Gluten-Free Cornbread

Admittedly, the decision to eliminate wheat products from my diet was made light-heartedly. I really didn't expect to notice a big difference. I mean, I had tried many different things over the years; nothing had ever worked. But, just as I do most things in life, I plunged into this little experiment with my usual lack of forethought. However, I did learn from doing that, that it isn't as difficult to eat good food as my pity for others on a 'restricted' diet had led me to believe. It was with a little disappointment mixed in that I had to admit that wheat does seem to have an effect on me. I love food and that includes pizza, all kinds of pasta, deli sandwiches, Sonic onion rings, biscuits and gravy, and fried chicken.

As I stretched my brain around what I could make, I realized that the food I grew up on is largely free of wheat products. Greens, fresh and canned garden produce, beans and peas.  Traditionally, my mother made her cornbread with a little flour. After some research and one recipe that was decidedly not successful (we ate it anyway) I gulped and flew in the face of traditionalism and substituted rice flour for the wheat flour. And, Voila! Her exact recipe, only without gluten, or wheat. It bakes up lovely golden crisp on the outside, steamin' hot that soaks that butter and sorghum right up. Or bean juice or chili, as the case may be. So here is the recipe. I'm quite satisfied with it, but that doesn't mean that I'll quit tweaking since I've probably never made a recipe exactly the same twice in my whole life.

Please note that this is not a sweet cornbread. If you want your cornbread sweet, pour some sorghum molasses right out of the jar on top of a big fat slice with the pat of butter just melting and oozing into the cracks.

Gluten-Free Cornbread

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup white rice flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
Enough milk to make the wet ingredients equal 1 cup

Preheat your oven to 400 deg F before you start mixing up your ingredients. I usually remember to preheat about halfway through the egg/milk step and I end up frying my cornbread on the top of the stove for a few minutes while my oven preheats. It doesn't seem to ruin it, so I guess I'll continue to be in that habit since there is no negative feedback to train my brain otherwise. Drizzle about a teaspoon of oil into an 8-inch cast iron skillet and swirl around to coat. Heat the oil on the burner of your stove. This will give the cornbread it's wonderful crispy crust.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Pour your egg into a measuring cup and add the milk until it equals 1 cup. I measure my liquids this way because sometimes eggs are larger or smaller than others. In my mind, this will make the finished product more consistent. I don't know why I go to these lengths, it probably won't matter if your cornbread does turn out a little dry once you pour half a cup of chili over the top of it.

Mix your egg and milk mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until everything is moist. I like to use one of those spoonulas. Pour the batter into the skillet. Your oil should be pretty hot by this time so be careful. It will sizzle and could pop a little when it hits the hot grease. Now, if you forget to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl and notice some dry cornmeal when you are pouring it into the skillet, don't panic! Just get a fork or a little spoon and gently mix it before you put it in the oven.

That's the next step. Put it in the oven. Bake it for about 20 minutes or until it's your favorite shade of golden brown on top. I guess you can check to see if a toothpick comes out clean, but you'll know when its done. I rarely set my timer for cornbread. I can always tell it's nearly done by the smell. Then, I just stay in the kitchen getting everything else ready while I wait for the top to brown.