Delicious Ideas for Leftover Polenta

One of our supermarket bargains this week was a few pieces of oxtail which I braised in red wine and ate with a dish of Polenta of which, being as I am the only person in this house weird enough to eat Polenta, I had a fair bit leftover. No worries – there are so many great things to do with the scraps.

How to Make Polenta

Before we start, for how to make polenta see here, you will have to scan down a bit past all the pretty pictures of Caribbean Full Moon Party! In the same post is how to make Mozzarella Stuffed Polenta Cakes.

Polenta Pizza Base

Whilst still warm spread the polenta out thinly to use as an alternative pizza base.  Top and bake as usual.

Polenta Tart Case

Set aside leftover polenta till cool enough to handle and then with lightly greased hands press the polenta into a loose bottomed tart case pressing against the sides and into corners.  Either bake empty (no need to weight and bake blind as it won’t puff up) then cool and fill or add a chosen filling, brush the edge of the tart case with olive oil and bake in a hot oven till the crust is golden and the filling cooked.   Here’s one made earlier with wine glazed shallot filling.

For the following ways to use up leftover polenta firstly, using a wet spatula, spread the unused polenta in an oiled to about15 mm thick.  Leave till cold and if poss leave a bit longer to allow it to dry out a bit.

Polenta Chips, Polenta Croutons and Pretty Shapes

Cut cold polenta into shapes or chips or croutons and coat in flour or dry cornmeal to help form a crispy crust.  Deep fry a few pieces at a time - do not overcrowd the pan, the oil needs to stay good and hot - and when crisp and golden, lift out carefully and drain on kitchen roll whilst frying the rest. 

Crostini, Bruschetta and General Nibbly Things

As above but instead of deep frying brush with olive oil and season and grill OR season and coat in a little dry cornmeal and  shallow fry till crisp and golden.  Sprinkle with sea salt for a crunchy snack or add a delicious topping  and flash under the grill or into a hot oven to heat through. 

Cutting out pretty shapes results in a few odd pieces and trimmings so here’s what to do with them …

Polenta Hash

~   Heat a little olive oil in a shallow pan.

~   Add the polenta and fry till hot with crispy areas.

~   Add anything you like – leftover veg, meat, fish, herbs, spices etc.
~   Continue cooking gently a few minutes more till heating through, crisp and golden.

Polenta Gratin

This is one of my favourite ways to use up polenta trimmings; toss the bits of pieces of polenta with soft buttery cooked leeks and pile into a buttered dish.  Crumble over some blue cheese, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake till hot and bubbling.  A glass or red wine is de rigueur here.

Polenta Topping

Scatter bits and pieces of polenta on top of a savoury stew, hotpot or casserole, cover the dish with foil and bake till hot through.  Uncover and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese if suitable, return to the oven till crisp and bubbling.  For a posh do use slices of polenta, cut into pretty pieces and laid slightly overlapping. 

Leftovers Cookbook ...

I have so many ideas for leftovers that I wrote Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers which has ideas, recipes, handy hints, cook's treats, storage guidance and food pairing suggestions  for over 450 possible leftovers and scraps.

Read lots more here!

Oh and I'd just like you to have a look at this this delicious recipe for Orange and Ginger Polenta Cake (you'll have to scroll down a way) which, whilst it doesn't use leftover polenta, is well worth knowing about!

The Eden Project and Polenta Cake

I went to The Eden Project a couple of days ago with my friend next door, Diane.  Yet another great thing about living in Cornwall is the £5 locals’ annual pass to Eden; what a bargain!

I was eager to visit the tropical (rainforest) biome to see if it was any good for my homesickness but in that respect if was a disappointment; much more humid that Tortola and none of my friends were there!  It was wonderful, nevertheless with lots of interesting stuff to see, not only plants ...

Interesting birds ~ these chaps were wandering about in the tropical biome quite at home, more like visitors than exhibits.  They have strange stubby tails, as you can see, which they wagged in a doggy fashion and were very friendly.  If anyone reading this knows who they are could you please let me know.

Artworks ...

Advice ...

... and  Strange comfy seating.

After an hour or two in the rainforest we retired to the dining area, Diane and I both had a slice of Orange and Ginger Cake which I immediately identified as a polenta cake. 

It was utterly yummy although Diane felt it should have been gingerier, apparently this is a word – I originally put more gingery but my spell check wanted gingerier.  She suggested that I come up with a recipe or things might go badly for me.   So here it is, it’s basically a recipe from the Beeb but I’ve added ginger and a pinch of salt and glazed with hot glaze when hot as opposed to cold glaze when cold as their recipe says.

Orange & Ginger Polenta Cake

250g butter at room temperature; soft but not runny

250g sugar + another 100g

4 eggs

140g fine polenta

200g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

finely grated zest and juice 2 oranges (divide the juice in 100ml and whatever is left!)

2 knobs of ginger from the jar – coarsely chopped (or finely if you prefer)

Fancy pinning this?

~   Preheat the oven to 325°F/160ºC/140ºC fan/gas 3.

~   Grease a cake pan – I used a 23cm springform.

~   Mix together all the dry ingredients.

~   Cream together the butter and 250g sugar till pale and fluffy.

~   Beat in the eggs one at a time, if the mixture looks a but curdled add a spoonful of the dry ingredients.

~   Once the eggs are incorporated add the dry ingredients and mix in.

~   When the dry ingredients are all mixed in add the orange zest, the chopped ginger and any orange juice in excess of 100ml

~   Decant into the prepared cake pan, level the top and bake for 45-50 minutes till risen and cooked.  (I have a confession to make here – mine really sunk in the middle which may be because I had the oven on the wrong number 130ºC instead of 140ºC.  Nevertheless it tastes great).

~   Whilst the cake is cooking stir together the remaining 100g of sugar and 100ml or orange juice in a small pan over a medium heat till the sugar has dissolved or melted or whatever it does in this situation.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 or 4 minutes.

~   Turn the cooked cake out onto a rack and stand the rack over a large dish.

~   Drizzle the hot syrup over the cake which, being warm, should absorb it but excess will be caught in the dish and can be licked up when no-one is looking.

~   Cool and serve with clotted cream if possible.

The Heather flowering on the way out of Eden was gobsmacking.