Neither my husband nor I are big fans of cornbread but this disappeared without a complaint. The topping is so good I’m already thinking of other uses for it, maybe as a pasta sauce or the base for a risotto.
Apple-Onion Cornbread
Ingredients
For the topping:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 red-skinned apples, cored and finely sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons dried sage
For the batter:
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Preparation
Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray a round pot or rectangular baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Prepare the topping:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown; about 5 minutes. Stir in the apples, sugar, and sage. Continue cooking until the apples are soft; about 4 additional minutes. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
Prepare the batter:
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Gradually whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter until the batter is smooth. Fold in half of the onion and apple mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Top with the remaining onion mixture. Bake in the Sun Oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool slightly before serving.
Makes 8 servings.