Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook - Bobby Flay [60]
5. Transfer the mixture to a 10-inch round baking dish, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if the mixture is dry; if it is, add a little more stock. Continue baking for another 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until golden brown on top, another 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.
GREEN CHILE SPOONBREAD
For those of you who are not from the South, spoonbread is best described as a cross between a soufflé and corn bread. Light and creamy like a soufflé, this elegant side dish delivers the essence of corn bread without any of its density. Parmesan cheese gives the spoonbread a rich, savory note, while sweet roasted garlic and roasted green chiles provide the force of its flavor profile. Chopped chives and oregano fleck each bite with fresh color and flavor. At Bar Americain we serve Green Chile Spoonbread alongside the Smoked Chicken with Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce, but I would be hard-pressed to think of a meal that wouldn’t be complemented by this dish.
Serves 8 to 10
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups whole milk
1½ cups fine yellow cornmeal
6 large eggs, separated
1½ cups buttermilk
6 cloves roasted garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
3 Hatch or 2 medium poblano or Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
½ cup finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 12-inch square baking dish with the butter and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese.
2. Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Put the cornmeal in a large bowl and whisk in the hot milk. Let cool for a few minutes before whisking in the egg yolks. Add the buttermilk, garlic, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne, roasted chiles, oregano, and chives and mix until combined.
3. Whip the egg whites in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish.
4. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Parmesan evenly over the top of the batter and bake until the top is golden brown and the inside is soft and fluffy, about 40 minutes. Cut into squares and serve hot.
Sourdough, Wild Mushroom, and Bacon Dressing
SOURDOUGH, WILD MUSHROOM,
AND BACON DRESSING
I grew up calling any side dish of seasoned, moistened, and baked bread cubes “stuffing,” but I’ve been corrected enough times to have changed my ways: If it goes inside the turkey or chicken, it’s stuffing. If it’s cooked in a dish of its very own, it’s officially dressing. As it so happens, I like to serve this side with more than just poultry, and I especially love the browned crust, so dressing it is! Two other key factors in delivering dynamic texture are to toast the cubes of tangy sourdough bread first and to use a combination of thinly sliced and coarsely chopped mushrooms. Roasting the mushrooms before mixing with the other ingredients heightens their deep earthy flavor while cooking off any excess liquid. Studded with salty bits of bacon and fresh herbs, this side dish is destined to become a favorite of your Thanksgiving—or any dinner—table.
Serves 8
Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
1¼ pounds sourdough bread, crusts trimmed, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and coarsely chopped
½ pound oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound slab bacon, cut into ½-inch dice
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced