Cheesy Chive Spoonbread

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a large souffle dish or 3-quart oval pan, or another similarly sized dish (I have also used a 9-inch square and a springform). In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal and salt with a fork.
2. 2
   In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Slowly stir in the cornmeal mixture, whisking until it begins to thicken. Cook for about 3 minutes-continuing to whisk!!-then remove from heat. Stir in the butter.
3. 3
   In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks. In a larger bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the cornmeal mixture has cooled a bit, stir in the egg yolks. Stir in cheese and chives. Next, gently fold in the egg whites. (If you don't know how to do this correctly, it's worth it to go on Youtube and learn.) It makes a difference.
4. 4
   Pour the mixture into the souffle dish and bake for 40 minutes. The middle should be soft, but not loose and definitely not liquid. Serve immediately with lots of butter. This is good leftover, but nothing beats it hot.