Iron Skillet Cornbread with Goat Milk Feta

I’m a baker. My partner doesn’t like cake, cookies, or even pie most times. Lately, my baking has been limited to bread and bagels. On a whim, I decided to make cornbread to pair with his homemade lobster bisque earlier this week. Imagine my surprise seeing him gobble up cornbread like it was … cheese. He’s a cheesemonger and we have a ripening fridge for homemade cheese to give some perspective.

One of Billy’s homemade cheeses.

I’m thrilled I found a savoury “dessert” he loves because this cornbread recipe was so much fun to make. It’s similar baking a special treat but it’s still savoury with complex flavours.

It’s like a spontaneous hug for your belly.

Cornbread has been made by Native Americans before the arrival of the Europeans. Originally, the ingredients were only cornmeal, water, cooking fat, and maybe some salt. It was only in the 20th century that ingredients like wheat flour and sugar were added to the recipe. It’s considered to be soul food for those who live in the southern United States.

After some quick research, I was curious if the Native American tribes of Canada had their own cornbread recipe. I found Parks Canada has done a series of Heritage Foods that included a cornbread recipe, which supposedly originated from the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site. I must be looking in the wrong places but it’s hard to find recipes from Canadian tribes. I did stumble on one from the Mohawk tribe of Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario that uses kidney beans. Cornbread is so versatile.

I’ve always been told that Alberta is like the Texas of Canada, an attitude I find slightly disturbing, funny, and fairly accurate. So I was amused to see read that the Texas version of cornbread has some Mexican influences with creamed corn or niblets, jalapeno peppers, and topped with shredded cheese. I skipped the peppers but kept the niblets and cheese. It seems this Alberta girl has a little ‘Texas’ in her. This cornbread recipe is a hearty home-run.

Iron Skillet Cornbread with Goat Feta
adapted from Dining & Wine in the New York Times

1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of ground yellow cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 cups sour cream/greek yogurt (I used a mixture of both)
1/4 vegetable oil
1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup of corn niblets
3/4 cup of goat feta (I had some of Billy’s homemade cheese on hand)
1 tbsp of fresh, chopped thyme and rosemary
1/4 cup of unsalted butter (or baking margarine)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In another medium-sized bowl, mix together sour cream, oil, egg, sugar, and baking soda. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix. Then fold in the corn, goat feta, and fresh herbs.

2. Melt butter in a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Be sure to tilt pan to completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan. After 3-4 minutes, the butter should be caramelized. You can tell by looking for ‘sandy-looking’ particles in your butter. That’s the good stuff for brown butter. Use a spatula to slowly scrape batter into skillet. Spead over the base of the pan until covered.

3. Bake until bread is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into wedges, and place on to table ready to be devoured.