Crispy polenta and popcorn without oil?

[desdemona62]

Hiya, I love slicing and frying polenta but is there any way I can get it crispy without all that fatty oil? Would grilling/baking work?

Ditto how can I make popcorn without oil? I dont like the microwave ones, I prefer to add my own flavouring.
Thanks! X

[Kim A]

Polenta crisps up well if you pre-heat a non-stick pan to very hot, brush the polenta slices with the merest suspicion of oil, then slap the slices into the very hot pan. Grilling works too, again, you need a really hot, pre-heated, overhead grill, or you can nuke it with a cook's blowtorch if you've a mind to.

Can't help with the popcorn - no point in eating it if it doesn't have some butter or oil on it as far as I'm concerned! Not that I eat it that often, as it's not my snack of choice, but quite honestly I wouldn't let a bit of oil or butter bother me anyway!

[desdemona62]

Thanks will give the grill a try. Cheers!

[aurelia]

I have never tried the ready-made polenta - what do you serve it with as I love the taste of the uncooked polenta.

I buy un-prepared polenta from Sainsbury's - Merchant Gourmet make it - it's the only place I;'ve found it as Safeway's used to sell it but Morrison's and Asda's only have the one you use. You might like to try this as you can make cornbread and cornbread muffins with it and theynare gorgeous.