FOOD NEWS
13 Ways To Upgrade Your Polenta
BY MARY FAWZY
Add Mascarpone
Polenta can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, but if you enjoy polenta as a creamy, rich porridge, then you have to add mascarpone to your dish.
Instead of butter, add a few tablespoons of mascarpone to your polenta when it's almost done to enjoy a richly flavored dish with a luscious texture.
Top With Truffles
Polenta and mushrooms are a match made in heaven, so it’s a no-brainer that earthy, smoky truffles are delicious atop polenta.
The mild polenta allows the truffles to shine while the truffles elevate the dish with a rich, umami dimension that’s sure to satisfy both vegetarians and meat lovers.
Go Sweet
Polenta is made of ground corn, making it a neutral and versatile base that's perfect for sweet toppings like sugar and milk.
Make sure to cook your polenta with a neutral liquid like milk or water before topping it with any sweet and comforting additions like sugar, nuts, or fruit.
Add Roasted Garlic
For garlic lovers, garlic belongs on everything, but since fresh garlic can be a little too sharp for polenta, opt for roasted garlic instead.
When you roast garlic whole, it turns soft and fluffy with a milder, slightly sweeter garlic taste, meaning it won’t overpower polenta, especially if you mash it and mix it in.
Add Cheese
Cheese makes most meals better, and that’s certainly true for polenta, which gets richer and creamier when mixed with cheese.
Since polenta is an Italian dish, Parmesan and pecorino Romano are obvious choices, but you can also get creative with blue cheese, goat cheese, brie, or a mixture.