This cornbread makes a great accompaniment to seasonal vegetables!
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 pound mixed-variety sweet cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon hot mexican chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lime
- ¼ cup minced scallions, plus 2 tablespoons minced green scallion tops for garnish
FOR THE CRUST
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter (see headnote)
- 1 cup whole or low-fat milk
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
Directions
Place a medium (10-inch) cast-iron skillet in the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.
For the filling: Cut each tomato in half and place all of them in a mixing bowl, along with the garlic.
Combine the chili powder, celery salt, kosher salt and cumin in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes. Stir in the lime zest and juice and 1/4 cup of the minced scallions.
For the crust: Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
Add the vinegar to the milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes so the milk clabbers. (You can use buttermilk instead of whole milk if you prefer.)
Once the skillet is hot, add the butter. Watch closely; when the butter is melted and bubbling, stir the milk into the flour mixture to form a somewhat lumpy batter.
Transfer the skillet to the stove top just long enough to pour in the batter, spreading it evenly.
Immediately top with the tomato mixture. Return to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cobbler is crisped on the edges and has started to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Remove the cobbler from the pan quickly after taking it out of the oven.
Cut into wedges; serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with the minced scallion tops.