Polenta in the Slow Cooker
I couldn’t find quick cooking polenta at the store, so I opted to make my own. Apparently it’s just corn meal with water (1:2 ratio) and a pinch of salt – i.e. corn meal mush. The drudgery is stirring it.
Original recipe: Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup of stone-ground (course) corn meal in a very slow stream (you don’t want the pot to stop boiling), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to keep lumps from forming. Continue stirring for 30-40 minutes, or until it has the consistency of firm mashed potatoes, adding boiling water as necessary. The polenta is done when it peels easily off the sides of the pot. Serves 4.
Alternative: I also read that you can butter the sides then add 2 cups corn meal with extra boiling water (7 cups) and stirring to ensure there are no lumps. Cook on low over night (at 6-8 hours). Smaller portions can be made in a bowl set in water level to match bowl contents (as in a double-boiler arrangement). This was the route I took because it involves less cleaning and we only needed 4 servings! Reference site is Some Finer Things of Life »
