Salam d'la Duja with Warm Polenta
Recipes with Salam d'la Duja
The Piedmontese way to eat salam d'la duja: pull it from the lard jar, scrape off the fat with the back of a knife, slice it thick, and serve it next to a mound of warm polenta with a glass of Barbera. No cooking required for the salami. The polenta does the work of a plate and a side dish at the same time.
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
40 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 300g salam d'la duja (one whole salami from the jar)
- 250g coarse polenta (bramata)
- 1L water
- 1 tsp salt
- 30g butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
Steps
Remove the salam d'la duja from its lard. Scrape off the excess fat with the back of a knife, then wipe with rough paper or a clean towel. Peel away the casing.
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot. Pour in the polenta in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Reduce heat to low. Stir the polenta every few minutes with a wooden spoon for 35 to 40 minutes, until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and has a thick, creamy consistency.
Stir in the butter and a few grinds of black pepper. Spoon the polenta onto plates.
Slice the salami into rounds about 5mm thick. Lay the slices next to the polenta. Serve with Barbera d'Asti or Gattinara.
Tips
Cut the salami thick. Thin slices lose the soft, spreadable texture that the lard preservation gives it. If you cannot find bramata polenta, any coarse-ground cornmeal works. Instant polenta does not.