Skip to main content

Corn Bread Sticks

You can’t have collard greens without corn bread, and these bite-sized corncob-shaped sticks are a cute way to serve them. You can also bake the batter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet—just cook the vegetables in the same skillet you’d like to bake the bread in.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 14 corn bread sticks

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons, melted
1 small red jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1 large egg
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

    Step 2

    Place two seven-stick cast-iron corn-stick molds in the oven, and heat them for at least 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat until it foams. Toss in the jalapeño, green onions, and garlic. Sauté until the onions have softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with a little salt, to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.

    Step 4

    Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and egg lightly in a small bowl until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the buttermilk all at once. Stir the two mixtures together just until combined. Add to the bowl the sautéed vegetables, along with any butter in the pan, and the shredded cheese. Stir to combine (the batter will be thick).

    Step 5

    Remove the hot pans from the oven, and brush the pans with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Divide the batter among the molds, then place back into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden and firm and springy to the touch.

    Step 6

    If you’re using a cast-iron skillet: Swirl the melted butter in the heated skillet, and then pour in the batter all at once. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and springy when touched.

Image may contain: Pat Neely, Human, Person, Food, Meal, Restaurant, Cafeteria, and Buffet
Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
A slow-simmering, comforting braise delivering healing to both body and soul.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Summer’s best produce cooked into one vibrant, silky, flavor-packed dish.