Baking Class: Skillet Cornbread with Fresh Corn

There are two camps when it comes to cornbread. There is the soft, cake like version of the north that mixes flour with cornmeal and adds sugar, and there is the southern version with no flour and no sugar. One look at these photos should tell you into which camp I fall. While I have had some versions of the northern style that are quite delicious, none come close to this 100% cornmeal no sugar cast iron skillet cornbread.

I found this recipe in a cooking newsgroup that has been around since the early days of the worldwide web and it is a keeper. You put whatever fat you are using into a cast iron skillet and let it heat up in the pre-heating oven. When it is smoking hot you add the batter. That is the secret to getting a nice, crispy crust. And the lack of sugar gives it a more intense corn flavor. The texture is coarse but when done right it is soft and bursting with full corn flavor, especially with the additional fresh Smits Farm corn I added to the batter. You have to look hard to see the kernels in there but every single bite just pops with that sweet corn flavor. I’m enjoying just eating it for breakfast but it is spectacularly good for sopping up a mess of beans.

I use coarse cornmeal for this recipe. I am sure it would be quite lovely with the finer grind as well.

Home Cookin 9.81 Chapter: Breads and Muffins SKILLET CORNBREAD WITH FRESH CORN Makes 6 large or 8 small pieces
1 Tbsp lard, bacon grease or grapeseed oil
2 cups cornmeal (preferably yellow)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup fresh cut or frozen corn kernels
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg, well beaten

Put the fat in the skillet and place the skillet in the middle rack of the cool oven. Turn the oven on to 450° F and let the pan heat up while you mix the rest of the ingredients.

Combine the cornmeal, salt and baking soda in a large bowl and mix well. Beat the egg and add it to the buttermilk.

When the oven is up to temperature add the fresh corn and then the buttermilk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together quickly. Pull the skillet out of the oven just long enough to quickly pour the batter into it and return it to the middle shelf.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

adapted from a recipe found on the rec.food.cooking newsgroup (which has deteriorated into a bunch of old posters who constantly argue with and snipe at each other and rarely talk about cooking anymore)

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Buttermilk Corn Griddle Cakes

Fresh corn straight from the farm is my favorite vegetable and I am always so excited to start making my favorite summer dishes with it and this year is no different now that I have my first ears of corn.  I adapted this recipe for corn griddle cakes years ago from a Two Fat Ladies recipe. These fluffy buttermilk pancakes literally pop with the flavor of the fresh corn kernels inside. I eat them with a little butter and pure maple syrup and they are incredibly delicious.

These can be made with canned or frozen corn but I highly recommend that you use fresh for the flavor and the crispy crunch of each kernel.  Normally I would get my corn from Smits Farm at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park but due to Covid 19 I am having it delivered from Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks service.  They support and partner with local farms to deliver fresh produce over the Chicago area.  They have made it possible for me to eat farm-fresh produce this whole season!

 

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Breads and Muffins BUTTERMILK CORN GRIDDLE CAKES 1 cup plain flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp grapeseed or canola oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and sift everything together.

Combine the beaten egg, corn, and buttermilk in a small bowl and mix together well. Add to the flour mixture and just stir everythying together. Add the oil and mix once again.

Preheat the oven to the lowest degree possible and place an oven-proof plate on the middle rack. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. It is ready when a drop of water thrown onto the surface sizzles and evaporates immediately.

For small cakes, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons onto the hot surface. For a larger cake pour 1/3 cup of the batter onto the surface. Cook until bubbles show on the surface, about two to three minutes, then turn the cakes over and cook the other sides until golden brown, about one more minute. Remove from the griddle and place on the plate in the oven while cooking the rest of the cakes.

Serve with maple syrup or topping of choice.

Adapted from a recipe from The Two Fat Ladies

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81 (http:\\mountainsoftware.com)

Eggs in a Basket

This dish has many names; I grew up calling it Eggs in a Basket. You cut a circle in a slice of bread and cook an egg in it. I never particularly cared for the idea of it until I tried it with focaccia. The thickness and sturdiness of it made it a great vehicle for a fried egg.

The finished dish is a cross between french toast, grilled cheese, and a fried egg sandwich.  The best of all three worlds.  It starts with the focaccia browning in a skillet and once the eggs have been added it is finished under the broiler.  It does not take long to put together and the result makes it so worthwhile.

The trick is to cook the egg until the top has just begun to set, then add the cheeses and put them under the broiler.  That is the way to get that nice runny yolk most of us love.

But if you don't like a runny yolk you can just leave it under the broiler until they have set completely before you add the cheese.

It is delicious either way.

 

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs EGGS IN A BASKET 1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 slices stale focaccia
2 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded gruyere or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Cut slightly oval circles in the focaccia with a sharp knife. Save the cut out portions.

Melt the butter or olive oil over medium high heat in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet. Add the focaccia and the cut out ovals, top side down, and cook until they are brown and toasty. Turn everything over. Add more butter or oil inside the holes in the focaccia if necessary.

Crack an egg into each oval and turn the heat down to medium low. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for two to three minutes, until the bottoms of the eggs have set.

Turn on the broiler and set it to low if you have that option. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Move the egg-filled pieces to the baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Keep an eye on oval pieces still in the skillet and remove them when they are nice and browned on the bottoms.

Cook the eggs until the tops have just set but are still slightly wobbly. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread half of the gruyere or cheddar over each piece, followed by the Parmigiano Reggiano. Place it back under the broiler until the cheese has melted and is nice and bubbly.

7/21/2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/)

Baking Class: Sourdough Starter Pancakes

I keep my sourdough starter on the small side so I don't have a huge buildup of discard but every few weeks I have enough to make something and I am always looking for ways to use it.  These sourdough starter pancakes were the first thing I ever made with my discard and they are in my regular rotation now.  They work as a savory or sweet dish; here I served them with fried eggs and pure maple syrup and they were delicious.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Breads and Muffins SOURDOUGH STARTER PANCAKES

180g (app 1 cup) sourdough discard

120g (app 1/2 cup) water

60g (app 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

1 egg
2 Tbsp sugar (optional, I usually omit it)
2 Tbsp oil, plus more for greasing the griddle/pan
3 + Tbsp buttermilk, milk or other liquid, as needed
1 tsp baking soda

Mix the discard, flour and water and let sit until bubbles form.  Add the egg, oil, and sugar if using and mix together.  Add the buttermilk, milk or other liquid in small increments mixing just enough to incorporate it into the batter, until it is just think enough to pour easily without spreading too mucy.  The amount needed will vary depending on the thickness of your starter.

Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature and put an oven-proof plate on the middle rack.  Heat a griddle over medium heat. Pour in about a teaspoon of oil and spread it over the surface.   Once the griddle is hot (you can test it by sprinkling a drop of water onto the surface.  If it sizzles and burns away quickly the griddle is hot).  Pour the batter in 1/4-cup increments and cook until bubbles have formed on the surface and the edges look dry, two to three minutes.  Flip and cook until golden on the bottom, 30 seconds to one minute more.

As the pancakes are done store them on the warm plate in the oven until ready to serve.  If you are not serving them right away remove them from the oven when they are all made and cover with a towel to keep them warm.

adapted from recipe found at http://www.culturesforhealth.com/sourdough-pancakes-recipe

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/)

Sunday Breakfast: Polenta and Eggs

As often as I make bread, there are still times when I do not have any in the house. Which can be a problem on a lazy Sunday morning when I want to make a nice breakfast of fried eggs and toast.  This actually happened to me the first time when I was visiting my brother and his family in Austin when they had given up flour and most grains.  The only grains they had in the house were instant oatmeal flakes with a questionable use by date and cornmeal.  And I wanted eggs.  But I needed something to go with them, but what?

And I started thinking about the cornmeal and how it can be used to make polenta, and how similar it is to grits, and I realized I could probably make a single serving to go with the eggs.  Which is what I proceeded to do.  I brought three-fourths of a cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan and then added one-fourth of a cup of cornmeal and a little bit of salt.  I turned down the heat as low as it would go and simmered the mixture for about 20 minutes and then poured it out onto a plate to let it cool.  I then cooked up the eggs and plated them on top of the polenta, which had cooled enough to set.

And while not the same as toast (and let's be honest, nothing beats toast with eggs), it was quite tasty and satisfied my need for some kind of carbohydrate to go with the eggs.  And it was filling, too.  And it impressed the hell out of my brother and sister-in-law.

So when I found myself without bread last weekend I remembered that polenta-and-eggs breakfast and decided to do it again.  Except that this time, in my own kitchen, I was able to expand on the theme and came up with something even more tasty.  Here's how you can make it too:

Bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan.  (I found this saucepan hanging from a strip in the canned vegetable aisle of the grocery store.  While immune from impulse candy purchases in front of the checkout lane, I find myself alarmingly vulnerable to those odd little items hanging from strips in the aisles; to wit - an equally small skillet, teeny tiny snack containers, and biscuit cutters.  All unnecessary, but I have not yet regretted bringing any of them home with me.)

Slowly stir in 1/4 cup of cornmeal (I prefer coarsely ground but any kind will do).  Turn the heat down as low as it will go and cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, adding more hot water as necessary.

After the 20 minutes, when the mixture is thick and the cornmeal has softened, add about a tablespoon of olive oil or butter and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional but really adds to the flavor!).  Stir well and remove from the heat.  Pour the polenta out onto a plate and let it stand for about ten minutes to set.

If you are lucky enough to have some fresh parsley on hand from an earlier dish (as I was), sprinkle chopped parsley over the polenta.

Top with eggs, shrimp, sausage, or whatever you have on hand and serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

We are buried under a couple of feet of snow here in Chicago and it is still coming down this cold Sunday morning.  It feels like the perfect time for an omelet and hash brown brunch, topped off with two slices of the Sourdough Whole Wheat Flaxseed and Sunflower Seed Bread that I have been working on and is just about perfect.  (But that is for a future post.)

I have also been working on hash browns.  A few years ago I wrote this post about my father's hash browns and how I never had the patience to make them myself.  Now I find that it is no trouble at all - it's funny how things change.

I had part of a sweet potato in the refrigerator so I decided to make my hash browns with those.  I don't really follow a recipe, but I thought I would share my technique with you.

This is about a third of a large sweet potato, cut into 1/4-inch cubes.  I wanted a smaller cut so they would cook faster.  I filled my non-stick 10-inch skillet with about 2 teaspoons of grapeseed oil and heated the oil over medium high heat.  When the oil was shimmering I added the potatoes and shook the pan to coat the cubes in oil and to get them as close to a single layer as possible.

I lowered the heat and let them cook for 10 minutes without touching them.

After that first 10 minutes I shook the pan to get the cooked sides up and then left it again for about 5 minutes this time.  I shook the skillet to redistribute the potatoes and then left it for another 5 minutes.  I tested a piece with a fork for tenderness and it was almost there.  I left it alone for another 3 minutes and the potatoes were perfectly tender when I did the fork test this time.

And then I added my spices.  I try to incorporate turmeric and cinnamon into my diet on a daily basis so whenever the opportunity arises I use those first.  Those flavors work well with sweet potatoes so I added about a fourth of a teaspoon each of turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, and cumin and cooked it for about a minute until the potatoes were well coated and the heat had released the oils of the spices.  I added salt at the end and then transferred the potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

I made the omelette while the potatoes were cooking.  I used the method that I wrote about here.  I will be posting my recipe for the bread soon.

Fried Eggs with Polenta and Chives

Here is a lovely breakfast to make when you don't have any bread or potatoes in the house and you want something to go along with your eggs. Although I grew up in Texas, I rarely encountered grits outside of literature.  I had a vague idea of what they were but no idea how they tasted.  On the rare occasion that I ran across them on a breakfast menu my eyes skipped right past them, not even considering them as an option.  I believe I finally tried them at some greasy spoon and they were runny and tasteless so I never bothered with them again.

And then I discovered polenta.  And oh my, was it delicious! It was cheesy and buttery and had a mild undertone of corn.  I fell in love with it and made it fairly often to go with eggplant and tomato sauce and later, black beans.

It was not until quite a few years later that I finally decided to try grits again (here in Chicago, ironically enough) and ordered the cheesy grits to go with my fried eggs at a known "southern" brunch place (Wishbone North, if you must know, which apparently is a separate entity from the Wishbone in the south loop, judging by the separate wesites - I am sure there is a story there).  And imagine my surprise as I realized that grits and polenta are essentially the same.  Cornmeal and water.  The difference is in how much water to cornmeal you use and what else you put in with them.

But I continued to cook and eat polenta to go with lunch and dinner dishes and only had grits occasionally when I was out to brunch.  And then one time I was at my brother's in Austin looking for breakfast and there was nothing to go with the eggs I was craving.  And that is when it hit me that I could make a single serving of polenta and have my own version of grits and eggs.  It worked well and I have since made it several times out of choice rather than out of desperation.

And even though I am really making grits, I still call it polenta.

The chives are completely optional and I used them because I had some in the refrigerator, but it would be worth it go get them just for this purpose.

Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: Grains Pasta and Potatoes
POLENTA WITH CHIVES 1/4 cup coarse cornmeal/polenta
1/2 cup water plus more as needed
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp minced chives, plus more for garnish

Bring water to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan. Stirring the water around to form an eddy, slowly add the cornmeal so it does not clump. Stir once more and turn the heat as low as it will go. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary, until the polenta is thick and you can no longer see the individual grains. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Add the cheese and the chives and stir everything together to combine. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate immediately and let set for at least ten minutes before serving, about the time it would take to fry your eggs.  Slide the fried eggs onto the polenta and top with additional chives before serving.

10/12/2017

Exported from Home Cookin v9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Frittata

It has been a while since I have made a frittata and last weekend I found myself with little bits of this and that:  half a sweet potato, a bag of baby kale, one small shallot and a zucchini.  I decided to indulge myself and made this delicious version of one of my favorite breakfast treats.

What I love about frittatas is how versatile they are.  As long as you have the eggs you can throw pretty much anything into them and they always come out delicious.  If you want more ideas, click on the Frittatas label link to the right.

For this particular frittata I quartered and sliced the sweet potato and sauteed it in a twelve-inch skillet over medium high heat in olive oil for a few minutes before adding some chopped shallots.  When the sweet potatoes were just getting tender I added the zucchini and cooked that for about five minutes, and then I threw in the chopped baby kale.

While the vegetables finished cooking I cracked 8eggs into a bowl, added some salt, and whisked them together.  When the vegetables were done I added a small amount to the eggs and stirred to temper them, then dumped in the rest.  I wiped out the skillet and returned it to the medium-high heat.  I added a tablespoon of butter (for flavor).  Once it had melted and was foaming I poured in the egg mixture and lowered the theat to as low as I could get it.  I cooked it for about 20 minutes, checking after the first 10, until the eggs were just set and still wiggly on top.  I grated about 2 ounces of provolone cheese while the eggs were cooking.

I slipped my super duper aluminum handle over the skillet handle and sprinkled the grated cheese over the still wet top of the frittata.  I put it under the broiler for about 2 minutes (checking after the first minute and every 30 seconds after that), until the frittata was set and the cheese had browned.  I removed it from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

The next time you want to treat yourself to a beautiful breakfast take a look through your refrigerator for vegetable odds and ends.  I think you will be surprised at what you find, and you will be eating a delicious frittata in no time.