Buttermilk Spoon Bread

This is one of my favorite things to eat. I was introduced to it during a visit to Colonial Williamsburg. This is my version, made without water. Although called bread, this dish has the consistency and taste of a savory pudding crossed with a souffle. It is a great side dish. I like it with gravy (like turkey, gravy, spoon bread instead of dressing) or with butter and jam.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing dish
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• 1 cup finely ground white or yellow cornmeal
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 large eggs, separated

Directions

• Step 1 Using a blender, puree the corn kernels with 1 cup of milk until smooth. Stir in sugar and salt and set aside.
• Step 2 Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter.
• Step 3 Brown butter until it is a little dark. You want it to be tan rather than pale yellow. Set aside.
• Step 4 Heat remaining milk and buttermilk in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium until steaming but not boiling. Gradually pour cornmeal into milk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking or stirring with a large spoon. Once cornmeal is completely mixed into milk, cook at medium-low. Stir often but not continuously until cornmeal dissolves completely and mixture thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not let this stick or you will need to start over.
• Step 5 Remove cornmeal mixture from heat. Add browned butter and pureed corn, stirring until mixture is combined. Let stand 10 minutes. You want the cornmeal to be soft enough that the finished spoonbread isn’t gritty.
• Step 6 Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Stir in 2 cups of the cornmeal mixture until combined. Transfer cornmeal-egg yolk mixture to remaining cornmeal mixture in saucepan, stirring quickly until combined. (Mixture may still look a little grainy or lumpy.)
• Step 7 Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 ½ minutes. Gently fold egg whites into cornmeal mixture using a spatula or large spoon until mixture becomes a smooth batter with no streaks remaining.
• Step 8 Spoon batter into prepared casserole dish. Bake in preheated oven until spoon bread is puffed up, firm, and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. (Note that spoon bread will initially puff up to great heights but then deflate within minutes of leaving the oven.) Serve hot or warm.