Cracked-Corn Spoon Bread

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.