corn spoon bread

Corn bread, corn pudding and corn spoon bread ... in this house we like them all.  Typically I tend to lean toward a sweet version of all the aforementioned but, I stumbled upon this savory version of corn spoon bread and the South has done it again for me.  I love Southern food and I have fallen for this spoon bread.  Another comfort food from the South that I welcome at my table any time.  It is light like a souffle and creamy like a pudding but, has a crusty top and filled with kernels of corn and bits of onion and jalapeno.  This recipe makes a lot and speaking from experience it heats up really well the next morning and tastes very good drizzled with a bit of salsa and topped with an over medium egg.

corn spoon bread

adapted: everyday food

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
1/2 small yellow onion, diced small (1/2 cup)
1 jalapeno, diced small
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups whole milk
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup cheddar cheese4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion and jalapeno and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add milk and corn and cook until milk is very hot but not bubbling, about 3 minutes. Whisk in cornmeal and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese.  Let cool 10 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into corn mixture, then pour into baking dish. Bake spoon bread until browned on top and set in middle, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating dish halfway through. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.