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

Two Egg Kale Frittata

I love frittatas but it takes me four days to eat one and now that I am only cooking for myself that’s sometimes more than I want. So I recently made this two-egg version when I wanted it for breakfast one morning but did not want to be eating it for the rest of the week. I had some cooked kale in the fridge so I chopped some onion and cooked it with the kale in my smallest skillet and then poured two beaten eggs over that and cooked it on low for a few minutes then topped it with mozzarella left over from pizza night and some grated Pecorino Romano and finished it under the broiler. Delicious!

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs TWO EGG KALE FRITTATA 1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup cooked kale, leaves and stems
2 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere or any other hard cheese)
2 tbsp grated Parmagiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Creack the eggs into a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and beat with a fork until the yolks and whites are well blended.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the onion and cook until it is soft, about three minutes. Add the kale and cook long enough to heat it through.

Pour the beaten eggs over the mixture and stir just enough to distribute the eggs over the skillet. Turn the heat to low and cook for about five minutes, until the bottom is set.

Sprinkle the cheeses over the top and place the broiler (wrap the handle in aluminum foil if it is plastic) until the cheese has melted and is golden, about 2 minutes.

Can be served immediately, or at room temperature.

8/25 2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Baking Class: Sourdough Pizza Crust

I have been enjoying the fresh corn from Smits Farm all summer and have been making all of my favorite corn dishes. One thing I had not made in a while was a corn and zucchini pizza, which is one of my favorite combinations.

I've been working on my sourdough crust and I believe I have found what works best for me. I had originally converted my original conventional yeast recipe into a sourdough recipe without making any other changes with some success, but when I switched to using all 00 flour (which makes the best pizza crust, in my opinion) the dough did not seem to stretch out as far as my earlier white whole wheat/bread flour combination so I tweaked the proportions and came up with this recipe, which is perfect for two large or three smaller pies. If it seems too intimidating to make three pizzas all at the same time, the dough will last up to about six days in the refrigerator and can even be frozen. I am sure this is not going to be my final, final recipe as there is always room for improvement, but I have not felt the need to experiment any further with it which is always a good sign.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes SOURDOUGH PIZZA CRUST 175g (about 1 cup) active starter
360g (about 1-1/2 cups) water
585g (about 4-3/4 cups) 00 flour
3 Tbsp olive oil
12g (1-1/2 tsp) salt
6 (1-1/2 tsp) sugar

Add the water to the starter and mix together well. Add the oil, then stir in the sugar and salt.

Add the flour, a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking.

Form dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, anywhere from one to five days.

When ready to make the pizza remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Depending on the size of your peel, baking stone and oven separate the dough into two or three balls. Using a little flour if necessary, pat out the dough to your desired thickness and place on the baking sheet or pizza peel. Top as desired and bake in a preheated 450° to 500° oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

15 February 2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Corn and Sausage Saute

I got the recipe for this sautéed corn and sausage dish many many years ago from my coworker at The League of Women Voters in Texas. At the time I used Eckrich smoked sausage and canned corn and it was one of my favorite dishes and I made it all the time. Fast forward to today and I use fresh corn cut off the cob and Sausage Konig onion brats and imported Italian tomatoes and it is worlds away from that earlier version. There is something about bringing corn, tomato, sausage and onion together that amounts to sheer perfection. I will admit to using frozen corn (but never canned!) if I am craving this dish out of season but that doesn’t come close to how good it is when the corn is fresh off of the cob.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes CORN AND SAUSAGE SAUTE 1 lb link sausage
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cups fresh corn, prefereably cut from the cob, or frozen
1 28-oz can whole or diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped chives or green onions for garnish

Slice the sausage into bite-size pieces. Brown on both sides in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender. Reduce the heat and squish the whole tomatoes into the skillet with your hands, then add the liquid (or just add the tomatoes and juice together if using diced tomatoes). Bring to a simmer and cook for twenty minutes.

Add the corn and cook until just heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions just before serving.

8/30/2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

DIY Condiments: Yucatecan Pickled Red Onions

I have had the recipe for these Yucatecan Pickled Red Onions for a while and I couldn’t stop thinking about the pickled red onions that came with the salad at one of my last pre-Covid meals out at Taste of Peru. Once we were in lockdown it seemed like a good time to try it. They are ready in four hours, which is a plus. They have no sugar which is also a plus. 

They are tart and delicious. Serve them as a topping for just about any dish - avocado toast, hummus, eggs, tacos, chicken, salads - they go with everything!

I used the recipe as I found at Saveur online so I will just link to it here.

If you are looking for a new way to spice up your dishes you should give this a try.  It's quick, simple and so so delicious!

Braised Green Beans

I usually do not like my vegetables to be overcooked and mushy but this dish is an exception. These slow-braised green beans are full of flavor and just melt in your moutn. The trick is to cook it over low heat for a few hours. I’ve posted this recipe before but I have made adjustments over the years so I'm posting what I think is the best version here. It tastes delicious and makes an excellent side dish for any meal.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes BRAISED GREEN BEANS 1 lb green beans, trimmed and snapped into 2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large red onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped fine
Juice of half a lemon (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp dried or 2 Tbsp fresh thyme, dill, or oregano (or a combination of all three)
salt and pepper to taste

Place the beans, garlic, onion, and tomatoes in a Dutch oven. Add the liquids and about a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of the pepper.

Cover and place over medium low heat. Cook for a few hours, until the beans are almost fall-apart tender. Remove the cover and raise the heat to medium to cook off any liquid left in the pot. Remove form the heat and stir in the fresh herbs. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Can be served hot or at room temperature. Serve with Greek yogurt, if desired.

adapted from http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/07/25/turkish_or_greek_style_green_beans_braise_them_till_they_practically_melt_.html

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Fresh Corn with Smoked Sweet Paprika

Many years ago I went to one of the first nose-to-tail farm-to-table restaurants in Chicago.  Everything was delicious but the dish that stood out over everything else for me was corn fresh off the cob sautéed oh-so-briefly in butter and sprinkled with sweet smoked paprika. It was so, so delicious.  So I immediately recreated it when I got home and have been making it ever since.  Give it a try. You’ll want to eat it all the time.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables FRESH CORN WITH SMOKED SWEET PAPRIKA 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups fresh corn kernels, preferably off the cob
1/4 tsp smoked sweet paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp sweet paprika

Heat the oil and butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium high heat. When the butter has melted and started to sizzle add the corn and cook, stirring often, for two to three minutes, just long enough to thoroughly heat the corn. Add the smoked paprika and mix well.

Remove from the heat and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the sweet paprika over the top to garnish.

8/5/2008

Imported from Home Cookin v9.81

Kale and Sweet Potato Frittata

It’s been a while since I’ve made a frittata and I had a sweet potato that was sprouting and needed to be used pronto so I decided this was the perfect way to get my daily dose of kale as well. I love frittatas because you can put just about anything in them and spice them any way you want. I cook the kale stems before adding the rest of the vegetables since the stems take a while to get tender. I kept it simple with a bit of oregano and topped it off with Parmigiano Regianno that I browned under the broiler.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes KALE AND SWEET POTATO FRITTATA 2 Tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cups kales, stems and leaves separated and both diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
8 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup grated sharp Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat oil in non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potato and kale stems and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until they have just started to soften. Lower the heat, cover and let steam for 7 to 10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are almost tender but not mushy. Add a teaspoon or so of water if necessary. Add the onions, garlic and kale leaves and cook until the onion and garlic are translucent and the kale leaves have wilted.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then add the thyme. Whisk thoroughly. Remove the vegetable mixture from the heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the mixture to the eggs to temper them and stir to mix them in well. Add the rest of the mixture and mix everything together. Set the skillet back over medium high heat and add the butter. When it has melted and is sizzling pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the skillet. Let cook for about 30 seconds and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes, checking after the first 12 minutes, until the sides are set but the middle is still a bit runny. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top and put it under the broiler* for a couple of minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

Can be served warm out of the oven or at room temperature.

*If your skillet handle is not oven proof you can wrap it in aluminum foil and that will protect it for the few minutes it is under the broiler.

adapted from James Beard's American Cookery, by James Beard (Little, Brown and Company, 1972)

Imported from Home Cookin' v9.81

Quick and Easy Gazpacho

Summertime is gazpacho time. This is a simple version that is light and refreshing. I got it from a co-worker when I worked at the bookstore who got it from a book called The Ex-Boyfriend Cookbook, by Erin Ergenbright and Thisbee Nissen that was full of recipes that were the only thing left of past relationships. If it were me I would have held on to this boyfriend!

Just throw tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic, salt, sherry wine vinegar, olive oil and a little water into a blender and puree until you have soup. I fancied it up with garnish for this photo but I usually don’t bother.

Title: Gazpacho Home Cookin Chapter: Soups and Stews GAZPACHO 3 to 4 tomatoes, depending on blender capacity
1 cucumber
1/2 bell pepper
3-4 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
salt and pepper to taste

Chop 3 of the tomatoes and put in blender. Peel cucumber, cut in chunks and put in blender. Seed pepper, cut in chunks and place in blender. Smash garlic and put in blender. Cut onion into chunks and put in blender. If there is enough room in the blender, chop and add the fourth tomato.

Add liquids, salt and pepper.

Chop in blender to desired consistency.

Chill.

From The Ex-Boyfriend Cookbook, by Thisbe Nissen and Erin Ergenbright (Collins Living, 2002)

imported from Home Cookin v9.81