Skillet Corn Bread from Low & Slow Page 212

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Too lazy to get my cast iron skillet out of the basement so used a oval gratin worked well, but the cast iron comes out crisper.

Skillet Corn Bread

Basic corn bread doesn’t get much easier than this. The only trick to it is pouring the batter into a sizzling-hot oiled
skillet. This technique gives the corn bread a crispy, almost caramelized, browned crust.

MAKES 8 LARGE SLICES OR 16 SMALL WEDGES

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Swirl 1 tablespoon of the oil in a cast-iron skillet.
Set the skillet in the preheating oven while you prepare the corn bread batter.

Whisk the cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl and make a small well in the center
with the back of a spoon.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg.
Add the buttermilk and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the beaten egg and whisk.
Pour the egg mixture into the well in the cornmeal and stir to combine, but do not overmix.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Swirl the hot oil around the skillet to coat sides.
Pour the batter into the hot skillet, circling the stream of batter from the outer edges of the pan toward the middle.
Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 11-minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the skillet from the oven and turn the corn bread out onto a cooling rack.