ONION SEED CORNBREAD

FL050: DARK UNITS
April 19, 2021

The base recipe here comes from Hungry Ghost Bread, a bakery in what is currently the “Knowledge Corridor” college town of Northampton, MA. Let us find out what the ghost knows that we don’t.

Goal: Northern-style cornbread, the sweetness balanced by pungent spice
Serves: Many (freeze leftovers for stuffing, strata, or a haunted panzanella)

  • One 10-inch cast iron pan or an 8x8-inch aluminum baking pan

  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

  • 2 cups medium-grind cornmeal

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary leaves

  • 1/4 cup onion seeds (also known as kalonji or nigella)

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted + 2 more tablespoons for the pan

  • 2 cups buttermilk

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 10 ounces (about 2 cups) corn kernels, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained

  • 4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar

 

Place the pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, rosemary, and onion seeds.

In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 tablespoons of melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. With a few strokes as possible, use a spatula to combine them until there are no dry streaks.

Fold in the corn kernels and half of the cheese.

Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, swirling to coat the pan.

Pour in the batter. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake until the cornbread is as firm as a mattress, about 25-30 minutes.