Sun-Dried Tomato and Scallion Cornbread

When I was young, my father would fill up the kitchen with pots and frying pans as he made batches of a cornmeal recipe he had committed to memory, a fried polenta-like dish known as cornmeal mush. If you’ve been to any of my Food Traditions workshops, you may have heard me reference this as well as the butcher shop foods on my mother’s side.
Recipes are lost for many reasons – the passing of a loved one, damage to a handwritten cookbook, or the simple fact of never having been written. I love working with individuals and groups to rediscover and recreate their traditions and encourage you to book a program or check out what’s coming up on the Thirsty Radish schedule if you’re interested in this topic (and others) as well.

Stay tuned for my father’s recipe, which I’ll share once I replicate the steps, and in the meantime whip up my own cornmeal-based dish. There are two main camps when it comes to cornbread – those who like it savory and those who prefer it sweet. When I add ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes or scallions, I balance out the intensely savory side with some sweetness thanks to honey and a bit of sugar. This satisfies the desire for a more interesting cornbread – one that doesn’t taste like a corn muffin. Of course, if you’re in the mood for a straight-up delicious version with no add-ins, you can certainly omit them.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
2 eggs
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) melted butter
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
⅓ cup sliced scallions

Sun-dried tomatoes are much more intense than their fresh counterparts and taste the way you think a good tomato should. That flavor concentration is due to the removal of water, which also makes them preferable as bread additions that won’t shrink or release too much liquid in the oven. For this recipe, use the ones that are packed in oil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs into buttermilk and add to cornmeal mixture along with melted butter, olive oil, and honey. Stir until just combined. Add sun-dried tomatoes and scallions and stir gently to incorporate. Pour into the prepared baking dish and smooth top.

Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean. Serve warm or room temperature.