"Miss Minnie's" Skillet Cornbread: The Joy of Something Delicious

https://www.newsbreak.com/doc-lawrence-1599273/4166218434753-miss-minnie-s-skillet-cornbread?s=ws_em

Cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet is simply wonderful. There is a transformation from ordinary to regal; a flavor, aroma and texture that defies description. This is how cornbread is made and served in much of the South.

Miss Minnie Glover, a legendary Atlanta cook, had a knack for transforming simple ingredients into a miraculous skillet of cornbread.

Her cornbread was renowned for its golden, crispy crust and tender, moist interior, a texture and flavor that defies description. She taught countless people the secrets to Southern cooking, but her cornbread recipe was her masterpiece.

I’ve reconstructed this recipe, but it remains Miss Minnie’s. It sould be served when enjoing Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp and Grits and anytime you have Red-Eye Gravy on the table.

Miss Minnie’s Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups cornmeal (I suggest Logan Turnpike stone-ground white cornmeal)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

1 ½ cups buttermilk

¼ cup vegetable shortening, bacon grease, or unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven with the fat of your choice (shortening, bacon grease, or butter) to melt and get very hot. The key to that perfect crispy crust is a sizzling hot pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk together until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are fine.

Once the skillet is smoking hot and the fat is melted, carefully remove it from the oven. Swirl the fat around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.

Pour the cornbread batter into the hot skillet. It should sizzle immediately.

Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cornbread to cool slightly in the skillet before inverting it onto a plate or serving directly from the pan.

Miss Minnie convinced me that great cooking came from instinct and a deep respect for ingredients. The cast iron skillet was an extension of her hands. She served cornbread straight from the skillet, a testament that the simplest foods, made with care and love, are often the most profound.