polenta fries
 
I've always been a firm believer that polenta should be served soft and creamy, and that cheese and butter must also be present in copious amounts. However, I'm willing to be flexible. Anna recently wrote about potato-alternative fries and the following day, I stumbled upon this polenta fry recipe over at Always in the Kitchen. Hmmm, maybe there is a world outside the bowl.
 
So when I whipped up a pot of my beloved creamy polenta and realized at the last minute that I was out of cheese, I panicked. Me and cheese-less polenta don't fare well together. But somehow, the polenta turned out beautifully—it had a great consistency, good flavor, and I ate a bowl of it topped with kale and beans. I usually have a ton of polenta leftover and just reheat it and whip it up, but it never tastes as good as the day it was made. And this time, I had polenta fry-potential on my mind. Time to give it a go!
 
spreading polenta
 
I smoothed out the leftover polenta on a cookie sheet and refrigerated it overnight. The next day, I cut out strips and placed them on a lightly- oiled sheet, then baked them for 20 minutes. The resulting fries were crispy on the outside and super creamy in the middle. No deep-frying or  pan-frying necessary. And no cheese or loads of butter required!
 
Want a vegan treat? Just sub in some vegan margarine for the butter and you'll have some seriously happy campers.  
 
dipping
 
The oven worked its magic on these golden sticks. They would make great party food—even if it's a party of one. As for a dipping agent, marinara would be great, but I whipped up a garlic, cumin, lemon, yogurt,  and mayo concoction that was truly sensational. One word of caution: When the slab has cooled and you're ready to cut out slices, handle it gently. It may look sturdy, but it can tear easily so don't try to one-handedly transfer it to a cutting board. You'll have prettier-looking fries by being careful!
 
fry time!
 
Polenta Fries
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
 
1. In a large pot, let the stock come to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and turn down the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until creamy and thick. Add in the butter, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Let cool for for 30 minutes or so. 
 
2. Spread polenta with a rubber spatula, about 1/2 inch thick onto a prepared cookie sheet. I covered my pan with a silpat mat, but parchment paper or just a greased sheet would be fine too. Refrigerate overnight or at least an hour. 
 
3. Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly mist a cookie sheet with olive oil and slice your slab of polenta into fry-like shapes. Place fries on the baking sheet giving them room from one another so that flipping is easy. Bake for about 25 minutes, flipping the each fry at the 10 minute mark. Remove when both sides are golden brown. Dig in!

7 Comments