Serves two
Polenta is a special grind of corn that can be found in any store carrying Italian foods. If you can’t find polenta, corn meal will do just fine. It cooks up thick and can be sweet or savory depending on what you add. It is good plain as a cereal with dried fruit or made into cakes and served with cheese and tomato sauce. A good staple for the pack.
Basic Recipe
• 1 cup polenta or corn meal
• 2 tablespoons soy grits (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups water
Mix ingredients and bring to simmer. Cook 5 to 10 minutes. Try substituting brown rice flour, barley flour, or millet flour for some of the polenta.
For CEREAL, add to Basic Recipe any of the following:
• dry fruit
• nuts
• seeds
• nut or seed butters
• milk powder
• butter
• honey
• maple syrup
• tamari soy sauce
Cook as above, adding ingredients to your taste.
For ONE-POT MEAL, add to the Basic Recipe one of the following combinations:
• wild greens, onion, garlic, nuts, seeds, parsley flakes, rosemary, thyme
• tuna or shrimp with onion, garlic, and dill
• walnuts and cheddar cheese
• cheese, freeze-dried or dehydrated vegetables, oregano, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, thyme, onions
• freeze-dried beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, onions, garlic
• chunks or cheese, Tomato Sauce
Cook any combinations you choose for 5 to 10 minutes, saving the cheese for last.
For FRIED MUSH CAKES, form leftovers into patties and fry in a little butter. Serve cold as a bread with peanut butter or hot with Chili Sauce and cheese.
This mush is at its finest when cooked plain, allowed to cool, sliced, fried, and served in a bowl with sliced cheese and then Tomato Sauce, perhaps with cooked mung beans in it, poured over the top.
Plain mush cakes are good fried for breakfast and eaten with maple or Honey Syrup.