Page 48 - Flathead Beacon // 10.26.16

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OCTOBER 26, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
SIDE DISH KATIE WORKMAN SWEET POTATO
SPOONBREAD
SPOONBREAD IS A WONDER- fully old-fashioned dish that should not be relegated to the tables of old-fashioned cooks.
It’s a perfect holiday side; a pud- ding-esque interpretation of grits; a softer version of cornbread; perfection alongside a roast of any kind. It’s got the slightest hint of sweetness thanks to the maple syrup (and, you know, the sweet potatoes), but remains rmly a savory side dish. You could add a bit of nutmeg, cinnamon and/or more cloves for more autumnal avor, but I happen to like the way the sweet potatoes’ natural a- vor carries this dish, so I leave it largely unseasoned, with just a touch of cayenne and cloves.
I can’t think of a lovelier Thanksgiv- ing side dish. It’s a winner alongside a roasted turkey. But don’t stop there. This would turn a roast chicken into a feast, with just a green salad to round things o . Maybe even a rotisserie chicken. Who says you have to make the whole meal? You are busy, I know.
When the spoonbread rst comes out of the oven, it will be lovely and pu ed. It will settle fairly quickly, and that’s OK — it’s not mean to be served like a sou é, where time is of the essence. If you can get it to the table straight from the oven when it is at its most majestic, great, but really by the time you serve it up it will have settled into its delicious self anyway.
Sweet Potato Spoonbread
Start to nish: 2 hours
Servings: 8
4 tablespoons butter, divided 3 sweet potatoes
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 cup nely ground cornmeal 4 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons baking powder
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Use 1 table- spoon of the butter to grease a rectangu- lar or oval 2-quart casserole.
Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake them for about 50 to 55 min- utes, until they are very soft. Remove them from the oven and let them sit on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
While the potatoes are cooling, com- bine the milk, maple syrup, salt, pepper, cloves and cayenne in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Sprinkle in the cornmeal slowly, whisking all the while, until the cornmeal is all added. Continue to whisk over the heat until the mixture has thick- ened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cool for about 10 minutes.
Peel o the skins and place the pota- toes in a bowl. Mash them with a potato masher until fairly smooth (or use a ricer or a fork if that’s what you have). Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons of the butter and the mashed sweet potatoes into the cornmeal mixture. Stir in the baking powder and then the egg yolks.
In a bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they just form sti peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the sweet-potato-cornmeal mixture, just until barely incorporated.
Gently transfer the batter into the pre- pared dish and bake for 25 to 35 minutes (depending on how deep the dish is) until pu ed and golden brown. The middle will still have the slightest jiggle when you wiggle the pan. Serve hot.
Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/about-katie-workman/