I began feeling odd four days ago. That tight, headachey feeling in my head. The flickering feverish feeling that wouldn't go away, even after hot showers with lemon verbena scrub, or peppermint and thyme baths. Three days ago I made some lovely sardine toasts, with Thai sardines and hot sauce. I couldn't even think of eating them. Then I made roasted walnuts with rosemary and hot peppers, salt and thyme. I scraped them into a jar and put them in the cupboard. The more I couldn't eat, the hungrier I got.
*
That's when I remembered polenta. Creamy, wonderful polenta made with roasted chicken broth and finely ground cornmeal, which I've been eating for three days now, graduating from a baby rice cereal texture, to a hardier almost-polenta-cake. I even added a little cheese today.
I've watched a lot of the Cooking Channel, new to me. I fumed over a horrible book about politics and agribusiness called The End of Food, and could only breathe when I got to the last chapter, one that airily mentions locavores, farmers markets and organic farms, dubiously. I looked out the window a lot. Now that I'm on the mend, I'm back to scribbling down recipes for Thanksgiving and hoping for an oozy, cheesey and veggie laden forkful of omelet.
*
Creamy Polenta with roasted chicken broth and cheddar
Makes 2 servings or so
2 cups roasted chicken broth or stock
1/2 t. kosher salt
3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
1 t. butter or olive oil
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or parmesan (optional)
Bring the broth or stock, salt, and oil or butter to a boil.
Slowly, very slowly, whisk in the cornmeal, tablespoon by tablespoon. If you dump it in quickly, it will clump up and will be inedible.
Keep stirring the polenta for another five minutes, adding the cheese, if you're using it.
Pour into a shallow bowl and eat.
You can also make little cakes by oiling ramekins, and pouring the polenta into them.
They can go in the fridge, covered, then unmolded and fried in a skillet for breakfast.
Be well!
A year ago :
2 years ago:
8 comments:
I hope you're feeling better soon, Katrina! This looks wonderful.
I have to tell you, my little six (soon to be seven) year old grandson, Gordie, asked me to make him a recipe book yesterday, with all my favorites. Your pumpkin cookies were number one in the book, and he "made" them (with a little help from Papa) for his brother's birthday party. So cute. He tells me he wants to be a chef!! I believe it, since he was 2 or 3 he's been "cooking" stuff in the kitchen. ;o)
Aaron - I have no doubt Gordie will be one fantastic chef! Surrounded by your beautiful vegetable gardens, nurtured by one very creative Grandfather in all the arts - well, it doesn't surprise me at all. So happy those pumpkin cookies were #1! Still a little wobbly, but definitely on the mend. I think.
I love polenta, either the Italian style or the American southern and Cuban style yellow cornmeal mush... (and grits ;-)... This recipe sounds delicious, Kat...It is going into my 'to try sooner than later' list.
Aaron, how can Gordie not want to be a chef surrounded as he is with all that wonderful food you grow and cook! Will he be a Renaissance man like his grandfather??? Probably! We need to keep our eyes on this young man...
Hi Sonia -
What's funny is that when I lived in the South, I hated grits! Older and wiser, I suppose.....
So..what was it? Flu? Cold? Who knows???
To be honest, I've never had polenta. Perhaps I will give this recipe a try 'cuz if anyone would have wonderful polenta, I am sure it would be you.
Hope you are feeling much, much better.
Barb, I have no idea what it is/was. Slowly feeling better, but a little tottery. Thanks for your good wishes, and do try the polenta sometime!
Mmm mmm polenta! Perfect for the cooler weather. I sure hope you're feeling better!
On the mend, chefs - and feeling better each day!
And thanks for swinging by -
Post a Comment