Classic Souffleed Spoonbread - vegetable oil cooking spray

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Spray a deep 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish with oil.
• Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan, preferably nonstick.
• Gradually pour in the cornmeal with one hand, whisking with the other, creating a very thick mixture.
• Lower the heat and add the butter and salt.
• Continue cooking over low heat, stirring almost constantly, for 10 minutes.
• Remove the cooked mush from the stove and transfer it to a medium-size heat-proof bowl.
• Let the mush cool to lukewarm, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a small bowl and the whites in a large, high-sided, non-plastic bowl.
• When the mush is lukewarm, beat the yolks vigorously with a fork, then mix the yolks into the mush, making sure they are thoroughly and evenly incorporated.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff and glossy.
• Gently fold them into the batter as much as you can (the batter will be fairly liquid) and pour this into the prepared dish.
• Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out barely clean and the top is deeply golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Serve at once, straight from the dish and hot from the oven.