Cast Iron Gouda Cornbread (with or without) Ramps
A lovely twist on a Western North Carolina classic cornbread dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 c cornmeal
- ½ c all purpose flour
- ½ c whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 3 small eggs
- ½ c yogurt
- 1 c half & half
- 8 tbsp butter, olive oil, lard or bacon drippings (4 ounces)
- 1 bunch of ramps, minced (add more if want it to be more ramp power)
- 4/5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 c cheese (love Gouda!)
Directions:
Chop ramps, then in small sauce pan, heat the butter, olive oil, lard or bacon drippings (the recipe uses combination of lard and bacon drippings). Add ramps and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°. Use a pastry brush to ‘butter’ 8-10 inch cast iron pan from the saucepan drippings. Reserve a tablespoon or two of the melted oil in a small dish.
Let the ramp mixture cool. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, chili together. Set aside. Now whisk eggs, sour cream, half & half, and ramp mixture.
Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix until all ingredients are just combined.
Pour the mixture into the cast iron pan, jiggle to level. Sprinkle ½ c of the cheese over the top. Bake for 10 minutes. Add the remaining cheese mixed the reserved oil.
Bake for 10+ minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Originally published by Asheville food bloggers, The Culinary Armadillos – this recipe has become one of our new favorites.
