When I was working at the restaurant, I always dreaded cornbread day. As a part of the bread baking team, we were in charge of making all of the breads and pastries for the entire resort, the types varying based on the days of the week or the events taking place on property. Cornbread was for outdoor events, usually large groups, so days when we made cornbread, we were cranking out about 300 little golden muffins an afternoon. Mixing the batter was easy, but baking them off was quite a feat. Because of the set up of the kitchen, we would corner ourselves in front of the 400° F convection ovens, filled with pre-heated muffin tins. Then, with that hot air blowing from the oven, we quickly pulled out the hot tins, sprayed them with cooking spray, and scooped batter into each little crevice, before shoving them back in and slamming the door. After ten minutes, we flipped them out and repeated the whole process over again. (It was definitely a two-person job so at least you had someone to commiserate with.) Between the hot oven air and that warm, East Tennessee July summer sun, you were dripping with sweat and all of your pores were filled with cooking spray by the end of the whole she-bang. We always saved cornbread for last, so thankfully, we were able to pull our last trays just before dragging our cornbread-smelling bodies home where I beelined straight for the shower. Needless to say, when I got back home to Orlando, I took a little cornbread baking hiatus.

Lucky for us, this cornbread doesn’t make 300 muffins and you don’t have to stand in front of a hot oven, shoveling the batter in at record-high speeds. This is a much more chill cornbread, perfect for any summer dinner party. I slow roasted grape tomatoes in a hefty glug of olive oil and then poured cornbread batter right over top before baking. It may not be the prettiest cornbread, but it’s simple and delicious and I think it will become a favorite around here.

Roasted Tomato Cornbread

Yield: 1-10 inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients 

roasted tomatoes

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 T olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

cornbread

1 3/4 cup (245 g) cornmeal

1 cup (125 g) all purpose or whole wheat flour

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted + 2 T for pan

Procedure:  

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.

2. In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. Toss to coat tomatoes and then transfer to a cast iron skillet. 

3. Bake for 90 minutes, checking and gently stirring every 20 minutes.

4. When the tomatoes are finished roasting, increase oven temperature to 400° F and place 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet to melt while you mix the cornbread. 

5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 

6. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until homogenous. 

7. Pour liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and no dry streaks remain. 

8. Pour cornbread batter over top of roasted tomatoes and bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is deeply golden brown. Remove from oven and top with a little more butter. When cooled slightly, gently flip cornbread out onto a plate and serve.