Rosie Makes Yummy Corn Muffies.

I made something intensely good the other day.

I made excellent corn muffins.

I've always been very strict with my cornbread.

I want perfect cornbread,

whether I use muffin tins, or an 8" square glass pan,

or an iron skillet,

or my newest iron pan -

my corn muffin ear pan.

Rosie's Corn Muffies

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 scant TB sugar

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne

1/2 cup corn

2 TB butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 egg, divided

Grease corn-shaped molds

and place in oven.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

While the molds are heating,

make the batter:

Stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar,

 baking powder, salt, and cayenne.

Add the corn and stir to coat.

In a small bowl,

lightly whisk together

the melted butter, cream, and yolk.

Beat the egg white until soft peaks form.

Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture.

Gently fold in the egg white.

To fill the molds,

I used a plastic bag with the tip snipped off

and piped the corn bread mixture in.

Smooth the batter.

Bake the corn muffies for 12-15 minutes,

or until golden brown.

Unmold and serve warm, with butter.

My mise en place

I don't always do a mise en place.

Sometimes it's not worth the time or the messy containers.

But other times, 

it is essential.

Whenever I stir fry or bake,

I have a mise en place.

I want/need everything within reach.

I don't want to have to stop

and go look for an ingredient.

At top, the egg white,
then corn, salt, cayenne,

melted butter, baking powder, heavy cream,

flour, cornmeal, sugar,

and the egg yolk.

Add the dry ingredients to a small bowl and ...

...  mix well.

Add in the drained corn.

Toss to coat.

Set aside while you prepare the wet ingredients:

Melt the butter.

Add the yolk.

Add the cream and whisk.

Set aside and start on the egg white:

Start a-whuppin'.

Whup until you have nice soft peaks.

 

Assemble your basic ingredients:

Butter, yolk, and cream in the front.

Dry mixture with corn back left.

Whupped egg white on right.

Add the wet to the dry.

Mix together.

Gently fold in the beaten white.

I had Mr. Hawthorne pipe the corn mixture

into the greased, hot corn muffin pan.

Try to smooth and neaten out the muffies.

And bake.

425 minutes.

12 - 15 degrees.

Until golden.

Turn out onto colorful kitchen towel.

Arrange on platter for photo op.

Ole.

Tuck some butter inside.

Tender cornbread.

Butter.

Corn kernels.

I was having a lovely time eating these delightful morsels.

They were tender.

They were corny.

They were crusty and cakey at the same time.

I was using a little softened butter,

splashed against the muffie,

and I watched it melt into the crevices of the corn finger.

And then I turned to Mr. Hawthorne

and watched what he was eating.

He had just steamed live crabs

and was pickin' de crabs.

On his diet,

he won't use melted butter

for a crab meat dip.

He adheres to a Balsamic vinegar

 and Old Bay Seasoning dip...

...  which was delicious with the corn muffie dipped in.

Balsamic vinegar with a sprinkling of Old Bay.

Try it.

You'll be happily surprised.

October 9, 2012. Where To Eat In Savannah.

The Hawthornes are in Savannah.

We've been looking forward to

coming back to Uncle Bubba's Oyster House.

Last time we were here,

we were served some of the finest grilled oysters

I've ever had the pleasure to down.

(Outside of my own.)

 I've always wanted a water feature in my garden.

Here's the menu:

We came for Uncle Bubba's Chargrilled Oysters

and that's what we ordered.

A dozen apiece.

We both ordered from the Lunch Specials menu.

The restaurant is very comfortable.

To me, comfort has a lot to do 

with proximity of tables.

Bubba's is open and relaxed.
My space is respected.

Here's our view looking out over the marshes.
I would describe it as ...
tranquil.

A complimentary basket of corn muffins

was brought to our table.

I had to put some of the honey/butter on my muffin.

My bouche was trés amused.

That flame is from our oysters!

Rosie is salivating.

Rosie gets very excited while watching

the flare-ups from grilling oysters
that are on the way to her table.

Rosie is in oyster-heaven.

Mr. Hawthorne and I are oyster virgins.

This is our first oyster of the season.

Mr. Hawthorne ordered the

 Fried Shrimp Lunch Special and cole slaw.

GASP!

No FRIED OYSTERS??!!

I ordered the Fish Taco Lunch Special.

Holy crap ... 

It's huge!

The fries were terrific.

Extra crispy as requested.

The fish was lightly fried and battered
 - in a word -
excellent.
The fish was swai,
one I'm not familiar with
although Mr. Hawthorne has seen it at the Teeter.

It's a very mild, sweet, freshwater fish from Vietnam.

A lively pico de gallo rounded out the plate.

I loved my fish.

Sweet flavor.

Nice, light crust.

Now, what I didn't show you

was my plate after I took a nose-dive into this.

The plate is huge.

I ate all the fish filets -
two 1-inch x 1-inch by 5-inch slivers.

And I shared a few bites with Mr. Hawthorne.

I could barely finish off one of the taco shells.

Ate all the lettuce and pico de gallo.

Ate less than half the fries.

I loved this.

Here's what I did NOT like:
The tacos had MELTED CHEESE over the fried fish.
NoNoNoNoNO.
Don't melt cheese over fried fish.
I didn't take a picture of it
because it looked like a mess
and I was lazy and tired.

This lunch meal ran us into the $60 range.
Rosie's BP rises.

Oh! Oh! Oh!  

I forgot to shoot a picture of something they served

that was truly different, asinwhydidn'tIthinkofthis?,

and excellent:

Roasted Red Pepper Tartar Sauce!

I must make this.

And when I do,

you'll be the first to know.

It's delightful.

Note to self:

Self, blacken garden peppers tomorrow!

I also got the recipes for:

Uncle Bubba's Corn Muffins

Heat oven to 375°.
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
In a large bowl, mix:
1 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
In another bowl, beat until well blended:`
1/2 vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
Stir in 1 8-ounce can cream style corn.
Add corn mixture to flour mixture
and stir until just mixed.
Pour into muffin tin until 2/3 full.
Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.

Uncle Bubba's Chargrilled Oysters

Place two sticks butter in a sauce pan
on high heat and bring to a boil.
Skim off and discard all foam
that rises to the top.
Stir in 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
On the grill,
put 12 - 16 oysters on the half shell
on an open flame grill.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over them.
Do not cover completely with cheese.
Let cook until cheese starts to brown
(2-3 minutes).
Drizzle garlic butter generously over each oyster.
Cook another 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Serve immediately.

Uncle Bubba's Low Country Boil
 In a stock pot,
pour enough water to cover all ingredients.
Add a sprinkling of crab boil seasoning,
appropriate for the amount of water used
and bring to a boil.
Add 12 baby red potatoes,
6 ears of corn, shucked and de-silked,

one 12-ounce can or bottle of domestic beer,
and 1 medium white onion, quartered.
Reduce heat and simmer for thirty minutes.
Add 2 packages smoked sausage cut into 1" pieces.
Cook 10 minutes more.
Add 1 pound medium to large raw shrimp, in shell.
Cook about three minutes
or until the shrimp turn pink.
Drain liquid into sink and pour the boil
onto a table with newspaper.
Sprinkle with extra crab boil seasoning.

 Uncle Bubba's Key Lime Pie.

Mix in a small bowl:

1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Add 1/4 cup clarified butter and mix well.

Press evenly into a greased 9" pie pan.

Preheat oven to 325.

In a medium bowl combine

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup key lime juice

3 egg yolks

zest and juice of 1 key lime

Mixwell.

Pour into the pie crust.

Bake for 20 minutes and then

let stand for 20-30 minutes.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 
Rosie will be making all of these
and she'll let you know the results.

Good bye, little fishies.

See you next time.

Buh bye, Bubba.