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Bread that you eat with a spoonThe first time I witnessed hostess spooning bread out of a casserole for each of her guests, I wasn't certain what to do with it. This happened to me in Kenya, a strange place for a dish that is uniquely American. The hostess was a gorgeous, bombshell blonde, who met her husband-to-be on safari. He was the handsome leader of the safari group, British by birth; Kenyan by choice. She changed from Atlanta by birth the South, Kenyan by choice. Spoonbread is believed to have originated as a water and cornmeal American Indian porridge, similar to Boston's "Indian Pudding." That makes perfect sense as the Indians had no ovens but were given cornmeal whether they wanted it or not. Modern spoonbread is made with butter, milk and eggs added to the cornmeal. Its light texture comes from the whipped egg whites and baking powder. Yellow or white cornmeal, softened butter and a tasty liquid turns cornmeal into a dish that is often served as a side dish to glorify any seafood, meat or poultry. Today's cooks add cheese, or asparagus, herbs or whatever might be on hand including ingredients that spell Mexican. Cornmeal has a hint of sweetness which means that if you add even sweeter ingredients you have a good breakfast dish. We all need a little sugar to raise our blood sugar and energy level, don't we? It is nearly impossible to mess up spoonbread if you follow the basic recipe. You begin by adding cornmeal directly to scalding hot liquid. You MUST whisk vigorously to combine the two without lumps. Cold butter (to help cool the cornmeal) is then whipped in and the batter is left to cool so that it won't cook the egg yolks when they are added. When you add the remaining ingredients (here is where you can personalize the recipe) you will have a thick, almost crumbly texture. Beaten egg whites come to the rescue just before the unusual bread goes into the oven. Spoonbread collapses quickly, so race it from oven to table. Basic Old-Fashioned Spoonbread If you wish to add other tasty ingredients, you can fold them in just before adding the egg whites. 3 cups whole milk
Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously butter soufflé dish or 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Scald milk until it is just about to boil (may have a skin on top). Whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream and continue to whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in butter while the cornmeal mixture is still hot. Set aside and cool to room temperature. Beat egg yolks lightly and whisk them into cornmeal along with baking powder and salt. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in a quarter of the egg whites to lighten batter, and then fold in remainder. Spoon into prepared baking dish and bake until golden and puffy, about 40 minutes. Run to the table, spoonbread in hand. Makes 8 servings. Asparagus & Herb Spoonbread with Feta Cheese For the mixed herbs in this Mediterranean influenced recipe, a combination of dill, oregano and chives work well with the feta and asparagus. Other cheeses, herbs and vegetables can be substituted. 3/4 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously butter large soufflé dish or 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Blanch asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes, and then shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Cut asparagus into 1/2-inch lengths, reserving some tips for garnish. Over medium heat, combine milk and broth; heat until scalded and just about to boil. Whisk in cornmeal in a steady stream and continue to whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in softened butter while cornmeal is still hot. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Beat egg yolks lightly and whisk into cornmeal mixture along with baking powder, salt and pepper. Fold in asparagus, mixed herbs and cheese. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in a quarter of the egg whites to lighten the cornmeal batter, and then fold in remainder. Spoon into baking dish and place the reserved asparagus tips as garnish. Bake until golden and puffy, about 45 minutes. Race to the table. Makes 8 servings. Maple-Glazed Bacon Spoonbread Serve this bread drizzled with maple syrup and/or butter. Strawberry jam is good, too. 1/2 pound thick sliced bacon
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line rimmed cookie sheet with foil and lay bacon slices on foil or on a rack and cook 15 minutes, until fat starts to render. Remove from oven, drizzle slices with 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup and return to oven. Cook until bacon is slightly crisp and browned, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Cut into 1/8-inch slices; set aside. Turn oven down to 375 F. and generously butter soufflé dish or 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Heat 1/2 cup syrup with the milk in saucepan, stirring until they are fully combined. Heat until scalded but do not boil. Whisk in cornmeal in a steady stream; continue to whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and transfer into a large bowl. Mix in butter while mixture is still hot. Set aside and cool to room temperature. Beat egg yolks lightly and whisk into cornmeal along with baking powder and salt. Fold in the pieces of bacon. Whip egg whites until stiff. Fold in a quarter of whites to lighten the batter, and then fold in remainder. Spoon into prepared dish and bake until golden and puffy, about 40 minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup or jam. Makes 8 servings. Cornbread is good bread no matter how you bake it. 4/21/08 Date: 4/14/08
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