Polenta, the homiest Italian comfort food, is a cinch to make and it's good for you, too. Prepare a big pot and eat it the first night with lots of melting butter and cheese. Then use the leftovers to make simple polenta cakes such as these. Polenta will keep up to a week in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap.
These cakes take minutes to pan-fry; the results have a crisp skin and creamy interior. They are great topped with sautéed vegetables, fresh chopped tomatoes, roasted peppers, cooked meat or simply a little cheese. Or serve them with a dollop of your favorite prepared tomato sauce and cheese.
Here, they are crowned with sautéed spinach and lots of parsley, a few shallots and assertive blue cheese. These cakes can be made early in the day, then warmed on a cookie sheet until ready to serve (but the greens should be cooked fresh and eaten right away).
Throughout the region, several farmers are growing corn to mill into cornmeal for polenta and corn bread. Freshly milled corn is remarkably different from what's available in most stores. The fresh cornmeal tastes more "corny" and the polenta, breads and muffins it makes are more fragrant and moist.
If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some, store it in the refrigerator (or for a longer period, in the freezer). Some CSA (community-supported agriculture) farmers include it in their weekly shares. For more information, go to the Minnesota Grown Website (www.mda.state.mn.us) and check its directory.
Beth Dooley is a Minneapolis author and cooking instructor.
