Cottage Cornbread

It’s mid October and we are at our island cottage preparing to close for the season.

Today is a stay inside day with the temperature at minus 1 Celsius (30F) and the wind gusts to 61 kph (40mph). It’s crazy and dangerous outside with branches being blown off trees and the pine cones hitting the roof do not sound a bit like a soothing rainfall!

Not that you ever need an excuse but we had planned to make cornbread and well, now’s the time and the additional heat from the oven wouldn’t hurt either.

This recipe makes a terrific cornbread. It’s made with simple ingredients and can be ready to eat in 35 to 40 minutes. It contains a bit of sugar so we can’t claim it to be a southern style, even though we make it in a 10” cast iron pan. But it’s not sweet either so call it what you like. We love it and it gets a lot of fanfare at BBQs, or it can be served at almost any get together.

Today we’re going to enjoy it warm – plain or topped with butter.

Oooh, it’s getting nice and toasty in here.

Enjoy

This recipe is best suited for a 10” cast iron pan. In a pinch you could use a 9X9 inch square baking pan or 9 inch pyrex or ceramic dish.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1½ cup finely ground yellow cornmeal (we use Unico brand)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar (can switch to 3 TBSP of honey ) – if honey, be sure to mix with the wet ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk (we use 2%)
• 1 stick or 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted in microwave)
• 1 tbsp lard for the pan (or vegetable/canola oil – high smoke oil)

Method

• Place 1 TBSP of lard in pan and place in oven
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (with pan in)

• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
• In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients except the melted butter
  • Wisk eggs in the bowl, add buttermilk and milk
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl and stir in
  • Do not over stir

• Use Oven Mitts: Remove pan from oven and add 1 TBSP of melted butter to the pan

• Add the rest of the melted butter to the ingredients and stir in
• Add ingredients to the pan and lightly shimmy to even
  • You should see sides start to curl immediately

• Into the oven it goes for 20 minutes
  • After 20 minutes, test for doneness using a toothpick – poke through the middle and if it comes out clean and dry…its done. Otherwise back in the oven for 5 minutes and repeat.
• Using oven mitts turn the pan over a plate or flat surface and the cornbread should come out.

• Turn over onto a cooling rack to slightly cool and in 10 minutes onto a plate for serving
  • Congratulations your cornbread is ready to eat
  • Notice the nice crispy sides………

Enjoy……………….

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