Corn Bread with Tomato Chutney |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 2 |
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My friend Marvin Woods taught me everything I know about Low-Country cooking, the regional cuisine commonly referred to as soul food. In many ways, soul food is an apt description because there is a lot of soul and spirit and passion that goes into Low-Country cookingdishes like she-crab soup, catfish stew, shrimp and grits, red rice, hoppin' John, and baked macaroni and cheese. No Low-Country feast would be complete without corn bread. My version is steamed in a water bath to make the bread nice and moist; covering it with aluminum foil for the last thirty minutes of cooking gives you a nice crust that isn't overly browned. Paired with tomato chutney, it's a light snack or meal on its own. Ingredients:
4 ears fresh corn, shucked |
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour |
1 cup polenta |
2 tablespoons baking powder |
2 teaspoons salt |
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
1 teaspoon mild chili powder |
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger |
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom |
1 tablespoon black onion (nigella) seeds (see tip) |
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar |
2 poblano chiles, seeds and ribs removed, chopped |
butter to grease the pans |
tomato chutney |
Directions:
1. 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain. When the ears are cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs. Place 1 cup of the corn kernels in a bowl and set aside. Place the remaining kernels in a blender and puree. Set aside.
2. 2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. 3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, polenta, baking powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, ginger, cardamom, and black onion seeds. Stir in the brown sugar, chiles, corn kernels, corn puree, and 2 cups water. Mix to combine.
4. 4. Butter two 8 1/2 × 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and divide the batter evenly between them. Let rest for 20 minutes.
5. 5. Place the pans in a shallow baking dish filled halfway with water and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
6. 6. Turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack and let cool. Serve with the tomato chutney.
7. Tip: Traditionally found in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, black onion seeds are making their way into mainstream cooking. They add a sharp, peppery flavor that I really like. Look for them in Middle Eastern and Indian markets or order them online.
8. From New American Table by Marcus Samuelsson with Heidi Sacko Walters. Photography by Paul Brissman. Copyright © 2009 by Marcus Samuelsson. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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