006 / 75 · Cupboard Suppers
Chickpea Gravy over Soft Polenta
2 shallow bowls of soft polenta with chickpea gravy · Active 15 min · Total 45 min
Print recipe · PDFA smooth onion gravy turns a can of chickpeas into the center of a polenta supper. The gravy begins with a small flour-and-oil base, then takes milk, water and a little mustard. Cornmeal cooks in another pan until soft enough to spread with a spoon. Keeping the two textures distinct makes the plate more interesting than a single thick mixture, and neither component needs a purchased cream sauce or specialty stock.
Stir the flour before adding liquid
Cook the flour in the softened onion and oil for a full minute, stirring until no dry patches remain. Add the water in small additions at first, scraping the bottom each time. This creates a smooth sauce without a separate bowl of slurry. Once it is smooth, add the remaining liquid more freely and simmer gently so the flour cooks through.
Polenta waits badly when uncovered
Cornmeal stiffens as it cools and forms a skin if exposed. Keep it covered over the lowest heat for the short time needed to finish the gravy. Stir well before spooning into bowls. If it becomes too firm, add a small splash of hot water; the finished texture should settle under the gravy rather than hold a rigid molded shape.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup medium yellow cornmeal, not instant (100 g)
- 3 1/2 cups water (840 ml), divided: 2 1/2 cups for polenta and 1 cup for gravy
- 1 cup 2% milk (240 ml), divided equally between polenta and gravy
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), divided
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (15 ml)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (100 g)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed to give 240 g
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard (10 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (0.5 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (0.5 g)
Set out
2 medium saucepans, one with lid, Whisk, Wooden spoon
Allergens
Milk, Wheat, Mustard. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Bring 2 1/2 cups/600 ml water to a simmer in one saucepan with half the salt. Whisk in cornmeal in a steady stream. Reduce to low and cook, stirring often, for 25–30 minutes or the package-specified time until tender. Stir in 1/2 cup/120 ml milk near the end and cover briefly.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in the other saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for 7–8 minutes until soft. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the remaining 1 cup/240 ml water until smooth, then add remaining 1/2 cup/120 ml milk, mustard, thyme, pepper and remaining salt. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Fold in drained chickpeas and simmer for another 5 minutes until hot. Divide soft polenta between two bowls and spoon half the chickpea gravy over each.
Use water where it works
The browned onion, thyme and mustard provide the gravy flavor, so a carton of stock is unnecessary here. Measure the salt rather than trying to imitate a salty packet sauce. A spoonful of gravy over every part of the polenta makes the short ingredient list feel complete.
A useful detail
Cornmeal grind controls cooking time. Coarser polenta may need longer than 30 minutes and a little more water; follow its package rather than serving gritty grains.
Another way
- Replace chickpeas with 240 g drained white beans and stir gently to keep them intact.
- Use 240 ml unsweetened soy drink in place of milk, checking the label for allergens.
Keep it well
Refrigerate polenta and gravy separately in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C, adding water to soften the polenta. Stir gravy frequently while reheating.