Whether you believe in a greater power or not is irrelevant to the overwhelming reality that we need divine intervention right now. The world is in turmoil. I believe that it is a time to open our doors, extend a seat at our tables, and have conversations about what unites us, and not what divides us. I would love it if, rather than trying to win every argument, people could find something meaningful, even if small, to try to connect with humanity. I’m not saying that this recipe is the answer to the world’s problems, but for me, it’s a comforting short term solution to create something that is warm, familiar, and inviting.

Cornbread. I have been in search for the perfect recipe for months now. My husband told me that I had stiff competition with his mother’s and his grandfather’s recipes being two of his favorites. I searched for recipes that would deliver a crispy, not too sweet, not too cakey result, but often times that is exactly what I found. I think I finally got it right, even though of course it comes down to personal preference.

I love that this recipe has some additional texture with creamed corn and diced Poblano peppers (jalapeños work just fine here as well).  I like that this has the perfect texture and is not super sweet. Needless to say I’m offering up this recipe because Christopher has endorsed it as a solid contender against his family’s recipes.

Enjoy the comfort. Serve a slice right out of the oven, with a bit of butter and honey drizzled on top, and offer it to your neighbor. You’ll be surprised at how delicious that feeling actually is.

Crispy Skillet Cornbread

Serves: 8
Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 15-oz can cream style corn
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup Poblano pepper, diced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Add vegetable oil to a 9-10 inch cast iron skillet, and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, corn, and butter. Once combined, incorporate diced peppers.
4. Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients. Combine, being careful not to over mix (I stir it 10-12 times)
5. Using an oven mitt, pull skillet out of the oven and add cornbread mixture. Be sure to put skillet back in the oven quickly as to not let the pan cool down.
6. Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in the center of mixture comes out clean.

Notes

• Use 2 tablespoons of diced jalapeno in place of Poblano pepper. The result will be slightly spicier but similar in texture.