22 Ways to Sow Ground Corn Into Every Meal
If we had our way, we'd eat corn at every meal. Wait a second: With these 22 sweet and savory recipes involving oh-so-versatile cornmeal, polenta, masa, and corn grits, we can—and we will.
Ditte Isager1/22Cornmeal Waffles with Currant-Maple Sauce
If you can’t find currants (check the farmers’ market first), use any other berry or a mix.
- Peter Frank Edwards2/22
Strawberry-Almond Cornmeal Cake
Equal parts fruit crumble and coffee cake, this not-too-sweet dessert starts out bright pink but bakes to a toasty golden brown.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott3/22
Pork Ragù over Creamy Polenta
Leftover sauce? Bring a pot of water to boil: It’s pasta night.
- Christina Holmes4/22
Arepas
Chef Ryan Pera, of Houston's Coltivare Pizza & Garden, learned the art of arepas from his sister-in-law. Now, they're his easy Sunday meal of choice, packed with leftovers or farm-fresh produce.
- Danny Kim5/22
Cranberry and Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake
“Good for dessert but even better for breakfast.” –Brad Leone, test kitchen manager
- Ditte Isager6/22
Braised Lamb Shanks with Gremolata and Baked Polenta
Cooking lamb shanks uncovered in their broth simultaneously browns and braises them, adding richness and color. Braise them a day ahead; the flavor will deepen overnight in the fridge.
- 8/22
Cornmeal Crepes with Figs and Pears
Paper-thin crepes aren’t so fussy. “They’re almost simpler than pancakes,” says pastry chef Megan Garrelts of Rye in Leawood, Kansas.
- 9/22
Creamy Polenta with Sausages and Roasted Grapes
Our microwave polenta technique puts an end to nonstop stirring.
- Romulo Yanes10/22
Concord Grape Cornmeal Cake
Serve this cake at brunch, or for dessert with a scoop of ice cream.
- 11/22
Central American–Style Fried Chicken
In the spirit of Pollo Campero, this fried chicken mixes cornmeal into the fry batter for extra crunch and flavor.
- 12/22
Pumpkin Spoon Bread
We make lots of things from scratch on Thanksgiving, but pumpkin purée isn’t one of them. Libby’s is our favorite brand.
- 13/22
Cornbread with Caramelized Apples and Onions
If you don’t have (or can’t spare) a cast-iron skillet, this can also be finished off in an 8x8” glass dish for baking.
- 14/22
Tomato-Basil Sauce with Polenta
Serve this chunky, all-purpose tomato sauce with fish, chicken, pasta, or disks of polenta.
- 15/22
Apple and Blackberry Polenta Cobbler
Using frozen berries in desserts is a clever way to add flavor and vibrant color in colder months. Choose a mild honey, such as clover or orange blossom, to let the fruits shine.
- Jason Lowe17/22
Hangtown Fry
Tailor this blue plate special to your taste—you could add spice to the potatoes, sub sausages for bacon, scramble the eggs, omit the onions, or add fresh herbs. While it’s great for brunch (chase it with a nap), we also love to eat this cornmeal-battered situation for breakfast or dinner.
- 18/22
Johnnycake Bread
We recommend using a finely ground cornmeal for these; it will give them the ideal texture.
- Christina Holmes19/22
Shrimp with Fresh Corn Grits
Liquid from the grated corn enriches and helps thicken the grits; fresh corn added at the end makes for nice bites.
- Max Kelly20/22
Rhubarb Cornmeal Crumb Cake
Try a combination of strawberries and rhubarb in this buckle-inspired breakfast cake.
- Jason Lowe21/22
B.O.L.T (Bacon, Oyster, Lettuce, Tomato)
As if an oyster po’boy and a BLT had a baby; this appropriately messy sandwich with cornmeal-fried oysters achieves the ideal texture-and-temperature contrast when the oysters are still warm from the fryer.
- Mikkel Vang22/22
Easy Savory Cornbread
A simple, straightforward cornbread that we’d happily serve alongside a bowl of chili on any other day of the year.