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Which Dishes can be Made with Corn Meal?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Corn meal is an good grain source for making all kinds of dishes. The use of this product, as well as corn and corn flour, comes from Native Americans, and for centuries, certain recipes from Mexico were many people's first experience with it. Corn tortillas combine it with a little water and salt. Either patted or rolled into rounds and lightly cooked on both sides, many dishes can be made from tortillas, including tacos, enchiladas, flautas, tacquitos, and quesadillas.

Many people enjoy hot corn meal mush topped with a little bit of molasses as a breakfast dish. Alternately, grits is made from coarser ground corn, and can be eaten as porridge or fried and topped with gravy.

Polenta.
Polenta.

It's also an essential ingredient in corn bread or corn muffins, which can be made in either sweet or savory versions. Blueberry muffins that include this ingredient are an excellent breakfast starter, and savory corn meal with sage and onion can be used as a base for homemade stuffing for poultry.

In Italy, corn-based porridge is made in flat sheets, or sold in tubes as polenta. Polenta is often used as an alternative to pasta, and it can served as the base of a sauce or meat dish. It may also be fried and eaten in squares or served as a breakfast cereal.

Grilled polenta.
Grilled polenta.

Some pizzas are also dusted with this product on the bottom instead of wheat flour, adding a little crunch to the crust when it is baked. Romanians serve a dish quite similar to polenta called mamaliga. It’s often served with cheese or sour cream on the side.

Some interesting modern takes on this product incorporate Mexican flavors into casserole form. For example, tamale pie has a ground beef or shredded chicken base that is covered with about 1 inch (2.54 cm) layer of cooked corn meal, and then baked.

Tacquitos, which are made with corn meal wraps.
Tacquitos, which are made with corn meal wraps.

Many African recipes use this ingredient as a starch or main part of a meal. In Zambia, nshima is a very thick version of the US variety, and it is usually served with meat or nuts, and a vegetable. Ugali, similar to polenta, is common in West Africa, and it is rolled into a ball and dipped into gravies or stews.

A number of countries integrate corn into regional dishes, though in countries outside of the Americas, these dishes were not popular until corn was imported in the 17th century or later. Now, it’s common to find corn meal used in African, Middle Eastern, and European Cuisine. Of course, the oldest recipes will always date to Native American sources.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

CarrotIsland

@gardenturtle:

Blue cornmeal is actually made from ground whole blue corn. That is also called Hopi corn. It has a sweeter, more intense flavor than regular cornmeal. It is cultivated by Native Americans of the southwest.

For the Native Americans, blue corn is of great spiritual importance. To them, it represents the Eastern rising sun, wisdom, understanding, and the beginning of life. Some elders use blue corn in the naming ceremonies of infants.

GardenTurtle

What is blue corn meal?

StormyKnight

@momothree: Those cookies sound delicious! I am definitely going to try that recipe. I think all of us who live in the South have experimented with cornmeal recipes. One of my favorites is called “Brown Sugar Cornbread Muffins”.

For these yummy muffins you will need 1 ½ cups cornmeal, ½ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar (packed), 4 tsp. baking powder, 1 cup milk, ½ tsp. salt, 1 egg (beaten), and ¼ cup butter.

Mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, egg and melted butter. Add that to the cornmeal mixture. Stir just enough to get a moisture mixture. Fill your greased muffin pan 2/3 full and bake at 425 for about 20 minutes.

This yields 12 muffins.

momothree

One of my favorite types of cookie is made from corn meal. They are called lemon corn meal cookies. They are so good that I am inclined to share the recipe!

The following ingredients are needed: ½ cup corn meal, 1 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, 1/8 tsp. salt, ½ cup butter, 1 egg, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, 2 tsp. lemon peel (shredded), ½ cup buttermilk, and ½ cup chopped pecans.

Mix together the corn meal, flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg, lemon juice and lemon peel. Beat very well.

Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Mix until well blended. Stir in the nuts. Drop by teaspoon about two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I sprinkle a few more chopped nuts on mine. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

sevenseas

Whether it is polenta, or any kind of variation of it, depending on the country and culture, one thing can be said about corn meal, that the dishes prepared using corn meal are filling. You do get satiated, and do not feel hungry for quite some time.

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    • Polenta.
      Polenta.
    • Grilled polenta.
      Grilled polenta.
    • Tacquitos, which are made with corn meal wraps.
      Tacquitos, which are made with corn meal wraps.
    • Molasses, which can be used to top corn meal mush.
      By: Pefkos
      Molasses, which can be used to top corn meal mush.
    • Blueberries can be paired with corn meal to make muffins.
      By: Brian Jackson
      Blueberries can be paired with corn meal to make muffins.
    • Enchiladas are one of the many dishes that can be made using corn tortillas.
      By: foodcolors
      Enchiladas are one of the many dishes that can be made using corn tortillas.
    • Tacos are one dish in Mexican cuisine that uses corn meal tortillas.
      By: Brent Hofacker
      Tacos are one dish in Mexican cuisine that uses corn meal tortillas.