The Spanish brought corn to Europe from the New World, and it is now a staple of many cuisines. I particularly love the way the Italians have embraced it. When I worked at London’s River Café we served polenta every year, from late autumn into winter, while corn was in season. It’s important to use a good-quality, ground polenta; I find the coarser, bramata style is best. Try to avoid the quick-cook stuff — it just doesn’t have the flavour of the coarse, slow-cooking polenta.
The best part about cooking polenta is the fantastic crust at the bottom of the pan. We used to flght over the crust and add butter, parmesan and chopped chilli to it at the end. Gary, one of the Aussie chefs I worked with at the River Café, put me onto that little indulgence.
You will need to prepare the polenta in advance, as it has to set and then cool completely before it can be sliced and barbecued. Polenta can be served as a substitute for bread and it’s also fantastic to give to your vegan mates to fill them up! It’s a great accompaniment to grilled meats, especially pork, lamb or a great steak. Try the toppings I’ve suggested here, or simply top it with grilled field mushrooms and cheese.