Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients

2 cups medium-grind yellow cornmeal*, preferably stone-milled and freshly ground
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, chopped
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Divide butter between two 9- by 13-in. baking pans or ovenproof 12-in. frying pans and melt in oven, 4 minutes. Pour out all but a thin layer of butter into a small bowl to reserve; swirl remaining butter in pans to coat.

3. Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk in reserved melted butter. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

4. Pour batter into pans and bake, swapping positions halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool.

*Find cornmeal at farmers' markets, healdsburgshed.com, and bobsredmill.com.

Make ahead: Up to 1 day, stored airtight.

From Sunset, Nov 2015.