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DIRECTIONS

1. For the polenta: Put the cornmeal, water, and salt in a saucepan and whisk vigorously. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and regulate it so that the mixture simmers gently until it is very thick and pulls away from the sides, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring almost constantly. It takes patience, but the stirring prevents the polenta from becoming gummy or burning on the bottom. When the polenta is thickened, stir in the cheese and cilantro.

2. Coat an 11-by-7-inch baking dish or other shallow 2-quart baking dish with a small amount of oil. Scrape the hot polenta into the dish and smooth the top. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until very firm, 2 to 3 hours or up to 2 days.

3. For the pork: Put the marinade and pork in a large zipper-lock bag. Press the air out of the bag, seal, and massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for 3 hours or up to 2 days.

4. Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle the pork all over with the chimichurri rub, patting it in with your fingers. Let the meat rest at room temperature before grilling, about 1 hour.

5. Heat the grill as directed.

6. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the pork on the grill away from the heat, cover, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers about 145°F, 50 to 60 minutes. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 350°F.

7. While the pork cooks, cut the polenta into 12 square “cakes.” Coat the tops with oil or oil spray. When the pork is nearly done, grill the polenta cakes directly over the heat until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

8. Using tongs and a spatula for support, remove the pork to a large serving platter. Cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into slices ½ to 1 inch thick and serve with the polenta cakes.

TIMING

Prep: 40 minutes (plus 15 minutes for marinade and rub)

Marinate: 3 hours to 2 days

Rest before grilling: 1 hour

Grill: About 1 hour

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs

• Sturdy, long-handled spatula

SHORTCUT

• To save time, replace the polenta with prepared polenta, which is sold in a cylindrical package in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores. Slice the cylinder of polenta crosswise about 3/8 inch thick, and grill as directed.

CHOOSING A PORK LOIN ROAST Cut from the same general area of the pig as pork tenderloin, center-cut pork loin is lean and fine grained in texture. It’s the most popular pork roast sold. But other pork loin roasts can be used in any recipe calling for a center-cut roast. Here’s some anatomy to help you visualize the differences among pork loin roasts. The entire loin runs along either side of the pig’s back, from the shoulder to the hip. The loin muscles closer to the shoulder are worked more heavily and yield a slightly tougher and coarser roast called the blade roast. Loin muscles near the hip are also worked pretty hard and yield the similarly dense sirloin roast. While these bone-in loin roasts are slightly tougher than boneless center-cut pork loin, they’re also juicy and full of flavor because the muscles are more developed. The bones provide a bit of juice and flavor as well.

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Veal Loin Chops with Wasabi Butter

We like both veal loin chops and rib chops for grilling. Loin chops are a bit leaner, so we add extra moisture and flavor by soaking them in a spicy vodka marinade. A pat of butter flavored with wasabi paste also adds a bit of fat, moisture, and flavor to the tender chops.

TIMING

Prep: 10 minutes (plus 5 minutes for marinade)

Marinate: 2 to 3 hours

Grill: About 10 minutes

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THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (450°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep

Clean,