Green Chile Spoonbread

Name: Green Chile Spoonbread
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 3 cups whole milk; 1 1/2 cups fine yellow cornmeal; 6 large eggs, separated; 1 1/2 cups buttermilk; 6 cloves roasted garlic (see page 250), finely chopped; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon cayenne; 3 Hatch or 2 medium poblano or Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely diced (see page 250); 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano; 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives; 1 tablespoon sugar

December 14, 2011

For those of you who are not from the South, spoonbread is best described as a cross between a soufflé and corn bread. Light and creamy like a soufflé, this elegant side dish delivers the essence of corn bread without any of its density. Parmesan cheese gives the spoonbread a rich, savory note, while sweet roasted garlic and roasted green chiles provide the force of its flavor profile. Chopped chives and oregano fleck each bite with fresh color and flavor. At Bar Americain we serve Green Chile Spoonbread alongside the Smoked Chicken with Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce (page 126), but I would be hard-pressed to think of a meal that wouldn’t be complemented by this dish.

Recipe notes

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