Cornbread

CORNBREAD

Now I know that I should probably leave the cornbread recipe to the Southerner, but the fact is, I make a darn good cornbread!  Also the fact that I have lugged a cast iron fry pan through every move, means I get to use it to make that darned good cornbread!
Like any good cook abroad, I have my beat up copy of  the Joy of Cooking.  And like any other cook abroad, it has answered many many questions on how to make things that would be considered convenience foods in the States.  There is no Jiffy mix here in Istanbul.   But I do use the Buttermilk Crackling Corn Bread recipe from the Joy of Cooking.  As buttermilk is another one of those things not found in Istanbul, I have discovered that one can use ayran (a yogurt drink) or yogurt and milk whisked together as a substitute.  (It beats that old vinegar in the milk deal!)

BUTTERMILK CRACKLING CORN BREAD (from Joy of Cooking)

Heat the oven to 425F degrees and put the cast iron frying pan in to heat up. (If you do not have a cast iron frying pan, you can use an 8inch square pan or a 9inch round pan - but only let it heat up for about 5 minutes or so)

In bowl whisk together:
1 cup flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 T sugar
1 t salt
3/4 C cornmeal

In another bowl whisk together:
1 1/2 C buttermilk (ie ayran or a yogurt/milk mix to the consistency of buttermilk!)
2 eggs

Now here comes the fun part - throw 3-4 T butter into the pan in the oven to melt and brown just a little bit.  Swirl it around the pan to coat the bottom and a little up the sides.  Then you do this next part really fast.  Dump the buttermilk and eggs into the dry ingredients.  Then quickly stir in the sizzling hot butter.  Stir just til combined and quickly scrape it into the very hot pan and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and yummy looking.

This is good served with anything! Especially chili.  But I am also partial to leftover cornbread, cut in half and fried in a little butter.  Then slathered with home made jam.  But the jams are another post...