Tag Archives: cornbread

Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread

Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread {Gluten-Free} When I officially wore myself out baking a few weeks ago and took an extended break, I’d like to say I missed the kitchen immediately, but I didn’t. For five days, I didn’t think about baking (or cooking) at all, except when slapping together a grilled cheese or scrambling eggs so that I didn’t have to live on restaurant food for a week. Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread {Gluten-Free} But then, on the sixth day (Friday), I woke up thinking about Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread. I had all the ingredients (hi, I keep a weird bag of jalapeños in my crisper) and I wanted to make it so bad—the way only someone who obsessively bakes gets about a recipe, as though my body might just go into autopilot and start whisking together ingredients without permission from my brain.

Instead, my body and my brain went to see Uncut Gems, and baking stayed on the back burner for another three days. Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Then Monday came and lo,* there was Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread, and it was good. Still is good. Like really good. It’s got crisp edges and a brown lid, but the center is tender and almost custard-like from the additions of sour cream and eggs. As it’s made with only yellow cornmeal, there’s no way to overmix and make it tough—difficult to overdevelop the gluten when there is none!

*I guess I say “lo” now. Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread {Gluten-Free} As far as spice levels go, I like to live on the edge….but I used three jalapeños with seeds in the first round and sort of regretted it. This one (the second) is still almost too spicy for me, even after discarding half the seeds, but a bevy of shredded sharp cheddar and a few tablespoons of sugar offset all that intensity. If you’re sensitive to heat, maybe forgo seeds altogether, reduce the amount of jalapeño or try my Chorizo Cornbread instead. Or maybe just make 2020 the year you accidentally burned off all your tastebuds with cornbread and lived to tell the tale.

…ten days into this year and I’m already maximum weird, y’all. Oh lord. Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread {Gluten-Free}

Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread
makes one 9-inch pan

1 cup milk (not skim or non-fat), room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2-3/4 cup minced fresh jalapeños* (2-3 medium), with or without seeds
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil (I like canola)

Preheat oven to 400F. Place a 9-inch cast iron or other heavyish baking dish it in the oven to heat through. (See note* if you do not have that sort of dish.)

Combine milk, sour cream, and eggs in a measuring cup or small/medium bowl. Whisk together with a fork. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add minced jalapeños and grated cheddar, and toss to coat. Pour in milk mixture and fold together. Fold in butter.

Remove hot pan from oven and add oil. Carefully swirl to coat. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving Warm.

Leftover cornbread will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Note:

1. Some people prefer minced pickled jalapeño here, which adds a nice acidic flavor and will have less heat.
2. If using a regular 9-inch baking pan (round or square), grease it, line with parchment, and grease again. Do not preheat the empty pan. Skip the oiling step before adding batter to the pan.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free}

3 Replies

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} I repeat recipes so infrequently that this is only the third time I’ve made this Chorizo Cornbread since discovering it three years ago. It came to be during a late-January snowstorm that was billed as the storm of the century (as all of them are), but was wholly unremarkable.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Except for the cornbread. That part was pretty memorable. Especially the near-perfect breakfast sandwich I made with the leftovers.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Before we talk about leftovers or magnificent fried egg sandwiches, let’s talk about how good salty, savory chorizo is when it’s enveloped in a barely-sweet piece of cornbread. Because it’s really, really good.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} It’s easy too—this recipe takes just about an hour from the time you start browning the chorizo to the time you pull the finished cornbread from the oven. You won’t need a mixer or anything more than a bowl and a silicone spatula either 🙂

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Start by browning eight ounces of raw chorizo and sautéing some diced onion and minced garlic in the rendered fat.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Mix together some yellow cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. I don’t usually add sugar to my cornbread, but I like the way it balances the salty chorizo here.

You may also notice a complete lack of flour, making this recipe gluten-free 🙂

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Toss the chorizo, onion, and garlic with the dry ingredients. This allows some of the baking powder to adhere to the meat and keeps it from sinking to the bottom of the finished cornbread.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Add some milk, sour cream, and eggs…

…followed by some melted butter.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Spread it all into a parchment-lined pan…

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} …and bake until browned and a little, uh, dimply.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Slice it into pieces while it’s still warm. I like my Chorizo Cornbread served alongside a kale salad or with a vegetable soup or even just by itself, with or without a pat of butter.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} But like I said, the best way to enjoy this Chorizo Cornbread is to sandwich your slice with a runny egg.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} You can leave it simple (like I did) or jazz it up with cheese and greens and a big hit of sriracha. Either way, it’s basically the best egg sandwich ever.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free} Have a great weekend, y’all.

Chorizo Cornbread
inspired by and heavily adapted from Food52
makes one 9-inch pan

1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil (I like canola)
8 ounces raw chorizo,* removed from casings (use certified gluten-free chorizo for gluten-free cornbread)
1/2 large white onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup milk (not skim or non-fat), room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 9-inch square pan. Line with parchment and grease again. Set aside.

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Brown chorizo, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Once brown, use a spatula to transfer meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Turn heat down to medium. Add onion and cook in the chorizo fat until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Combine milk, sour cream, and eggs in a measuring cup. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add chorizo, onion, and garlic, and toss to coat. Pour in milk mixture and fold together. Fold in butter. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Slice and serve warm, with a runny egg, if desired.

Leftover cornbread will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Note:

I find raw chorizo at Brooklyn Fare in Downtown Brooklyn. If you cannot find or don’t wish to use the raw stuff, I recommend dicing 8 ounces of fully-cooked, dried chorizo and letting it brown a bit in oil before proceeding as written. I haven’t tried it, but I think soy chorizo would work, too.

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free}

Cornbread Stuffing with Apples & Fennel {Gluten-Free}

3 Replies

This year will be an unusual Thanksgiving for my family. Not only will all of us be together over the holiday, but we’re also going to be home in Fort Worth and we’re going to make the big meal ourselves. I honestly can’t remember the last time we did all that–I think I was eleven!

Since we’ll be cooking in my mom’s kitchen, she’s the lady in charge. So far, she’s requested a Butterscotch Cream Pie. Other than that, nothing’s set in stone.* None of us are particularly fond of turkey, so we’re not married to the traditional meal.

Note: I mean, there will be Artichoke Dip. It’s not the holidays without Artichoke Dip.

Now, I can live without the traditional sweet potatoes, the cranberry sauce, and even the rolls. I generally don’t care for gravy, so that’s no biggie. But stuffing…well, it’s my lone non-negotiable side dish.

I’ve already got a great stuffing recipe in the archives–the base is homemade cream biscuits! I love that recipe, but I’m going in a different direction this year. My little sister has cut gluten out of her diet over the past several months, so this year, I’m using my accidentally-gluten-free Southern-Style Cornbread as the base, and doctoring it up with apples and fennel. So freaking good, y’all.

Cornbread Stuffing with Apple & Fennel might be my new favorite Thanksgiving side. The southern cornbread makes for a super savory base, but the pops of sweetness from the apples and fennel keep it interesting. Adding to the flavor are all the aromatics (celery, onion, garlic) and herbs (parsley, sage, thyme) you’d expect in a stuffing, plus some vegetable stock. Oh, and butter–a whole stick. It’s holiday food, not everyday food.

My grandmother (the one with the biscuits and Lemon Meringue Pie) made a cornbread dressing that was so dense and moist that it could be sliced into squares. (It also had hard-boiled eggs in it. 😬😫😑) This recipe has very little in common with hers. While it’s definitely moist and buttery, this stuffing cannot be sliced and requires a serving spoon.

With Thanksgiving just fifteen days away, I can’t wait to share this with my family. The cornbread base gives a nod to our Texan heritage, the apples and fennel are seasonal and delicious, and it’s all gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it. Oh, and it can’t be sliced and stacked like a pyramid on a serving dish, so we’ve got something for which to be thankful.

Cornbread Stuffing with Apple & Fennel {Gluten-Free}
makes 8 servings

Southern-Style Cornbread:
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon bacon fat (or neutral-flavored oil)

Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Combine buttermilk and eggs in a measuring cup. Whisk together with a fork. Fold into dry ingredients. Fold in melted butter.

Heat an 8- or 9-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat for at least 3 minutes. Add bacon fat and coat. Add cornbread batter. Cook for one minute before transferring to the oven. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely in the pan on a rack.

For the stuffing:
1 recipe Southern-Style Cornbread, cut into cubes, stale
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1 medium white onion, small diced
2-3 stalks celery, small diced
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and small diced
2 large baking apples, peeled and small diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2-2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1/2-3/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Remove cornbread from the pan and slice into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread cubes onto a dry sheet pan and let sit uncovered overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9×13-inch casserole. Set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, fennel, apples, and garlic, and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add sage, thyme, and parsley and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Pour in 1 cup of vegetable broth and turn the heat up to medium high. Once liquid comes to a simmer, remove pan from heat.

Transfer dry cornbread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the vegetable mixture and mix until combined. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter and add to the stuffing. Fold in an additional 1-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, depending on your taste.

Cover pan with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Southern-Style Cornbread & Chipotle-Lime Honey Butter

3 Replies

99% of the time, I’m a biscuit kind of person. You’re making eggs? Great! I’ll make biscuits. Soup for dinner? Let me slap some biscuits together for you! It’s literally any hour of the day or night? Fantastic–let’s have biscuits.

Yes, biscuits are my answer to just about everything. But there’s something about snow that makes me want cornbread. Even the light dusting we had yesterday–it just screams cornbread to me. Where others might grab bread and milk when they are preparing to hunker down, I grab a pound of cornmeal.

Now, there are two kinds of cornbread. In the north, cornbread is cakey and sweet. That’s all fine and good, but when I want cornbread, I want it southern–sturdy and deeply savory with crisp edges. It’s just as good sandwiched with a fried egg as it is as a side to soup or roast chicken.

My favorite cornbread requires just seven ingredients: yellow cornmeal, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, an egg, melted butter, and bacon fat. Yes, bacon fat. It makes the edges of this cornbread outrageously delicious and, of course, keeps it from sticking to the pan. Don’t have bacon fat lying around? Just substitute a tablespoon of neutral-flavored oil. It won’t have the same depth of flavor, but your cornbread will still come out of the oven with crispy edges.

You may also have noticed that there is no flour in this cornbread. This means it just happens to be gluten-free 😊

While this recipe contains only a few ingredients, it needs a little technique to make the finished cornbread irresistible. The batter comes together in just a few minutes. Before you go to bake it though, make sure to get the pan nice and hot. I heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high for a good three minutes before swirling in the bacon fat. While the pan is still heating on the stove, I scrape in the batter and then let it cook for a minute before sliding it into the oven. This minute on the burner is just more assurance that the finished cornbread will have a great crispy edge.

One of my favorite things about making cornbread? It’s ready to eat just minutes after it comes out of the oven. I spend so many hours of my life waiting for things to cool–I love that this recipe doesn’t require that sort of tedium. In the ten minutes that I waited before slicing into this cornbread, I had time to whip up a simple Chipotle-Lime Honey Butter. While this Southern-Style Cornbread is perfectly delicious with a pat of regular butter, this spicy, tangy, slightly sweet butter really brings it over the top.

Southern-Style Cornbread
makes about 8 servings

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon bacon fat (or neutral-flavored oil)

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Combine buttermilk and eggs in a measuring cup. Whisk together with a fork. Fold into dry ingredients. Fold in melted butter.

Let cornbread cool for ten minutes before slicing into wedges and serving with Chipotle-Lime Honey Butter.

Chipotle-Lime Honey Butter
makes about 1/4 cup

1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
zest of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mash together with a fork. Taste and adjust chile powder by up to 1/4 teaspoon. Transfer compound butter to a serving dish.

e2 bakes brooklyn

sweets & sass from a baking brooklynite.

Tag Archives: cornbread

Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread

Chorizo Cornbread {Gluten-Free}

Cornbread Stuffing with Apples & Fennel {Gluten-Free}

Southern-Style Cornbread & Chipotle-Lime Honey Butter