Presto Polento (Microwave)

Simple peasant food, polenta provides the perfect foil for spicy dishes. Offer it as a side dish, embellished with butter and Parmesan cheese; or serve it as you would pasta, topped with your favorite meat or tomato sauce. Polenta also makes a good breakfast. Once you've cooked it, pack it into a loaf pan; let cool, then cover and refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Slice the polenta 1/2-inch thick, brown the slices in butter, and serve with maple syrup. This recipe is from the Sunset Microwave Main Dishes cookbook. Please note: This recipe was cooked and tested on a 700-watt microwave. If your microwave is a higher wattage, you may want to lower the cooking power.

• Ready In: 16 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup polenta or 1  cup yellow cornmeal
• 3  tablespoons butter or 3  tablespoons margarine
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 3⁄4 cups water
•  grated parmesan cheese
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a 2-1/2 to 3-quart microwave-safe casserole dish, combine polenta and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Stir in broth and water. Cover; microwaveon High for 12 to 13 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until polenta is thick and all liquid has been absorbed. Spoon into a serving dish. Dot with remaining butter and stir until butter is melted; then sprinkle with cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.