Cornbread with Grits

[Toby]

Cornbread with Grits

From the cornbread thread.

This is a completely over-the-top cornbread with grits and black or red pepper.

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For the grits

• 1/4 c real (not instant) grits (either white or yellow)
  
• 1 c half and half
  
• a little minced garlic
  
• black pepper and salt
  

For the cornbread batter

• 1 c cornmeal
  
• 1 c flour
  
• 1-1/2 T sugar
  
• 1 T baking powder
  
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
  
• 3/4 tsp salt
  
• 3 T butter
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1-2/3 c mixture of buttermilk and creme fraiche
  
• black pepper, red pepper flakes, or a mixture of both peppers
  

First, you slowly cook the grits in the half and half, with the minced garlic, black pepper and salt in a little covered pot for about 15 minutes, until they're done. Let cool.

Then, make a cornbread batter, sifting together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Melt the butter in either a cake pan or a cast iron pan in the oven. Beat the grits, egg and a the mixture of buttermilk and creme fraiche, together until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the melted butter to the grits and then mix quickly with the flour mixture. Pour into the cake or cast iron pan and sprinkle black pepper, red pepper flakes, or a mixture of both peppers over the top. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 35 minutes, until the top is set and the cornbread is coming away from the sides of the pan.

The cake pan gives a softer, more cakelike bread; the cast iron pan makes a very crusty bread with a very moist interior that doesn't seem to rise as much.

Keywords: Bread, American, Intermediate

( RG237 )