Nothing goes with beans or greens of any type than good cornbread. While people in many parts of the country debate various styles of cornbread (with or without sugar, white or yellow meal, etc.), I like it almost any way I’ve had it unless it tasted more like cake than bread. My grandmother served cornbread with every meal except breakfast (where she made biscuits!). And you have to use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet!
This is the best I’ve had, and it came from close to home.
Mom’s Cornbread
2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional– real good with greens)
Preheat oven to 450. Put the shortening in the iron skillet and put it in the oven to melt and get real hot.
Mix together in a bowl the rest of the ingredients.
When the shortening is melted and almost to the smoking point, carefully pour the melted shortening into the bowl of batter. It should sizzle a lot when you do. Be careful.
Stir this up thoroughly, then pour it back into the skillet. You should hear some sizzle again. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until nice and brown.
Flip it out upside down onto a plate to cool just a few minutes before serving. My mom always put a knife under it to keep it from getting soggy from the condensation. (It’s real moist and hot.)
And now you’re ready to slice it and eat it with just about any dish.
