What Is Polenta?

Polenta has been showing up more and more on menus across the country. But for those who are still unfamiliar, we had Gabe Thompson of New York City's L'Apicio restaurant explain what it is and how it is best made.

Polenta is typically made from cornmeal, but it has a long history. As Thompson explains, "Polenta is thousands of years old, it's kind of a porridge basically... It's as easy as making breakfast cereal." Because it's so easy to make and can be used in a variety of dishes, Thompson urges home cooks to try polenta on whatever dishes they want. "I think the only thing that is going to limit you from putting things on top of polenta is your own imagination," he says. He gives examples of what L'Apicio uses polenta for including ribs, meatballs, a mushroom dish, and a shrimp dish. The possibilities are endless!

To learn more about polenta, including how to make it properly (hint, start with cold water), watch the video above! And if you find yourself craving some of Thompson's polenta you can find him at L'Apicio or L'Artusi.