Gluten-free, dairy-free cannabis infused cornbread with black pepper corn crème fraiche

 

Corn is one crop that I see pretty much everywhere in the world, and it has been grown for thousands of years. It is loved all over the world and ranks high among other popular food crops like rice, potatoes and plantains, partially due to its ease of cultivation and its many culinary properties. It’s very versatile in cooking in that it can be dried, popped, fried, stewed, boiled, grilled and covered in butter or cannabis oil… and the list goes on, not to mention that it can also be used as an energy source.

The top ears of corn remind me a bit of top colas on the cannabis plant. All standing tall out of the field studded with golden, white and cream-coloured kernels and its glistening corn silk reminding me of cannabis pistils and sparkling trichomes.

Cannabis is another crop that has been around since the early ages and has been used in many aspects of life. Early cannabis and hemp were used as a food source, fiber for clothes and rope production, along with its medical properties. Cannabis is still widely used today for its medicinal and recreational properties both psychoactive and non-psychoactive. It is found in the food industry as a high source of plant-based protein in hemp foods as well in many new building materials and renewable energy sources. The plant has so much to offer.

I was inspired by similarities in both plants to create a gluten-free, dairy-free cannabis infused cornbread recipe using some of the corn’s natural starch to help it bond to the protein in the eggs. It can be a great accompaniment to some of my other recipes. I like to prepare the corn when it’s late in the season, sweet and full of flavor. It can be served in the morning for a light brunch side dish, or maybe in the afternoon paired with some slow roasted BBQ.

I really wanted to the give the cornbread a maximum amount of corn flavor to pair with the herbal notes of cannabis. In the cornbread recipe, the tender corn kernels were carefully removed, sautéed lightly to make a puree, then the inner cob is simmered to make a corn stock. If you have some cannabis stalks that have been dried and aren’t sure how to use them, try decarboxylating them and add a few to the corn stock to fortify the cannabis flavor in the stock – it’s a great way to use all the parts of this amazing plant.

I would choose stalks that came from a cultivar that was high in limonene or humulene. Both would offer unique flavor profiles, limonene being citrusy and humulene having notes of hops. While the recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, there is a quick black pepper corn crème fraiche to serve with it. If you would like this recipe to be totally dairy-free, you can substitute the crème fraiche for a dairy-free yogurt in the black pepper corn fraiche recipe.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Canna Cornbread

Makes: 9 ½ muffins

This recipe is made in a few different steps, but each step is relatively easy to prepare and it’s worth the extra effort in preparations for the end product.

Corn Broth

2 corn cobs with corn kernels removed
2 L water
2 tsp honey
2 pinches salt
5g cannabis stems (optional)

1. To prepare the corn stock, remove the husk and silk from the corncobs. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the corn kernels and reserve.
2. In a medium sized pot, place corn cobs, cannabis stems (optional) along with the 2 L of water, honey, and 2 pinches of salt. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, reduce and simmer for approximately 20 min. You want to simmer it until the broth really tastes like corn or until 1.5L remain in the pot.
3. Carefully pour the broth into a strain and save the liquid for the next step.

Corn Milk Puree

2 cups corn broth
2 cups corn – lightly sautéed, season to taste
1tbsp grape seed oil
¼ tsp xanthan gum (can be found at most health food stores)

1. In a medium sized pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and then gently sauté the corn kernels until they start to release their liquid and become tender.
2. Add the corn broth and continue to simmer for 5 min on medium low heat.
3. Remove from heat; let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before placing it in a blender. Add the xanthan gum and blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Pour into container and reserve until chilled.

Cornbread

Wet ingredients mixture:
1 cup corn meal, coarse Italian
¼ cup dried peach, chopped
2 ¾ cups corn broth– soak 20 min

1 cup corn milk
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup grape seed oil

Dry ingredients mixture:
½ cup gluten-free flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cannabis-infused grape seed oil, approx. 50mg* (this will make 9.5 5mg muffins)

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the corn meal, chopped dry peach and corn broth mixture and mix thoroughly, then let stand for 30 min. This will help hydrate the corn meal resulting in less crumbly cornbread.
2. Once 30 min has passed, add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly, then sift in the dry ingredients. For best results let this mixture stand 30 more minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. Line muffin tin with parchment muffin cups and scoop cornbread batter into cups, the batter should be slightly loose but will firm up while baking.
4. Place in 350 F oven for approximately 25 min, then rotate the muffin tray and continue to cook for another 10 min. The cornbread is ready when you can insert a wood skewer and it comes out clean.

Black peppercorn crème fraiche:

Ingredients:
1 cup corn
½ cup crème fraiche or dairy-free yogurt
½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper (contains the terpene Caryophyllene)
2 pinches salt

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients and season to taste.

This recipe can also be prepared in a loaf pan and topped with the below ingredients prior to baking if you’re feeling extra creative.

½ cup diced onions, sautéed in 1.5 tbsp grape seed oil for 5 min or until tender.
¼ cup crème fraiche or dairy-free yogurt
¼ lime, zested
¼ cup jalapeno, sliced
¼ cup green onions, sliced
¼ cup tomato, sliced – red or yellow

*Cannabis doses vary based on personal preference. This dose is not a recommendation on behalf of Zenabis. For more information on dosing, remember to “start low and go slow” and see Health Canada’s Consumer Information factsheet for guidance.