Corn Butter?!?!

[JethroSpanks]

So, while watching Iron Chef America, I was intrigued by Bobby Flay's use of a "ground corn butter" and "fresh corn butter". I want to make this! I cannot find a recipe! I assume it's just incorporating butter and cornmeal and/or butter and ground corn, but I could be wrong.

Does anyone know or have any idea or tips?

THANKS!

[ljhaberer]

There's a recipe in Cooks Illustrated Aug13 used in their Fresh Cornbread recipe. 3 ears of corn, cut off kernels(2 1/4 cups), puree until smooth(about 2 minutes), you should have about 1 1/2 cups, transfer to saucepan cook over medium heat until very thick and deep yellow and it measures 3/4 cup. 5 to 8 min. From here it was used in the cornbread recipe. Just like apple butter you really don't use butter in the recipe, but use it as a spead like butter, jelly or in recipes.

[boyzoma]

When I eat cornbread, I like "honey butter". Easy to make and really yummy on the cornbread.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i was just watching it too - it's funny, i saw it when it originally aired, and i didn't recall it being such a resounding victory for Bobby Flay.

anyway, there's no way he used raw cornmeal. i'm guessing it was a pretty simple puree of cooked corn kernels with butter (and perhaps a little salt).

ETA: i jus did a quick Googel out of curiosity, and there are a couple of vegan recipes for "corn butter" floating around the web that are nothing more than corn kernels and a pinch of salt, pureed with enough water to reach a desirable spreading consistency. interesting how loosely people use certain terms - why not just call it corn puree?

[paulj]

Hasn't apple butter been around for some time?

[JethroSpanks]

Thanks to both of you! Very good point, paulj!

[goodhealthgourmet]

that is a good point - i've never really understood how apple butter got the name either (or pumpkin butter while we're at it)...now that it think about it, i guess maybe i just don't believe something qualifies as "butter" unless it's made with fat (i.e. cream or ground nuts/seeds).

[paulj]

I'm guessing it is a smooth spread, different from both jam and jelly.

[goodhealthgourmet]

but jelly *is* smooth...

for the record, i'm not trying to be difficult or argumentative, i'm just trying to make sense of it :)

[paulj]

Wiki puts it this way
'There is no dairy butter involved in the product; the term "butter" refers only to the thick, soft consistency, and apple butter's use as a spread for breads.'

[goodhealthgourmet]

ok, THIS one i can see - the "thick, soft consistency" makes sense. i generally only turn to Wiki as a last resort, but in this case i'll take it. thanks :)

[paulj]

A good source for info on things like this is the Food Timeline
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq.html#applesauce
It says the first print mention is 1774
and following one of their links, would you like German prune butter?
http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbooks/display.cfm?TitleNo=66&PageNum=370

Peanut butter is a latecomer, 1895, a product of the same mind that brought us cornflakes
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodsandw...

[JethroSpanks]

This has become a wonderful and fascinating conversation!