Cracked-Corn Spoon Bread

Name: Cracked-Corn Spoon Bread
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 8 cups whole milk; 2 cups coarse-ground yellow cornmeal; 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed; 6 large eggs, separated; 1 cup chopped scallions (from 1 bunch); 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon black pepper

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Whether you make it scoopable or sliceable, old-fashioned spoon bread is a welcome addition to almost any meal and makes a tasty change of pace from the usual cornbread or rolls. This delicious recipe was shared by Ashleigh Shanti, the chef behind Asheville's James Beard Award-nominated restaurant Benne on Eagle. Her version is made with coarse-ground yellow grits or cornmeal, which gives the spoon bread rich corn flavor and a bit of texture. While any coarsely ground cornmeal will work in this recipe, Shanti prefers using Farm & Sparrow's Spoonbread-Style Cracked Cornmeal, which is made from a special type of "semi-wild" corn that is grown and milled in North Carolina. She also adds one cup of sliced scallions to the batter—the oniony kick balances out the sweetness of the cornmeal. Like all spoon breads, this one has a light and tender texture from beaten egg whites that are gently folded into the cornmeal batter. Once baked, Cracked-Corn Spoon Bread emerges from the oven puffy and golden, then settles a bit in the baking dish as it cools. Slice it into generous wedges and serve it warm with plenty of butter on the side for spreading.

By

Ashleigh Shanti

Published on August 9, 2020

Active Time:

35 mins

Cool Time:

20 mins

Bake Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 40 mins

Servings:

12

Ingredients

8 cups whole milk
2 cups coarse-ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup chopped scallions (from 1 bunch)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring milk to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Whisk in cornmeal and butter. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes. Stir in egg yolks, scallions, salt, and pepper until combined.
Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy, about 30 seconds; gently stir into cornmeal mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes.