How the buggery do I cook polenta without it tasting like wallpaper paste?

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

Stupid me went into Carluccio's to buy some bread and came out with a packet of this as well. It's quick cook stuff but we've eaten it before (thanks Jamie Oliver) and it was vile. I never learn!

Add a shot load of parmesan. Its the only way.

Won't it taste like cheesy wallpaper paste? Don't try Jamie Oliver's polenta chips. They are not great at all!

Use it to make cornbread instead of eating it on its own? Other than that I have no clue - it tasted blah when I tried to eat it as a dish in its own right...

Hugh fw has a good recipe in his veg book for polenta chips. They are delicious. But of a faff to make though.

My dad used to add loads of cheese. It was comfort food heaven. Never tried it myself though.

Cornbread?

I don't have Hugh's book

I have lots of cheese! Cheddar, cheap parmesan, philadelphia, bousin. I'm guessing the last two won't help.

Oh. BBC Good Food have a fab recipe for lemon polenta cake. Mmmm

Cook it with stock, add lots of Parmesan, don't make it too wet.
Serve it with a sausage ragu or slow cooked beef shin.

cake? Mmmmm!

half for a lemon cake, half with sausage ragu!

Thank you

Stick up wall paper with it.

Lemon polenta cake, jalapeno polenta muffins or used to coat wedges or prevent pizza base sticking.

I like it made firm, set, cut into cubes and stir fried or barbecued. Haven't done it for years.

Stir fried polenta?

I'm off to google!

I have a lovely recipe for polenta with chicken, which is very easy and quick but uses the blocks of ready-made polenta instead of the dry stuff.

Break your block of polenta into bitesize chunks and put in the bottom of a roasting tin. Drizzle over some olive oil, add a bit of garlic and a healthy amount of grated parmesan. Shake the tin until the polenta is covered in oil and cheese.

Scatter over some cherry tomatoes. Sit 4 portions of chicken (breast or thigh) on top of the tomatoes and add some herbs (rosemary is nice but most italian flavours go well).

Roast until the chick pieces are cooked and the polenta is going crispy and golden on the edges.

Yum.

I had it once on a ski-ing trip in the Alps and was delicious served with puy lentils and some sort of ham. Also, possibly crucially, after it had been boiled up I think it had been baked eg. in loaf tin and then sliced, or sliced and grilled ? I think the boiled version only can be pretty sloppy wall-paper can't it ?
Also needs salt (cf ham ?), cheese, or some savoury assistance I think.
I can completely sympathise with the impulsive shopping - I'm always picking up odd things. But then I'd rather do that than stick to a very strict, basic shopping list. You only live once !
Let us know how it goes ....

I think we might be getting a Carluccio's in town sometime soon.
Perhaps there's hope yet !

You can buy it ready made? I have puy lentils I have poncy stuff in my kitchen and I have no idea what to do with them Boiled can be vile.

I'll take a picture of it for you!

you don't.
vile stuff.
feed it to the birds?

The HFW recipes in the veg book can be found only. I've only made the chilli cheese chips but they were yummy & v moreish...

Chilli, cheese & rosemary polenta

Polenta with mushrooms

There's also several recipes here including a tart that uses polenta as the crust - intriguing...

HFW polenta recipes

I would have stayed in there longer, Juggling, the waiter had a voice I could listen to for hours!

Only? Online!

Don't like mushrooms and ds doesn't like anything spicy

I'll check out HFW's recipe's though, thank you

Yes, I think ready made and then sliced and fried (or grilled ?) is the easiest way forward with polenta. But I'm sure it shouldn't be too hard to get the same effect with the natural variety, and probably actually a superior flavour ?
A picture would be great

Coat parboiled potatoes to make extra crunchy roast potatoes.