Corn Meal Mush (Polenta)

PREPARATION

• 1/2 CU Arrowhead Mills Stone Ground Yellow Corn Meal
• 1/2 CU Apple Juice ( Cranberry tastes good too )
• Soak for 1-12 hours ( overnight works best for me )

INGREDIENTS

• 2 CU boiling hot water
• Two eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion – minced
• Zest and juice from one lemon
• 1/4 C cream
• 4 TBL butter

STEP BY STEP

1. Whisk or strain dry corn meal before anything to assure there are no dry clumps
2. Soak your corn meal overnight – see above
3. The next morning, remove anything that has floated to the top.
4. Bring water to a boil
5. As water is heating, mix corn meal and apple juice in with the egg, salt, onion and lemon
6. Add corn meal mush to boiling water a spoonful at a time, whisking constantly
7. NEVER bring back to a full boil
8. Stir frequently for five minutes
9. Whisk in 4 TBL softened butter ( and optionally Parmesan cheese )
10. Cover and cook over reduced heat 30 minutes
11. Stir every 3-5 minutes – cook until thickened
12. Stir in cream and several tabs of butter.
13. Serve with milk and/or sugar
14. Top (or side) with a poached egg

NOTES and VARIATIONS

• Optional and best: grind your own corn meal from corn
• Try with 2 TBL pecarino cheese ( or other goat cheese )
• The Many Faces of Polenta
  • Called polenta in Spain and Italy
  • Called Grits in the Southern United States
  • Czech Republic name: Kukuřičná Mouka
  • Hominy Grits are more common in the South U.S. They have a larger and more coarse texture than cornmeal