Marvelous Mush

My favorite snack is socca, although I can indulge in it only while traveling in the south of France--or, of course, at home, where I cook it often.

It’s a mush made from chickpea flour, and in Provence it’s the local carbohydrate comfort food, the equivalent of grits in the South or polenta in northern Italy. Vendors cook pans of it over open fires in the old market of Nice.

Dishes move in and out of favor, but mushes constantly please. A lot of what we refer to in food circles as comfort food is mush of one kind or another. Fortunately, the food police tell us we should actually eat more of it.

I like mushes a lot. In summer, I pair them with fresh vegetables. In the cooler months, I serve them with roasted meat or poultry. You can dress them up in any costume you like, making them Asian, Italian, French or Latino.

Which, come to think of it, makes mush a spiritual necessity, or at least a politically correct dish on any Thanksgiving table.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

1 pound mushrooms, quartered

1 onion, coarsely diced

1 tablespoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/4 cups coarse yellow cornmeal

5 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine mushrooms, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and butter in skillet and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place cornmeal in pan and slowly stir in water. Season with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles, about 30 minutes. Continue to cook 15 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Stir in oil. Remove from heat.

To serve, mound polenta onto platter and make well in center. Arrange mushrooms in well and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

186 calories; 1,204 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.82 gram fiber.

SOCCA WITH TOMATOES AND BLUE CHEESE

1/4 cup finely minced shallots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 (24-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chickpea flour

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 1/4 cups cold water

1/4 pound crumbly blue cheese (such as Roquefort or Maytag blue)

chickpea flour (besan) is sold in Indian markets.

Cook shallots and garlic over medium heat in 2 tablespoons oil until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Pierce tomatoes in several places and add to pan along with their liquid. Simmer until reduced to sauce-like consistency, about 25 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

While tomatoes are cooking, place chick-pea flour, salt and pepper in pan and slowly pour in water, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 20 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons oil.

To serve, mound socca onto platter. Spoon tomatoes around. Sprinkle with blue cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

380 calories; 1,962 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 2.35 grams fiber.

CHESTNUT POLENTA WITH SAUTEED APPLES

1/4 cup finely minced onion

2 tablespoons oil

1 1/2 cups chestnut flour (available in specialty and some Italian food stores)

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups cold water

3 tablespoons butter

2 large green apples, peeled, cored, each one cut into 8 wedges

Cook onion in oil over medium heat until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add chestnut flour, pepper and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly pour in water, stirring constantly, and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 20 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet. Add apples and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until apples are golden and tender, about 10 minutes.

To serve, mound polenta on plate. Spoon apples around polenta.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

163 calories; 1240 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.60 gram fiber.