Skillet Cornbread with Roasted Beet Swirl
12
- Prep Time30 mins
- Total Time2 hrs
- Makes8 servings
Produced by Aimee Nishitoba; Photography by Christie Vuong; Recipes by Suzanne Barr; Food Styling by Eshun Mott; Prop Styling by Nicole Billark
When chef Suzanne Barr opened her first restaurant in Toronto, Saturday Dinette, she served up cornbread nightly to her guests, crisping slices of it on the flat top and serving it with floral butter. Here, she's updated that recipe with the addition of puréed beets, creating a psychedelic moment with the bright red swirls.
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 lb red beets, peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1⁄8 tsp sea salt, divided
1 tbsp butter, room temperature
6 eggs
2 cups oat milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 cups (275 g) fine cornmeal
1 3⁄4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (156 g) white corn grits, see Kitchen tip
1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (24 g) baking powder
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment, add beets. Drizzle with olive oil and 1⁄8 tsp salt; toss to combine. Cover with foil and roast for 25 min. Remove foil and continue roasting until beets are softened and beginning to caramelize, 25 min more. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Add beets and water to a food processor or blender and process to reach a smooth purée.
Grease a 12-in. or 14-in. cast iron skillet with butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oat milk, canola oil and maple syrup. In a large bowl, combine fine cornmeal, flour, grits, sugar, baking powder and remaining 1 tsp salt. Mix liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine, being mindful not to overmix. Pour batter into prepared skillet.
Using a spoon, add beet purée in dollops and swirl with a skewer or knife.
Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean, 40 min. Cool slightly before cutting into slices. Serve with Toasted Coconut Rhum Butter.
Kitchen tip
For better texture, this recipe uses two types of cornmeal: fine cornmeal and grits, which can also be labelled as “coarsely ground white cornmeal.”
This recipe is part of a Caribbean-inspired fall feast created for Chatelaine by chef Suzanne Barr. Find the full menu here.