Re: Recipe : All-corn cornbread

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Alex Rast) wrote in
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]: 

> 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...the same ingredients and the same 
proportions  However, I often use buttermilk in place of sour milk since 
I rarely have sour milk on hand.  Occasionally I will substitute bacon 
drippings for the butter.  In any event, it is delicious!

BTW, whenever I can get it, I use stone-ground cornmeal.  It's even 
better, so do give it a try if you haven't already.

Wayne