Tender, golden, buttery cornbread with just the right amount of spice!
Skillet cornbread is such an easy and fun thing to make. When the cornbread bakes in the seasoned cast iron skillet, it forms a beautiful, golden crust. This recipe features sautéed chorizo with jalapeños and scallions that get cooked right in the cast iron skillet before mixing it with the buttermilk batter. The result is a cornbread bedecked with crumbles of chorizo and a confetti of jalapeño and scallion. The bread can be sliced and served right from the skillet, or turned out onto the cutting board easily. Don't forget some soft butter and sea salt to complete the taste and the look!
Equipment: cutting board; chef’s knife; large mixing bowl; whisk; rubber spatula; measuring spoons; wet and dry measuring cups; large cast-iron skillet; potato masher (optional)
Ingredients:
½ cup chorizo (uncooked, no casings)
2 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed, minced
2 scallions, white and light green thinly sliced crosswise
1¼ cup cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)
1½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1¼ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the chorizo to the pan and break up into small bits. Stir for 1-2 minutes until partially cooked, then add the jalapeño and scallions. Cook until the chorizo is fully cooked, another 2-3 minutes.
ILOC tip: use a potato masher to help break up the chorizo so that you have lots of bits and crumbles instead of big chunks to scatter in the cornbread batter. It's all about technique, not torture!
3. Remove every fleck of chorizo, jalapeño, and scallion from the pan and set aside. If there is any sausage grease in the pan, leave it there. Place the pan in the preheated oven while you make the cornbread batter.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
5. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and combine it with the buttermilk and eggs. Pour this wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix well to combine. Stir the chorizo mixture into the cornbread batter. Set aside.
6. Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the hot pan and swiftly swirl to coat evenly. Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and return to the oven.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Serve sliced with soft butter and sea salt.
Makes 8 servings.
