Starting in Northern Italy as a worker sustenance, polenta has picked up prevalence in the U.S. for its smooth surface and flexibility. It is even sufficiently flexible to be cooled, cut and broiled, or heated into polenta cakes or polenta fries, which can then be finished with any number of fixings and sauces. Polenta is truly a solid base for everything, said Emile Chalouhi, proprietor of Chicago’s The Polenta Bar, a quick easygoing idea that starts each dish with a base of polenta.

Key Takeaways:

• Originating in Northern Italy as a peasant food, polenta has gained popularity in the U.S. for its creamy texture and versatility.
• “Polenta is literally a healthy base for everything,” said Emile Chalouhi, owner of Chicago’s The Polenta Bar, a fast-casual concept that begins every dish with a base of polenta.
• “Very few things don’t go with polenta,” said Chalouhi. “As we move into spring, we’ll add polenta chips and polenta croutons for our Caesar salad.”

“Hot-off-the-griddle polenta cakes are topped with candied bacon, aged white cheddar, and Oregon honey butter at The Original Dinerant in Portland, Ore.”

http://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/trendinista/trendinista-polenta-shows-its-flexibility