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Cornmeal Coush Coush

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"One late night I found my dad enjoying a snack before bed: a bowl of cornbread with milk poured over the top. I said, 'I didn't know you ate coush coush.' He had no idea what I was referring to—it was simply something he'd been eating since childhood. Coush coush is Louisiana's answer to grits. The recipe is cornbread, more or less (minus the eggs), fried in bacon fat, giving it a unique pork-flavored crunch that holds up well to the milk that is traditionally poured over the top. This is a true rustic, stick-to-your-ribs Cajun-style breakfast; to make it even more traditional, serve it with a drizzle of cane syrup and bacon or sausage on the side. Serve the coush coush straight from the oven or at room temperature."

List of Ingredients

â—¦  1 ½ cups white cornmeal
â—¦  ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦  2 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦  1 tablespoon sugar
â—¦  1 teaspoon salt
â—¦  1 ¼ cups milk, plus more to serve
â—¦  ½ cup bacon fat
â—¦  Cane syrup (optional)
â—¦  1 cup cooked bacon or cracklins, crumbled (optional)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk until just combined.

Heat the bacon fat in a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the fat just begins to smoke, add the batter to the skillet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until springy and firm to the touch (or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).

To serve, cut the cornbread into six wedges. Halve the wedges horizontally and place both halves in a bowl, or simply crumble each wedge into a bowl (everyone has their own way of eating it). Drizzle the coush coush with additional milk, cane syrup, and crumbled bacon or cracklins, if desired.

Serves 6