Cheesy Chorizo & Herb Cornbread

I recently purchased a 10 inch cast iron skillet with the express purpose of making a real southern cornbread. I love the sweet and savory aspect of cornbread and I especially love the ones that are cooked in a cast iron skillet, the old fashion, southern way. The reason that cornbread is so awesome in a cast iron pan is because its baked in the leftover bacon fat/drippings that are left in the pan. It crisps up the bottom and sides of the bread while flavoring it all the way through. You end up with a salty, crispy outside and a moist and sweet inside that is just amazing. I love to add all kinds of unique flavorings to the cornbread like sharp cheddar cheese, spicy chorizo sausage and lots of fresh summery herbs. My herb garden is huge this year so this bread boasts the flavors of thyme, rosemary, oregano and chives! It also makes for a very beautiful bread to boot; studded with flecks of green and red. I like my cornbread a bit more savory and  then I top it with beautiful homemade jams or a local honey, its so incredible. Fry up an egg on the side and you have one amazing, talk about it all day, kind of breakfast!

This makes a 10 inch cornbread loaf, I get 8-10 slices out of it.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp bacon drippings, pasture raised butter can be substituted.
1 1/2 Cup organic, yellow cornmeal
1/2 Cup unbleached, organic, all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 Cup fair trade, organic, raw cane sugar
1/4 Cup local honey
2 farm raised, local eggs, room temperature.
1 1/4 Cups pasture raised, whole milk
1 link pasture raised chorizo sausage, casing removed, crumbled.
1/2 Cup pasture raised cheddar cheese, I used Cabot.
1 Tbsp fresh organic rosemary, leaves only, chopped finely.
1 Tbsp fresh organic thyme, leaves only, chopped finely.
2 Tbsp fresh organic chives, chopped finely.
1 Tbsp fresh organic oregano, chopped finely.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place bacon grease or butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet and place in the oven.

Cook the chorizo in a saute pan till browned. Remove to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Add in the cheese, chorizo and herbs. Mix well.

In a small bowl whisk the milk, honey and eggs till combined well. Mix the wet into the dry and mix only to combine. Do not over mix!

Pour the batter into your hot pan and bake for 20 minutes or until it is browned and pulls away from the sides of the pan. It will bounce back to your touch when done. Remove to cool. When cooled slightly, invert onto a serving platter.

To serve, I cut slices like you do a pizza or cake. I like to serve with pasture raised butter and a homemade or locally made jam. My favorite is the Jam Stand peach/siracha jam! Its sweet and spicy just like the cornbread.