According to my notes, I have been making this cornbread exclusively since February '94. I know that it has been my only cornbread recipe because I really don't care to find another one, this one is that good. It comes from a cookbook by a woman named Crescent Dragonwagon. The cookbook is called "Dairy Hollow House: Soup & Bread - A Country Inn Cookbook" and the recipes are from her Arkansas country inn.
While living in Tennessee, it was a given that there would be cornbread with every dinner, no matter whose house I was eating at. Sometimes there would be leftovers and the most interesting use of these was shown to me by a friend's wonderful grandfather, who I came to know as PawPaw (you have to say it with a southern accent to get the proper pronunciation!). He would crumble the cornbread from the night before into a big glass and pour buttermilk over it. He would then sit down with a big spoon and dig in. I have a strong stomach for most things but I just couldn't bring myself to have buttermilk, cold in a glass, even if it was poured over cornbread!
The secret to this cornbread is in a few small details. Adding the baking soda to the buttermilk ahead of time makes a moister, slightly denser bread. A lot of corn breads are dry but this one has a nice "crumb" to it. I use my Le Crueset frying pan that measures 10" across the TOP of the pan. It fits perfectly in this pan, any smaller and it would run over the sides during cooking. Watch for this if you aren't sure if your pan is large enough. Make sure that the pan is good and hot and the butter is sizzling before you add the batter. I get the butter melting and then mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Don't let the butter burn but it should be bubbling, then add the batter and slip into the oven immediately. The hot pan creates a wonderful crust on the bread. You won't get the same crust if you are using a baking dish to make the bread but it will still be good. I have actually made it in a baking dish that I warmed in the oven for 10 minutes or so, melting the butter in the dish and then adding the batter. Of course, you can't get the butter really sizzling this way but if you don't have a cast iron pan, it will do.
The other night, I heated up some frozen beef barley soup that I had made a few weeks ago. I threw a pan of cornbread together and in no time, we were sitting at the table, enjoying a homemade dinner. I served it straight out of the frying pan with lots of salted butter (I love butter so much, I may be distantly related to the Barefoot Contessa). I wish.
Skillet-Sizzled Buttermilk Cornbread
1 c. stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 egg
2 T. white sugar
1/4 c. sunflower oil, or other mild oil of your choice
2-4 T. butter
A 10-inch in diameter cast iron skillet, or a 8x8 inch baking dish if you don't have a skillet
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, and the oil; then whisk in the buttermilk & baking soda.
4. Put the skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter, and heat until the butter melts and is just starting to sizzle. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom and sides.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and quickly stir together, using only as many strokes as needed to combine. Scrape the batter into the hot, buttery skillet. Immediately put the skillet in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
* Feel free to add different ingredients to this basic recipe. Cheese, corn, red peppers, green onions, etc. Watch your pan size if you are adding anything more to the recipe.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
