Savory Cornbread

A cornbread for your spicy and or tangy dishes -- nothing sweet about it. Most cornbread calls for one egg. I think the extra egg gives the bread more body and tenderness. This bread bakes in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. If you don't have one, c'mon, it's time to get real.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 skilletful

Ingredients

• 1  cup cornmeal
• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2⁄3 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup plain yogurt (or buttermilk)
• 2  eggs
• 1⁄4 cup  melted butter (or corn oil, or bacon grease)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put the butter or other fat into a cast-iron skillet, place the skillet in the oven while it heats and you mix the ingredients.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Lightly beat eggs and combine with yogurt. Add to dry ingredients. Stir just enough to mix.
5. Take the skillet out of the oven. Carefully tilt to coat sides with fat. Pour the melted fat into the batter. Mix well.
6. Transfer batter to hot skillet, smoothing the surface if necessary.
7. Bake for 14 minutes if you're using a 12-inch skillet, until bread pulls away from sides of skillet and is barely golden. If you're using the 10-inch skillet, it may need closer to 20 minutes, but don't overbake.