Corn muffins — the first take
Erin and I didn’t eat much cornbread when we were kids. At some point we must have had the Jiffy brand mix, because when I started cooking on my own I knew what to expect from that neat little box. A little egg, some milk, and you had a slightly sweet and very cakey cornbread that I still find delicious.
So when I went to a breakfast place called Penny Cluse in Burlington for the first time, it was natural for me to order corn muffins to go with my eggs. I’ll never forget how surprised I was when I took my first bite. Crunchy, earthy, and well, extra corn-ey, they were completely unlike the sweet stuff I had made at home. After that I’d still open up a box of Jiffy once in a while, but I’d dream of the real thing.
I’ve tried a few times to replicate the “Cluse” version, and this time around when Erin wanted cornbread to go with the delicious seitan chili she was making, I jumped at the chance to try again.
This time I added a tablespoon of polenta for added crunch and flavor, and they didn’t last long once they hit the dinner table. I must admit that though I like this version, the recipe I followed still doesn’t match up to my Penny Cluse memories. Which is a great reason to whip up another test batch soon.
Corn Muffins
Adapted from the Vegetarian Times Cookbook
Serves 12
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 Tbs polenta
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 450F. Line one 12 cup muffin tin with paper cups.
Whisk together the flours, cornmeal, polenta, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the milk, oil and egg. Stir together with a fork until just blended. Little lumps are okay, just don’t overmix. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve at once.
Yum. I thought they were awesome. My reward for helping take the photo was eating its subject after.
— ErinI also grew up with a strong fondness for Jiffy products. More like an addiction. I got so into them that I’d read the ingredients for fun. It turns out that the only difference between their apple muffins and blueberry ones is a little blue dye. Blue apples called “blueberry”. What mindfu#*ers!
— kyleOh no, honey. They lynch people in the South for less than this. You need a cast iron skillet—”muffins” won’t cut it. Use buttermilk in place of the sweet milk. If you don’t have buttermilk handy (and you don’t) you can warm the milk on the stovetop (or a minute in the microwave) then add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Stir, then let it rest while you prepare the rest. It’ll get lumpy; that’s OK. If using a skillet, add a couple tablespoons of butter (really, you should use bacon drippings, but since this is a vegetarian recipe, I’ll let it pass) and heat over medium for a couple minutes to get it nice and hot before putting the batter in. Try honey (or molasses) instead of sugar. For fluffier bread, use 2 eggs, seperate the eggs, mix the yolks into the liquid mixture as usual, beat the whites seperately and fold into the batter gently at the last minute.
Some people like to add fresh or creamed corn. I don’t. Some like cheddar. I don’t. Minced cilantro is good.
But you must—must—add jalapenos.
Minced. Fresh. Jalapenos. (Pickled if you must).
— David