I made corn bread for the first time. I found an amazing vegetarian cookbook at the thrift store for $2 which is where this delicious corn bread recipe is from. The Savory Way by Deborah Madison, has no pictures but this 420 page volume is filled with uncomplicated recipes. I’m encouraged to cook more with a cast iron skillet after this. The one I used was in the back of my cabinet and It’s been unused for years. My skillet is very small (6 inches) so I’ve been looking around for an 11″ skillet and I’m tempted to get a really nice Le Creuset for $120. I felt that my 2 eggs was too much and I should have gone with 1. Since my skillet is so small, I divided the quantity of the recipe in half. The original recipes calls for 3 eggs. I didn’t know if I should add one or two. My corn bread tasted too much like an omelet than bread. I loved the sweetness of it though. It was more like a dessert. The recipe below is the original one from the book.
Many corn breads are dry and crumbly, but this one is moist and tender, with a very thin band of custard just under the surface.
You can make this bread with white, yellow, or blue cornmeal – all are good. What’s important is to use a mean that includes the germ – It’s healthier and has a lot more flavour than overrefined meals. Whole cornmeal, which is usually stone-ground, can be found in health food stores. Baking the bread in a skillet, while not essential, looks wonderful, and the thick iron walls help to make a good crust on the sides.
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups stone-ground cornmeal
- 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry or unbleached white flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tbs sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups milk or 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 2 tbs butter
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the cornmeal, flour, soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl and mix them together with a spoon. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1 cup of the regular milk, and the eggs. Melt the butter in the skillet, spread it around the sides with a brush, and then pour the excess into the wet ingredients.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and lightly stir them together with a fork. Pour the batter in the skillet, pour the remaining milk (or cream) over the top, and bake until the corn bread is lightly browned on the surface and springs back when touched, about 45 minutes.
Serve warm with honey and butter.
