Best Spoonbread Recipes

SPOONBREAD WITH CHEESE AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish or casserole and sprinkle with enough Parmesan (about 1 tablespoon) to lightly coat the dish. Set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet, add the scallions and cook until just wilted. Set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk, half-and-half and salt until bubbles form around the edges. Slowly sprinkle in the cornmeal, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook over low heat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove pot from the heat and add the remaining butter and Parmesan, the scallions and the Cheddar cheese. Stir vigorously until well incorporated.
• Lightly beat the egg yolks and add them, stirring vigorously. Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat a large spoonful of whites into the cornmeal mixture; then gently fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

JALAPEñO SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 2-quart soufflé dish or baking dish.
• Combine the water, milk and salt in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add the cornmeal in a very thin stream while stirring all the time with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to low and stir for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
• One at a time, stir in the egg yolks, then add the optional cheese and corn kernels, and the jalapeños.
• In a medium bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium until they form stiff but not dry peaks. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture and gently fold in the rest. Scrape into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until spoonbread is puffed and beginning to brown. Serve at once. Chill leftovers.

SWEET CORN SPOONBREAD, THE EASY WAY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (see Note above if this seems too early). Very generously grease a 1 1/2 quart soufflé dish or an 8-inch square baking dish. Whisk cornmeal and 3/4 cup of milk in a small bowl until combined and set aside.
• Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Cook corn until beginning to brown, which can take as little as 3 minutes with fresh corn but with defrosted frozen corn. Stir in sugar, salt, cayenne and remaining 2 cups milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let mixture steep for 15 minutes.
• If you've got an immersion blender, please use it to save time. Otherwise, transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Back in the pot (or still, if it had never left) bring it back to a boil, reduce heat to low and add the cornmeal-milk mixture, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. If you want to do fewer dishes and don't mind if it takes longer to cool, you can leave it in the pot. Otherwise, transfer to a large bowl and return mixture to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Once cool, whisk in egg yolks. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form and fold it in to the corn mixture, one-third at a time. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and baked until spoonbread is golden brown and has risen above rim of dish, about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

SWEET CORN SPOONBREAD WITH SMOTHERED SHRIMP, POACHED EGGS, AND FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Steps:

• For the Fried Green Tomatoes: Soak tomatoes in milk. Mix cornmeal and flour. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat add butter. Dredge tomatoes in a cornmeal until completely covered. Carefully place tomatoes in a saute pan and fry for 2 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel; season with fresh cracked pepper.
• For the Sweet Corn Spoonbread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring to a boil one-cup of milk; add corn and cornmeal, stirring constantly, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the fire and beat in butter, sugar, salt, and the remaining milk. The cold milk should cool the mixture. Beat egg yolks. In a separate bowl, beat whites until stiff, then fold the stiffly beaten whites into egg yolks. Add to cooled milk mixture. Pour the mixture into a buttered dish and bake for 30 minutes.
• For the Smothered Shrimp: In a medium saute pan over high heat add butter and saute the shrimp. When the shrimp are slightly pink, add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent. Dust with flour and stir well incorporated to a paste. Add chicken stock 1 cup at a time working, with a wooden spoon. When gravy is formed, season with salt and pepper, and finish with chopped parsley.
• For the Poached Eggs: Bring water to a boil; add vinegar and salt. Crack 2 eggs and poach for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon.
• To Assemble: In a soup bowl, scoop a small amount of spoonbread into the center. Top with poached eggs and garnish with shrimp and chopped parsley.

SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat milk, cream and butter until just boiling. Whisk in cornmeal in a slow steady stream, stirring until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in corn kernels and chives. Beat egg yolks and stir into the mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter to lighten it. Pour mixture into a greased 8 by 8-inch casserole pan, spread evenly with a spatula. Bake 30 minutes in a preheated 350-degree F oven until risen like a souffle.
• Spoonbread will be puffed and golden brown; a knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

JALAPEñO SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 2-quart soufflé dish or baking dish.
• Combine the water, milk and salt in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add the cornmeal in a very thin stream while stirring all the time with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to low and stir for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
• One at a time, stir in the egg yolks, then add the optional cheese and corn kernels, and the jalapeños.
• In a medium bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium until they form stiff but not dry peaks. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture and gently fold in the rest. Scrape into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until spoonbread is puffed and beginning to brown. Serve at once. Chill leftovers.

SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 2 quart baking dish. In a 3 quart saucepan heat milk, salt, sugar & butter to boiling point. Slowly add cornmeal and stir with a wooden spoon for a few minutes or until mixture is thick. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Beat in baking powder and baking soda, Beat in buttermilk, scallions and egg yolks, one at a time.
• Cool to room temperature. Whip egg whites until stiff and fold in. Bake 40 minutes or until top is puffy. Spoon out onto plates alongside salad. Serve with soup of choice.

MOM SAMPSON'S SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slowly add cornmeal to the boiling water, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Add butter and salt and cool to lukewarm. Then add eggs and milk. Beat for 2 minutes, then pour into a greased casserole and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon out while piping hot and pass the butter!

SPINACH SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• 1. Lightly grease slow cooker; preheat on HIGH. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix well. Pour batter into preheated slow cooker. Cook, covered with lid slightly ajar to allow excess moisture to escape, on HIGH about 2 hours or on LOW 3-4 hours or until edges are golden and knife inserted in center of bread comes out clean.
• 2. Serve bread spooned from slow cooker, or loosen edges and bottom with knife and invert onto plate. Cut into wedges to serve.

SPOONBREAD WITH GREEN TOMATO AND CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. When cooked, add the tomato and stir for two minutes. Add the corn and cook for another two minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Dab a paper towel with one tablespoon of butter and rub it evenly over the sides and bottom of a two-quart casserole. Set the casserole aside.
• In a three-quart saucepan, bring two cups of milk to a boil over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, begin sprinkling the cornmeal slowly over the liquid, stirring constantly. This will prevent the cornmeal from lumping. Stir the mixture over the heat until it becomes very thick, about three to four minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Add the remaining butter, stirring until it is completely incorporated. Stir in the remaining milk. Blend in the egg yolks. Add the bacon-corn mixture, salt and pepper to taste and blend.
• Whip the egg whites until they form a soft peak. Fold them into the spoon bread mixture. Scoop the mixture into the buttered casserole and place it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• Serve with a spoon and more butter if desired.

CORN SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and dust with cornmeal; set aside.
• Heat the butter and half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts and the half-and-half is steaming. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the cornmeal. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and continue to cook, whisking, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the cornmeal mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Whisk in the scallion, baking powder and cayenne.
• In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk to soft peaks. Fold about one-quarter of the whites into the cornmeal mixture to lighten it, then fold in the rest until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake until puffed and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with scallion and serve hot.

CORN AND TOMATO SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter four 6-ounce ramekins and dust with cornmeal; tap out the excess.
• Whisk the milk, corn, cornmeal and a pinch of salt in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave 5 minutes. Stir and continue to microwave until thick, about 2 more minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl with a mixer until thick and airy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk 1/2 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon chives into the hot cornmeal mixture until thick. Whisk half of the cornmeal mixture into the eggs, then whisk in the remaining cornmeal mixture until smooth. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Transfer the ramekins to a baking sheet and bake until puffed and set, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and toss with the olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon chives, and salt and pepper. Top the spoonbread with the tomato mixture. Serve with pickled vegetables.

SPINACH SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350° and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or very large enameled cast-iron skillet. In a saucepan of boiling water, cook the spinach just until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain and cool under running water, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach. 2. In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the egg yolks, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, white pepper and the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Fold in the chopped spinach. 3. In a clean bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the whites into the batter and scrape it into the prepared baking dish. 4. Bake the spoon bread in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly, then serve. Make Ahead The spoon bread can be made earlier in the day and kept at room temperature; reheat in a 325° oven.

OLD VIRGINIA SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• 1. In a casserole dish, melt butter.
• 2. Scald meal with boiling water.
• 3. Add beaten eggs and buttermilk combined with baking soda, salt, & baking powder. Beat 1 min.
• 4. Pour in melted butter.
• 5. Pour mixture into hot casserole dish & bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until brown. Serve immediately.

BOONE TAVERN SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Grease a 9" round cake pan with some of the softened butter. Cut out a parchment paper circle to fit inside the pan, nestle it into the bottom, and grease the paper with the remaining softened butter. Set the prepared pan aside.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the milk to a boil, whisking occasionally, over high heat. While whisking, pour in the cornmeal in a steady stream. Whisk vigorously to incorporate the cornmeal, for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to let the cornmeal mixture cool to room temperature.
• Heat oven to 350°. Transfer the cornmeal mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the remaining butter, baking powder, salt, and eggs and mix on medium speed until uniform and aerated, about 15 minutes.
• Pour cornmeal batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and puffy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

SPINACH SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and dry milk. Mix in the butter with a fork, a pastry blender, a mixer, or your fingers, till crumbly.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Sauté the onion in the butter until it's soft and becoming golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, add the ricotta, salt, egg substitute or eggs, spinach, and grated cheese to the large bowl.
• When the onions are almost done, stir in the thyme and nutmeg. Remove them from the heat, and add them to the large bowl.
• Mix everything together thoroughly, and spoon it into a greased pie pan. Spread with the sour cream. This is best done by dolloping the sour cream atop the filling, then using a spatula, or the back of a spoon, to smooth down and connect the dollops. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.
• Bake the quiche for 50 to 55 minutes, or until it appears set almost all the way into the center, and has begun to brown slightly. It may crack, also; that's OK.
• Remove it from the oven, and cool it on a rack for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30, before serving.

VIRGINIA SPOONBREAD (OR SPOON BREAD)

Steps:

• 1. Pour boiling water over cornmeal in a bowl which can withstand the heat. Stir and wait for it to cool, at least 30 minutes. Grease a pie plate with lard (or butter) and set aside.
• 2. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine soaked cornmeal with all remaining ingredients and stir well. Put into pie plate and bake, stirring every five minutes or so or until desired consistency.
• 3. Some people add a few tablespoons of milk each time they stir and bake for a longer time. It just depends on what consistency you prefer and it also helped to keep the bread from getting too hard and dry when wood was the oven's source of heat!

SOUTHERN SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
• Combine the milk, water, salt and the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepot; bring to a boil. Add the cornmeal in a steady stream while whisking rapidly. Continue stirring until the mixture returns to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very thick, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the cheese and add hot sauce to taste.
• Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with a whisk. Add 1 cup of the hot cornmeal mixture to the eggs and whisk together to warm the eggs and prevent them from curdling when added to the pot. Continue adding spoonfuls of the hot cornmeal mixture to the bowl of eggs until it's warm to the touch; then whisk the egg mixture back into the pot. Stir in the chopped chives.
• Transfer the cornmeal mixture to the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes; or until puffed and lightly browned. Cool slightly before garnishing with chives and serving. This may also be baked in advance and reheated before serving.

SUNNY'S TEX-MEX SPOONBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the chorizo: In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the butter, chorizo, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring to keep the onions from browning, until the chorizo is cooked through and broken down to resemble ground meat, about 10 minutes.
• For the cornmeal: Into the skillet with the chorizo, add the milk, buttermilk and cornmeal. Bring to a simmer while whisking, to keep the cornmeal from clumping or sticking in the corners. When the liquid begins to thicken, turn off the heat and continue to stir until the mixture is the texture of loose grits.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs while very slowly adding a bit of the cornmeal mixture. Whisk vigorously to combine and then feel the outside of the bowl. If it's not warm, add a bit more of the cornmeal mixture while continuously whisking; keep adding the cornmeal mixture until the eggs are just as warm as the cornmeal mixture. Then, reversing the order, slowly pour the egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture, whisking vigorously. Add the Cheddar, mozzarella, corn, chopped tomatoes and chiles and scallions to the skillet and stir to combine.
• Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes.

SPOONBREAD POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the potatoes in half if large, put them in a pot and add enough lightly salted water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until just tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut in coarse chunks into a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, cider vinegar, salt, dry mustard and paprika. Mix with the still-warm potatoes. Cover, and chill for several hours.
• Right before serving, add the grated onion, celery and chopped eggs. Mix together the mayonnaise and prepared mustard. Stir into the salad, and season to taste with celery salt. If desired, garnish with olives and strips of red and green pepper.