Polenta

Chinese broccoli (gai lan) is always sold flowering, though its buds are usually still closed.

This soufflé-like tart makes a nice lunch or light dinner with a salad of mixed baby greens.

Tamale pie, made with a cornmeal-mush crust, dates back to 1911. In this recipe, we use ready-made polenta packaged in a roll. The spicy beef filling takes advantage of the excellent bottled salsas and canned refried beans now crowding market shelves.

To complete this meatless supper, have Italian bread and mesclun salad with pine nuts. End the meal with any type of winter fruit tart from the bakery.

A little bit of smoked mozzarella goes a long way in boosting flavor without adding much fat. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Cornmeal may be either fine- or coarse-grained. Both work well in the following recipe; we used a fine-grained variety found in most supermarkets.

Although traditional Italian polenta is simmered for nearly an hour, resulting in a very creamy consistency, for the following recipe we preferred the more rustic texture of this quickly cooked version.

These can be served with the Veal, Mushroom and Red Wine Sauce or as a side dish for grilled meats.

This recipe originally accompanied Rib-Eye Steaks with Roasted Red Peppers a Balsamic Vinegar .

Once the polenta is made (which, for convenience, can be done a day or two ahead of time) this dish is a snap to put together. Simply sauté the polenta pieces, grill the flank steak, place them on the plate, and spoon on the luscious roasted shallot vinaigrette and you have a quick and very satisfying plate of food. A mound of sautéed mushrooms, or for something lighter, asparagus or haricots verts, is a perfect accompaniment. Crispy potatoes are a splendid substitute for the polenta.

Karla Medina of League City, Texas, writes: "At a food festival in downtown Houston, I had a sampler plate from Carmelo's Italian Restaurant. The eggplant Parmesan and spicy meatballs were very good, but the polenta was out of this world. I'd love to know how they prepared it."

If you have leftover roast chicken or turkey, use it here and save a step. You'll need 3 cups of shredded meat.

Here is a rustic, comforting casserole that is very easy to prepare.

Tom Colicchio My grandmother used to make a polenta gratin. She layered it with a simple tomato sauce, and we'd have it as a side dish. I make it now with a mushroom Bolognese for a heartier dish that can be the center of the meal.