Etta's Cornbread Pudding

Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup medium-ground yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup grated monterey jack pepper cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (plus a little more for buttering the pan)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (plus a little more for buttering the pan)
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion (about 1/2 large)
• 3/4 cup grated dry monterey jack cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 the cornbread: preheat oven to 425°; butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
• 2 in a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, cheese, baking powder, and salt.
• 3 in a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and honey together.
• 4 add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
• 5 add in the melted butter and stir into the mixture.
• 6 pour into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 15-20 minutes.
• 7 when cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch cubes; should have about 8 cups cornbread cubes, but you will only need 1/3 of the cornbread cubes (2 2/3 cups) for this recipe.
• 8 make the pudding: decrease oven temperature to 350°.
• 9 put the 2 2/3 cups cornbread cubes in a buttered 8-inch square baking dish; set aside.
• 10 heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over low heat and cook the onions very slowly until soft and golden brown, at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 11 remove from the heat; scatter the onions, cheese, and herbs over the cornbread cubes.
• 12 whisk the cream, eggs, salt, and pepper together in a bowl; pour over the cornbread cubes.
• 13 let sit for 10 minutes so the cornbread absorbs some of the custard.
• 14 bake until set and golden, about 40 minutes.
• 15 serve hot.