Crab and Yellow Corn Cakes with Tomato, Corn and Chive Butter Recipe

Cornbread

Serves 4 to 6

After much personal debate and taking into consideration that most people’s preferred taste when it comes to cornbread is a little bit on the sweet side, this recipe is for y’all! It’s also delicious on its own with a little butter. The cast-iron skillet gives our cornbread a good crust.

Ingredients

• 1 seasoned, well-oiled 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan
• 2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Rumford baking powder*
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Canola oil, for oiling

Directions

Gibbs Smith

Preheat the oven to 425°F. If using a cast-iron skillet, place the skillet in the preheated oven and allow the skillet to preheat, too. This helps make a golden-brown bottom crust.

In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the buttermilk. Fold the buttermilk mixture into the dry mixture. Stir in the melted butter and mix well.

If you are using a cast-iron skillet, remove it from the oven. Rub the skillet or a baking pan with canola oil to lightly coat. Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Place the cornbread on the top shelf of the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is brown and the center is firm. Insert a knife into the center to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, the cornbread is ready.

Allow the cornbread to rest in the skillet or pan for 8 to 10 minutes to cool slightly before cutting to serve.

*Note: The best baking powder to use in this recipe is aluminum-free baking powder, which contains no sodium aluminum sulfate, so it lacks the metallic taste. Rumford is a good brand of aluminum-free baking powder, found in most grocery stores.

Tomato, Corn and Chive Butter

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

• 13 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons finely minced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• ¼ cup dry vermouth
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ cup peeled, seeded, and finely chopped fresh tomato, divided
• 1 cup cooked fresh yellow corn kernels
• Salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Directions

In a heavy-bottom sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the vermouth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vermouth is reduced by half.

Add the chicken broth and reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the heavy cream and continue to reduce the liquid until it thickens and becomes very bubbly. Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped tomato and all the corn. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Allow each tablespoon to melt before adding the next tablespoon of butter. While adding the butter, try to keep the temperature between 130°F and 150°F. It is very important that the sauce does not boil, or the butter will separate. The butter will also separate if the sauce becomes too cool.

After the butter is incorporated, fold in the remainder of the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt to taste. Add the chives and serve immediately or hold in a warm area, such as on top of the stove but off the burner, for 30 to 40 minutes. Do not put the chives in until it is time to serve the sauce, because their color will fade.