Spoon bread—the cornbread custard you eat with a spoon
Serves 4-6
Originally thought to have Native American roots, spoon bread is now a staple in the American Southeast. Soft and creamy in the center and crispy along the edge, this is a delight of texture for the senses. I often find this served up in BBQ places on my road trips in Appalachia, through the Blue Ridge Mountains and into the deep south.
Modifications and add-ons are perfect for this recipe, transforming it from a sweet breakfast treat to a savory side dish. Go ahead, experiment with adding corn, peppers, even cheese to add kick, or a bit of sugar and topped with berries for breakfast.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole grain cornmeal
3 cups whole milk
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
4 eggs, separated
Preheat oven to 350F degrees (175c), and put a greased 1.5 quart baking dish in the oven to preheat. You can also bake and serve spoonbread in individual ramekins.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk slowly then add in the cornmeal and stir for about five minutes until thick. Add in butter until melted and salt and then remove from heat. Beat the egg yolks until creamy and stir into cornmeal mixture. Then beat egg whites until forming stiff peaks, and fold with a spatula into cornmeal mixture.
Pour batter into preheated baking dish (or 4-6 ramekins) and return to oven to bake for 35 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.
Serve hot.