Corn Muffins
This recipe is good for either cornbread or corn muffins. The cooking time will vary depending on whether you use a square baking pan, a standard muffin tin, or a mini muffin tin. If possible, use stone-ground yellow cornmeal from a miller rather than commercial cornmeal. You will be rewarded with a nuttier, richer taste.
Corn Muffins
Makes 12 muffins (24 mini muffins or 9 generous squares)
1 ear fresh corn
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup unbleached white flour
¼ cup (scant) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, preferably 2% but whole milk will work
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan, standard muffin tin, or mini muffin tins. In a medium bowl, cut the corn off the cob. Sift all the dry ingredients over the corn.
In a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, beat milk, butter, oil, and egg with a fork until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir until just blended. Pour into baking pan.
Bake on the middle shelf of your oven until golden brown, with the top cracked. The bread will bounce back when poked with your finger, about 25 minutes for bread, 15 to 20 minutes for standard muffins, or 15 minutes or less for mini muffins. Serve with butter, honey, maple syrup, or—for something very special—Savory-Sweet Compound Butter (below).
NOTE: Mini corn muffins are an ideal choice for buffet tables.
Savory-Sweet Compound Butter
Shown above (and served) with corn muffins, this butter is also excellent with poultry and pork.
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ tablespoons (scant) fresh sage, finely minced
1½ tablespoons fresh chives, finely minced
2 tablespoons excellent quality honey
½ teaspoon coarse finishing salt
Mash up butter and mix in other ingredients. If serving with cornbread, place in a decorative bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Can be decorated with chive flowers.
Sally Uhlmann’s passion for cooking led her to publish a memoir-style cookbook, “Just Cook with Sally.” She splits her time between the States and her farmhouse in Cortona, Italy, when she is not traveling the world. Sally cooks, develops recipes, and writes stories—mostly about the intersection of food, travel, and her life.
