Polenta Snacks
I've never really tried polenta, it's always been one of those things that I've perceived only 'posh people' buy. After trying a few recipes and doing some of my own cooking with it, I've found it is such a versatile ingredient, it can be used as the main star of a dish, to make a great side, or used to make something that already exists, better.
Polenta is pretty bland on it's own if I'm being honest, it's not unpleasant, but it doesn't 'wow' you with flavour. However, it is great to take on flavour and add texture and this is why it's so versatile. It's also easy to get hold of, is relatively cheap, and super healthy!
The two dishes I'm writing about today, are simple snacks that can be eaten on their own, or served with sauces or toppings to create a more substantial plate of food. At the bottom of my post, I have included some other uses of polenta!
Firstly I've made polenta crisps, they are similar to tortilla chips and make a healthy snack, but can also be used to make a plate of nachos. They are gluten and dairy free, low in saturated fat and vegan!
Secondly, I've made crispy pork bites - seasoned sausage meat, dusted in polenta and fried. They are so simple, you can make your own sausage meat or buy good quality (gluten free, if preferred) sausages and skin them yourself. These also work with Quorn mince, you just need to add some extra fat (e.g. vegetable oil) to the mince to bind it. These pork bites are great as a snack, but you can also have them as meatballs with sauce, serve them on a fried breakfast or make your own Subway meatball marinara! The pork bites can be gluten free if desired.
Polenta Crisps (makes 1 portion)
Ingredients
Crispy Polenta Pork Bites (makes around 12 bites)
Method
I've never really tried polenta, it's always been one of those things that I've perceived only 'posh people' buy. After trying a few recipes and doing some of my own cooking with it, I've found it is such a versatile ingredient, it can be used as the main star of a dish, to make a great side, or used to make something that already exists, better.
Polenta is pretty bland on it's own if I'm being honest, it's not unpleasant, but it doesn't 'wow' you with flavour. However, it is great to take on flavour and add texture and this is why it's so versatile. It's also easy to get hold of, is relatively cheap, and super healthy!
The two dishes I'm writing about today, are simple snacks that can be eaten on their own, or served with sauces or toppings to create a more substantial plate of food. At the bottom of my post, I have included some other uses of polenta!
Firstly I've made polenta crisps, they are similar to tortilla chips and make a healthy snack, but can also be used to make a plate of nachos. They are gluten and dairy free, low in saturated fat and vegan!
Secondly, I've made crispy pork bites - seasoned sausage meat, dusted in polenta and fried. They are so simple, you can make your own sausage meat or buy good quality (gluten free, if preferred) sausages and skin them yourself. These also work with Quorn mince, you just need to add some extra fat (e.g. vegetable oil) to the mince to bind it. These pork bites are great as a snack, but you can also have them as meatballs with sauce, serve them on a fried breakfast or make your own Subway meatball marinara! The pork bites can be gluten free if desired.
Polenta Crisps (makes 1 portion)
Ingredients
- 50g polenta
- 200ml water
- Salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
Method
- Grease a flat dish or tray with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
- Put the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil
- Once boiling, add the polenta to the pan and stir vigorously for five minutes (polenta can 'spit' when the water is added, so please be careful!)
- Not allowing the polenta to cool too much, place it on your dish and spread it to as thin as you can get it without it breaking apart. I placed a piece of grease-proof paper over the top and used a rolling pin to flatten it.
- Leave at room temperature for an hour to set.
- Once set, cut the polenta into your desired shapes.
- Place the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and put on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Place the polenta in the pan and fry for 5-8 minutes on each side, or until slightly browned and crispy.
- Sprinkle with salt and serve.
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| The cooked crisps! |
Crispy Polenta Pork Bites (makes around 12 bites)
Ingredients
- 200g good quality sausage meat (well seasoned)
- 50g uncooked polenta
Method
- Roll the sausage meat in bite size balls
- Coat in the polenta
- Fry in a non-stick pan on a medium heat, for around 10-15 minutes, or until the sausage meat is cooked all the way through.
- Serve on their own, with a dip, or sauce of your choice!
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| Top-bottom; sausage meat, rolling the meat in polenta, the finished pork bites! |
Other ways of using polenta in savoury dishes
- Coat meat or meat substitutes in polenta and fry, as an alternative to breadcrumbs!
- You can cook the polenta 'soft', instead of stirring for five minutes, stir for just one minute, season well and have as a mash potato substitute.
- Add some chilli powder, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, etc, to the polenta before it's cooked to add a different flavour.
- Instead of cutting the polenta for crisps, keep in sheets and use instead of lasagne sheets.