Golden Corn and Saffron Polenta

I’m usually not a huge fan of polenta, but the Engineer loves it. When I saw this recipe in Bon Appétit, I decided to make it because I thought he would like it. I had no idea it would bowl me over and conquer me too. It was the best thing ever. As I was eating it, served alongside Cornish hens with cherry-port sauce, I kept thinking that I wanted to eat just a big bowl of warm, creamy polenta. So that’s exactly what I did at lunch the following day. It was also an extremely easy recipe, which isn’t always the case with polenta. I’ve adapted the recipe slightly; it makes about 6 servings. If you don't have polenta on hand, substitute an equal amount of regular yellow cornmeal and cook half as long.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 chopped onion
5 cups low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 ¼ tsp coarse kosher salt
½ tsp saffron threads
1 cup medum-grain polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion; cover and cook 5 minutes (do not brown). Add broth, 1 ¼ tsp coarse salt, and saffron; bring to boil. Whisk in polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until polenta boils and starts to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover; simmer until polenta is cooked through and very thick, stirring with flat-bottom spoon, about 10 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, blend corn kernels in processor until coarse puree forms; mix into polenta. Season with pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead: let stand at room temperature; stir over low heat to rewarm.)