My Mama adapted this recipe from that from The Chef’s Kitchen, a fabulous dining experience in Williamsburg, VA which has unfortunately closed.
Ingredients
1 ¾ c yellow cornmeal*
1t salt
1t baking powder
1t baking sugar
5T sugar
3 scallions, white and green parts diced very finely
¼ c grated sharp cheddar
1 egg
2c buttermilk
1T butter for the skillet
Equipment
Large seasoned cast iron skillet (mine has a 12in/30 cm diameter)
Instructions
- With your cast iron pan inside, pre-heat your oven to 450°F/320°C. You will want to wait 10-15 minutes after your oven has come to temperature before you put in your cornbread (so that the skillet is appropriately warm!), so wait to start step 2 until you are about 5 minutes away from being able to bake your cornpone.
- Add all ingredients but buttermilk and the 1T butter to a large bowl or beaker with pour spout and mix. Once the oven has come to temperature and you have waited the extra 10-15 minutes noted above, add the buttermilk to the cornmeal mixture.
- Working quickly and carefully, pull the hot skillet out of the oven and add the 1T butter to the skillet. This will quickly melt and brown. Swirl the skillet, so that the bottom is evenly coated in the butter. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet using a spatula to clean the bowl/beaker, and put the cornpone back into the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and firm to the touch. Remove the cornpone from the oven and invert immediately onto a wooden cutting board and serve. Enjoy the taste the past on your table!
*Note:
This recipe works quite well for blue cornmeal, as well. In which case, you may wish to cut the sugar to 3 T, replace ¾ of the yellow cornmeal with blue cornmeal and add toasted pinion nuts instead of the cheddar. I like mine with a few leaves of finely diced fresh sage mixed in with the scallions.