Lightly sweet and with a tender crumb, a batch of fresh lemon cornmeal muffins can be a powerful thing. Just ask reader Susan Slesinger of Seal Beach; she's been thinking about the little cakes at chef John Besh's Willa Jean restaurant in New Orleans ever since she was in the Crescent City last July. The muffins, a creation of chef Kelly Field, are the right balance of buttery cornmeal cake and fresh lemon, with both zest and juice folded into the batter along with ricotta and mascarpone cheeses, giving the muffins a rich but gentle tang. Topped with a sweet lemon glaze, a batch of these works equally well for breakfast or dessert, or any time you're craving a little taste of New Orleans at home.
