I usually gravitate towards simplicity, but in the case of cornbread I feel like more is more.
This cornbread leans towards the sweeter, fluffier richer kind versus the crumbly Southern version, and is chock-full of mix-ins like jalapeño, cheese and onion. Yoghurt and buttermilk add some tang and a bit of a butter in a sizzling hot skillet right before you add the batter creates a deliciously golden and crisp crust.
While I love the over-the-top nature of this cornbread, this is also a great base recipe, so if you’re missing some of the ingredients or would just rather leave them out, that works too!
I love to serve this warm alongside chili, smeared with butter and a drizzle of honey. Salty-sweet people, I highly recommend!
One other thing that I like to do is create cornbread croutons for soup-topping and (let’s be honest) snacking purposes. To make cornbread croutons, cut the cooled cornbread into cubes and toss with a little melted butter, then bake on a baking sheet at 375 F until golden brown. I find that this works best with fewer mix-ins, like just cheese and jalapeño.
A steaming bowl of chili and cornbread croutons? There’s really nothing cozier.
Loaded Skillet Cornbread
serves 6-8
1 1/4 cup corn meal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 cup buttermilk *see note
6 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for spirnkling on top
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
2 green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1.Place a 9-inch oven-proof skillet (I use a cast-iron one) to the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 425 F. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the buttermilk, yoghurt, eggs, and vegetable oil. Whisk in the buttermilk-egg mixture to the dry ingredients until combined. Stir in the cheeses, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño and red onion, reserving some sliced jalapeño and red onion and jalapeños for topping.
2. Remove the skillet from the oven, add the 2 tbsp of melted butter to the skillet, and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet. Working quickly, add in the batter the the skillet, and sprinkle the reserved red onion, jalapeño and more crumbled feta on top.
3. Return the skillet to the oven, reduce the temperature to 375 F and bake until the centre is firm, the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
*I never actually buy buttermilk, as it can be hard to find, only comes in 2 litre cartons and is less useful than plain milk. To make my own, I add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to whole milk, allow to sit for 5 minutes and stir before adding to whatever I’m making. It will look curdled when you add the vinegar- don’t worry, that’s normal!