Skillet Corn Bread

By dette

When I was a little boy, we had dinner at my granmother Mimi's once a week. While she changed the menu from meal to meal, one thing was always on the table, savory corn bread that was baked and served in a seasoned cast-iron skillet that she had owned for decades. There truly is a difference between corn bread made in a cast-iron or in a regular baking dish. A properly cared for cast-iron skillet that's been repeatedly oiled and wiped, never wahed out, just gets better and better the more you use it.

Ingredients

• 2 T. canola oil
• 3/4 c. all-0purpose flour
• 3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 c. buttermilk
• 1/2 c. chopped scallions *white and light green parts)
• 1/2 c. (2 oz) shredded sharp Cheddar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat he oven to 400.
Pour the canola oil into a 12" cawst-iron skillet. Put the skillet in the oven for 10 minues to preheat while you prepare the batter.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking posder, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to bledn. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, egg and muttermiok and whisk to blend. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture all at once. Add the scallions and Cheddar. Using a spatula or large wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together until they are just incorporated about twelve folds. It's okay if there are still a few streaks of flour or cornmeal.
Using an oven mitt, remove the hot skillet form the ovenl. Pour in the batter and return the skillet to the oven. BAke for 10 minutes, then check the corn bread and rotate the skillet back to front so that it brown evenly. Continue to bake the corn bread until it is golden brown, about 10 minues morel.
Using oven mitts, remove the skillet form the oven and let the corn bread cool for 1-10 minutes. Place a plate facedown over the surface of the skillt and invert the skillet so that the cornbread falls onto the plate. Slice the corn bread into wedges and serve.

Add to the batter:
1/2 c. cooked and chopped crispy bacon
1/2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 c. chopped ham
1/2 c. minced red or green bell pepper
1 4oz can chopped greeen chilies, drained
1/4-1/2t cayenne
Monterey Jack with or without chilies, herbs, or vegetables for the Cheddar