Skillet Cornbread with Roasted Beet Swirl
By Chatelaine5
PREP TIME
30 min
TOTAL TIME
2 hrs
Serves
8
Produced by Aimee Nishitoba; Photography by Christie Vuong; Recipes by Suzanne Barr; Food Styling by Eshun Mott; Prop Styling by Nicole Billark
In my first restaurant, Saturday Dinette, we use to serve up cornbread nightly to our guests, crisping slices of it on the flat top and serving it with floral butter. I reimagined this same recipe and added the natural sweetness of puréed beets, creating a psychedelic moment with the bright red swirls, reminding you to always have fun with your food and savour the art in every slice—Suzanne Barr
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.
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.”
