LadyJane wrote on 15 Jul 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> Damsel in dis Dress wrote:
> > If I had the cactus ones (bear in mind that this is me, and not
> > someone who actually knows what they're doing), I'd make cornbread,
> > but I'd dump in a can of green chilies.
> >
> > Carol
>
> Being south of the equator cornbread isn't exactly commonplace here.
> Having read about it's wonderful-ness over many years, have been in
> search of corn meal over the last two days and with no luck. Tried
> supermarkets, health food stores, organic stores and to no avail.
> "Do you mean cornflour madam?"
> Doh! No I bloody don't!
> So..... decided to substitute.
> Have just made a batch of cornbread using ..... polenta.
>
> The result was delicious. A thumbs-up from Graeme. and we've polished
> off 2 each with lashings of butter straight from the oven.
> The bread was almost a cross between a cake and a bread. Crumbly
> texture - the polenta adding a nice 'crunch'.
> Just wondering whether this is in any way an approximation of what you
> all in the USA rave about?
> Perhaps if I whizzed the polenta around in my food processor for a
> minute or two the grains would be smaller and yield less 'crunch'
> (although I enjoyed it!)
> I used a 8 mini bar loaf cake pan (the one I use for individual
> Yorkshire puds)
> here's a pic
> http://i1.tinypic.com/205bkhy.jpg
> and here's a closeup of the cut bread
> http://i1.tinypic.com/205bimo.jpg
> Do these look remotely like (albeit non-corncob shape) what they
> should?
> Any tips? Suggestions? Anyone?
> If I KNEW what cornbread was like, maybe I'd stand a chance of
> replicating it. LOL.
> Expectantly awaiting guidance ...
>
> LadyJane
> --
> "Never trust a skinny cook!"
>
>

Well the cornbread looks about right for colour and texture...which is in
my opinion is a nice golden brown and a light quick bread kinda crumb.

As for shape...I'm in the can you get it outa the pan fast enough corner.
And I make mine in a 9x9 pan.

So which recipe did you follow?...additions? Sweet, not so sweet?
Myself I lean towards the not too sweet, cream corn & green chile type
cornbread.

Here's a picture of corn meal suitable for making cornbread.
http://tinyurl.com/g5hp6
Kinda looks no different from polenta fixins to me.

If in your opinion it was 'too' crunchy...don't cook it as long.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Homestyle Cornbread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup sifted flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 cup sour milk -- or buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted shortening

Sift four, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into
mixing bowl.
Combine sugar and egg, beat until light. add milk or buttermilk and
shortening. Combine slowly with dry ingredients. If mixture is too
thick add a little more milk as needed to make a thin batter.
Stir only until ingredients are mixed.
Grease pan 9x9x2 generoulsly., sprinkle with cornmeal.
Pour batter in pan and bake in hot oven (425 degrees) about 25 minutes or
until nicely browned.


*I add a can of creamed corn and a can of green chiles and reduce the
sugar to 2 tbsp.

Another one I've tried and found good...

Jill's Cornbread

1 cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
1 c. white flour
up to 1/4 c. sugar (I use about 2 Tablespoons)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter, shortening/lard or bacon grease
1 c. buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Blend the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl; stir in the butter
(softened), shortening/lard or bacon grease. Add the buttermilk and egg
and stir well. Mixture will appear a little lumpy. Pour into a lightly
greased pan (I use an 8" cast iron skillet or my sectioned cast iron
cornbread pan). Bake at 425F until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

--


Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect

-Alan