Recently I’ve discovered an imported 1-minute polenta that works very well. So try it, and you can whip up a satisfying polenta supper in about 15 minutes.

Ingredients

　　2 teaspoons light olive oil

　　1 small shallot

　　1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced thin

　　1 ripe plum tomato, chopped

　　About 1 cup shredded or chopped cooked meat, such as leftover braised lamb, beef, or veal, or poultry

　　A splash of red wine

　　1/3 cup 1-minute polenta

　　Pinch of salt

　　1 teaspoon butter

　　1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

　　Sprig of fresh basil, or a little chopped fresh parsley

　　Bring the broth to a simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan, and sauté the shallot for 1 minute, then add the garlic and the tomato, and sauté another 1–2 minutes (you want the tomato just barely cooked). Add the meat pieces and stir, then splash in the wine and cook down a little. By this time, the broth should be simmering. Pour in the polenta in a slow, steady stream as you stir constantly and continue to cook, stirring for a full minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add salt to taste, and stir in the butter and half the Parmesan. Spoon onto a warm plate, and arrange the meat garnish on top. Sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan, and top with a sprig of small basil leaves, if you have them; otherwise, use some chopped parsley.

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.