Equipment
Ingredients
Fennel Component
- 2 fennel, trimmed bulbs, stems removed
- 120 ml water
- 30 ml milk
Polenta Base
- 390 ml milk
- 360 ml poultry stock
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 g nutmeg, freshly grated
- 210 g cornmeal
Finishing
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 15 g butter
- 15 ml vegetable oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 286 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 418 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 31 mg
- Potassium
- 479 mg
- Calcium
- 110 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 133 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 139 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 46 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 2.8 mg
- Folate
- 88 mcg
- Water
- 187 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Place the fennel bulbs and 120ml water in a roasting pan and roast on the lowest rack for 60 minutes until very tender.
Cool the fennel slightly, chop coarsely, and process in a food processor with 30ml of milk until the mixture is smooth.
In a large saucepan, combine 390ml milk, stock, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Switch to a wooden spoon and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick enough to support the spoon upright.
Fold in the fennel puree, reserved chopped fennel greens, and 60g of butter until fully incorporated.
Pour the mixture into a 9x13 inch pan lined with parchment paper, smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Cut the chilled polenta into 7cm (3-inch) squares and sauté in a nonstick skillet with butter over medium-high heat until the exterior is browned and crisp.
Chef's Notes
- For an even deeper fennel flavor, consider roasting the fennel with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper before pureeing.
- Ensure you whisk the cornmeal in gradually to the simmering liquid to prevent lumps. A fine-mesh sieve can be used to catch any rogue lumps if they form.
- When pan-searing the polenta, don't overcrowd the pan. This ensures a crispy, golden crust rather than a steamed or soggy one.
- The reserved fennel greens can be finely chopped and added to the polenta mixture, or used as a garnish after being sautéed separately.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap individual squares tightly.
Reheating: Sauté in butter over medium heat until warmed through and crispy.
Troubleshooting
Lumpy polenta texture
Cause: Cornmeal was added too quickly or not whisked sufficiently during the initial stage.
Fix: Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender before it thickens fully.
Prevention: Stream cornmeal in very slowly while whisking vigorously.
Cultural Context
Polenta, a staple in Northern Italian cuisine, has evolved from a peasant food made from simple grains to a versatile dish enjoyed in various forms. This recipe elevates it with the distinct anise flavor of fennel, a vegetable deeply rooted in Mediterranean culinary traditions and often used in Italian cooking for its aromatic qualities.
