SPOON BREAD WITH ETOUFFEE SAUCE

Spoon Bread With Etouffee Sauce

What to get

• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups half & half
• 1 cup cornmeal
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 4 eggs separated
• 1 onion
• 2 corn cobs

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1 onion diced
• 1 stalk of celery diced
• 1/2 bell pepper diced
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1-1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. creole seasoning
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1-1/2 oz. (1 shot) Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
• 1 qt. shrimp stock
• 1/2 lb. shrimp
• 1 lemon

What to do

1. Bring milk and half & half to a boil and whisk in the cornmeal.
2. Season with salt, butter and pepper.
3. In a separate sauté pan, caramelize corn and onions with butter.
4. Combine sautéed corn with the grits.
5. Add butter, baking powder and yolks to the grits.
6. Whip egg whites and fold them into the grits.
7. Cooking times can range from 25 minutes in a thin pan to 1 hour for a thicker, denser spoon bread.
8. Bake at 400º for 40 minutes.

FOR THE SAUCE

1. Sauté bell pepper, onion and celery until tender.
2. Add tomato paste and caramelize.
3. Deglaze with Maker’s Mark and then add flour once the bourbon reduces.
4. Add shrimp and sauté until cooked.
5. Add shrimp stock and bring to a simmer.
6. Season with creole seasoning.
7. Blend everything until smooth and add lemon juice to taste.

Chef's Notes

HOW YOU SAY?

If you’re among the uninitiated, étouffée is pronounced ay-two-fay.

STOCK UP

Store-bought works well, but homemade seafood stocks are far superior. Freeze shrimp, lobster and other crustacean shells to make stock at a later date. Seafood stock is awesome in fish stews and seafood pasta dishes.

NOT JUST FOR DINNER

If you hold the étouffée and top it with an egg, spoon bread becomes a hearty, comforting way to start your day. Adding seasonable berries and other sweet stuff to the mix and topping with a dollop of whipped cream when it’s ready turns spoon bread into a dessert.