# Cornmeal=corn flour?



## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

Isn't it the same thing?

I see a recipe that says to:

"...In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the corn flour, corn meal, and Cajun seasoning..."

Seems like they are not the same thing. 

Is the recipe ignorant or am I?

Please help.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

In America, corn flour is made from corn meal, just more finely ground. In England corn starch is called corn flour.


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## cookie jim (Apr 24, 2007)

oahoamaturechef;I also have heard of corn flour as cornstarch.However considering it sounds like a cajun dish/author I can just hear the person using corn flour as slang for corn meal.I believe I heard Emeril do that a few times.That being said if it's importand to you, post the recipe so we can better answer your question.You can put some cornmeal in a foodprocessor and pulse to a finer consistancy. A coffee mill will work for smaller amounts,about 1/4 cp. at a time. Your in the right place for help so please allow us to do so by adding more details...good cookin...cookie


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## scarecrobot (Jun 15, 2007)

Corn Flour is a fine powder, like regular flour, corn meal has more grit to it mostly for texture. It fries with a nice crunchy texture. If your looking for psuedo authentic "Cajun seasoning" Get Tony Cachere's. Look for it in the white can so you can better control your salt.

Just to clarify Emeril is neither cajun nor from N.O. He's Portuguese from Massachusetts.


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## cookie jim (Apr 24, 2007)

Scarecbot;Easy there big fellow on the Emeril reply. I ment no offence. I see you are from New Orleans. I will say that Emeril was Johny on the Spot using his status getting help for New Orleans after Catrina and dose'nt deserve to have his name or lineage spit out...peace be with you...cookie


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## chefraz (May 10, 2007)

justin wilson was *I GUAR-RON-TEE *HOW Y'ALL ARE ?


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

There is a corn flour that no one has mentioned, and which, to the best of my knowledge, is more common than just finely ground corn meal. It's masa harina which is made from dried corn which has been soaked in lime water (slaked). After the corn is soaked in the lime solution is it washed and the exterior hulls removed. The damp corn is then gournd into fine flour. Masa is used for making corn tortillas as well as tamales, empandas as well as various other foods, Latino or otherwise. Corn flour can be made of either white, yellow or blue corn.

If I came across a recipe that asked for corn flour, this is what I'd use unless I knew for sure that something else was intended.

Post the recipe if you want the best possible help.

Kind regards,

Shel


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Shel, you sound like you know Mexican cooking pretty well. Maybe you can help me out in another thread I posted, Spanish rice and refried beans (?)


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Spanish rice is not Mexican rice. Usually Spanish rice has saffron in it and Mexican rice usually has tomatoes or is cooked with a tomato sauce. Which are you looking for? Here's a somewhat typical Mexican red rice dish:

*Arroz Rojo*
Mexican Red Rice

1 14 ½ can peeled whole tomatoes in juice, drained
3 Tbs chopped white onion
2 small cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup corn oil
1 cup medium grain white rice
1 cup hot water (or juice from drained tomatoes + water)
1 medium carrot, scrubbed or peeled, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1/3 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
6 sprigs fresh cilantro tied together
2 - 3 serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
1 tsp salt

Puree onions, tomatoes, and garlic in a blender until smooth
Heat oil in heavy medium-sized sauce pan over med-high heat. Add rice, stir until rice is pale golden, about one minute. Stir in tomato/garlic/onion puree, then add hot water/juice mixture, corn, peas, carrot, cilantro sprigs, chiles, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 12-minutes. Uncover and cook until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed, about 10-minutes longer. Remove from heat, cover, let stand about 5-minutes longer. Discard chiles and cilantro. Fluff with fork.

Let me know if you're looking for a more traditional Spanish rice. I've also got some more Mexican rice recipes, not all of which I've tested. I've made the one above and made adjustments to it, but have posted it as it was given to me - you can add your own signature to the dish.

Shel


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

BTW, the masa harina is not just Mexican, rather, it's been used for centuries in South America as well. Mexico is not a part of South America, in fact, it's technically part of North America. Just putting a fine point on a dull subject <LOL>

Shel


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Thank you Shel, yeah Mexican rice is what I was asking about. But I love rice in general; after all I grew up in India. As long as it's real rice, not minute "rice" or some other crap :smiles:

I will try your recipe sans veges first. That doesn't exclude the tomato, since it's a fruit heh


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## neil paisnel (Oct 29, 2011)

OK, to revive an old thread....

I just had a similar problem...working out what 'Cornflour' means

In the UK Cornflour is what in the USA you would call corn starch...a thickening agent.

SO maybe the original posters recipe was correct.

It called for

"...In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the corn flour, corn meal, and Cajun seasoning..."

...lets see the qunatities...I reckon the amount of 'cornflour( cornstrach ) required would have been a small amount...


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Neil,

As a generic, starch is ground more finely than flour, and flour more finely than meal.  There aren't any universal standards, so there's bound to be a great deal of overlap.  You probably hit the nail on the head; and if you didn't you raised a very important issue. 

BDL


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## neil paisnel (Oct 29, 2011)

Yes, the corn starch is far finer...but I would hesitate about using the word 'ground' 

I think it is more as mentioned further up the thread...a process where by the starch is washed from the ground raw product, then the water evaporated to leave a powdery residue...so yes it is fine...but not ground as such.

I have been doing a bit of camp cooking recently, and wanted to start making a bit of 'woodsmans' bread.camp bread/pan bread/bannock bread call it what you will.

Ok,so there are many recipes as many as their are cooks..and I wanted to try some variations I had seen using corn flour...but asking for corn flour here in Jersey (not New Jersey...the real Jersey)...only results in being given  what is called corn flour in the UK...which in USA/Canada is know as Corn starch.  trying to find real Corn Flour is proving difficult


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I'd be interested in the recipes you're looking at, Neil. Most of those types I'm familiar with use corn meal, rather than flour.

In that case, just buy some polenta. It amounts to the same thing. Plus, if you do want it finer, a pulse or three in the food processor should get you there.


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## cornelius (Oct 29, 2011)

This is indeed rather ambiguous, especially when you consider that in different countries, terms mean different things. Apparently in the UK, for example, the term "corn" is a generic term for grains in general, though in the south it is generally taken to mean wheat, and in the north oats. So, knowing where the author of the recipe is from may be a major clue as to what is meant.

However, in the context of a Cajun recipe, I would guess that corn flour is indeed a more finely ground version of cornmeal, as is defined here: http://www.food.com/library/corn-flour-638 And since the recipe seems to be asserting they are two different ingredients, I would tend to assume they actually are.

But, I could be wrong, especially if the author of the recipe is from the UK. But if this is indeed the case, I would look for another source for Cajun recipes.


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## quetex (Oct 3, 2010)

Neil Paisnel said:


> Yes, the corn starch is far finer...but I would hesitate about using the word 'ground'
> 
> I think it is more as mentioned further up the thread...a process where by the starch is washed from the ground raw product, then the water evaporated to leave a powdery residue...so yes it is fine...but not ground as such.
> 
> ...


Sorry not trying to steal the thread or topic, just trying to help Neil. Here are a few pics and recipe of our award winning "Pan De Campo" that is very common down here in south Texas. It is also know as "Cowboy camp bread", was what the camp cooks made for the cowboys when they were out driving cattle. This is our basic family recipe btw.

Recipe:

8 cups flour

8 tsp baking powder

4 tsp salt

4 tsp sugar

1/2 cup oil (we use veg or canola)

3 cups of milk (water is okay too, different texture and flavor though) water probably was more common in real cowboy days

MAKES 4 12" BREADS, use a rolling pin to roll out about 1/2 to 3/4 in thick

* those are teaspoons, not table spoons (dont ask)

*our competition recipe is tweaked a bit from there, more oil and or butter

* dont knead too much or the bread will be tough, bread people know about that though

* we often just cook it in the oven at home but competitions require dutch ovens and real wood coals, no bagged charcoal





You gotta man u and flip it by hand too lol.


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## quetex (Oct 3, 2010)

BTW,  float a stick of butter over the top and drizzle some honey over it and you'd swear you were in paradise,


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## neil paisnel (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks for the pics and tips.  Should really now be in the Camp Cooking section ...but ah well ..thats what comes of me hijacking a thread .

Ok, here is the recipe I had seen...all variations on the same theme really ( and the one above )

1 Cup Cornflour

1 teaspoon baking powder

quarter tablespoon of salt

3 tablespoons of butter 

Mix the dry ingriedents, 

Cut the margerine of butter and combine with the dry to make a coarse mixture.

Mix in enough cold water (1/4 cup) to make a stiff dough

Shape in to a 1 inch thick cake, the size of your skillet.

Cook over fire in greased skillet for about 5 minutes, or until crust forms on base

take off fire and prop the pan up so the open side is towards the fire acting as reflector oven.

Cook for further 15 minutes...increasing angle of the pan as the bread stiffens ...if you increase the angle too quickly, the dough will slump in the pan

This next one is more of a pan bread...no baking...just cooked in the skillet

2/3rds cup yellow corn meal

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Mix the dry ingredients with enough water to form a thick batter.

Put in to hot greased skillet and form into thick pancake

cook until firm and well browned on one side..then turn and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes

t


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## quetex (Oct 3, 2010)

Edited to add that the recipe makes 4 12" breads btw. good luck and have fun.


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## pjswim (Nov 5, 2011)

Hello All ~

I was surffing the net for these cookies. And I am totally confused. I read some of the viewers comments about the "Corn Flour". Some say its cornstarch & some say its "Corn Flour" I assume there is Yellow/White corn flour. So for these cookies should I be using "Cornstarch" or The "Corn Flour"? And to add to that, I had made several batches of cookies that called for "cornstarch" & in my opion I can taste the cornstarch after its baked. Thanx for any advise for this recipe.

Viennese Fingers (make 26)

· 250g unsalted butter, soften

· 70 g icing sugar

· 225g plain flour

· 75g corn flour (??in question)

· 2 teaspoon of vanilla essence

· 200g dark chocolate


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