Must Ethentic Be Authentic BY DANA JACOBI FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

I used to be an ethnic food snob. Before making a recipe, I would travel clear across town to get ingredients imported from the country where the dish originated. Any amount of preparation was acceptable. I stirred polenta as patiently as an Italian “nonna,” tolerant of how it splattered all over the stove. I gently simmered oxtails to make rich broth for Vietnamese pho, and I even ground dried soybeans to make tofu from scratch. What finally cured me was a food experience that was memorable, but not in a positive way. African cooking has always attracted me. I once persuaded the mother of an Ethiopian acquaintance to spend an entire day teaching me to make “injera,” the big, limp sheets of bread that serve as much as a plate as a national staple, plus several intensely-spiced stews and “niter kibbe,” the spiced clarified butter essential to many Ethiopian dishes.

Exploring food stores where African immigrants shopped, I discovered millet imported from West Africa. Familiar with millet that is light yellow and looks like bird-seed, I was startled to see this kind had round, quinoa-size grains the color of gravel, in an assortment of blue and greenish grays. When I followed the shopkeeper’s instructions for boiling millet, my apartment smelled like fish was cooking. I will never know if the final, mush-soft result was authentic, but it tasted oddly earthy and strange to my palate.

This cured me of achieving the most authentic dishes. Now I use ethnic ingredients more casually. One I rely on is the cooked polenta sold in a plastic tube (like sausage, but shelved unrefrigerated), an especially easy way to enjoy a whole grain. I layer thin slices with cheese and tomato sauce to make lasagne almost instantly, or sauté inch-thick slices in a skillet until golden brown, then top them with garlic-sautéed spinach and grated pecorino. Going fusion, I sometimes cook up tomatoes and bell peppers, then crumble in the polenta. Broken up, it resembles scrambled eggs and makes a complete dish perfect for breakfast or dinner.

Scrambled Polenta - Makes 4 cups or 4 servings.

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One tube (16-18 oz.) prepared polenta, cut in 1/2” slices
1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, about 2 oz.
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the green pepper, tomatoes and jalapeno, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are bright green, 2 minutes. Mix in the garlic, cumin and oregano. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes start to soften, 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

A few slices at a time, crumble the polenta into the pan in chunks. Cook, stirring, until the polenta is heated through. Off the heat, mix in the scallions, cheese and lime juice. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Divide the polenta among 4 plates.

Garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Per serving: 174 calories, 5 g. total fat (5 g. saturated fat), 26 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 630 mg. sodium.

• print this page

Related Books from Amazon.com