liquid and use half milk, half stock to make it creamier. Heat the liquid with the polenta, constantly stirring, until you have a thick, gluey paste. a minute or two. add the chopped sage or other herbs at the end. LEAVE UNTIL COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE WITH YOUR BARE HANDS. When the polenta has cooled down, take about 1 tbsp full at a time, making small round patties. Sit the cheese cube in the middle, gently roll up on the sides and over the top, squeezing just enough to make the dough slide without the cheese escaping at the other end. Then roll softly, but determinedly between the palms of your flat hands until they're evenly round. The minute you have an evenly round dumpling, roll it gently in some polenta so it's fully covered - then set aside while you make the other dumplings. Heat some oil in a frying pan until it is very hot - it should reach about half-way up the dumplings. Turn them frequently so they seal quickly and brown evenly. Drain on some kitchen towel and serve while still hot, with the sauce on the side.

CHICKEN ARRABBIATA STEW & PARMESAN DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole dish. Fry the onion over a low-medium heat for 7 mins or until soft and turning translucent. Turn up the heat slightly, add the chicken and fry for 5 mins until beginning to brown around the edges. Tip the garlic and chilli into the casserole and fry for 1 min. Stir through the pesto, pour in the stock and tomatoes, then add the thyme, sugar and some seasoning. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook gently for 40 mins. Remove the thyme and check the seasoning.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the dumplings, put the butter and flour in a bowl with ½ tsp fine salt, then rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in 50g of the cheese and pour in 50ml of the milk, then swiftly combine with a cutlery knife until everything is well distributed and you have a soft dough (add more milk if it's too dry). Briefly bring the dough together on a worksurface, then divide into eight balls.
• Arrange the dumplings over the stew, then scatter each with the remaining cheese. Put in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 mins or until the dumplings are doubled in size and golden brown. Scatter over the parsely and serve.

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.

CHEESY POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat and cook the onion and garlic for a few mins. Stir in the sausages, breaking them up into small pieces as you go, and cook for another 8-9 mins. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stock, purée and most of the rosemary. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 8-10 mins or until the mixture is thickened. Season to taste.
• Meanwhile, make up the polenta following pack instructions. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, with some seasoning. Spoon the polenta onto 4 plates, then top with the ragout and a sprinkling of the remaining rosemary.