National Cornbread Festival 2025
Cornmeal Crepes Florentine: A Love Letter to Almost Making the Cut
There’s something about competition cooking that brings out the best in me—and occasionally, the most humbling. I submitted my Cornmeal Crepes Florentine to the 2025 National Cornbread Contest with high hopes and a full heart. They made it to the second round, which felt like a win in itself. But they didn’t make the final cut, and let’s just say… I love a great recipe, but I don’t love not making the cut.
Still, I stand by these crepes. They’re tender, savory, and just the right kind of unexpected. A little Southern grit meets French finesse, with creamy spinach and cheese tucked inside golden cornmeal lace. They’re the kind of dish that makes you feel fancy without trying too hard—like wearing red lipstick with your favorite hoodie.
No Ribbon for Me
Not every dish gets the ribbon, and not every story ends with a trophy. But this one? It ends with pride. Because creating something delicious, sharing it with others, and putting it out there—that’s the real win. And if you ask me, these crepes are still worthy of applause (and maybe a second helping).
To the next contest, the next kitchen adventure, and the next chance to turn flour and feeling into something unforgettable.
Cornbread Crepes Florentine Roll
Equipment
- 1 Lodge Cast Iron Griddle Lodge Griddle Round Seasoned Cast Iron
- 2 10.25 Inch / 3.2 Quart Cast Iron Deep Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 c Cornmeal
- 1 ½ c AP Flour
- pinch salt
- 6 large eggs
- 2 ½ c whole milk
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
Filling
- ¼ pound bacon chopped, cooked, drained, and set aside
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon chopped green onion
- 1 5.3 ounce Boursin cheese garlic herb flavor
- ½ c ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ c spinach frozen
- salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 c whole milk
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅔ c parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon spinach florentine filling
- 2 artichoke hearts chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup of cornmeal, 2.5 cups of milk, six eggs, two tablespoons of melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Run the mixture through a sieve to remove lumps and rest until ready to make the crepes.
- Cook crepes in your Lodge cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into the pan and cook until the surface is set, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. You should yield about 8 to 10 crepes and enough to make 2 crepe rolls.
Filling
- Cook chopped bacon in a 10.25-inch, 3.2-quart cast iron deep skillet until crisp. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings to sauté the onions and make the filling.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 5.3 oz of Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese and 0.5 cup of ricotta cheese in a separate bowl.
- In the bacon pan, sauté 2 tablespoons of chopped onion and minced garlic in the bacon drippings. Add the frozen spinach and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese mixture and Parmesan cheese, cooking until everything is well combined and the cheese is melted. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the mixture for the sauce. Mixture will be thick.
Sauce
- Melt butter in a Lodge 10.25-inch, 3.2-quart cast iron deep skillet. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Incorporate 3 chopped artichokes and parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted. Then, mix in 2 tablespoons of the sautéed spinach mixture and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Build the Florentine Rolls
- Place 3 cooked crepes on a clean dish towel, overlapping the edges by about 1 ½ inches. Spread an even layer of spinach filling in the center of the crepes, ensuring to leave a 2-inch overhang. Place 2 quartered artichokes in a line closest to you, 2 inches from the end, crosswise—crumble-cooked bacon over the crepes. First, fold in the sides of the crepe, pressing them to the filling. Then, roll the crepe in classic jelly roll style.
To Serve
- Slice the roll to get 4-5 individual rolled crepes. Serve with sauce and garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes.
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