Recipes Herbed Polenta and Parmesan Gratin 5.0 (1,750) Add your rating & review Maria Helm Sinskey, culinary director of Robert Sinskey Vineyards in Napa Valley and author of the phenomenal cookbook The Vineyard Kitchen, created this indulgent baked polenta, made with plenty of Parmesan. It's just as good when made ahead and reheated as it is when it comes straight out of the oven. By Maria Helm Sinskey Maria Helm Sinskey F&W Star Chef » See All F&W Chef Superstars Maria Helm Sinskey (an F&W Best New Chef 1996) is the author of two fantastic cookbooks, Family Meals and The Vineyard Kitchen, which features recipes from the Napa winery she runs with her husband, Robert Sinskey. Here, she shares spectacular holiday gifts to make at home, a delicious and colorful cocktail and more. » More Holiday Inspiration from Star Chefs What are your favorite holiday food gifts? Most people appreciate something you make, that they can’t buy. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just might take more time. But it’s always much more appreciated than candles. Every year I give Capezzana Olio Nuovo with a big chunk of organic Parmigiano-Reggiano. I love Capezzana because it’s so grassy and fresh and has this pepperiness, it just wakes up my senses. I love making salted caramels. It’s so much fun to twist them in waxed paper because it looks professional even though they’re homemade. In late fall I go out into the vineyard with my kids and pick the second harvest, the grapes left behind on the vine. We make a grape confiture, almost like a chutney, with vinegar, wine, the grapes and some warm spices, which we preserve in little bottles. Then if I’m going to somebody’s house for the holidays, I’ll bring a little jar of confiture and a wedge of a cheese. It’s great with fresh goat cheese and Cowgirl Creamery Wagon Wheel cheese. It’s an instant appetizer. We also make gingerbread people, which we decorate with royal icing, making them really ornate, and we put people’s names on them. That’s a great gift when you’re going to someone’s house, especially with kids. What’s your favorite holiday cocktail? A pomegranate cocktail with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, rye, burnt orange zest and a little simple syrup. I serve it on the rocks because otherwise I get too drunk, but you can serve it many ways depending on your crowd: as a smash on crushed ice, or on big ice cubes, or shaken and served straight-up. We have tons of pomegranates in November and December. It’s so easy to juice one: cut it in half and squeeze it on an electric juicer, like an orange. Let the sediment settle then pour the juice off. You can garnish the drinks with a few pomegranate seeds; my kids love to pick the seeds out. To them they’re like jewels in a box. Can you share one great entertaining tip? Do everything ahead. Set the table, polish the glasses, arrange the barware, and then make a one-pot main course that you have to reheat, like a blanquette de veau. Everyone puts off setting the table, but you can do it a day ahead of time. You can cut flowers and arrange them in a vase a day ahead, too. I always see people freaking out and running around to set the table while they’re trying to cook some elaborate feast like seared steaks and a complicated side. Blanquette de veau, braised beef, or chicken with mini dumplings are all so elegant. You can make them a day ahead and they only get better. Plus in winter, people want something warm and sustaining. Another thing, people love to bring flowers. So always have a vase available, that way you don’t have to leave the party to go get one right when everyone arrives. What’s your most requested recipe? People always ask me about risotto. They want to know how do you make it seasonal. In fall and spring we make mushroom risotto; in the fall and winter we make a winter squash risotto with butternut squash and fried sage. In spring we do prosciutto and peas. People also tell me risotto is hard, it gets lumpy, and they ask me what my tricks are. One thing I do is stir it constantly—not to make it creamy, but to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stirring helps to release the starch, but starch releases naturally, which also makes the risotto more liable to burn on the bottom, unless you stir. What’s your favorite cookbook of all time?Lulu’s Provençal Table, by Richard Olney. I like the way it’s written, the tone of it, and the stories. And the recipes are great. They’re simple. What’s one technique everyone should know? How to chop an onion evenly and finely, using a sharp knife. The days of rough-cut, hacked onions are over. Cut it vertically with the knife pointing to the root end, then horizontally twice, parallel to the cutting board, then vertically again. The knife just has to be sharp. If it’s dull it doesn’t work. That’s the biggest crime people suffer from, having dull knives. If you have a sharp knife, it’s the easiest thing to do in the world, you just have to practice. And even the best chefs in the world, at one point, even they had to practice. But it’s quite an accomplishment to be able to chop an onion well.1996 Best New Chef Bio Won Best New Chef at: PlumpJack Cafe, San Francisco Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 23, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Frances Janisch Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 4 hrs Yield: 12 Ingredients 1 quart milk 1 quart water 1 stick unsalted butter 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 2 cups polenta, not instant (12 ounces) 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Directions Oil a 12-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. In a saucepan, bring the milk, water and butter to a boil. Add the salt and rosemary. Gradually whisk in the polenta until smooth. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until thickened. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk the eggs into the polenta, one at a time, then whisk in 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Spread the polenta on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly butter a 15-by-10-inch baking dish. Cut the polenta into 2-inch squares. Arrange the squares in the prepared baking dish in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Pour the cream over the polenta and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan on top. Bake for 40 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 2; refrigerate for 2 days. Rate it Print