Just Cook It! Spoonbread is versatile menu addition
Amanda Steen | 缅北禁地
Chef Mario Porreca cooks a Candied Pecan Spoonbread on the set of Just Cook It at 4th Street Barbeque in Charleroi.
Amanda Steen | 缅北禁地
Chef Mario Porreca cooks a Candied Pecan Spoonbread on the set of Just Cook It at 4th Street Barbeque in Charleroi.
Where will you be one month from today?
My guess is that you will most likely be the spectator of a hunt. No, I don鈥檛 mean you鈥檒l be on your couch watching the latest reality show on one of the nature channels. You鈥檒l be watching children hunt ever so diligently for dyed hard boiled eggs and plastic eggs filled with treats and the occasional one or, if they鈥檙e really lucky, $5.
After that traditional bit of fun and excitement you鈥檒l be preparing yourself for yet another holiday feast. Whether you鈥檙e in the kitchen preparing the meal or looking forward to tucking your napkin into your shirt and diving in, you鈥檒l no doubt be ready to dig into a large and luxurious meal.
Easter, much like the other major holidays we celebrate, has it鈥檚 own unique lineup of traditional foods. Lamb, ham, hot cross buns, hard boiled eggs and chocolate bunnies are just a few of the standard items. I鈥檝e even heard of some who enjoy turkey or chicken for Easter dinner.
Regardless of the standard traditions that occupy your Easter table, there is usually room for a few new items or at least some items that vary from year to year. My family always celebrates with roasted lamb, ham, ravioli, macaroni pie and our own unique Easter pizza.
Aside from those staple items, there鈥檚 always room for a few other dishes that typically vary from year to year. I always like to change the vegetables and starch of the meal to allow for some much needed variety, which you know, is the spice of life.
This Easter season, I reached into my bag of recipe tricks and pulled out an old friend so to speak. I didn鈥檛 want to give you a new and crazy idea that would detract from the traditional essence of your Easter feast. My family holds onto its holiday food traditions very tight and that鈥檚 something very special. I want you to hold onto yours very tightly as well and celebrate them as you do every year.
My intention was to give you a recipe that you could add to your menu to help highlight your traditional fare. A starch that I have made many times and even used in one of my professional food competitions came to mind. This recipe is one that I have literally made thousands of times and have spent countless hours perfecting.
The dish I鈥檓 referring to is spoonbread. It鈥檚 a very old school starch recipe and one that is also very versatile once you learn the simple technique and base for the dish. It鈥檚 also, most importantly, very delicious.
Spoonbread is a moist cornmeal-based dish that is prevalent in parts of the southern United States. The best way to describe it is a kind of cornbread meets pudding meets souffl茅 hybrid.
The dish is believed to be of Native American origin and was commonly called Awendaw or Owendaw. The first spoonbread print recipe appeared in a cookbook by Sarah Rutledge in 1847. Spoonbreads became popular around the turn of the century. It was at this time that cornmeal began to replace yeast in southern cooking.
Spoonbread is typically made in a souffl茅 crock or casserole dish and served family style at the table. It is served by simply using a large spoon to spoon it from the crock or casserole dish onto your plate 鈥� hence the name spoonbread. Even though the word 鈥渂read鈥� is in its name, it鈥檚 actually more similar to a pudding in consistency as mentioned above.
The following recipe that I provide with this column is a Candied Pecan Spoonbread, but you can just as easily substitute the candied pecans for different types of nuts, herbs and various other flavors and garnishes. You would simply follow the same recipe and method and make the appropriate changes to what type of spoonbread you would like.
For example, for a more savory variety you could forgo the candied pecan for roasted cloves of garlic and fresh chopped rosemary. You could also use chopped pistachios, dried cherries and chunks of dark chocolate to make a spumoni spoonbread. Use your imagination and the sky鈥檚 the limit when it comes to spoonbread flavor variety.
The process for making spoonbread is actually quite simple and a majority of the work can actually be done in advance the day before finishing and serving the dish. It鈥檚 nice to be able to prep ahead when you are in charge of orchestrating a large meal such as Easter dinner.
For the spoonbread base, or batter, you can start with light cream, half and half or whole milk. I prefer half and half because it鈥檚 kind of the best of both worlds between cream and milk. It鈥檚 rich but not overly rich. I recommend trying the recipe with each to determine which you prefer according to your personal taste preference.
You鈥檒l start by seasoning the liquid with a pinch of salt and bringing it to a simmer over medium to medium-low heat. You will then whisk the cornmeal into the liquid and continue whisking as the cornmeal cooks for three to four minutes.
The cornmeal will thicken as it cooks so you will need to adjust the heat of your burner accordingly. The goal is to cook the cornmeal until it is smooth while not allowing it to get overly thick. Lowering the heat when needed will accomplish this task.
You want the cornmeal to be about the thickness of pudding and you should taste it once it begins to thicken. You know the cornmeal is done when it loses its grittiness and is smooth on your tongue.
It takes a bit of trial and error through experience to know exactly how and when the consistency and texture are both perfect, but it鈥檚 not rocket science so don鈥檛 let that deter you. The recipe will still work if the cornmeal is not cooked perfectly, but to get it to the maximum level of delicious perfection it should be cooked as described above.
As the cornmeal cooks it is very important to stir it often if not constantly. If the cornmeal begins to get too thick to stir with a whisk, then switch to a rubber spatula.
The corners of the pot are the most difficult to reach with a whisk and consequently the most common place for the cornmeal to accidentally burn during this initial cooking process. A rubber spatula at this point coupled with reducing the heat will help you to avoid this mishap.
When the cornmeal is successfully cooked you will remove the pan from the heat and then stir in some softened butter and either some honey, sugar, maple syrup, or molasses. They type of sweetener you use depends on they type of spoonbread you are making. The sweetener should make sense with the other flavor profiles.
In my Candied Pecan Spoonbread recipe I prefer to use honey to give the dish a bit of sweetness. If I were making the spumoni-flavored spoonbread mentioned above I would use sugar to sweeten the cornmeal. Use your best judgment and your own palate to decide your personal preference.
At this point you want to let your cornmeal cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until it is just warm to the touch. You are going to be adding egg yolks to the cornmeal so you want to be sure the yolks will fold into the cornmeal smoothly without scrambling.
You can also add your garnish or flavorings to the batter at this point. If the garnishes aren鈥檛 heat sensitive (like candied pecans) you can add them earlier in the process when you add the sweetener.
Next you will want to use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. The whipped egg whites give the spoonbread its airiness and souffl茅 like qualities. You will use a rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cornmeal batter.
The key is to very gently fold in the whipped egg whites. You spent time and energy whipping air into the egg whites. The last thing you want to do is beat that precious air out while incorporating the whites into the cornmeal batter.
If you still see spots of whipped egg white in your batter it鈥檚 not an issue. It鈥檚 much better to have blotches of whipped whites throughout your batter than to over mix and knock the air out.
You鈥檙e almost done 鈥� all you have to do now is pour the batter into a buttered and sugared souffl茅 crock or casserole dish and bake it in a water bath at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. The spoonbread is done baking when it is browned on the top but still slightly loose in the center.
The final step is to remove the baked spoonbread from its water bath and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least five minutes before serving. I usually let mine rest for 10 鈥� 15 minutes to be safe, but five minutes is the bare minimum if you鈥檙e in a rush to get your spoonbread on the table.
As I previously mentioned, you can make the spoonbread batter minus the egg yolks and egg whites the night before. Store the batter in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid. When you are ready to bake the spoonbread, warm the batter in the microwave for a few seconds just to eliminate the chill of the refrigerator. You can then add the egg yolks and whipped whites and proceed with the recipe as normal.
Spoonbread is one of my favorite starches to include with a meal. Their texture, flavor and versatility make them a wonderful addition to any table.
Add spoonbread to your Easter table this year, you won鈥檛 be disappointed. Have a very happy and filling Easter and as always 鈥� Just Cook It!
Don鈥檛 forget to visit HeraldStandard.com and watch the video of me making my Candied Pecan Spoonbread.
Mario J. Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, author, and the host of Just Cook It on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.JustCookIt.net. Twitter: @MarioPorreca
Recipe: Candied Pecan Spoonbread
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon of butter + extra for dish
录 cup sugar
2 cups half and half
Pinch of sea salt
2/3 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon honey
录 cup candied pecans, chopped
4 eggs, separated
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and sugar a 2-quart souffl茅 dish or casserole; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the half & half and a pinch of sea salt to a simmer. Whisk in the cornmeal and continue stirring until slightly thickened, about 3 鈥� 4 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey and chopped candied pecans. Let the cornmeal mixture cool until just warm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Stir in the egg yolks until combined.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cornmeal mixture with a rubber spatula.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared souffl茅 dish and bake in a water bath until browned on top but still slightly loose in the center, about 45 minutes. Allow the spoonbread to rest at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving.