Non-VegetarianVeneta cuisine Main Course

Polenta e Renga

Name: Polenta e Renga
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Veneta
Ingredients: 300 g coarse yellow cornmeal; 1200 ml Water; 10 g Fine sea salt; 2 pieces whole smoked herrings; 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1 clove Garlic; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 15 ml white wine vinegar; 2 g freshly ground black pepper

Smoked herring fillets warmed in extra virgin olive oil with garlic and parsley, served alongside slices of grilled yellow polenta.

🇮🇹Italy· Veneto

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 70 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 460 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

300 g coarse yellow cornmeal — farina di mais bramata
1200 ml Water — for polenta
10 g Fine sea salt — to season polenta water
2 pieces whole smoked herrings — gutted and cured, about 300 g total
80 ml Extra virgin olive oil — fruity and good quality
1 clove Garlic — peeled and thinly sliced
15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
15 ml white wine vinegar — optional splash for brightness
2 g freshly ground black pepper — to taste

Equipment

•heavy saucepan
•wooden spoon
•cast-iron griddle pan
•shallow dish
•whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 460 kcal
fat: 16 g
carbs: 54 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 24 g
calories: 460 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring the water to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan and stir in the salt.
2
Pour the cornmeal into the boiling water in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
3
Switch to a wooden spoon and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring frequently until very thick.
4
Pour the cooked polenta into a shallow rectangular dish and allow it to cool completely until solid.
5
Place the whole smoked herrings in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes to soften.
6
Drain the fish, peel away the skin, pull out the bones, and flake the flesh into neat pieces.
7
Toss the warm herring flakes in a dish with the olive oil, sliced garlic, parsley, vinegar, and black pepper.
8
Cut the firm, cooled polenta into thick rectangular slices.
9
Heat a cast-iron griddle pan over medium-high heat until hot.
10
Grill the polenta slices for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until crisp with dark char marks.
11
Arrange the hot grilled polenta on plates and spoon over the marinated herring with its seasoned oil.

Chef's tips

Briefly boiling the smoked herring softens the dry flesh and washes away harsh surface salt. Make the polenta several hours ahead or the day before so it sets firmly and will not stick to the griddle.

Ingredient substitutions

whole smoked herrings → smoked kipper fillets, simmering them for just 1 minute
coarse yellow cornmeal → medium-grind polenta cornmeal, cooking for 35 minutes

Storage

Keep leftover grilled polenta and marinated herring in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Bring the herring to room temperature and re-crisp the polenta slices in a dry hot griddle pan.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Attempting to grill polenta that is still warm, which will cause it to tear and stick to the pan.
•Skipping the brief blanching of the herring, making the final dish aggressively salty.
•Using instant quick-cook polenta, which lacks the robust texture required for grilling.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately with a glass of crisp Veneto white wine such as Friulano.Accompany with braised bitter dandelion greens or grilled Treviso radicchio.