Sweet Corn Spoonbread

I got this recipe from Cook's Country and was very impressed with the result. The spoonbread is like a cornbread souffle, by folding in egg white to the cornmeal which created the fluffiness to the spoonbread.

Ingredients

*1 cup cornmeal

*2 3/4 cups whole milk

*4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing dish

*2 cups corn kernels (from 3 to 4 ears of corn, or frozen, if defrosted and well drained)

*1 teaspoon sugar

*1 teaspoon salt

*1/8 teaspoon cayenne

*3 large eggs, separated

*1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 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.
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook corn until beginning to brown. 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.
3. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return to pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add the cornmeal mixture, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Once cool, whisk in egg yolks until combined.
4. Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk one-third of whites into corn mixture, then gently fold in remaining whites until combined. Scrape mixture into prepared dish and transfer to oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until spoonbread is golden brown and has risen above rim of dish, about 45 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Individual spoonbreads

To make individual spoonbreads, divide batter among 6 greased 7 oz ramekins, Arrange ramekins on rimmed baking sheet and bake as directed, reducing cooking time to 30 to 35 minutes.

Chicken Florentine

I was surprised how well this dish turned out and the chicken was very tender after cooking in the creamy broth. It is easy to add some bread on the side to become an easy to make weekday dinner. 

Ingredients

*2 Tbs canola oil

*12 oz (2 bags) spinach leaves

*1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

*Salt and pepper

*½ small white onion, finely chopped

*2 garlic, minced

*2 Tbs all-purpose flour

*2 c chicken broth

*1 c milk

*1 tsp fresh lemon zest

*1 tsp fresh lemon juice

*¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Position an oven rack 5 inches from the top coils; Heat the broiler.
2. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Transfer spinach to a colander and press with a large spoon or a spatula to remove excess liquid. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 1 Tbs of oil in the skillet. Lay the breasts in the skillet and brown on both sides. Transfer the skillet to a plate and loosely cover with foil.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour. Slowly whisk in the broth, scraping up the browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the milk. Return the chicken breasts and any accumulated juices to the pan. Cook until the thickest part of the breasts reach 160 degrees, about 30 mintues, flipping the breasts halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
4. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced to about 1 ¼ c, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into thick slices. Arrange in a broiler-safe casserole dish/skillet. Scatter the spinach over the chicken in an even layer. Pour the sauce over the spinach. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully so cheese doesn’t burn. Serve.