How To Make Delicious Polenta Fries
These little sticks are cut from a slab of polenta and then lightly fried. This recipe is pretty versatile, you can serve them as a side dish to something delicious and meaty, appetizers, or our favorite, as party food! We served ours with sides of marinara sauce and a simple tarragon aioli. I love the texture of the polenta, and I prefer to give them a real good pan fry, the crispier the better. This recipe serves 6 to 8, enjoy!
Tarragon Aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced tarragon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Marinara sauce of your choice
Polenta Fries:
4 cups low-fat milk
1 1/2 cups coarse ground yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions:
1. For Basic Tarragon Aioli: Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.
2. For polenta fries: Pour milk into a medium saucepan, place over medium heat and simmer.
3. Slowly whisk in cornmeal until fully incorporated, lower heat to low and continue to stir for about 5 minutes.
4. Fold in butter and goat cheese and season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir until no lumps remain, then pour mixture into a lightly greased 9”x13” baking sheet with a 1” lip.
6. Evenly spread and allow mixture to cool for about 20 minutes before placing into the refrigerator. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
7. Remove polenta from refrigerator and invert onto a cutting board. Cut polenta into 1/2”x 3” sticks.
8. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Lightly fry polenta stick for 2-3 minutes on each side, in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
9. Place finished sticks onto some paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Serve fries with basic tarragon aioli and marinara sauce.
