5 delicious ways with polenta

I'm starting a nifty new series! Each Monday, I'll highlight a cheap + cheerful ingredient, giving you a delicious handful of ideas on how to make the most of it. First up is quick-cook Polenta - a cheap and cheerful gluten-free pantry basic made of ground corn.

Here’s 5 ideas of how to cook with Polenta:

1. Create a luxurious bowl of fancy porridge. Cook the polenta as you would with oats, stirring constantly until thick and velvety. I use oat milk as the base and serve with a splash of cream for pure indulgence. It's elevated to perfection with some berries, cinnamon and maple syrup.

2. Whip up a beautifully golden mash to serve alongside a comforting stew. Also makes a fabulous pie topping as an alternative to potato mash. Simply cook with a pat of butter and vegetable stock, then stir in some parmesan at the end to add an extra kick.

3. Experience the joy of polenta chips! Crunchy, salty and comforting, they're perfect in these colder winter months, especially with some garlicky aioli for dipping. Find my recipe over on the VIVA website.

4. Bake a cake! Polenta can be a fantastic alternative to flour, especially when combined with almond meal and citrus. Find my fragrant orange cake recipe on the Food to Love website.

5. Use polenta to create a crunchy coating on fish, chicken or schnitzel. Crumbed tofu is another idea! Dip into egg first, and then coat in seasoned polenta before grilling or frying in the pan. I also recommend adding freshly chopped aromatic herbs such as rosemary, sage or thyme to the coating.

Don't have polenta in your pantry? Now you must add it to your shopping list! Keen for more ideas like these? stay tuned for next week! Happy cooking. Eleanor x

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