I hadn't thought of what to do for dinner until it was too late to cook the long version of polenta, so I thought I'd try an experiment - it worked!
Polenta (relatively quick version)
Combine in a pot, cover, and let soak 1 hour:
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup polenta
1/2 tsp salt
Heat to boiling, stirring periodically.
Reduce heat to very low. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Add hot water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir. Almost certainly, the bottom will stick. Don't worry about that; consider it a tax.
Taste for texture and flavor. Grains should be swollen and smooth. Add salt if needed (I did not). Cook longer if needed (I did not).
Spoon the polenta into a hot pan with a thin layer of a neutral oil. It will splatter. Brown each side, using 2 spoons to flip/fold the polenta. Don't turn it too soon (check an edge for browning). Ideally, you will get a light golden brown chewy crust. If this doesn't happen, don't worry too much - the flavor will still be better than not frying.
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With asparagus chicken in vermouth sauce:
In a pan, combine:
10 spears of asparagus, chopped to ~1/3 inch
splash of olive oil
splash of water
dash of nutmeg
1 TBS dried thyme
1-2 TBS allumettes fumées (finely chopped bacon)
When polenta has ~10 minutes left to cook, turn on pan to high, and cover. Cook until liquid is gone, then splash with
vermouth
add:
1 precooked, chopped chicken breast*
2 TBS precooked mushrooms**
Stir, cover, and turn off the heat.
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Serves 2 - divide fried polenta and asparagus chicken between two plates, pouring the vermouth sauce over the polenta.
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* I like to keep this poached chicken around: in a 3 quart pot, add 2 quarts water and 2 TBS salt. Add 2-3 chicken breasts. Bring to a very low boil (steam, tiny bubbles barely breaking), then cover and turn off the heat. Leave for 30 minutes (40 minutes if the chicken is frozen). Remove to a cutting board and let cool ~10 minutes. Chop, slice, or leave whole, and refrigerate.
** Chop mushrooms, then add to a hot pan with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook until water releases, then stir and cook until browned. Store in refrigerator, and use as needed.
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