Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Cornbread

This is my basic cornbread recipe that I think I've probably mentioned in here before. I make it so often though, that I thought it would bear repeating. It's easy, fast, and it elevates everything else going on at dinnertime.Take 1 1/2 cups cornmeal (I use 1 cup of JT Pollard fine white cornmeal combined with another cup of the regular grind yellow cornmeal to make my 1 1/2 cups) and mix with 1/2 cup regular flour. Add to this mixture 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar, and combine all the dry ingredients really well. In another bowl, mix 1 egg really well with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or yogurt. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones, just until combined without overbeating it. If for some reason it is way too dry, you can add a drizzle of milk, but really, don't overmix it or it will get tough. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter (or bacon grease!) in a cast iron skillet in an oven preheated to 375 degrees. When the cast iron is hot and the butter is melted, pour in your cornbread batter. Bake it for 30 minutes, cut it into wedges and enjoy.Sometimes, like this last time, I add 1/4 cup of shredded pepperjack cheese (or cheddar or whatever) into the dry ingredients before I stir the wet ones in. Then I add another sprinkle of shredded cheese on top before it goes in the oven. Also delicious are diced jalapenos or other peppers, or corn kernels, or really whatever you like in your cornbread.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Question: Can two egg whites be substituted for one regular egg or is that just bad science?

carla said...

Bad science...probably? I think it would be too crumbly and not moist enough. Maybe if you experimented with adding other stuff to make up for the lack of egg yolk? Or just make meringue for me with the egg whites instead.