"polenta" news and stories

How the Napoleon went from puff pastry and pastry cream to stacks of eggplant, polenta and mozzarella is sort of a mystery, but whatever you call these leaning towers of aubergine, cornmeal mush, tomatoes and basil, count me in. Photographer haraldwalker made his from vegan cook Joanna Vaught's Yellow Rose Recipes, but, if you don't have the book handy, try this epicurious recipe, which sounds very similar.

And if you want to keep your polenta and eggplant closer to earth, this parmigiana recipe might do the trick.

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If layered dishes like eggs benedict are your idea of bliss but Canadian bacon and hollandaise sauce give you pause, this garlicky chard and creamy polenta combo may be the answer to your breakfast prayers. Especially if you start with farm-fresh eggs, as blogger patentandthepantry did here. The yolk of an egg you buy from a farmer on the day it's laid is usually sunflower yellow and much more intensely flavored than those of conventional eggs from the market.

Fans of polenta with eggs might like them in a mustard sauce, as in this recipe. And if you prefer your polenta without the eggs, Curtis Stone offers a rich goat's-milk cheese and Parmesan recipe at Kitchen Daily.

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• The personal is political, and nothing's more personal than food. L.A.'s city council is acting accordingly, with numerous food initiatives -- including some controversial ones.
• Polenta made right is an essential comfort food -- and easy, too.
• Gutsy, affordable, fun: The Lazy Ox Canteen in downtown L.A. is all that and then some.
• The 2007 Maculan Brentino, a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is the wine of the week and it won't empty your wallet.
• When a German baker and a German baking tool converge at the same Huntington Beach bakery, an authentic taste of Deutschland results -- in the form of towering baumkuchen (tree cakes).

Polenta Pizza. Photo: The Brown-Eyed Baker.

There are few combinations more satisfying than starch and fat. It's why hamburgers and macaroni and cheese always seem to please even the most picky eaters. Add a few colorful vegetables to the mix and you have a meal that covers the food groups and catches the eye, like this pizza from the Brown-Eyed Baker.

But this is not your typical slice. In addition to the square Sicilian cut, what you may not see right away is that the crust is made of crispy polenta and topped off with deliciously rich bacon and Fontina cheese, as well as a healthy dose of vegetables (cremini mushrooms, baby spinach and a Roma tomato).

[Via The Brown Eyed Baker]

In my humble blogger-y opinion, polenta (it's made from dried cornmeal and can be made from scratch or purchased pre-made, often in log form) is a highly unappreciated food. It's pretty simple to make and use, and its mild flavor makes it a natural accompaniment to many recipes.

Hence, why I was thrilled to stumble upon Joe's Three-Cheese Polenta Pie in our Slashfood Flickr group.

In this case, Joe uses the polenta as a thick, hearty shell for his delectable three-cheese pie. The finished product comes out similar to a quiche or a cheesecake, and Joe tops it with a marinara sauce, though you could douse it with just about any hearty sauce (I might even top it with a little basil pesto).

Check out the recipe, which utilizes polenta made from scratch, so roll up your sleeves and get to work! And once you see the awesomeness and adaptability that is polenta, you'll want to get started on all of the other polen-tastic recipes our readers have shared.