Cornmeal

Excellent Ingredient of the Week
When it comes to comfort food, a warm piece of cornbread with a pat of melting butter is perhaps the ultimate delicacy. It's a great accompaniment to chili, soups, or a tall glass of milk, and it's so easy to make that even if you just follow an instant mix, you will still get great results. But you can do so much more. Cooking with cornmeal requires no yeast or complex mixing procedures. It's a one-bowl, stir-together-and-bake situation. Available nationwide, cornmeal is an inexpensive ingredient with good nutritional value that is not only high in fiber but also rich in iron, potassium, and magnesium.

Over 7,000 years ago, Native Americans cultivated corn from an indigenous plant of Central America called teosinte, a wild grass still found in Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. By systematically cultivating these plants, the Maya and Aztec peoples turned this small plant into a viable crop, which they could harvest in bulk and then dry and save for the winter season. Farmers traveled with sacks of dried cornmeal that could be simmered with water to make a hot porridge while out in the fields.

Explorers from the New World took this versatile grain home with them and made it their own. Polenta, a classic Italian dish, is a hot savory pudding or mush often served instead of potatoes or pasta. It’s made on the stovetop and often combined with cheese to produce a velvety, rich, and creamy side dish. In Romania, a similar dish is known as Mamaliga; this thick pudding of cornmeal can be cut into triangles and is often served with sour cream. In my family, which is Hungarian in origin, we make a savory corn bread filled with farmer cheese and scallions called Fluden, which is eaten along with a stew or roast. That recipe is in the MOW archive as well as a great cornmeal biscotti recipe.

In America, the birthplace of cultivated corn and cornmeal, we make a variety of regional specialties. Johnnycakes are the skillet-fried cornmeal pancakes popular in the Midwest. Hush puppies, a classic Southern favorite, are delicious deep-fried cornmeal balls made with buttermilk and onions. In the Southwest, there are many varieties of cornmeal products, from green Chile jalapeño cornbread to blue corn tortillas. Tamales, a Mexican favorite served all over the Southwest, are made with a steamed cornmeal dough called masa, which is wrapped in a corn husk. There is even a national Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg Tennessee, which takes place in late April of each year.

You can buy locally ground cornmeal at the farmers market (a little expensive for my taste) or cheap cornmeal at the supermarket. Polenta is just coarse ground cornmeal. It comes white yellow or blue. So make some cornbread, but remember it dries out really fast so it's best to bake it the same day you are going to serve it.

The Best Hush Puppies

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
You know, in this tight economic times we still have to have fun, and how are we going to do that? Entertain more at home and make simple delicious foods. So with that in mind, this week I had to try the hush puppy recipe in this month’s Gourmet magazine and see what I could do with it. It just took a little manipulation to make it work at this altitude and the results really are delicious. So here is the recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk (to break up the lumps)
1/2 minced onion
1 large egg
Optional southwestern ingredients
1 diced Jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon smoked Paprika
2 tablespoons diced cilantro

Procedure
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, sugar, flour, soda and powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine the minced onion, buttermilk, and egg. If you are going to add the optional stuff, now is the time to add it to the egg mixture. Next just simply combine wet and dry and stir to break up any lumps. Put up about 1 1/2 inches of frying oil in a deep pot. I used canola oil, though I know some folks love peanut oil. Bring oil to 250 degrees and carefully scoop batter with a small scoop or a tablespoon into the hot oil. Cook about 5 to 6 at one time. Fry till golden brown and then flip over so both sides brown evenly, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. You can hold them in a 200 degree oven till you are ready to serve. I recommend serving them with some sort of dip, you could go southern and make a maple butter or go southwestern and make an Ancho aioli. Either way, get them while they are hot!

Cornmeal Biscotti

The Altitude Adjustment Section
I would have to say that the best food I had in Pittsburgh was the authentic Italian Biscotti at Enrico’s, a dumpy looking real-deal bakery on The Strip (which is the marketplace where the people and restaurants shop). Nothing snooty about this place. It's full of large people buying huge amounts of homemade sausage, sides of beef, and Italian imports. I sampled a few biscotti but fell in love with the simple cornmeal one. Not too sweet, really crunchy, and savory at the same time.

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Procedure
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in fennel seeds, rum, vanilla, and eggs until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended.

Spoon 1 cup dough in dollops down the length of a buttered or parchment-lined 12 by 15-inch baking sheet, 1 inch from edge. Spoon another 1 cup dough down the length of the other side of the sheet. With floured fingers, pat each strip of dough into a flat 13-inch loaf, about 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches wide. Repeat with remaining dough (dough can stand while first loaves bake).

Bake loaves in a 350 degree oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. With a sharp knife, cut loaves crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Separate slices slightly and tip each onto a cut side. Return to oven and bake until cookies are slightly darker and firm and dry to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Gently slide biscotti onto racks to cool completely. They will keep for weeks in an airtight tin.

Blueberry Corn Pancakes and Peanut Chocolate Chip Waffles

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Pancakes and waffles are the carbs dreams are made of. These two recipes are not only delicious but whole grain and really healthy. Isn’t that great news? They are both from the new King Arthur Flour Company's whole grains cookbook, which I love!

Blueberry Corn Pancakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2-cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Procedure
Place cornmeal in a medium bowl. Add boiling water, stir, and let sit 15 minutes. The cornmeal will absorb the water and will be very stiff. Add butter to cornmeal. Measure milk and beat egg into a separate bowl. Stir into cornmeal. In a third bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add to cornmeal mixture. Let batter sit for 15 minutes then add berries. Cook in a non-stick pan or griddle. They will take a little longer to cook than regular pancakes, Wait for them to bubble before turning.

Peanut Chocolate Chip Waffles

Even though these taste like junk food, they are actually made with good-for-you spelt. Talk about a yin yang experience? You must try them!

Ingredients
1 cup spelt flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Cream the peanut butter with the sugar until it softens. Then pour in the melted butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time and mix till completely smooth — don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the milk. Batter will be very wet. Stir in flour mixture on slowest speed. Stir in chocolate chips. Let batter rest at least 10 minutes. Don’t skip this step — spelt absorbs moisture slowly, it will thicken, trust me. Cook as usual in non-stick waffle maker. Give them a bit more time to cook through. Nice to serve with a banana whipped cream and a little cinnamon.

Mark Miller's Cornbread

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Cornbread, it’s a classic and one of my favorite things to eat with a stew or nice homemade soup. So we were making food in the kitchen the other day (what a surprise), and Mark, my champion baker, reminded me of the cornbread recipe in Mark Miller’s southwestern classic Coyote Cafe Cookbook. It's super creamy and quite easy, so here it is...

Ingredients
3/4 cup melted butter
2 cups fine yellow corn meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder

Procedure
Preheat oven to 425. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Blend butter, cornmeal, and salt in a food processor for a few seconds. Pour in boiling water and blend again for a few seconds till a smooth batter is formed. Scrape down sides of bowl. Now add all remaining ingredients and blend another 5 seconds. Place mixture in prepared pan and bake 30 minutes or until center is firm and sides pull away from the edges of the pan. Do not overcook or it will be dry. Turn onto rack to cool and eat immediately with tons more butter, why not?

Buttery Cornmeal Crisps

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Buttery cornmeal crisps are cookies — really! Just try them for an unusual grown up treat, think of it as health food if it helps. And you probably have all the ingredients in your house right now! Remember, they can be filled with apricot or raspberry preserves, or how about some lemon cinnamon mousse? Ahh... now you're interested?

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups sifted A.P. flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature, unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 room temperature egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup yellow cornmeal

Procedure
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powder and salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar till smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down bowl and add cornmeal. Mix till well blended, then with mixer on the lowest speed, add the flour mixture. Turn dough onto floured table and form into a ball. Then divide in half and form into a log 7 inches long by 1 1/2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate till hard, I say overnight.

To bake, preheat oven to 350, line a sheet pan with parchment. Cut the cookies with a sharp knife into 1/8 inch slices and place 2 inches apart on sheet pan. Bake for 8-9 minutes or till edges turn golden brown. Store in an airtight tin and dust with confectioners sugar or fill with something yummy.

Perfectly Peachy Cornbread French Toast

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is the question, should I save yesterday's cornbread or just through it away? I either freeze it for cornbread stuffing, which I make once a year, or give it to the birds... so I was thrilled when I came across this recipe from The Grains Cookbook by Bert Greene. I love this book, it was way ahead of its time! So here's the recipe:

Ingredients for French Toast
1/2 cup fresh O.J.
2 tablespoons peach Schnapps
2 eggs separated
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 slices left over cornbread
1 stick= 8 tablespoons butter
Confectioners sugar

Procedure
Combine O.J., schnapps, egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cream in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites till stiff. Fold whites into O.J. mixture and transfer to a rectangular deep dish. Preheat oven to 250 (this will be used to keep slices warm). Place cornbread slices into egg mixture, carefully making sure they are covered and let sit 2-3 minutes. Be careful, as more time will let them get mushy. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet and saute cornbread slices till golden brown and then turn and do other side, Add more butter as needed. Transfer slices to oven proof platter and place in warm oven till all slices are cooked, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with Orange Peach Syrup.

Ingredients for Orange Peach Syrup
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup peach schnapps

Procedure
Combine orange juice and sugar in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Add zest and cook 1 minute more. Mixture should slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in schnapps. Allow to stand 5 minutes then serve warm over toast!

Four Cheese Polenta

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Today we are going to make a fast and simple hearty dish to help keep you warm as the nights cool off and winter approaches. Isn’t it time to take a break from potatoes? You do have options, and it’s super creamy. I love polenta — it can be a main dish or a side dish and it welcomes experimentation. Great to fill up your vegetarian friends.

Ingredients
2 cups water
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup polenta
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup small chunks Gorgonzola Dulce cheese
1/4 cup Fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil and gradually stir in the polenta. Be careful as it tends to spatter. Reduce heat, and cook 3 minutes till grain looks tender. It will thicken as it cools. Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Great with some simple grilled chicken or fish.