Bring the water to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the salt, keep the water boiling at medium high heat and add the polenta in a very thin stream, letting a fistful of it run through nearly closed fingers. You should be able to see the individual grains spilling into the water. The entire time you are adding the cornmeal, stir with a heavy whisk and make sure the water is always boiling.

        When you have added all the polenta, begin to stir with a long-handled wood spoon, stirring constantly and with thoroughness, bringing the mixture up from the bottom, and loosening it from the sides of the pot. Continue to stir for 40- 45 minutes. When the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan it is cooked, then add the butter. The polenta must cool for several hours. It will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Cover well with plastic wrap. When ready to serve, turn out polenta onto a large board and slice into thin strips, diamond shapes or triangles.

        Grill or fry the polenta before adding the toppings, this will give it a little crust which is good when serving at room temperature.

        The polenta can be topped with just about anything that appeals to you, and is in season. Here are a few suggestions:

	Ripe baby tomatoes in a mixture of colors, sliced in half and tossed in extra virgin
	olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh basil.
	Thin sliced smoked salmon, garnished with finely chopped red onion, dill and a
	squeeze of lemon.
	A traditional sauté of porcini mushrooms (recipe follows)
	A paté of chicken, duck or rabbit livers (recipe follows)

        Remove the porcini mushrooms from the water, pat dry and chop. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, then add the garlic and parsley, and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the porcini and cook for 2 minutes then add the fresh mushrooms and cook another 4 minutes. Remove the mushroom mixture with a slotted spoon to drain most of the oil, spoon onto the top of the polenta, add a small piece of the Fontina cheese and melt under the broiler and serve.

Paté topping
	375 grams/ ¾ pound livers from chicken, duck or rabbit, coarsely chopped
	90 grams/ 3 ounces unsalted butter
	1 onion, diced fine
	1 carrot, peeled and diced fine
	20 grams/ 1 tablespoon dried porcini mushrooms soaked in warm water
	2 anchovies packed in salt, rinsed and filleted
	20 grams/ 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and a few leaves of fresh sage and fresh thyme
	60 ml/ ¼ cup dry white wine

        Place the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the livers and porcini mushrooms and cook until the livers are nearly cooked, then add the sage and thyme and the white wine. Cook until the wine evaporates, add the anchovies and capers, give a stir and take off the heat. Strain off any liquid and place in a bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is fairly smooth. Heat the polenta wedges by placing on a grill or under a broiler. Spread the paté on the warm polenta wedges and serve.