Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil, or corn oil
1 cup peeled, finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 cup finely diced celery
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
1 tsp chopped basil water
1/2 cup drained stewed tomatoes
2 cup yellow corn grits, -or- cornmeal
1 cup cooked, drained kidney beans
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Saute the carrots, onions,
celery, and garlic, along with the salt, pepper, and basil, for about
8 minutes. Cut the stewed tomatoes into small pieces and add them to
the vegetables, along with the 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer.
Then add the corn grits and kidney beans and mix well. Cook for about
20 minute, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. (The polenta
may take longer than 20 minutes to cook. Check by tasting. It should
have a soft, gritty texture.)
Lightly oil a 2-quart mold and press the polenta into it, working out
any air pockets. Smooth out the surface and allow it to cool to room
temperature. Refrigerate the mold until it is cold. Then unmold the
polenta onto a tray, garnish it, and serve it in slices.
NOTE: If you are using cornmeal instead of corn grits, it is best to
soak the cornmeal separately, in 2 cups of cold water; add the
remaining 2 cups of water to the vegetables and then combine the two
mixtures.
VARIATION: Millet Polenta Use 2 cups of millet and 5 cups of water in
place of the corn grits and the 4 cups of water.
Source: Friendly Foods - by Brother Ron Pickarski, O.F.M. Ten Speed
Press, Berkeley, California ISBN: 0-89815-377-8 Typed for you by
Karen Mintzias
Servings: 8 servings
Polenta (Pickarski) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Bread; Breads
The History of Recipes
It is quite feasible to trace the history of transcribed cooking instructions far back into the distant past, in fact as far into history as pharonic Egypt, and maybe further still. Having said that, mostly, these ancient cookbooks were just simple hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for meal preparation.
Interestingly, the most ancient recipe in existence, according to historians are some stone tablets in ancient Sumerian which recount the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made anyone who drank it feel wonderful and blissful. As we move into The time of the romans 25BC a roman called Apicius created a few scripts showing how to cook the recipes enjoyed by his fellow Romans. In his publication, he recounts how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into starters, main course and afters, known in latin as `Gustatio, Primae Mensae and Secundae Mensae`. Additionally, he describes how the Roman cooks used a good variety of spices and herbs, including some that we all recognise for example thyme, mint and asafoetida. Closer to modern times, we find some books which were published in the 14th Century ; one book titled `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary entitled `Curye on Inglish`. Don`t be fooled by the titles though, they are not about the curry that is served today, but instead accounts of the types of meals enjoyed by the rich people of the period. Later, in the 15th century, people returning from the crusades brought us a variety of foods and herbs from Arab countries, including basil and coriander. The introduction of these new foods and spices was responsible for an increase in manuscripts on food, the majority of which are now in private libraries. During the next few hundred years, the families of Europe strove to serve up the most extravagent meals, and as a consequence, the best cooks and their recipe collections were greatly in demand. Notwithstanding that, it was during the nineteenth century that formal cookery and cookery books rose to prominence. Mrs Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Farmer in the US, devoted their lives to collecting, testing, and writing down the recipes of their peers. By the time we get to the twentieth century, cookbooks were greatly in demand mostly as a result of more people being able to read, more leisure time and having more money. Like it or not, the introduction of TV gave us TV chefs and the demand for the accompanying recipe books. Which brings us neatly to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting everyone to access thousands of recipes such as those found on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Polenta (Pickarski) recipe.
