Polentless

I usually shop at a supermarket that I describe as upper middle class (no, not Whole Foods). On occasion, I venture to a more, um, blue collar store for certain items. Not wanting to make two stops, I found myself unable to buy polenta for this spinach lasagna (with polenta instead of pasta) that the Spoonstress and I have been digging.

In my blissful ignorance, I didn't really know what polenta was, just that it was some sort of vegetarian grain concoction sold in tubes. I later learned on www.polenta.net that "Polenta is a traditional Italian dish, similar to cornmeal mush, and is widely used all over Italy." They had me at mush! Apparently, the tubes I buy are precooked to save time.

When I got home and informed the Spoonstress of the cheaper store's shortcoming, she had the answer in question form--why not make polenta?

As usual, she was right. Two sentences in the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home cookbook say it all: "To make 3 cups of polenta, bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add 1 cup of cornmeal in a thin, steady stream while whisking briskly." That's easier than saying 'whisking briskly' three times fast.

After that, you simmer and stir on low heat for 10 minutes and add salt and butter to taste. Even I can manage that.

We haven't made the lasagna yet, so its taste remains a mystery. But it'd have to be pretty bad to make me pay $3 for a tube of water and corn meal.