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patti labelle hot water cornbread recipe

Patti Labelle Hot Water Cornbread Recipe

In the mood for a classic American side dish? Patti Labelle’s delicious cornbread recipe is unique in that it’s made with hot water and fried, which gives it a delicious, golden coating unlike any other. It’s super easy to make, so give it a try!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 1302 kcal
Equipment
  • 1 Skillet
  • 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
  
  • 2 cups canola oil
  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup green onions finely chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 cups water
Instructions
 
  • Put the canola oil into a skillet(ideally a cast-iron one to ensure the most even distribution of heat possible) over medium-high heat.
  • Try not to let the oil heat for too long, otherwise the outside of the cornbread will cook too fast before the middle has been adequately cooked.
  • The key here is to only heat the oil for 1-2 minutes and start it frying sooner. This gives time for the oil to work its way through the cornbread completely and ensure an even fry.
  • While the oil is heating, mix together the yellow cornmeal, salt, green onion, sugar, and thyme. Mix all these initial ingredients together thoroughly.
  • Now add the boiling water (ideally straight from the kettle) to this mixture, and stir it all thoroughly until it’s as smooth as possible.
  • The smoother you can get it the better because if everything is not adequately mixed, it may form lumps that are difficult to cook.
  • Once the batter is adequately mixed, quickly moisten your hands and flatten them into smaller patties. The exact size of these isn’t too important, so can just size them to preference. Try not to make them too tall though, as it needs to cook all the way through. 
  • Start to fry them in appropriate batch sizes. There’s no hard and fast rule here, but you don't want to cool the oil down too much, so use your best judgment to fry an appropriate amount in each batch.
  • Fry for about five minutes each, being sure to rotate them at the halfway mark. You should see the outside turn a beautiful golden brown.
  • Remove from the skillet and use some paper towels to help drain the excess oil so they’re a little crispier.
  • They are now ready to serve! Enjoy them with your favorite condiments and side dishes.
Nutrition
Calories: 1302kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 8gFat: 116gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 882mgFiber: 7g
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