Side Dishes
Grilled Cornmeal Cake with Pecans
Finish out a backyard dinner with a Grilled Cornmeal Cake. Studded with toasty pecans and flavored with American Grana cheese — the American version of Grana Padano — this cake is so addictive you won’t be able to stop at just one slice.
The cornmeal mixture chills for an hour before grilling, so be sure to start the corn cake before preparing the rest of the meal. That way, once the grill is fired up, it’s just a matter of cooking it all before dinner is served. Impressive — and easy on you — it’s a win-win for all.
Ingredients
SAUTÉ:
COMBINE:
OFF HEAT, STIR IN:
Test Kitchen Tip
If you can’t find American Grana cheese, Grana Padano or Parmesan are great Italian substitutes.
Instructions
Coat an 8-inch-round cake pan with nonstick spray.
Sauté shallots and garlic in oil in a saucepan, over medium-high heat until softened, 2 minutes.
Combine broth and cream, add to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, whisking, until thick, 5 minutes.
Off heat, stir in pecans and cheese; season with salt and pepper.
Transfer batter to prepared pan, cover, and chill until firm, 1 hour or up to overnight.
Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grate with oil. Carefully remove cornmeal cake from pan and generously coat both sides with nonstick spray.
Grill cake, covered, until it easily releases from the grate, 5–7 minutes; carefully flip and grill 5 minutes more. Remove cake from grill and cut into 8 wedges.
To prevent lumps and avoid scorching, constantly whisk hot liquid while adding cornmeal.
To ensure the cornmeal cake doesn’t break, use a large spatula and your hand to gently flip.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 446
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 171mg 7%
Carbs 37g 12%
Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 11g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.