i think we can all agree (especially justin) that cornbread is the best side dish ever. it is kind of like cake that you get to pretend is bread, am i right? whenever anyone asks justin what his favourite recipe in bake the seasons is, he always responds with the jalapeno cheddar cornbread. featured in the summer chapter, it is a fantastic addition to any summer bbq. what about fall though? a fall cornbread slathered in butter for those cozy bonfire nights. yes please!
introducing: roasted squash cornbread! this recipe is a cozy fall twist on a traditional summer cornbread. made in a cast iron skillet, it is the perfect side dish to dip in a fall stew or to use as the base to a thanksgiving stuffing (if you want to get real fancy). because there are so many types of squash available this time of year, i am going to leave which squash to use up to you. it will work with absolutely any variety. for this recipe i used a mix of butternut sqaush & acorn squash. if you are in a pinch, feel free to use canned pumpkin or butternut squash puree. it won't bring that sweet roasted flavour, but it will still do the trick. for the flour, i used a blend of bob's red mill's all-purpose flour & whole-grain medium grind cornmeal. the medium grind cornmeal adds enough texture, without making each bite grainy.
now lets get cornbreading!
ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1 cup mashed roasted squash (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups bob's red mill all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups bob's red mill whole-grain medium-grind cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 cup grated old cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
directions
- preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet & set aside until ready to use.
- in a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter, sugar, eggs, squash & buttermilk until well combined.
- in a separate mixing bowl sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
- add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients & mix until combined. fold in the rosemary & cheddar cheese.
- transfer batter to prepared skillet & bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- let stand 15 minutes before serving. best enjoyed fresh within 48 hours!
note: this recipe works with any fall squash! pumpkin, butternut & acorn squash are my favourites. to roast, simply peel & dice desired squash. drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. roasted at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, until softened. let cool before mashing.
