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.
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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