There is a lot of confusion about the difference between cornmeal and polenta. Some say polenta is a dish and cornmeal an ingredient. Really though, both are made from the exact same kind of corn: flint corn.
Flint corn is used to make corn flour, cornmeal, polenta and even popcorn. The difference is the specific grind of the corn. Corn flour is super finely ground; cornmeal comes in fine, medium or coarse grind. Polenta is a slightly coarser ground corn, and you can substitute coarse cornmeal for polenta if you’d prefer.
Instant polenta is also an option and is the grain originally called for in this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi, but I thought it lacked the flavor and texture that makes this cornbread so unusual. It is now part of my repertoire of revolving recipes and hopefully you will make it one of yours.
Is it a cake? Is it a bread? “The ‘bread’ in cornbread is a wonderful euphemism for ‘cake,'” he writes in the Guardian.
It’s delicious on its own or served alongside a salad, he says, and while best on the day it is baked ad warm from the oven, it can be reheated and eaten the next day or frozen for up to a month.
Note: Be aware that if you are using regular polenta, it needs to soak in a bowl of water for one to two hours.
Claudia Alexander has been happily cooking for family and friends for more than three decades. She has a weekly food blog, sweetbynurture.com. Contact her at sweetbynurture@gmail.com.
RECIPE
Savory polenta cake
Serves 8 to 10
1 cup corn kernels, from 2 small ears of corn; frozen is fine, too
1½ cup of yellow polenta
2 whole eggs, room temperature
¼ cup dark brown sugar
3 to 4 scallions chopped (heaping ½ cup)
½ cup olive oil and more for greasing the pan
1 ½ cups plain yogurt (I use non-fat)
1 jalapeno finely chopped (seeded if you want the flavor but not the heat)
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Photo by Claudia Alexander
Using polenta in cornbread gives it good flavor and texture.Topping:
½ cup crumbled feta
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup sliced red onions
1 jalapeno seeds removed and cut into thinly slices (optional)
Put the polenta in a medium bowl and cover with about 1 inch of water. Cover with a plate and let sit for one to two hours or overnight.
Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Oil the bottom and sides of a 10- to 12-inch cast iron skillet. Set aside.
When the polenta is ready, drain it and let it sit in a colander over a bowl until you are ready to use it. In another medium-sized bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cumin, Aleppo pepper, salt and black pepper.
Sauté the corn kernels in a dry skillet until it gets brown specks — let it cool on a small plate.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, yogurt and olive oil. Pour in the drained polenta and mix with a large wooden spoon, add the diced jalapeno and the dry ingredients, combine until evenly distributed.
Pour the polenta mixture into the prepared skillet. Sprinkle both cheeses evenly over the top of it along with the red onions and the sliced jalapeno, if using.
Place in the oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Check after 40 minutes and if the top is getting too brown, tent it loosely with foil or parchment paper. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes before serving.
— Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Simple”
"cake" - Google News
June 02, 2021 at 02:05AM
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A twist on Yotam Ottolenghi’s savory polenta cake - Marin Independent Journal
"cake" - Google News
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