Skillet Cornbread

A simple, everyday cornbread with a wholesome weltanschaung, tender crumb and - courtesy of the heavy skillet - a nice crust.

1 1/4 c. white flour
 
3/4 c. stone-ground corn meal
 
4-5 T natural or light brown sugar, to taste
 
3/4 tsp. salt
 
3/4 tsp. baking soda
 
2 1/2 T butter
 
1 c. buttermilk, or 1 7 oz. container plain yogurt plus 1/4 c. milk
 
1 egg
 

Preheat oven to 375, and have all the ingredients at hand, including a 10 inch, cast iron skillet.
 
In a medium mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together with the fingers (or put through a sifter) until all lumps are broken up and the mixture is well blended.
 
Put the butter in the pan, and the pan in the hot oven. While the butter melts and the pan heats up, measure out the yogurt or buttermilk into a small bowl and beat with the egg until smooth. When the butter is hot but before it turns dark brown, remove the pan from the oven and, using a heatproof spatula, smooth the butter around the pan and then scrape all but a half tablespoon or so into the rest of the liquids.
 
Beat the liquids up a bit more to distribute the butter and then add to the dry ingredients all at once, stirring well with the spatula, until uniform. The mixture should be fairly thick, but still thin enough to puddle down when shaken - add a little more milk if necessary.
 
Pour into the still-hot skillet, jiggling the pan until the mixture settles all around. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Notes: The hotter the skillet, the harder the crust. You can heat the skillet right up with the oven, but it's possible to wind up with a burnt crust, and easier yet to burn the butter. The workflow suggested above is a pretty good compromise. A ten inch skillet yields a fairly shallow round that makes nice toast when sliced in two, while a nine-inch skillet or other pan makes a higher, fluffier serving. If you use a nine-inch pan, just add five or ten minutes to the cooking time.
 
I usually make this with yogurt and a bit of milk, since I rarely have buttermilk around, but I do think the buttermilk version is just a little bit better. Sour cream will work too, but only in a pinch.