How to Make a African Maize Meal/ Polenta Bake
Versatile, Easy and Delicious as Side Dish or Light Meal
Nov 18, 2008
Serve as a side dish to any meat dish or as a light meal all on its own or with a healthy green salad. This dish can be adapted to suit anybody's taste.
South African people utilize corn meal in a variety of ways. If corn meal / maize meal is not available, it can be substituted with Polenta in the same quantities. Maize is the dominant food source for many African nations and has lead to the use of corn meal in different recipes. This cornmeal recipe is a traditional favorite in many African households. It is easy to prepare and require no skill on the part of the cook and is enough for 4 people as part of a light meal or 6 people as a side dish to a main course.
Ingredients for the Corn Meal Bake
- 2 cups (500ml) Corn Meal / Maize Meal / Polenta
- 6 cups (1,5 liter) boiling water
- 2 ts (10 ml) salt
- 4 tbs (50 ml) butter/ margarine
- 250g diced bacon
- 2 medium sized onions (diced)
- 250g Denny mushrooms
- Medium sized green pepper (diced)
- 2tbs (25 ml) Olive Oil
- 1 clove Garlic (optional)
- Black pepper to taste
- 250g grated cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnishing
- Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Directions for making the Corn Meal Bake
- Pour the boiling water, butter/ margarine and salt into a 2-liter saucepan with lid.
- Bring the water to boiling again and remove from the hot plate.
- Stir in the corn meal/ maize meal/ polenta, taking care not to form lumps.
- Reduce the heat to 2 and leave to cook for 30 minutes.
- Stir occasionally to avoid clumps forming.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool off slightly.
- Pre - heat the oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit (180 degrees Celsius)
- Soute the onion, bacon, mushrooms, garlic and green pepper in the olive oil until tender, but still firm.
- Garnish with black pepper to taste.
- Lightly grease a ovenproof dish of 20 x 20 cm
- Using a big wooden spoon, cover the bottom of the dish with roughly one third of the cooked maize/ corn meal.
- Layer half of the bacon soute on top and repeat with a layer of cooked cornmeal.
- Repeat the layering to end with a layer of the bacon soute.
- Spread the grated cheese evenly over the dish and garnish with fresh parsley and Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese starts to brown.
- Serve hot with a salad or with grilled or roasted meat.
Variations
The number of variations available on this baked meal is limited only to the cook's imagination. A few suggestions are to substitute the bacon layer with the following: -
- Crisp vegetables, mushrooms and onion
- Canned tuna with chopped onion and mushroom
- Minced meat cooked with thick cheese sauce and garlic
- Add a layer of whole kernel corn
The copyright of the article How to Make a African Maize Meal/ Polenta Bake in Southern Cuisine is owned by Yolande Pienaar. Permission to republish How to Make a African Maize Meal/ Polenta Bake in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
