Alyce's Lemon Polenta

Need only 3-4 servings? Decrease everything by 50% but taste carefully for seasonings at the end. You may need a little more salt and pepper. Use a four-quart heavy pan.

Ingredients

3 cups EACH: milk and water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 ½ cups coarse cornmeal/polenta (I like Bob's Red Mill/also says "Corn Grits")
3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (about 1/2 cup)
Finely grated zest of one large lemon (Rinse well under hot water and pat dry before zesting as lemons are often coated with a thin layer of wax.)

Instructions

Off heat, whisk together milk, water, walt, pepper, and cornmeal in a heavy 6-quart pot, such as a dutch oven. Place pot over medium flame and bring to a healthy simmer. Cook, stirring regularly, until thickened. Lower heat as low as you can. Cover and cook until tender and smooth, stirring and tasting for doneness regularly--20-30 minutes. If polenta becomes too thick but isn't yet done (tastes grainy/gritty) add more water or milk and continue to cook until done.
Remove from heat. Stir in butter, cheese, and lemon rind. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover to keep warm until needed. If cools and thickens, whisk in water until thinned to desired texture and reheat, tasting once more at the end.

Notes

ABOUT STIRRING AND WHAT TO STIR WITH: I am not a slave to stirring my polenta continuously and nor should you be. While it cooked, I cooked my vegetables, watched a little tv, and gave the pot a lick and a promise with the whisk in between activities. I'm pretty addicted to a whisk for this chore but some cooks adore a big wooden spoon and/or stirring in one direction continuously. I don't have that sort of patience...you?