Recipe: Blue Cornbread Sticks and Blue Corn Spoonbread with Roasted Garlic

SOUTHWEST BLUE CORNBREAD STICKS

"A Southwest staple, blue cornmeal is no longer a rare sight in the rest of the West. The blue-gray meal is found in specialty and health-food stores, and also in well-stocked supermarkets.

It can be used interchangeably with white or yellow cornmeal but has its own parched-corn flavor. Depending on the recipe, its natural blue-gray color changes dramatically. If the mixture is high in acid, the color change is toward purple-pink; if low in acid or slightly alkaline, the color shifts toward blue-green. These cornbread sticks have a pinkish cast; the spoonbread (recipe follows) is bluer."

2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 medium-size onion, chopped
1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 cup all-purpose flour
About 1 cup blue cornmeal
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup (about 4 oz.) shredded jack cheese

Melt butter in a 10-to-12-inch frying pan on medium-high heat. Add onion and chili, stirring often until onion is lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.

Mix together flour, 1 cup cornmeal, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk egg and milk until blended. Stir onion, milk mixture and cheese into the cornmeal mixture.

Butter cornstick pans (each about 5 1/2-inches in diameter). Dust pans with cornmeal; shake out excess. Spoon batter into pans, filling to rims.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven until firm to touch and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes, then invert pans to remove cornbread; use a small knife to loosen if neccessary. (If you have only 1 pan, wash, dry, butter and dust with cornmeal again, then bake the next batch.)

Serve bread hot or at room temperature.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
If made ahead, let cool, then wrap airtight and chill up to 24 hours, or freeze to store longer. To reheat, lay bread (thawed, if frozen) in a single layer on a 12-by 15-inch baking sheet; place in a 350 degree oven until warm in centers, about 10 minutes.

Makes about 18 cornbread sticks
Source: Sunset Magazine Recipe Annual, 1991 Edition

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BLUE CORN SPOONBREAD WITH ROASTED GARLIC

1 head garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup blue cornmeal
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
4 large eggs, separated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut garlic in half through cloves. Pour oil into an 8- to 9-inch-wide baking pan. Place garlic, cut side down, in pan.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven until cloves are golden brown on bottom, about 30 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze garlic from peel into a bowl; mash with a fork and set aside.

In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine cornmeal, sugar, and cayenne. Slowly and smoothly stir or whisk in milk, then butter. Place over high heat and stir until boiling and thick. Let cool 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks with garlic; stir a little of the hot mixture into bowl, then return mixture to pan.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until they hold moist but distinct peaks. Gently but thoroughly fold whites into cornmeal mixture.

Pour into a buttered 1 1/2-quart souffle dish or deep baking dish.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until well browned and mixture is firm when dish is shaken, 35 to 40 minutes. Scoop out portions with a spoon and serve at once. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
Source: Sunset Magazine Recipe Annual, 1991 Edition