Savory Cornbread Pudding

[greygarious]

This recipe is my attempt to duplicate the cornbread pudding I had as a side dish at The Shaker Table restaurant in the Canterbury Shaker Village (NH). I made it with leftover cornbread so I am guesstimating on the directions for this amount, but if you know your way around a kitchen, you'll be able to adjust amounts to your liking. Note: You really DO want cream or failing that, half-and-half. It is a good accompaniment for plain meats and would also be a good brunch dish.

1. Prepare your favorite cornbread recipe - one that calls for an 8x8 pan or similar volume.
Jalapeno cornbread is fine if you like spicy.
(I prefer a somewhat sweet cornbread, so I like Trader Joe's 15oz. cornbread mix.)
2. Cut cooled cornbread into 1" cubes. Let them sit uncovered for several hours, to dry
out a little, or dry cubes in a warm oven before making the bread pudding.
3. Melt half a stick of butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat, then sweat a
thinly sliced or small-diced medium onion until translucent and golden, but not
browned. Cool.
4. Whisk 4 eggs and 1 qt. light cream in a large bowl. Add cooled onion, a 14 oz can of
corn, drained, and a half tsp each salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then gently fold in
cornbread and allow to absorb until cornbread is soft but not mush. Pour into a 9x13
baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min., until puffed and golden. Serve
warm, not piping hot.

[Esculenta]

Made this for dinner with spare ribs.. cornbread cubes shared oven with ribs during 3rd hour (@ 300*) to crisp a little, then oven to 350* for pudding and final uncovered rib bake. (then oven to 375* for apple pie)

So delicious, and a great way to revive cornbread leftovers. Halved the recipe, baked in 8x8. Let my onions caramelize in bacon grease. For dairy a mix of 1/2&1/2 sour cream and milk. I made my cornbread spicy and with cobbed corn and rosemary.. perfect for this recipe.

Thanks! I love that I can do something with cornbread when the soup is gone and I don't want to eat it with jam anymore.

BTW--Some strong opinions about cornbread. Use a preheated cast iron pan and animal fat (if you're willing) or clarified butter and a hot oven (400* +) and stone ground cornmeal (no flour!) for a toothsome and beautiful cornbread. The crust is so important and it just doesn't happen in a baking dish. Often I will use 1/2 slice diced bacon for the fat.. the resulting bread with a few bacon bits in the crust. So good.

[boomer13]

Hello,
As a fan of corn pudding, ever since I had my first at a work Thanksgiving potluck (in Indiana - the home of corn). I feel compelled to give you a link to a SUPER easy recipe for this dish. My brother-in-law just keeps these items in the pantry, ready to make this at a moments notice as a side dish or main course. Obviously, not as good as scratch but so easy and flawless for just a short list of ingredients that you just have to mix together & bake. ENJOY!!! Also just use Jiffy Cornbread package mix for the recipe.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cornbrea...

[karykat]

I have made something like this. Except that my recipe called also for butter. A lot of butter. I think a cup? I have lightened this by cutting the amount of butter a lot (by half at least) and by using part or all low-fat sour cream.

I never admit to people what's in it. Unless I am really close to them and they really push me. Because I pride myself in making everything from scratch. But people just love this. I have had people practically licking the bottom of the dish.

[greygarious]

Words to live by: mo' butter, mo' better !!! ;)

[boomer13]

Yes, sorry I thought this one I linked to had the whole stick of butter. But perhaps it was one similar to it. There were vers. 1 & 2 at this site. I agree with the EGG idea. I though one time it was too dense and bread pudding like. And wanted a more souffle-y type. And the egg does the trick.
Definitely don't use margarine. It just makes it oily and not nearly as tasty.

It's nice to know there are other FANS of CORN PUDDING!!!

[eimac]

I make this recipe also - but follow the suggestions adding 1/2 C melted butter and 2 beaten eggs.
I add chopped green pepper for color ( and for Xmas chopped red and green pepper.

[greygarious]

I know the linked recipe for "corn pudding", but prefer the Canterbury "cornBREAD pudding" because of the onion and because it retains the irregular texture and crumb of a bread pudding. By the way, if you like a sweet-ish cornbread and use mix, do try the Trader Joe's.