Savory Sweet Potato Spoonbread
Somewhere between a scuffle and cornbread exists spoonbread, soft, fluffy and nearly pudding-like. This savory sweet potato version has you covered for both a bread AND a side for Thanksgiving. Delicately flavored and textured — and made extra moist by the sweet potatoes — be prepared to eat more than one spoonful.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground red pepper cayenne
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 6 Tbsp. butter
- 3 medium sweet potatoes cooked (boiled or microwaved), peeled and mashed (about 3 cups)
- 5 large eggs separated
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- Additional thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- Bring first 5 ingredients to a simmer in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk cornmeal into milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture thickens and pulls away from bottom of pan. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool 10 minutes.
- Place potatoes in a large bowl; stir in cornmeal mixture. Stir in egg yolks and baking powder, mixing until well blended.
- Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold into potato mixture. Spoon batter into a well-buttered 3-quart baking dish.
- Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and puffy (edges will be firm and center will still be slightly soft.) Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Top with additional fresh thyme as a garnish, if desired.
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