Recipe: Basic Spoonbread

BASIC SPOONBREAD

"This is a good base recipe for spoonbread and is delicious served right out of the oven with honey butter, or plain as a side dish for chicken or pork. If you want to add other ingredients to it, you can fold them in just before adding the egg whites."

3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
6 tablespoons butter, softened (plus more for serving)
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
honey (for serving)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter large oval souffle dish or 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, scald milk until it is just about to boil. Whisk in the cornmeal in steady stream. Continue to whisk constantly for 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in butter while cornmeal mixture is still hot. Set aside. Cool to room temperature.

Beat egg yolks lightly. Whisk into cornmeal mixture along with baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In clean bowl of stand mixer, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in a quarter of egg whites to lighten batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon into prepared dish.

Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and puffy. Serve immediately with softened butter mixed with honey.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Amanda Gold to the San Francisco Chronicle, April 4, 2008