Blue Cheese Polenta

Name: Blue Cheese Polenta
Yield: 9x13 inch pan
Ingredients: 48 oz cold water; 1 1/2 cups stone ground cornmeal; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, freshly grated; 1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped; 2 Tbsp thyme, chopped; 1 cup blue cheese (e.g., Maytag), crumbled; 2 oz unsalted butter; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

9 ingredients•10 steps•9x13 inch pan

Fine Cooking Magazine, Vol. 31, March 1999, p. 22

1
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish well and set aside.
2
Pour the cold water into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the polenta gradually, stirring constantly.
3
Continue to stir until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 40 minutes.
4
As soon as the polenta is fully cooked, add the nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, butter, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
5
Pour the mixture onto the prepared dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap; there should be no ridges on the surface.
6
Chill the polenta in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight, until firm.
7
Cut into shapes (squares, diamonds, or circles) and place on a baking sheet, leaving room between them.
8
Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for 20 minutes.
9
Remove from oven, sprinkle blue cheese on top, and brown under the broiler until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
10
Serve immediately.

💡 Cook's Notes

Polenta fits somewhere between grits, cornbread, and Thanksgiving stuffing, but with a lot more flavor. This recipe is peppery and greenish in color because of the herbs. For a time-saving shortcut, tubular store-bought polenta can work in a pinch, especially if cooked in a turbo-oven or cyclone-type cooker (12 minutes at 375°F, low fan speed).