Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Fresh Cornbread



We sat down to a dinner of barbequed chicken and cornbread recently and Ryan pointed out that I had prepared the "ultimate Southern meal."  (minus the collards of course.)  I hadn't really thought about it but he was right, it was a very Southern menu.  I've lived in Georgia for 8 years now and I guess I've become more of a "southern girl" than I thought I had. 

After dinner, Ben and I took Mia for a walk and as we walked and talked, I looked around our little rural neighborhood and realized that I really do love our Southern surroundings.  I love that we see cows, bulls, horses, donkeys, deer and all sorts other wild animals - every day!  I never dreamed that I would live in a home where I could sit on the front porch and listen to the sounds of mooing cows - but I love it.  Perhaps living in this rural Georgia town has influenced my cooking and turned me into more of a Southern girl than I thought.












This was Mia at the end of our walk.  I think she likes our little Southern town too.










If you're in the mood for a southern meal, try the Cook's Illustrated recipe of fresh cornbread.

Fresh Cornbread
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs plus 1 yolk








Heat oven to 400.  Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.





Process corn in blender until smooth.


You should have 1 1/2 cups.  Transfer puree to medium saucepan.  Cook puree over medium heat until very thick and deep yellow and measures 3/4 cup.







Remove from heat.  Add 5 Tablespoons butter and whisk until incorporated.












Add buttermilk.

















Whisk in eggs and yolk.








Transfer corn mixture to bowl with cornmeal and fold together using rubber spatula.









Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.







Scrape batter into skillet and spread into even layer.


Bake until top is golden brown.  (23-28 minutes.)  Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.


 Slice into squares.



Ciao ya'll!



Fresh Cornbread
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs plus 1 yolk

Heat oven to 400.  Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Process corn in blender until smooth.  You should have 1 1/2 cups.  Transfer puree to medium saucepan.  Cook puree over medium heat until very thick and deep yellow and measures 3/4 cup. 

Remove from heat.  Add 5 Tablespoons butter and whisk until incorporated.  Add buttermilk.  Whisk in eggs and yolk.  Transfer corn mixture to bowl with cornmeal and fold together using rubber spatula.  Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Scrape batter into skillet and spread into even layer.  Bake until top is golden brown.  (23-28 minutes.)  Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.


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