A good cornbread should be heavy on the cornmeal and very light on the flour. This one is heavy on coarse ground cornmeal for lots of extra crunch and texture. Baking it in a hot cast iron skillet adds an extra layer of crispiness.

 

Ingredients (1 cornbread in 10” frying pan – 25cm)

¼ cup butter

1 ½ cups cornmeal (coarse ground)

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup milk

 

1. Preheat over to 425F (220c).

2. In 10” cast iron frying pan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter.

3. In large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

4. Mix in the eggs, milk, and the melted butter. Pour the melted butter out of the skillet. Leave the excess butter (the little that is coating the frying pan’s bottom) in the pan, and leave the frying pan on the heat while you quickly mix the cornbread batter.

5. Pour the cornbread mixture into the hot frying pan, increase to medium heat, and cook for 3-4 minutes.

6. Place the frying pan in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden-brown on top.

Cut the cornbread into wedges and serve hot with butter. This cornbread goes great with stews and chilis. Actually, it goes great with any dish that has sauce or gravy. Or you can even do as we often do In The Devil’s Kitchen, and just devour the whole mass of crunchiness directly from the frying pan with slatherings of butter (and, when we’re feeling especially devilish, a few shots of Tabasco Habanero sauce).