Spoon Bread Mexicano

Corn pudding it's called in the Northeast, while further down the Atlantic coast folks most often call it Spoon Bread - at Cafe Drake we call it Delicious . . . a near perfect accompaniment to roast meat of any sort. Having porked major on the pig lately, we chose to feature this hearty "casserole" as a vegetarian main course for a slightly lighter than usual summer supper. Also unique is our Mexican twist on a colonial American staple dish; serve with salad, sliced tomatoes and as above, with a chipotle pepper or two on top for an extra kick of smokey heat. The serrano chiles can be switched out for jalapenos if needed and the cheese replaced with a mixture of equal parts cheddar and very good parmesan.

CAFE DRAKE'S MEXICAN SPOON BREAD

2 1/2 cups water / 1 cup yellow cornmeal / 2 T. butter / 4 eggs, beaten well / 1 cup milk / salt and pepper / 2-4 serrano chile peppers, sliced thinly / 2/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


2. Butter a square baking dish.


3. Stir 1/2 cup water into the cornmeal (to prevent lumping).


4. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add about 1 1/2 t. of salt.


5. Slowly whisk in cornmeal and cook for 1 minute on medium heat.


6. Remove from heat and add eggs and milk, stirring briskly the entire time.


7. Add cheese and chiles and bake for 40 minutes. Cool slightly then cut into wedges.


8. Serve very warm.