Summer Skillet Cornbread

Photo: Serious Eats - Vicky Wasik

Food is a serious topic on THE SAVVY SHOPPER because as my Mama says, "We have to eat every day!" Hence, food is a huge part of everyone's budget, not to mention everyone's time and a source of entertainment and staying healthy. We all gotta eat! 

Tonight I made skillet cornbread. It is so moist and delicious, I will share the recipe so that I, too, can return here to make it again over the summer. Eat it with anything you like, soup, chili, fried chicken or pork chops. Southerners snack on cornbread washed down with a glass of buttermilk.

Summer Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 cup whole corn (can, fresh or frozen)
1 cup corn meal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
Up to 1 cup buttermilk ( I add a little bit more if the batter seems dry.)

2 tablespoons of butter
Butter to coat the pan

Optional: spices
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 2 diced jalapeño peppers).
a sprinkle of parsley

Please note: Sugar does not belong in cornbread. If you're used to it, you may add a teaspoon.

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, add the above ingredients in order and incorporate with a fork. (If I don't have company, I reduce the butter in the batter. The other ingredients make the cornbread delicious without butter, and I generously coat the pan with butter for a butter taste.

2) Pour the batter into a well oiled, heated 10-inch skillet. After the pan is hot, I lower the heat, cover the skillet with a lid and let the cornbread cook on low until one side is brown (and the top solidifies from the steam). The cornbread rises in the hot pan. 

3) When the top is no longer runny, take a spatula to flip the cornbread over to brown the 2nd side. Skillet cooking is faster and ideal on a hot day when you don't wish to turn on the oven.

💙Alternatively, you can simply pour the cornbread batter into a baking dish to bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 35 - 40  minutes. (Some bakers like to toss butter into the skillet and heat it in the oven for 5 minutes, pull it out and then pour in the batter to bake. This will give the cornbread a lovely brown crust.)💚

After he cornbread is golden brown on both sides, remove from the skillet and slice. Eat hot. Tonight I paired it with smoked Virginia ham, vegetables and a salad.

I bought my cast iron skillet for cornbread and biscuits. 

Feel free to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to feed a crowd. If so, you probably need to bake it in the oven. More difficult to flip, plus you'd need the MOTHER of HUGE frying pans!


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