Polenta with Black Pepper
Yield: Serves 4
Credit:
Reprinted with permission from The Essential Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, by Coco Morante, © 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Photographs © 2019 by Colin Price
Ingredients
- 4 cups low- sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 cup coarse polenta (not an instant or quick-cooking variety)
- 3⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
Directions
- Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Add the broth and oil, then cover the pot with the glass lid and cook just until it begins to simmer, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisking constantly, pour the polenta into the broth in a thin stream. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Manual, Pressure Cook, or Porridge setting and set the cooking time for 10 minutes at high pressure. (The pot will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking program begins.)
- When the cooking program ends, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and, wearing heat- resistant mitts, lift out the inner pot. The polenta will have some liquid on the top; stir to incorporate the liquid, using a wooden spoon to scrape along the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck polenta. If there are any lumps, break them up with a whisk. Stir in the pepper and salt. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed.
- Spoon the polenta into bowls, drizzle with oil, and top with a few grinds of pepper. Serve piping hot.
- NOTES
- Add extra flavor to your polenta by sautéing garlic, onions, or mushrooms in the oil before adding the broth. Fresh or dried herbs are great, too. Try sage, rosemary, or thyme.
- Wash the Instant Pot lid and inner pot immediately after use. They’re much easier to clean before the polenta has had a chance to dry out
Recipe Note
If you’ve ever made polenta, you know it requires a lot of stirring and attention. Not so with the Instant Pot. This low- maintenance version is flavored simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper, so it makes a versatile side dish. It can also be its own course, served with a ladleful of store-bought or homemade marinara or arrabbiata sauce.
