I'm slowly waking up this morning, my faithful mug filled with wonderfully black coffee, piping hot. It's rainy and overcast and I'm watching my neighbors tiptoeing outside to pick up their soggy newspaper. The house is still dark and perfumed with the scent of my freshly toasted parmesan bagel. There is something extremely peaceful about this morning.
Earlier in the week, I noticed the most amazing bagels posted by Cenk at Cafe Fernando. He used a recipe from The Bread Baker's Apprentice
Bagels are one of my favorite forms of bread. They are chewy but can also be crisp when toasted. They can be sweet or savory, used for any meal, and can be dressed up or down as you like. They can even be made into bagel chips!
The bagel recipe begins with a warning by Cenk that there will be kneading by hand involved. Given the quantity and stiffness of the dough, it will likely destroy a standard issue KitchenAid mixer. I'm not worried and figure it can't be all that bad, as I've kneaded bread doughs many times before. So, I lay out my ingredients, already thinking ahead to how I will top the bagels.
I start by making the sponge and allowing it to rise. Next, additional yeast and flour are added. I used my mixer to begin the dough making process but after adding the last cup or so of flour it began to churn and make disturbing noises. I flipped it off and turned my blob of dough onto my work surface for kneading.
I kneaded the dough into a ball and at this point there is a remaining 3/4 cup of flour that you must knead into the dough. It sounds easy. I begin with a sprinkling of flour and realize it may be more difficult than first thought. The dough is stiff and from its chunky texture, I realize that I will likely be kneading longer than 10 minutes.
I push and roll the dough, continually moving it and working it. The muscles in my arms begin to slowly burn, and with each kneading movement they tighten and burn more. My calves started to also burn and it was then that I realized I was on the tips of my toes. I kneaded the bread on top of my wood cutting board which is 1.5" thick, so in order to get the right leverage on the stiff dough I needed to be higher. I didn't have a stool handy, so continued to work out my calves as well.
At this point, only about 5 minutes had passed. My breathing steadily increased throughout the kneading process and it was then that I hatched my latest idea ... a workout video based on bread baking. I can see it now, "Don't be a dough boy - knead your way to tighter buns" or "Need abs? Knead dough!".
After a few expletives and seriously determined to never read Cafe Fernando again, my kneading stopped, somewhere around 15 minutes. It seemed like an eternity. I used a high-gluten bread flour which is suggested, while Cenk used all-purpose flour which required double the kneading time. He must be in amazing shape.
The dough is cut into 12 portions and shaped into balls. It's important to take this step seriously as it determines the final shape of your bagels. For a perfect looking bagel, make a nicely round and smooth ball. After the balls rest for 20 minutes, they are then given their signature hole by using your thumb. Just poke it through the center of the ball until it touches your forefinger, then work it around to stretch out the center as desired.
Place bagels on greased baking sheet and allow to rest another 20 minutes then place into the fridge overnight. The next morning, mine looked like this:
I prepared the boiling water in which to boil the bagels, then set up plates with my topping ingredients. I used a mix of grated parmesan and crushed black pepper, freshly chopped rosemary, sesame seeds, and cinnamon/oatmeal/brown sugar.
After the bagels boiled for 2 minutes (I wanted mine extra-chewy), I allowed them to cool for a few seconds before dipping them in my ingredients. I suggest rolling them around so all sides are covered. In retrospect, I might use a bit of egg wash next time to help the sesame to adhere. After they baked, the seeds flaked off easily. Here are my bagels awaiting the hot oven:
I baked the bagels for a full 15 minutes until I achieved a golden-brown color. I cooled on a wire rack for a few minutes before splitting the first one open. The bagel was chewy and delicious, especially with the slab of butter I put on top of it.
While I expected my favorite topping to be sesame seeds, it turned out to be the parmesan/black pepper combo. It was the absolute best, so savory and rich. The oatmeal/cinnamon/brown sugar was a last minute idea and it tasted surprisingly good.
So, was it worth the effort? Of course, and I will make them again. I might even begin reading Cafe Fernando again :-)
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Freshly made bagels, chewy and delicious!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Creamy congee (jook) is so comforting
One of my favorite comfort foods is a thick and savory rice porridge. It's often considered a breakfast item but can be eaten for any meal. It is often called congee or jook and comes in a variety of flavors ranging from plain to abalone and chicken. Joe always orders one that is a mixture of pork parts (tripe, kidney, etc.). Since I'm not a fan of internal organs, I usually opt for something terribly non-exotic like 'chicken' or 'beef'. Regardless, I loved it so much that I started making it at home.
Generally, my congee is made using leftover cooked rice. It can be made from uncooked rice, but takes a bit longer. Last night I made plenty of rice so I could make congee this morning. However, I didn't think it all the way through and realized this morning that I didn't have any chicken broth on hand. No worries, congee is versatile and I made a more simple version.
Many of us have had rice in soup, but congee takes rice one step further. The rice cooks until it begins to break apart. The starch thickens the liquid and creates a creamy consistency. The bits of remaining rice are soft and extremely tender. Since it's easily digestible, it's often one of the first foods a child learns to eat. Many mothers make it to soothe their sick children when they are at home sick. It's comforting and nourishing.
I made a plain version today, then dressed it up with a few toppings. I used a ratio of 1 part cooked rice to 2 parts liquid. In this case, I used water. As it cooks, you may need to add more water to reach the desired consistency. I also added 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger about mid-way through cooking. Using 5 cups cooked rice, it took about 30 minutes to reach a thick consistency. It's important to lightly simmer and stir often. Once the rice seems softened, I run a whisk through the congee which quickly breaks up the rice.
Typically, I would use chicken broth which adds much more flavor. Here is the naked version before toppings are added:
I boiled a few eggs and sliced for the top. I also added some leftover roast pork from last night's dinner. For a bit of veg, I blanched baby bok choy and drizzled with sesame oil. A bit of chili pepper gives it a nice splash of color and spice!
It made for a nice warm breakfast this morning. Unfortunately, we didn't have my favorite accompaniment on hand. It's a long fried salty donut called Yao Tiew -- SteamyKitchen has a great pic of them. You slice it up and dip it into the congee -- YUM!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Do not call my sandwich a 'McPanini'!
Do not call this an 'Egg McPanini' or I'll kick you in the bum! This panini is a culmination of all the things I craved yesterday and is not my interpretation of a McDonald's breakfast sandwich.
The sandwich consists of fresh herbs, cheese, veggies, and eggs on a strong chewy bread. I used my freshly made ciabatta and it worked perfectly. The sandwich turned out to be a whole basket full of adjectives ... sweet, savory, soft, salty, crispy, crunchy, juicy, creamy, etc.
And, I love that paninis make for such an easy to make meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner! Here's a photo of my chubby sandwich before it hit the grill:
As you can see, the goal is to slice your bread in half, then begin layering in the ingredients. Paninis do require the use of a sturdy European style bread, so don't attempt this with Wonder Bread. Ciabatta is the traditional bread for panini and it does work the best.
When layering the panini ingredients, I only have one main rule. I think of cheese as the melty glue that holds everything together as it cooks. Due to this, I place half the cheese on each slice of bread. After this point, it's a free for all on how you wish to stack it up.
I have a hard time calling a sandwich a 'recipe', so here are the ingredients I used to construct my panini:
Breakfast (or anytime) panini
2 eggs
1 green onion
2 slices bacon, cooked
8 fresh basil leaves
4 cherry tomatoes (or a few tomato slices)
6 slices mozzarella
1 tablespoon grated parmesan
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (in oil)
1/2 cup fresh greens (arugula, sprouts, spinach, etc.)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 4" wide section of ciabatta, sliced horizontally
Salt and pepper to taste
To create the egg omelet, I beat two eggs with a fork and added a chopped green onion. Fry in a skillet until cooked. You can flip it like an omelet or scramble, just try to keep it in a few pieces at most. If you scramble it into small pieces then it will be hard to stack in your panini.
Before closing the sandwich, I sprinkle with salt and pepper, then give a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil - about 1 tablespoon. Slap the two sides of the sandwich together and prepare to grill it up.
The secret here is that you don't need a panini maker. Yes, I have one but let's face it, this isn't rocket science. A panini is a pressed, grilled sandwich. You can place the sandwich in a skillet while using another heavy skillet to place on top of the sandwich while it cooks, you can use a bacon press if you have one, or you can even exert force with the back of your spatula.
I preheated the panini maker, then drizzled the top of the bread with a tablespoon of olive oil before shutting the lid. Sometimes, I sprinkle the top with fresh rosemary or minced garlic before closing the lid. I pressed down for 30 seconds to flatten the panini. Juices that aren't captured by the bread run out and sizzle on the grill -- from the sound, you know it's going to be good. It took about 3-4 minutes to get all melted and crispy. Remove, slice and EAT!
The panini started off as a quick dinner idea last night, but the end result caught me off guard. It tasted so much better than anticipated and that's why I'm writing about it here. The combination of flavors and textures were gratifying after a long day of work. My favorite toppings are the basil (it's a must-have) and the roasted red peppers. These two flavors worked so well with the egg and cheese.
Unfortunately, last night's panini was the last of ciabatta bread. Sad. I need to make a grocery run before I can make any more bread -- maybe, I'll do that tonight, so I can make more paninis!
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Orange marmie muffins with cardamom pine nut streusel
The star ingredient for these muffins is my very own 'marmie' (orange marmalade). The muffins are light and sweet with ribbons of orange peel running throughout. They are topped with a pine nut and cardamom spiced streusel which adds a crunchy texture. I'm in love with this creation, especially since it puts my many jars of marmalade to good use.
I've been thinking about this recipe for a few days, determined to find a use for my marmalade. I toyed with the idea of using it as a center for the muffin but was concerned whether it would just melt away. I considered combining it with cream cheese to create and a creamy orange center. At the end, I decided to stir the marmalade into the batter and create a strong orange flavor in the muffins with bits of sweet orange peel scattered throughout.
The pine nut streusel came to me as I was trying to figure out how to jazz these muffins up a bit more. Orange muffins sound great, but not all that exciting on their own. I recently made an orange icing for an orange cake, but decided it would be repetitive if I went down the icing path. Streusel came to mind and then I remembered there were pine nuts in my pantry.
Usually, cinnamon is my spice of choice in baked goods. I reached for the jar and then realized I hadn't used my newly purchased cardamom. The mix of orange with pine nuts and cardamom intrigued me. The three flavors seemed as though they would blend nicely together, so I gave it a shot. I was not disappointed with the end result. Cardamom has a fresh pine-like flavor, or at least I think so :-) You get a hint of it mixed with the toasty rich taste of the pine nuts. Both the spice and nuts mixed perfectly with the orange muffins.
Heaven. Simply, wonderful. The aroma coming from the oven was overpowering and I knew I was on to something magically good. The muffins rose up beautifully and the streusel (heavily sugar based) created a sweet crust on top. I considered going with a more flour-based streusel to make it more like shortbread crumbles. I might try this next time, but enjoyed the crispy coating this streusel created.
After the muffins cooled (and I had eaten one), I took the photos. As I finished cleaning up, the realization hit me that I had so many muffins (and, I still had a polenta cake on the counter). To make matters worse, I recently froze an entire orange cake since there was no way we could eat it. Seriously, I'm baking way more than two people can consume and I'm not sure what I'm going to do.
Fortunately, my Foodsaver came to the rescue and I sealed a few muffins for freezing. There's a limit to how much our freezer can hold though, so this method won't last for long.
For now, the majority of muffins are frozen. I will make them again and play with the recipe some more, but overall it's pretty solid and good as-is.
I base most of my muffin recipes off from my great-grandmother's recipe and find that it never fails. Below you find the details for making these muffins, if you try them let me know!
Orange marmie muffins
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cardamom pine nut streusel
1/2 cup pine nuts, half of them chopped finely
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
2 tablespoons butter, softened
When making muffins, I don't follow alot of procedure. Muffin batter is pretty forgiving and I'm not one to fuss around. Add the dry muffin ingredients to a mixing bowl, add wet ingredients, and stir to combine. Simple! Pour into a greased muffin tin, filling each muffin cup 2/3 full.
For the streusel, use a fork (or your fingers) to mush the ingredients together. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon over the top of each muffin.
Bake the muffins in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins test done. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the muffin pan. Makes 12 muffins.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Breakfast spaetzle with peppers and scallions
I've been thinking about spaetzle ever since reading a post from Francois-Xavier at FXcuisine. He made an amazing apple spaetzle as a dessert - it looks so good. It made me think about a trip I took with a friend to her hometown of Chicago when we were in college. Her Austrian grandmother made us all sorts of food including spaetzle served with a meat stew. It's one of those foods that isn't just a meal, it's a memory.
This morning I woke up inspired to make spaetzle for the first time. I enjoy making breakfast on the weekend, but this was even more special since I got to get my hands dirty.
Breakfast spaetzle
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 roasted red pepper
2 scallions chopped
2 tablespoons butter
Place flour on a work surface and create a well in the center. Crack 2 eggs into well and add milk. Use a fork to whisk the milk and egg together, then slowly extend outward to work in the flour until a dough forms. 
I eventually gave up on the fork and use my fingertips. The dough came together in a matter of a minute or two. Give it a few kneads and form into a ball. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes. The dough becomes much softer and stickier.
Heat a shallow pan of water. There are tools
I tried using a slotted spoon to push the dough through and it wasn't very easy. I decided to take matters into my own hands (literally) and placed the ball of dough into my right hand. With my left hand, I pulled off a strip of dough about 1" long and allowed it to drop into the boiling water. The spaetzle turned out a bit larger than normal, but looked wonderful.
When they start to float, they are done. It took just a couple minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. I cooked the spaetzle in two batches. Next, heat a skillet and add the butter. Add spaetzle to skillet and turn to coat in butter. Fry until they begin to take on a little color, then add the scallions and roasted red pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes.
I didn't want to dirty another pan, so I cracked the 2 remaining eggs into the spaetzle water and poached for 3 minutes. Place the spaetzle on a plate and place poached eggs on top. Before eating, run your knife through the egg so the yolk oozes down into the spaetzle.
This made for a wonderful Sunday morning breakfast. It came together quickly and looked like it took much longer. The spaetzle are dense and chewy, just the way I like my pasta. The spaetzle texture makes it easy for the little guys to latch onto the butter (or other sauce you may put with them). The scallions and pepper gave just enough flavor without overpowering the spaetzle.
I'm going to play around with the spaetzle a bit further. It's versatile and would work in so many different preparations. I have a million ideas for how to use it in both savory and sweet dishes. I don't know where to begin first!
You might also like these posts:
Hittin' the vodka sauce
Are you looking at my buns?
Frenched eggs
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Are you looking at my buns?
Happy Valentine's Day!
Another Valentine's Day is upon us -- I didn't really know what to do this year for Joe. I made him a card and decided to replicate one of his favorite Chinese baked goods for breakfast on Valentine's morning. I'm bummed that they won't be fresh, since they take way too long to make in the morning. I'm making them the night before and will have to hide them well.
If you've never been to a Chinese bakery, you are missing out. The buns are so tender and lightly sweet, not gobs of icing like American baked goods. I'm planning to make the Chinese Cocktail Bun, also known as Gai Mei Bao.
Cocktail buns are a light yeast dough filled with a coconut/butter/egg mixture that is so buttery good. The buns are given a honey glaze, a few sesame seeds, and a few crunchy sugar stripes. Traditionally, they received the name cocktail as they contained a filling made from day-old buns mushed up and mixed with flavorings, or a 'cocktail' of ingredients. Hmmmm, sounds tasty.
We are lucky to have a few Asian shopping centers nearby and one in particular has my favorite Chinese bakery. We usually get the cocktail buns and a few egg tarts. I am pretty surprised to see how easy these buns are to make. I'm not gonna lie, they take plenty of time as there are two rising cycles, each taking 1-2 hours. But overall, it's pretty straightforward. You can find the various recipes I used from the following sites:
Dough
Filling
Topping (the stripes across the top)
The buns are comprised of several components: the dough, the filling, and the topping. The dough came together quickly and I let it raise for 1.5 hours. Next time, I might let it go a bit longer. Although the dough is exactly the right flavor, it wasn't quite as light as I'd hoped it would be. Maybe I didn't let it rise long enough (?). I noticed some recipes said to let raise for up to 4 hours (eeek!).
Easy to make, the coconut filling is good but isn't quite the right consistency. It's a little crumbly and mostly coconut. I might add another egg yolk and a bit more butter and sugar, and reduce the coconut by a 1/4 cup.
The buns are known for having the 'stripes' of crunchy sugar topping but the dough/filling recipes I used didn't mention this topping. I used a third recipe for this piece only. The recipe from the site is formatted incorrectly, so some measurements display funny characters instead of the measurements. I had to guess on the amount of butter and only used 1 oz. I think it should have been 1.5 oz. Normally, the stripes seep into the dough but mine didn't change shape which leads me to believe there needed to be more butter.
Otherwise, everything came out perfectly. When they start baking, the yeasty sweet smell is intoxicating. They baked for nearly 18 minutes before I took them out of the oven. I glazed with honey wash immediately and topped with toasted sesame seeds.
Updates
Joe had to get up early this morning for work, so we exchanged cards and gifts last night before going to bed. It was nearly midnight, so technically Valentine's Day. He was surprised by the buns and liked them (even though they weren't as light and airy as the bakery). I was disappointed that the buns dried out quickly. I put them into a container right after they cooled, but 5 hours later when Joe came home the dough was firm and a bit dry.
The pea soup from the other day is nearly gone. Like any soup, it tasted better every day that it sat in the fridge. It becomes thicker, but you can always thin it out with a bit of water.
You might also like these posts:
Traditional shortbread cookies
Cherry clafouti, a delicious custard cake
My favorite plum tart
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Poaching pods and black century eggs
While shopping yesterday, Joe pointed out a neat little gadget for poaching eggs. He said that he noticed it as Christmas and had considered it as a stocking stuffer, but went in a different direction and ended up not buying it. Yes, these are the sorts of things I like to find in my stocking. For graduation from college, I asked my parents for a KitchenAid mixer. 
I've been poaching alot of eggs recently to cut back on frying, so it seemed the Fusion Poach Pods
When the egg is poached to your liking, pull out the pod and tip the egg out onto your plate. No mess! No losing half your egg to the water! The pods cost $9.95 for two which isn't too much to pay for the convenience they provide. They're easy to clean with soap and water, but if you're feeling less adventurous they are dishwasher safe as well. The package states they are safe up to 675 degrees, so they can be used as baking cups too.
I played with the pods, while Joe made a steamed custard from recently purchased century eggs and salted duck eggs. Being Chinese, these are delicacies he enjoys ... I tend to stay away from them. I'm not a fan of fermented eggs. The century eggs are black and the yolk is a creamy green/black color. I do shy away from extreme foods, call me a whimp, I don't mind.
I made a simple poached egg on toast and he made the custard, the base of which was 3 chicken eggs cracked and whipped with a fork. He sliced 1 century egg and 1 preserved duck egg and combined with the chicken eggs. He added about 1/2 cup water and mixed to blend. The dish is placed into a steamer and cooked for about 10 minutes until set. Joe poured a bit of soy sauce over it and would normally serve it with rice, but had it with toast instead. 
The poaching pods worked well -- I enjoyed the novelty of it the most. They're also pleasing to look at :-) Joe's custard turned out good, of course I'm taking his word for it. He has turned me on to making savory custards with things other than black eggs, so I'll have to post about them soon. 
Time to run for today -- gotta let the pup out before heading to my brother's for Super Bowl Sunday. Unfortunately, Bobby did not have any eggs for breakfast, but he enjoyed laying by our feet as we cooked up a storm. Hope you're all having a great Sunday.
You might also like these posts:
Poached egg with basil and meyer lemon confit
Frenched eggs
Food Fight #3: Eggs (round-up)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Poached egg with basil and meyer lemon confit
Ok, enough with the meyer lemons already, right? Well, as I worked away in my office this morning, my mind kept drifting toward lunch. I haven't had eggs in a long time due to my recent dietary adventures, so they've been on my mind.
In theory, I could have an egg. But one egg without alot of the other good stuff that goes with them just seems futile. Sam's confit stuck in my head from the other day and I wondered how it would be with a bit of basil, drizzled over a perfectly poached egg ... and so began my lunch break.
I sliced a meyer lemon thinly and covered with olive oil, then set the whole thing to low for an hour. Mid-way through I tossed in about a dozen small basil leaves. As my confit was nearing an end, I poached an egg and balanced it on a thin and super crispy slice of bread. I added a bit of the lemons and drizzled a teaspoon of the oil over the egg. A dash of freshly ground black pepper and ... ta-dah!
I cannot describe how flavorful and decadent it tasted. The yolk of the egg mixed with the lemony oil and basil ... amazing. Simply. Amazing.
And, given the ingredients/quantities I used, this turned out to be only 5 of the troublesome Weight Watcher points.
You might also like these posts:
Zucchini & meyer lemon muffins
Poaching the perfect egg
Food Fight #3: Eggs (round-up)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Frenched Eggs (recipe)
Eggs are one of my favorite foods -- from sweet to savory, eggs work well in all situations. I chose eggs as the theme for this month's Food Fight, as the ingredient fit nicely with the Easter holiday soon approaching.
For the Food Fight, I decided to make a simple, savory meal -- one I created recently. I call it 'frenched' eggs. The dish came about one weekend while I was figuring out what to make for dinner. I love the sweet, richness of french onion soup but didn't have any beef broth. My pantry and fridge were fairly bare, but I did have a few basics on hand. I decided to utilize the flavors of french onion soup but use it as a background for baked eggs.
This meal makes a good breakfast, but also works well for a light lunch or dinner. Enjoy!
Frenched Eggs
2 eggs
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4" slices
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese (swiss works well too)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper
My preference is to use an iron skillet, but any pan will do. Place over medium heat adding butter and olive oil. When melted, add the sliced onions and sprinkle with sugar to help in the carmelization. Cook onions for 10 minutes until they turn a golden brown, do not stir too often as you want them to carmelize.
Crack eggs on top of the onions and season with salt/pepper. Sprinkle cheese around the eggs, then add the thyme. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until eggs are set. If you prefer over-easy, cover the pan with a lid so that the top of the egg is also cooked.
Serve with crispy slices of bread. Serves 2.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Quaker Oats Announces Chocolate for Breakfast
Debuting this month, Quaker Oats brings chocolate and oat fiber together for an adult focused cereal called, "Life Chocolate Oat Crunch". Although this may not sound enticing intially, I'll hold judgement until I've tried it.
With 3 grams of fiber (1 soluble gram fiber), 2 servings of whole grains, and 10 essential vitamins the cereal seeks to ride the chocolate trend by bringing it to the one meal where it seems to be lacking most -- breakfast.
An article from the Food Processing Magazine quotes Jordan LeBel, associate professor at Cornell University and one of the leading experts on emerging chocolate trends as stating, "The chocolate trend is on the rise and it's showing up in the most unexpected places — from fashion runways to indulgent spa products."
Has anyone found this cereal in their store and tried it? I'm curious if it's worth the effort.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Polenta Isn't Just for Dinner
Have you ever tried polenta from the grocery store ... you've probably seen it in a sausage-like tube, glowing with an odd yellowish color and the subtle smell of vomit? It's disgusting and turned us off to the entire idea. After watching a Food Network show recently, we decided to give it another try, but this time we would make it ourselves.
Polenta is made from coarsely ground corn which is cooked into a thick porridge. It can be served in various grades of thickness, from a mashed potatoes consistency or solidified and cut into slabs. Polenta is versatile and can be served plain or can have a variety of ingredients added to it -- mushrooms, cheese, herbs. We found the consistency to be enjoyable, a creamy thickness that had the versatility to be either savory or sweet based on what you put with it.
You can find uncooked polenta in your local grocery store where flour and other grains are sold. We used Bob's Red Mill brand and found it worked quite well. The recipe that follows if for a very basic polenta that is thick -- it's served in slices and is perfect for any meal.
Heat 6 cup water with 1 tsp. salt over high 
heat and bring to a boil. Stir in 2 cups polenta and reduce to a simmer. It's important at this point to keep the mixture moving using a strong wooden spoon. Stir for ~30 minutes -- the mixture will thicken immediately, but the consistency and thickness will continue to develop during the 30 minutes. It's important to keep stirring, don't give up ... you'll build a few muscles, it's all good!
After 30 minutes, stir in 3 Tbs. butter until blended. Pour the polenta into a greased baking dish and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. The polenta will become firm and can be sliced at this point. The polenta can be refrigerated or frozen for later use. We discovered that making a large batch allowed for the leftovers to frozen, so quick meals could be whipped up when working late.
When you make polenta, you must (yes, this is a firm requirement), use polenta as a breakfast item. We cannot describe how amazing it tastes once fried and served with something sweet (see suggestion below). YUM!
Serving Suggestions:
