Creamy Cuban Inspired Polenta (Tamal en Cazuela)
Creamy corn meal cooked with savory Old Havana Foods Sofrito
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Marinate meat
- 1 pound Boneless pork or boneless, skinless chicken thighs (can omit for vegan)
- ½ cup Old Havana Foods Mojo – Citrus Garlic Marinade Do Not Omit
To prepare polenta/tamal en cazuela
- 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces Old Havana Foods Sofrito Authentic Cuban Cooking Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- 3 cups Chicken broth use vegetable stock for vegan version
- 1½ cups Yellow cornmeal
- to taste Lime juice
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
For Meat Based version
- Marinate pork or chicken with Old Havana Foods Mojo – Citrus Garlic Marinade for at least 15 minutes or as long as overnight.
- Heat medium stockpot over high heat. Meanwhile drain pork from marinade, reserving both.
- Add olive oil to stockpot and swirl to coat bottom. Add drained meat to pot and brown for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
- Turn down heat to medium, add Old Havana Foods Sofrito – Authentic Cuban Cooking Sauce, sugar and reserved marinade. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching.
- Add chicken broth to pot and stir to combine. Immediately add cornmeal to pot in a steady stream stirring constantly to avoid forming lumps. Bring to a low simmer. Turn heat to very low, cover saucepan and cook approximately 10 minutes until cornmeal is soft and texture is no longer gritty.
- Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.
For Vegan version
- Omit meat but use all other marinade ingredients. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
- Combine all ingredients in pot and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Continue with steps 5 and 6 as above. If desired for texture, add seasoned sautéed onions and mushrooms to mixture just before serving.