VEGETABLES – LEEK AND SHIITAKE SPOONBREAD

By Coo1

Ingredients

• 12 SHITAKE MUSHROOMS (ABOUT 6 OUNCES) STEMS DISCARDED AND CAPS COARSELY CHOPPED
• S&P
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup mlk
• 1/2 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
• 2 leeks, white parts only, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 3 to 4 ashes hot pepper sauce
• 2 large eggs, separated

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter 1 1/2 quart soufflé or casserole dish and set aside. Season the mushrooms with S&P, set aside.
2. In a saucepan, bring cream and milk to simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in cornmeal until smooth. Add leeks and mix well. Let cool slightly.
3. Stir the mushrooms, cheese, soy sauce and hot pepper sauce into cornmeal mixture. Stir in egg yolks and mix well
4. Using an electric mixer or whisk by hand, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir about one third of whites into cornmeal mixture, then gently fold in the remaining white. Scrape batter into the prepared dish.
5. Bake until the top is puffed and brown and a knife inserted comes out mostly clean, about one hour. Serve immediately. Top will deflate slightly as it sits.