Grilled Polenta

Polenta is Italian cornmeal mush—but, oh, what mush: cornmeal simmered to a savory paste and, here, enriched with butter and cream, then smokily browned on the grill. You can serve grilled polenta by itself as a side dish or you can top it with your favorite tomato sauce. For an artistic touch, use a cookie cutter to cut out the polenta in stars, triangles, circles, or other fanciful shapes.

If you’re in a hurry, you can buy precooked polenta, sold in bologna-shaped tubes. Cut it cr