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Growing up in the small-town South, I soon discovered that my mother was the only woman in our neighborhood who made muffins. She was different, a Yankee from the state of Illinois, whose corn muffins were “to die for.”

Our neighbors, thoroughly Southern, indeed North Carolina born-and-bred, ate fresh-baked biscuits three times a day. To be honest, I don’t remember eating muffins in my hometown until I was quite grown up. Except in my own house.

Then when I was in my early twenties, I remember lunching at a local tearoom and there in the bread basket, bundled in a crisp white linen napkin, were corn muffins right out of the oven. But not the kind my mother made with granular yellow meal. These were white inside, feathery as cake, because they’d been made with stone-ground meal.

Back then Crabtree Creek on the north side of Raleigh kept Lassiter Mill’s creaky wooden wheel grinding out the floury cornmeal Southerners insisted upon—usually white but sometimes yellow. The corn it ground wasn’t sweet corn, which my Midwestern family adored, but a less sweet variety called “field corn.” But when dried, then ground, its meal was deliciously nutty. Though Lassiter Mill is just a memory, there is no shortage of old-timey water-driven mills below the Mason-Dixon (see Sources).

Southern supermarkets sell a variety of stone-ground meals; in fact, the big-brand granular yellow meal my mother used is increasingly difficult to find down South, although it’s ubiquitous everywhere else.

In the pages that follow, you’ll find muffins made with both types of cornmeal: Old-Timey Down South Corn 
Muffins . . . Corn Muffins with Cracklin’s . . . All-American Corn Muffins . . . Corn Muffins with Country Sausage . . . Curried Sweet Potato Corn Muffins.

And these are just a sampling.

Old-Timey Down South Corn Muffins

All-American Corn Muffins

Corn Muffins with Cracklin’s

Corn Gems

Corn Muffins with Country Sausage

Curried Sweet Potato Corn Muffins

Chili-Cheddar Two-Corn Muffins

Henny Penny Muffins

Corn Muffins with Blue Cheese and Toasted Pecans

Polenta Muffins with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Rosemary

Corn Muffins with Wild Mushrooms

Easy Jalapeño Corn Muffins

Peppery Pico de Gallo Corn Muffins

Mexicali Muffins

Old-Timey Down South Corn Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

I was quite grown up before I tasted honest-to-God Southern muffins made with stone-ground cornmeal even though I’d grown up in Raleigh, North Carolina. All the years my Illinois mother lived down South, she clung to the recipes of her youth (see All-American Corn Muffins, which follows). So it was only when I went to work as an assistant home demonstration agent in Iredell County, North Carolina, that I learned how to make muffins with stone-ground cornmeal. Sorry, Mother, but they’re now my favorite. Of course, the fastest way to start an argument down South is to mention the word “sugar.” Southerners are of two minds about it: traditionalists who insist that no proper corn bread contains even a grain of sugar and other Southerners who slip in a tablespoon or two to heighten the corn flavor. Me? I sometimes add a tad of sugar, sometimes not. I think it depends on the recipe and, of course, on personal taste and conviction. Then there’s the matter of the cornmeal itself. White or yellow? The old-time Southerners I know all insist upon white stone-ground cornmeal because it’s traditional. I do, however, think the yellow has a bit more flavor and, of course, color. My advice? Suit yourself. Note: If you use bacon drippings in this recipe, no need for additional salt, but if you use lard or corn oil, add ½ teaspoon salt.

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first six ingredients (cornmeal through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Whisk milk and bacon drippings with egg in small bowl until frothy, pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—batter should be lumpy.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto shelf in lower third of oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and lightly browned.
  6. Serve at once with plenty of unsalted butter.

All-American Corn Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

My mother’s corn muffins—like her mother’s—depended upon the granular yellow cornmeal every supermarket sold. And in my own travels about this country—beyond the South, that is—Mother’s muffins seem to be everyone’s “old reliable.” But do try the variation that follows, which contains a new-to-me product—freeze-dried corn powder. Substituting it for some of the flour in this more or less classic corn muffin recipe injects dried corn flavor—you’ll notice the aroma as the muffins bake. Finer textured than your everyday corn muffin, these are best served hot with plenty of unsalted butter. So where can you buy freeze-dried corn powder? See Sources.

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup corn or other vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first six ingredients (flour through black pepper, if using) in medium mixing bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients and set aside.
  3. Whisk milk and oil with egg in small bowl until frothy, pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—batter should be lumpy.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake about 20 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  6. Serve at once with plenty of unsalted butter.

Variation:

Full-of-Flavor Corn Muffins: Reduce all-purpose flour to ¾ cup, add ¼ cup unsifted freeze-dried corn powder (see headnote) and 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Also substitute 2 tablespoons raw sugar or light brown sugar (do not pack) for granulated sugar. Once these changes are made, proceed as recipe directs. Makes about 1 dozen.

Corn Muffins with Cracklin’s

makes about 1 dozen

Cracklin’s, the crispy bits left over after pork fat has been rendered into lard, are prized by frugal Southern cooks who stir them into corn breads for added flavor. Above and beyond the Mason-Dixon, you’re not likely to find pork fat for sale. But there’s an easy solution. Ring the bell for the butcher and he’ll probably be happy to give you some. Just make sure the skin’s been removed. Cracklin’s aren’t difficult to make but they do take time, so you may want to prepare them ahead of time and store in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to make the muffins (no need to thaw frozen cracklin’s before using). Note: Many Southern cooks also save the cracklin’ drippings. Store drippings in the refrigerator in a small tightly capped preserving jar, then use just as you would bacon drippings. That is, to season collards, turnip salad (greens), black-eyed peas, and such as well as to shorten biscuits, muffins, and other quick breads. Adds “meaty flavor,” they say, though it’s usually best to substitute the drippings for no more than half the fat called for in a recipe.

Cracklin’s:

  • 2 cups skinless pork fat, cut in ¼-inch dice (about 12 ounces)
  • 1 cup boiling water

Muffins:

  • 1½ cups unsifted stone-ground cornmeal (preferably white)
  • ¾ cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup cracklin’s
  • 1 cup buttermilk (not fat-free)
  • 2 tablespoons melted cracklin’ or bacon drippings mixed with 2 tablespoons corn oil or ¼ cup corn oil (see headnote)
  • 1 large egg, well beaten
  1. Cracklin’s: Preheat oven to 300˚F. Spread pork fat in small heavy nonreactive Dutch oven or deep skillet, add boiling water, stir well, cover, then slide onto lowest oven shelf and bake for 1 hour. Remove lid, stir well, then bake uncovered about 2½ hours longer, stirring every ½ hour or so until all fat has rendered out and only crisp brown bits remain in drippings.
  2. Using small fine sieve, lift cracklin’s to several thicknesses of paper toweling to drain. If not using right away, spoon into small airtight container or plastic zipper bag, seal, and store in freezer or refrigerator. Also, if you like, save drippings; simply strain into small preserving jar, cap, and store in refrigerator.
  3. Muffins: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups, spritz with nonstick cooking spray, or if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  4. Combine first six ingredients (cornmeal through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl. Add cracklin’s and toss well. Make well in center of dry ingredients and set aside.
  5. Whisk buttermilk, drippings mixture, and egg in small bowl until smooth. Pour into well in dry ingredients and stir only enough to combine—specks of cornmeal and flour should be visible in batter.
  6. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  7. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  8. Serve at once. Southerners would break the muffins open and spread with gobs of unsalted butter. Non-Southerners may prefer to drizzle them with honey.

Corn Gems

makes about 1½ dozen standard-size muffins or 3 dozen mini muffins

Containing both cornmeal and cream-style corn, these muffins are almost as moist as corn pudding. Split them while hot and, if you must, tuck in a lump of unsalted butter. I for one like them straight up. Incidental intelligence: Back in the 1940s and ’50s, mini muffins were called “gems.” Today that name seems to apply to muffins that are special or unique in some way. Note: If you’ve mastered your food processor and have a quick trigger finger, you can mix these muffins by processor once you’ve creamed the corn. Add the sour cream, corn oil, and eggs to the creamed corn and pulse 4 to 5 times. Now add the combined dry ingredients and pulse 4 times—no more. It’s critical not to overprocess the batter, so make sure that specks of flour are clearly visible. Further pulsing will toughen your muffins and that you surely don’t want.

  • 2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed but not drained
  • 2 medium scallions, trimmed and cut in ½-inch chunks (white parts only)
  • 1 cup unsifted stone-ground yellow cornmeal
  • ½ cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (8-ounce) carton (1 cup) sour cream (not low-fat or fat-free)
  • 3 tablespoons corn oil mixed with 2 tablespoons melted bacon drippings or 5 tablespoons corn oil
  • 2 large eggs, well beaten
  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Spritz 18 standard-size muffin pan cups or 36 minis with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Place thawed corn, corn liquid, and scallions in food processor and alternately pulse and churn until you have cream-style corn. Set aside.
  3. Combine next seven ingredients (cornmeal through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients and set aside.
  4. Whisk sour cream, oil mixture, and eggs in second medium bowl until smooth, then fold in corn mixture. Scoop into well in dry ingredients and stir only enough to combine—specks of cornmeal and flour should be visible in batter.
  5. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  6. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes for full-size muffins and 12 to 15 minutes for minis or until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  7. Serve at once with or without unsalted butter.

Corn Muffins with Country Sausage

makes about 1 dozen

Southerners dote upon country sausage as much as they do corn muffins so I thought, why not combine the two in a single recipe? But where should the sausage go? Inside the muffins, on top, or on the bottom? Layering the sausage with the batter might mean soggy muffins, spooning it on top might mean overbrowned muffins. So I divided the browned, crumbled sausage among the empty muffin cups, then added the batter (made with granular cornmeal to keep the muffins from going soggy), and it worked just as I hoped it would—the batter held the sausage in place as the muffins baked, even as they were removed from their pans. Note: You need bulk sausage meat for this recipe or, failing that, link sausages removed from their casings. Down South, one-pound packages of Neese’s bulk sausage meat are widely available in three flavors—original, sage, and hot (any one of them a good choice here). To quote the website of this Greensboro, North Carolina, company: “We pride ourselves on being a family business that dates back nearly 100 years when J. T. Neese started selling sausage from a covered wagon. Today, the business is run by the fourth generation of Neeses with the fifth generation on the way.” As for ordering sausage online, see Sources.

  • ½ pound bulk sausage meat (see Note)
  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup milk or evaporated milk (not low-fat or fat-free)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil or sausage drippings plus enough oil to total ¼ cup
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray. Set pans aside.
  2. Crumble sausage meat into a medium skillet set over moderately high heat and cook, stirring often, until uniformly brown—about 10 minutes. Drain sausage on several thicknesses of paper toweling and set aside. Reserve drippings, if you like, and use in lieu of some of the vegetable oil.
  3. Combine next six ingredients (flour through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  4. Whisk milk with egg and oil in small bowl until frothy, pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—there should be lumps in the batter and specks of flour clearly visible.
  5. Spoon cooked sausage meat into muffin pan cups, dividing total amount evenly—approximately a rounded tablespoon per muffin pan cup. Spoon batter into muffin pans, again dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be about two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  6. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  7. Serve at once with or without unsalted butter.

Curried Sweet Potato Corn Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

I’ve always wondered why we insist on sugaring sweet potatoes, on combining them with canned crushed pineapple and topping them with marshmallows. In truth, sweet potatoes are not very sweet and that’s the way I prefer them—baked in their skins, then their flesh pushed up and topped with pats of unsalted butter. For this recipe, I bake the potatoes but do not season them. Once tender, I score the top of each potato with an X, squeeze the flesh into a small bowl, and mash thoroughly with a potato masher. I’ve also buzzed the baked potatoes to a silky puree in the food processor. But then I have a bowl, blade, and lid to wash—not very efficient when I need only 1 cup mashed sweet potato.

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
  • 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)
  • 1 cup firmly packed mashed unseasoned baked sweet potato (about 1 large)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (not fat-free), blended with 2 tablespoons finely chopped mango chutney
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Whisk first nine ingredients (flour through cayenne) together in medium mixing bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Combine mashed sweet potato, buttermilk mixture, butter, and egg in second medium bowl, beating until smooth. Pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be clearly visible in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and lightly browned.
  6. Serve muffins at once with plenty of unsalted butter and/or a good mango chutney. I also like these spread with ginger or orange marmalade.

Easy Add-Ons (toss with dry ingredients before adding combined liquids):

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • ½ cup dark seedless raisins or dried currants
  • ½ cup dried blueberries
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries

Chili-Cheddar Two-Corn Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

Chili and corn are such a good match I’ve teamed them here in muffins where variations are welcome. See the easy add-ons that follow, then dream up your own. You should have no trouble as long as you add no more than ½ cup of something crumbled, diced, or grated and, needless to add, as long as the flavors are compatible.

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon raw sugar
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled (preferably Mexican oregano)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup milk or evaporated milk (not low-fat or fat-free)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted bacon drippings
  • ½ cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed, drained, and patted dry on paper toweling
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first eight ingredients (flour through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl. Add cheese and toss well to mix. Make well in center of dry ingredients and set aside.
  3. Whisk milk, egg, and oil in small bowl until frothy and pour into well in dry ingredients. Add corn and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be clearly visible in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  6. Serve at once with unsalted butter. Or cool to room temperature before serving. For something a little different, try cooled muffins with Guacamole or Salsa.

Easy Add-Ons:

Toss with dry ingredients before adding combined liquids:

  • ⅓ to ½ cup crumbled crisply cooked bacon
  • ⅓ cup moderately finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes: Use dried—not oil-packed—and hydrate. Here’s how: Place dried tomatoes in 2-cup oven-proof glass measure, add 1 cup water, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and microwave 3 minutes on Medium (50 percent power). Let stand, still covered, in microwave 5 minutes more. Drain well, pat dry on paper toweling, then chop.
  • ¼ cup each crumbled crisply cooked bacon and moderately finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (see above)

Add to combined liquids before mixing into dry ingredients:

  • ¼ cup moderately finely chopped drained and seeded canned jalapeño peppers
  • ¼ cup each crumbled crisply cooked bacon and moderately finely chopped drained and seeded canned jalapeño peppers

Henny Penny Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

My good New York friend and colleague Joanne Hayes, who was for years the food editor of Country Living magazine, introduced me to Henny Penny Muffins. When I asked about them, Joanne emailed, “I looked everywhere for the recipe I had when I was an eighth-grade home economics teacher in Greenbelt, Maryland, and couldn’t find it, so looked online and found several, some of which suggested that it was a recipe from the Civil War.”

I, myself, then did a little additional research and discovered, to my surprise, that at least one source attributes the recipe to Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957), and claims that a recipe for Henny Penny Muffins appears in The Laura Ingalls Wilder Country Cookbook, a “juvenile cookbook” (for the ten-and-up age group) published in 1995 thanks to a newly discovered cache of Wilder recipes. William T. Anderson (no relation of mine) is listed as coauthor. I haven’t seen this book so can’t confirm that Henny Penny Muffins actually appear there and, if so, if Wilder created the recipe.

Joanne, who’s a painstaking food historian, adds this additional online Henny Penny info: “One person published a recipe that had come from my muffins article in the October 1993 issue of Country Living [that predates the Wilder cookbook] so maybe I think of this recipe whenever I think of a muffin collection. I have always thought this a 1940s recipe and that’s what I said in my muffins article.”

Her version calls for splitting the muffins hot and topping with gravy. “The muffins,” she explains, “are supposed to be made out of leftover chicken so there would have been leftover gravy as well.”

What follows is my own spin on Henny Penny Muffins in which I substitute stone-ground cornmeal for some of the flour and change all the seasonings. And as Joanne says, this is the recipe to make when you have leftover chicken and gravy. Of course, leftover turkey and turkey gravy work equally well (and check the ham variation below). Tip: To grate onion, lay several sheets of wax paper on the counter, then holding a fine-toothed Microplane on the paper at about a 45-degree angle, briskly rub a small peeled yellow onion back and forth on it. You’ll have the amount of finely grated onion you need in less than a minute.

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsifted stone-ground cornmeal (preferably yellow)
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or raw sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup buttermilk (not fat-free)
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg beaten with 3 tablespoons finely grated yellow onion (see Tip)
  • ½ to ¾ cup moderately coarsely chopped cooked chicken (a 50-50 mix of light and dark meat)
  • 1½ to 2 cups leftover chicken gravy
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first nine ingredients (flour through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Whisk buttermilk with butter and egg mixture in small bowl until smooth, then mix in chicken. Pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be clearly visible in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are gently rounded and lightly browned.
  6. About 5 minutes before muffins are done, pour gravy into small saucepan, set over low heat, and bring slowly to serving temperature, stirring occasionally.
  7. Serve muffins at once, split, and topped with ladlings of gravy. If you have no leftover gravy, serve muffins oven-hot with unsalted butter or softened cream cheese.

Variation:

Higgy-Piggy Muffins: Prepare as directed, eliminating sage and adding ½ teaspoon allspice and ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Also substitute ½ to ¾ cup coarsely chopped leftover baked or boiled ham for chicken. Serve hot with unsalted butter and/or apple jelly. Or skip the butter and serve with apple butter. Makes about 1 dozen.

Corn Muffins with Blue Cheese and Toasted Pecans

makes about 1 dozen

Even as a little girl I adored blue cheese—not the wimpy blue cheese spreads sold in little glass jars at the supermarket but the “stinky” Danish blues and Roqueforts that my mother would order especially for me. And the “stinkier” the better. My adult favorite is Gorgonzola, particularly Gorgonzola dolce, which most high-end groceries now routinely sell. Unlike the firmer blues, it doesn’t crumble so it must be cut into pieces about the size of lentils. I call for toasted pecans in this recipe because their pronounced nuttiness can stand up to the sharpness of any blue cheese. Note: Because of the saltiness of the cheeses, this recipe calls for no additional salt.

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or raw sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
  • ¼ cup finely diced Gorgonzola dolce or crumbled Roquefort, Danish blue, or Gorgonzola cheese (see headnote)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (not fat-free)
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Whisk first nine ingredients (flour through black pepper) together in medium mixing bowl. Add pecans and Gorgonzola, toss to combine, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Combine buttermilk, butter, and egg in small bowl, beating until smooth. Pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be visible in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are gently rounded and lightly browned.
  6. Serve muffins at once with plenty of unsalted butter.

Polenta Muffins with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Rosemary

makes about 1 dozen

Though farina di mais is Italian for “cornmeal,” most of us are more familiar with polenta, Italian cornmeal cooked into a creamy carb that’s served in place of pasta or potatoes. I’ve taken a bit of license with this recipe title because what goes into these muffins is not a gruel but plain yellow cornmeal, the granular kind most supermarkets sell. I just like the sound of Polenta Muffins better.

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (see headnote)
  • ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first eight ingredients (flour through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Whisk milk with egg and oil in small bowl until frothy, pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be visible in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  6. Serve at once with unsalted butter or softened cream cheese.

Easy Add-Ons to polenta muffins (toss with dry ingredients before adding combined liquids):

  • ¼ cup coarsely crumbled crisply cooked bacon. Reduce amount of salt in recipe to ¼ teaspoon.
  • ¼ cup finely chopped prosciutto. Reduce amount of salt in recipe to ¼ teaspoon.
  • ⅓ cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted pignoli (pine nuts). See directions on how to toast pine nuts.

Corn Muffins with Wild Mushrooms

makes about 1 dozen

For some time now I’ve been trying to develop a recipe for mushroom muffins and after considerable trial and error, now know that fresh mushrooms, even when sautéed, lose all flavor when baked into muffins. Then, cruising supermarket aisles one day, I came upon little packets of dried mushrooms and I thought, “Bingo!” Their intense flavor would surely survive 20 minutes or so in a hot oven. But their leathery texture presented a problem. So I simmered them 15 minutes in water, drained them, and saved their cooking liquid. Worked beautifully. So which mushrooms are best for this recipe? My own choice would be porcini.

  • ¾ ounce dried porcini mushrooms (about ¾ to 1 cup loosely packed)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon raw sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (½ teaspoon if you use bacon drippings)
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup milk (about)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter, bacon drippings, or corn oil
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Simmer mushrooms in water in uncovered small saucepan over low heat 15 minutes until soft.
  2. Meanwhile, lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  3. Combine next seven ingredients (flour through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl. Make well in center and set aside.
  4. Using slotted spoon, lift mushrooms to sieve and rinse with cold water to remove any grit and sand; drain well and chop fairly fine. Pour mushroom liquid through cheesecloth-lined fine sieve into spouted 1-cup measure, and add enough milk to total 1 cup.
  5. Whisk milk mixture with egg and butter in small bowl until frothy and add chopped mushrooms. Pour into well in dry ingredients and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be visible in batter.
  6. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  7. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and evenly browned.
  8. Serve at once with unsalted butter or softened cream cheese. Or, if you prefer, cool muffins to room temperature before serving.

Easy Jalapeño Corn Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

This is my riff on old-timey corn muffins, the kind Southerners love made with stone-ground white cornmeal. Your supermarket doesn’t sell stone-ground meal? You can order it online (see Sources). Note: To enrich the flavor of these corn muffins, I use melted bacon drippings as the shortening. Every frugal cook—count me among them—keeps a little jar of drippings left over from frying bacon. Tightly capped and stored in the refrigerator, it keeps for several months. I also use it when stir-frying collards and turnip or mustard greens. If you use bacon drippings for this recipe, their saltiness eliminates the need for additional salt. But if you use melted unsalted butter, you’ll need to add about ½ teaspoon salt.

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first six ingredients (flour through cayenne) in medium mixing bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Beat buttermilk, egg, and bacon drippings in second medium bowl until smooth, then mix in jalapeños. Pour into well in dry ingredients and stir only enough to combine—you should see specks of flour in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are gently rounded and lightly browned.
  6. Serve at once with plenty of unsalted butter. Or cool to room temperature before serving.

Easy Add-Ons:

Toss with dry ingredients before adding combined liquids. Note: Even if using unsalted butter, you will not need to add any salt because these add-ons are quite salty.

  • ½ cup coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ¼ cup coarsely crumbled crisply cooked bacon
  • ¼ cup each freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and coarsely crumbled crisply cooked bacon

Add to combined liquids before mixing into dry ingredients:

  • ½ cup well drained thawed frozen whole-kernel corn

Peppery Pico de Gallo Corn Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

Ever since I first tasted pico de gallo—years ago at Cafe Pasqual’s, my favorite Santa Fe restaurant—I’ve been fascinated by its variations and versatility. You can make your own, of course. But to save time, use a bottled one sold at some supermarkets and failing that, something from the eye-popping array of salsas (even more salsas are available online; see Sources). I’ve even been known to substitute diced tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-Tel). All’s well as long as your muffins are both colorful and flavorful. Note: If you use bacon drippings in this recipe, you might want to eliminate the salt because the pico de gallo and drippings are both pretty salty.

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Combine first six ingredients (cornmeal through black pepper) in medium mixing bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  3. Mix pico de gallo, tomato juice, oil, and egg in second medium bowl, pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine—specks of flour should be visible in batter.
  4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  5. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are slightly rounded and evenly browned.
  6. Serve warm with Guacamole. Good, too, with softened cream cheese or bean dip.

Variation:

Green Chili Muffins: Prepare as directed, substituting a good bottled salsa verde for pico de gallo and vegetable or chicken broth for tomato juice. Makes about 1 dozen.

Mexicali Muffins

makes about 1 dozen

These corn muffins contain a bit of masa harina (taco/tortilla flour), which is nothing more than finely ground dried hominy. And hominy? Corn kernels given a lye bath till they puff and their skins pop off. These confetti-bright muffins also contain lightly sautéed scallions and red and green bell peppers. The peppers, you’ll be pleased to know, can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated until you’re ready to use them. It’s a good idea, however, to let them come to room temperature before mixing them into the muffin batter, which takes about 15 minutes. Note: If you have no masa harina on hand and can’t find a small bag of it (my supermarkets only carry five-pound bags), omit the masa and use 1 cup yellow cornmeal.

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  2. Heat oil in small heavy skillet over moderately high heat until ripples appear on pan bottom—about 1 minute. Add scallions, red and green bell peppers, and oregano and stir-fry just until vegetables are limp and golden—2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
  3. Whisk together next eight ingredients (flour through black pepper) in medium bowl, make well in center of dry ingredients, and set aside.
  4. In second medium bowl, beat buttermilk and egg until smooth, add reserved skillet mixture and stir well. Pour buttermilk mixture into well in dry ingredients and stir only enough to mix—specks of flour should be clearly visible.
  5. Spoon batter into muffin pans, dividing amount equally—each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  6. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are gently rounded and lightly browned.
  7. Serve at once with plenty of unsalted butter. Or cool to room temperature before serving and serve with Guacamole or Salsa.

 

More Muffin Recipes Containing Cornmeal That Can Be Found Elsewhere in This Book:

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