Perfect Plain-ish Polenta with Pork & Gravy

Polenta, one of my absolute favorite textures and flavors of all time. There are many ways to make it, both as a main course or as a side dish. Today, it's riding passenger to sautéed pork loins, and accompanied by a cucumber & tomato salad. And, yes, of course, the gravy!

To start, get your water boiling. 4 parts water to 1 part polenta. The polenta will practically quadruple in size so plan accordingly.

Actually for this particular version, I started off sautéing a teaspoon of asafoetida in olive oil over medium-low heat until it slightly browned and its pungent smell cooked off and unveiled its subtle mouth-watering aromatics. Then I boiled the water. Once it's boiling, whisk in the polenta and drop the heat down low, stirring vigorously until the polenta is suspended in the water instead of sinking to the bottom. Once it begins absorbing the water, you'll see it floats more and you can whisk every few minutes to ensure it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot.

I cooked the pork on a hot cast-iron skillet with some oil and butter. Pressing down on it to ensure even browning. A few minutes per side. Once it was all beautifully golden, I added milk, cream and a few of my favorite herbs and peppers, and voila! Pork & Polenta Perfection!

Enjoy!