Hi friends,
This week we have a recipe for cornbread that’s full of fresh corn and a variety of other wholesome ingredients that make this rendition of an old favorite that much more dynamic—both nutritionally and flavor-wise. And because late summer is not typically a time of overflowing creative and spiritual energy (to put it mildly), we’ve included a bunch of suggestions for how to stretch a pan of cornbread into multiple meals over the course of multiple days.
The secret ingredient here is not actually the fresh corn (although its inclusion really makes this recipe sing). Rather, it’s the addition of buckwheat flour, which deepens the flavor of the bread considerably, giving it a delicious nuttiness and an extra measure of nutritional oomph.
Ancient Romans ate a porridge made with farro, millet and other grains boiled in water or milk. When corn from the Americas was introduced in Europe in the 16th century, its cultivation swept across Italy, taking root most prodigiously in the northern regions. Polenta made with corn became a staple of the lower classes, as it was both cheaper and more satiating than bread—eventually, it came to include a dark stone-ground buckwheat flour in many parts of the north. This delicious preparation is known as “polenta taragna” and is the predominant type of polenta found in the Italian Alps. Our cornbread recipe marries an American classic with the heartier flavors of polenta taragna, and the sweet “high summer” taste of fresh corn on the cob.
Break out the butter,
Greta + Fanny
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