There are many ways to dress up "polenta", so I'll leave that up to your imagination and taste. Having this basic recipe in your back pocket means you just need to dream up the other stuff that pairs well with it.

I can eat polenta with almost anything. Alone with some Parmesan mixed in or shredded over it. My favorite is roasted veggies, mushrooms, and some greens to top it off, hence the photos of my latest meal with cauliflower polenta.

Sometimes, at the very end of cooking the polenta, I'll blend in some Parmesan to create a creamier version of the same. If I add Parmesan, I also reduce the amount of salt I add to the cauliflower.

For the photos, I topped the polenta with roasted ratatouille from my first cookbook, or you can use this recipe. I also chopped up about 2 cups of crimini mushrooms and sautéed them in a teaspoon of oil and a pinch or two of salt on a low heat for about 10 minutes or so, until they began to darken (not burnt but almost).