Mexican Cornbread without Polenta/cornmeal

xxvickixx

I am making cornbread for dinner this evening and I can't get any polenta anywhere. I can only find the ready made stodge in the local supermarkets. Can I substitite this for something else? I have 3 recipes and I have searched the net but it seems to be a critical ingredient.

Can't believe that none stock it.

JayJay14

I can sympathise as I use quite a lot of this. The only place it seems to be available readily is in the big Tesco that has a world foods isle - and then only in big bags. Otherwise you need a health food store and they charge the earth.

There really isn't a substitute though so good luck.

Gingernutmeg

It might be worth ringing the local supermarkets and asking if they've got cornmeal in their world-foods sections. Sorry if I'm suggesting something you've already done, but I've never had a problem finding it and it's generally in the world foods section - I usually buy the big Natco brand bags.

Afaik you can't make cornbread without cornmeal - you could maybe try googling for spoonbread recipes, this is like a souffle type dish served with Tex-mex food. I think most recipes use cornmeal but you might be able to find one that uses ordinary flour and tinned corn.

xxvickixx

Thanks for your comments. I had another rumage through the cupboard and found some special flour I bought to make tortilla wraps with. On closer inspection it was ground maize which I thought was similar, it was a pale yellow colour, so I used it and hoped for the best. It took longer to cook than the recipe but turned out lovely and the guests commented that it was delicious.
I will have to track some down to keep on standby. Our local supermarkets have always been a bit rubbish in the ethnic/world food department and the staff look at me like I have three heads if I ask for something "exotic" lol!

skyepark

yes Tesco has them in big bags but go to any Caribbean/indian cash and carry food shop and they will have it.

Ayeshalush

xxvickixx wrote: »

I am making cornbread for dinner this evening and I can't get any polenta anywhere. I can only find the ready made stodge in the local supermarkets. Can I substitite this for something else? I have 3 recipes and I have searched the net but it seems to be a critical ingredient.

Can't believe that none stock it.

I had exactly the same problem trying to source polenta last week. Gave up in the end. Even our large Tesco's with a large selection of World Foods didn't have it and Asda's only had the ready made stuff. Will need to check out the health food shops.

curlylou1986

i tried it with the ready made polenta in a desperate atempt....didnt work at all, was cooking for over hour and half and was all runny still! lol. want the result was hoping for. am going to try the food company which is a shop near me - has a lot of american/other foreign foods so hoping might stock it!
do any of you guys put sweetcorn in it? the one we had out for dinner did but some of the recepies i found didnt say to add it.

Kirri

I get polenta from any of my local supermarkets and have got it from Morrisons and Asda - it's just not normally where I'd expect to find it.

curlylou1986

Kirri what make is it and where do they hide it?!

Kirri

curlylou1986 wrote: »

Kirri what make is it and where do they hide it?!

I remember having the same problem! I expected it to be with the 'basics' items ie lentils etc but it wasn't. Unfortunately, I've put it into glass jars here and the packaging has long gone. I've got two lots of it here too as I forgot I had some so bought some more!

I think in Morrisons it was with the greek type foods, ie pistachio nuts are sold in two places in the shop, one with the other main nuts section and they have another lot in an aisle with more unusual types of foods. I'll double check next time I go in!

In Asda I think it was in the world foods aisle where all the Turkish, Polish foods etc are.

Kirri

I went in Asda today - they had two brands of polenta, one by Natco and one by East End that came in a huge 5kg bag amongst other sizes!