Donna Prizgintas, who cooks for some of Hollywood's best-known celebrities, rhapsodizes about delicate, roasted Iroquois cornmeal, ground from an heirloom variety.
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Serves 12 / From Donna Prizgintas, personal chef, Los Angeles. Prizgintas, who cooks for some of Hollywood's best-known celebrities, rhapsodizes about delicate, roasted Iroquois cornmeal, ground from an heirloom variety. “[My clients] love the story of George Washington being given this exact corn variety at Valley Forge so that his troops didn’t have to eat their shoe leather,” she says. “It’s especially appropriate at Thanksgiving, as it may have been what the Pilgrims really ate.” Order it by calling 888.652.5628, or substitute any uncooked, noninstant corn grits.
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1-1/2 cups roasted Iroquois cornmeal
3 cups fat-free or regular half-and-half
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups low-fat milk
5 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1. Preheat oven to 325º. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
2. Sauté onion in butter and marjoram. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk roasted cornmeal with half and half. Add salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Add onion mixture, milk, eggs, and corn kernels.
4. Pour entire mixture into prepared pan. Cook 45–50 minutes, until set and lightly browned.