Recipe - Polenta Chips

On Saturday night I served polenta chips as an accompaniment to our delicious fillets steak.

Polenta is something that is used to across Europe in a wide variety of ways, however in the UK it doesn't seem to have the same appeal. This recipe is a simple way of adding flavour and texture to any meal. You should be able to find dried polenta in the whole grain isle of your local supermarket or in any good deli.
Ingredients

• 10g butter
• 125g instant polenta, plus extra for coating
• 50g Grana Padano, grated
• 40g plain flour
• 1tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method

1. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the butter and 750ml of water in a large pan and bring up to the simmer. Don't let the water boil as the polenta will go lumpy if added to boiling water. Slowly pour in the polenta and stir well, it will start to thicken immediately. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring continuously. When the polenta begins to come away from the side of the pan it is ready. Remove the pan from the heat then add half of the Grana Padano and the chopped parsley. Stir well and season.
2. Pour the polenta onto the baking tray, smooth with the back of a spatula. It should be about 2cm thick. Allow the polenta to cool completely, this could take up to an hour. Once cooled, turn the polenta out onto a chopping board. Gently peel away the baking paper from the polenta then cut into 5cm x 2cm strips.
3. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or heavy bottomed saucepan to 180C. Don't fill the saucepan over the quarter level. Combine the flour, the extra polenta, before adding the polenta strips and lightly coat. Cook in batches in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel then place in a large bowl.
4. Toss the cooked chips with the remaining Grana Padano and season with salt and pepper. Serve with steaks and Dijon mustard.

This was the first time I have prepared these chips but I will definitely be putting them on the menu again, sooner rather than later.

Give them a try, even just to try them. I'm sure they'll make a nice little supper snack one night!