AIBU to think polenta is a waste of time and effort?

[Hkakge]

I made polenta for the first time yesterday. Lots of stirring and trying to stop it sticking to the pan. Used a stock cube and parmesan cheese and it tasted like savoury wallpaper paste.
Tried to use the leftovers today, followed a recipe which said it makes amazing 'polenta chips', they did not work, they fell apart and soaked up loads of oil and were inedible.
Is it worth trying again with polenta or not?

Well, I love it! Do you think you got it right-in which case you just don’t like it, which is obviously fine- or maybe you made it too thick? What did you have it with?

Nah it's shit. Juice isn't worth the squeeze.

Had it with meatballs in tomato sauce, that part of it was lush

My mother used to feed it to the chickens on our farm. We never, ever ate it.
I'm still not keen.

It’s awful stuff 🤢

@CurlewKate . I honestly hate it. But just in case….. how do you cook it?

I buy the ready made polenta in lidl that you can slice then dip in egg and parmesan then air fryer. Its lovely.

Making it from scratch you gave to get the right balance of stock so that it has a decent flavour I think.

Awful stuff,I lived in Italy for years,never understood the love for it,my husband was at a work dinner once,polenta with 2 whole thrushes on top….just yuck.

Can't stand the stuff.

I really like polenta, but like a PP, I just buy the ready-made stuff in lidl. Cut in slices, fried in a mix of butter and olive oil, it is lovely.

I'm with you OP. Awful stuff

I like it as a super quick meal. But only add pepper to the polenta and have all the flavour in the toppings. Basically use like mash potato but quicker to prepare.

Sounds gross. I make mine with butter and garlic and top it with a poached egg and fried mushrooms. Simple, heavenly.

I eat pretty much anything but l made polenta once years ago and have steered clear of it since.

Nah. Literally peasant food.

Thrushes, as in birds?!

I made it once and it was AMAZING. Then I made it again and it was AWFUL. I'm not sure what happened. I am now very wary to try again.

I hate seeing a good cake ruined by polenta.

I love it but it does have to be well seasoned.
I generally find the quick cook stuff far easier then add roasted garlic paste, smoked paprika and cheese served thinner if having with a stew or sauce or do thick style then fry in wedges.

You have to dry fry or air fry for good crisp polenta

It's gluten free so useful. I get the express polenta, follow the instructions on the box, done in 8 mins, great with gravy/sauce dishes when you're bored of mash. Never sticks to the pan, it comes out slightly runnier than mash for me.

Best use is in orange polenta cake though 🍰

This recipe for cheesy polenta with curried onions was my favourite new recipe of the year last year. It’s super rich and delicious- great served with sausages and something green.

I would never make it it looks such a faff, I eat it out somebody else can faff about stirring.

I love it - especially polenta taranga (wholemeal polenta with various cheeses mixed in)

Having said that, I never make it - just eat it at my parents house or from a giant pot at festivals.

Really want to like it but when I make it myself it's just grim and gritty. I obviously need to try it made by someone who actually knows what they're doing.

Ditto for fufu which I managed to equally mangle into something inedible (having paid £6 for a pack of it) but I'd tried it previously made by friends and thought it was tasty.

I use the 8 minute one too, and have a preference for polenta taragna. I never use stock, just water and season it with salt.
I eat it with mushroom ragù as an alternative to pasta, or else stir cheese and butter into it and eat it with sauteed cabbage or other greens. It actually works really well with cheddar as well as strong cheeses like pecorino or Gorgonzola piccante.

I sometimes use it to make Mexican style tortillas to eat with chili.