Etta's Cornbread Pudding

In Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen'; the recipe uses the nuttier and tangier dry Jack cheese, not regular Jack cheese.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Cornbread

• 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)

• Pudding

• 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

Directions

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.