Cornbread Without The Corn: Millet Spoon Bread (Made With One Flour)

The other night, when trying to think of a side dish for meatloaf, I dug out a recipe that I normally made on special occasions.  Why?  I have no idea.  I hadn't made it in years due to the daughter's corn allergy, but then I got all excited when I realized I had Millet Grits in the pantry!  So, this recipe was a result of a want of cornbread to go with meatloaf.  Not able to have corn or gluten?  This is a great alternative.  Think of this as a cornbread souffle, but without the corn worries :).

I was asked by a few readers to share recipes (and highlight them as I do) that take only one or two flours, so I wanted to make sure to highlight that this recipe only uses one grain.  Millet.

A couple of quick tips/notes:  If you can't find millet grits locally, you can purchase them online.  If you can't find millet grits themselves buy whole millet and run it VERY briefly through a food processor or a coffee grinder to get a corn meal like consistency to the millet. 

Another tip.  Have problems with your egg whites not whipping into stiff peaks due to a microscopic bit of fat you missed on your bowl?  Take some vinegar of choice (I use apple cider) and pour a small amount into the bowl you are going to use and then use a paper towel to wipe the vinegar all over the inside of the bowl.  Rinse the bowl and you should be good to go without the deflating egg white worries (it's always worked for me!).

Millet Spoon Bread 

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Milk or non-dairy milk alternative
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 TBS butter, coconut oil or butter alternative
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Cup Millet Grits (Amaranth might also work in this recipe, but I haven't tried it)
• 2 eggs, yolks and whites separated into different bowls
• 2 TBS honey or maple syrup
• 2 1/2 TSP baking powder (Hain Pure Foods Baking Powder is corn free, or you can make your own)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat milk and water together in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat.  When bubbles start to form on the surface, but before the milk starts to boil, reduce heat to medium low and add the butter and salt. Stir. 
3. When butter is melted, whisk in millet grits.  Increase heat to medium and stir constantly until the mixture thickens about five to seven minutes. 
4. Remove from heat to let cool while preparing the rest of the dish.
5. Beat egg whites with electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.
6. In a small mixing bowl beat egg yolks, honey and baking powder.  Take a spoon and slowly add some millet grits to the egg yolk mixture, about a teaspoon the first time.  Whisk well to combine.  Mix about a tablespoon of the millet grits to the egg mixture at a time for about four more times, whisking well after each addition to temper the egg yolks (this will stop your eggs from curdling).  
7. Add the now tempered egg yolk mixture to the millet grits all at once and whisk well to combine.  
8. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the millet grits and mix in well with a spoon (this is to lighten the grits...don't worry about form here, just mix it in).  Divide the last of the egg whites in half and add to the grits, this time trying to fold the egg whites into the mix (use a big rubber spatula to do this) to keep as much of the loft in the egg whites as possible.  
9. Add the last third of the egg whites and fold into the grits.
10. Immediately scoop mixture into a greased two quart baking dish.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the top of the dish is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the dish comes out clean.  
11. Best served immediately and warm.  Enjoy the light and fluffy yumminess!

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