In article >,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
> (Alex Rast) wrote in
> :
>
> > Here's a recipe I perfected today for cornbread that has no wheat
> > flour, only cornmeal. It comes out somewhat cakey, mildly sweet (not
> > candylike) - exactly what I expect of cornbread.
> >
> > This is a great recipe for those times when you accidentally leave a
> > carton of milk in the fridge that one too many days, or were hoping it
> > might survive a couple of days longer, but didn't, because it calls
> > for sour milk. Don't try this, however, if your milk was
> > ultra-pasteurized: I don't think it'll work with that, in fact, I
> > don't believe (people who use it frequently, correct me if this is not
> > so) that it ever goes sour at all. Also don't try it if the milk has
> > gone beyond sour into the cheesey stage.
>
> You are correct. It simply spoils and never really goes through a
> "sour" stage.
>
> >
> > Cornbread
> >
> > 2 cups cornmeal
> > 2 cups sour milk
> > 3 eggs
> > 2 tbsp butter
> > 1 tsp baking soda
> > 1 tsp salt
> >
> > Preheat oven to 450F. Thoroughly butter a heavy cast-iron pan. A 10"
> > skillet is ideal.
> >
> > Mix cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until fully
> > blended. Cut butter in until the mixture is fairly uniform. In a
> > separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk or mixer until they are
> > frothy and pale yellow. Put the pan in the oven and allow it to heat
> > until it is nearly smoking.
> >
> > At this point, quickly beat the eggs into the cornmeal, then the sour
> > milk, then pour the entire batter into the pan and set in the oven
> > quickly. After about 5 minutes, turn the oven down to 400 without
> > opening the door. Bake for another 25 minutes or so, until the top is
> > dark, uniform brown. Remove and cool.
> >
> > This cornbread is delicious eaten warm - simply wait for about
> > 5 minutes or so, until it cools to edible temperature, then cut into
> > wedges. Or cool all the way if you prefer it at room temperature.
>
> Alex,
>
> This is exactly the way that I and my family (back to grandmother) have
> been making cornbread for generations
--snip--
And ours.
Try cooking it in a cast-iron skillet for a wonderful crust.
Here's our family recipe, from Arkansas:
1-1/2 C corn meal (white or yellow)
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 egg
2 C buttermilk ("fake" buttermilk, from adding vinegar to fresh milk,
will work too)
Mix thoroughly. The batter will be thin. Important: mix just before the
pan is ready, or the baking soda will be "all foamed out".
In hot oven (400 F), heat heavy pan (I use a cast-iron skillet) with 2 T
bacon fat (anything else is _not_authentic_) until almost smoking. Add
batter and bake until brown. When the bread pulls away from the sides of
the pan, it's probably ready. Test it with a toothpick.
--
For New Year's Day, we always cook up a "mess" of black-eyed peas
(really beans). Don't forget to put a hamhock or a piece of salt pork in
with the peas, and make a pan of cornbread.
To serve, slice a piece of cornbread through the middle and open it up
on the plate. Then spoon the peas over, including as much "juice" as you
like.
Note: Black-eyed peas cook a *lot* faster than most other kinds of dried
beans. A couple or three hours will do it, with *no* pre-soaking. If you
cook them too long, they'll turn to mush.
Isaac