February 25, 2017 - 8:23am
Corn meal suggestion?
I found an old Nashville cookbook that contains a 200-year-old recipe for "Corn Light Bread." It begins with a corn meal mush that sits out overnight. But, as typical, the recipe just says to use "meal."
I'm wondering if anyone has some insight on what type of corn meal available today would be closest to the traditional meal that would have been used in the mid-South at the time. I imagine nothing too finely-ground?
Also, it says to bake in a "stem pan." Any idea what that would be? No size is specified, of course, lol. I was just going to throw it in a cast iron skillet unless someone has a better suggestion.
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is one that requires a doctorate in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math to use. Otherwise I would think it was a typo and they meant steam pan.
Ha! Then I'm unqualified!
But unfortunately I don't think I'm dealing with a simple typo - the stem pan is mentioned multiple separate times throughout :(
Anson millls has heritage corn meal. They might even have someone available that knows about traditional recipes like that.
Thanks for the tip - I have used Anson Mills, but it never occurred to me to give them a call! I may give that a shot.
popcorn that I grind medium and then sift out the bran. Nothing like it that you can buy. Cast Iron skillet works best.
One of them was a pan with a steel rod in the middle to help the batter cook. The post suggested to use a tube or bundt pan.
The other hit was a deep square stainless pan. I think the former might be what you are looking for.
Very interesting. Thanks, Danni (and everyone else)! I happen to have some stone-ground white cornmeal in the pantry so I think I'm going to get this prepped now for its overnight "souring." Will be a new one for me!
It would be very interesting to see the recipe as well as your results.
A well seasoned and greased iron skillet gives cornbread a great crust!