Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Mush
Think crunchy, sweet porridge squares with maple syrup. When I was growing up this was called Mush, Cornmeal Mush or Porridge. Nowadays, no one eats mush, no one eats porridge everyone has joined the culinary elite, everyone now eats, what is popularly referred to as, Polenta (simply the Italian version of cornmeal mush). But no matter what you like to call it, I simply call it good Whenever my mom or grandma cooked up a big kettle of mush to go with supper, all of us kids knew that we would have fried mush in the morning. There was always enough of the mush (simply a porridge of meal cooked in boiling salted water) for breakfast the next morning. The solid mush was sliced in slabs and fried crispy like bacon. It made a tasty breakfast. Some liked it with honey or sorghum molasses (maple syrup was a rarity), others were happy with the crisp, salty mush. If we were lucky, mom or grandma would make a special breakfast batch just for us, cooking the meal in milk with a little sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and would include some raisins and nuts, our favorite.
Think crunchy, sweet porridge squares with maple syrup. When I was growing up this was called Mush, Cornmeal Mush or Porridge. Nowadays, no one eats mush, no one eats porridge everyone has joined the culinary elite, everyone now eats, what is popularly referred to as, Polenta (simply the Italian version of cornmeal mush). But no matter what you like to call it, I simply call it good Whenever my mom or grandma cooked up a big kettle of mush to go with supper, all of us kids knew that we would have fried mush in the morning. There was always enough of the mush (simply a porridge of meal cooked in boiling salted water) for breakfast the next morning. The solid mush was sliced in slabs and fried crispy like bacon. It made a tasty breakfast. Some liked it with honey or sorghum molasses (maple syrup was a rarity), others were happy with the crisp, salty mush. If we were lucky, mom or grandma would make a special breakfast batch just for us, cooking the meal in milk with a little sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and would include some raisins and nuts, our favorite.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- maple syrup
- 1 cup cornmeal or polenta coarsely ground
- 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 peach sliced, or fruit of your choice
- Carbohydrate 62.508341240002 g
- Cholesterol 6.71052083333333 mg
- Fat 9.438829375 g
- Fiber 4.10052508687973 g
- Protein 4.68538145833333 g
- Saturated Fat 2.14502916666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (152g)
- Sodium 39.2381666666667 mg
- Sugar 58.4078161531223 g
- Trans Fat 0.549518958333333 g
- Calories 340 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine the milk, water, salt and two teaspoons of the sugar. Bring to a boil. Sprinkle in the cornmeal slowly, whisking as you go, until all the grains have been incorporated and there are no lumps. Reduce the heat to low. Stir with a wooden spoon every couple of minutes, for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture starts to come away from the pan and the grains soften. Stir in the raisins, pecans, cinnamon and vanilla.
- Rinse a 8- or 9-inch square baking pan (or a 9 by 4-inch loaf pan) in cold water, draining excess water. Mound the hot conrmeal mush into the damp pan and use a spatula dipped in hot water to spread the mush out evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Cut the mush into six squares (or slice loaf mush into 1/2-inch thick slices) and sprinkle the top with 1/2 teaspoon with sugar. Heat the butter and oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the mush slices (sugared side down) and fry about 4 minutes, until golden. Sprinkle the other sides with sugar and flip. and cook on the second side 3-4 minutes. If you need to fry the mush in batches, keep the first batch warm in a 225 degree F oven. Serve the warm cornmeal mush squares with warmed maple syrup and your fruit slices of choice.
A properly fried square of cornmeal mush yields an audible crackle followed by a dense, tender interior that holds its shape without turning pasty. Achieving this texture requires an initial vigorous boil followed by a patient 15-to-20-minute simmer where the starch molecules swell completely, absorbing the dairy and water mixture until the mass pulls cleanly away from the sides of the saucepan. Whisking the coarse grain slowly into boiling liquid prevents the formation of dry, floury pockets that otherwise ruin the mouthfeel.
Dry ingredients like golden raisins and raw pecans transform during the cooking process, absorbing surrounding moisture while contributing complex sugars and fats that enrich the lean grain base. When opting for fresh stone-ground cornmeal over mass-produced shelf-stable varieties, expect a robust, earthy flavor profile and a slightly longer hydration window because the intact germ absorbs liquid at a different rate. Utilizing fresh dairy adds natural lactose that browns readily in the pan, creating a deep amber crust when heated in a combination of butter and oil.
Chilling the cooked porridge overnight inside a water-rinsed baking pan is essential because the residual moisture release prevents sticking and creates a firm, sliceable block that withstands manipulation at the cutting board. Portioning the chilled block into uniform half-inch slabs ensures even heat conduction across the nonstick surface. Operating the skillet at a moderate medium setting prevents the exterior sugars from burning before the center reaches a piping hot temperature.
Adapting this traditional grain foundation to meet alternative dietary needs is straightforward when substituting plant-based margarine and unsweetened almond or oat milk for the dairy components, though adjustments to sugar may be necessary depending on the sweetness of the alternative liquid. Keeping finished batches warm in a 225 degree F oven preserves crispness while subsequent rounds fry.
