Okra Buttermilk Cornbread
Yields: Makes 1 (10-Inch) Skillet
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ pound fresh okra, trimmed and cut crosswise into ⅛- to 1/16-inch-thick rounds (1 cup)
  • ¾ cup finely chopped red bell pepper, divided
  • ½ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 2½ cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 4 fresh okra pods, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • 4 (¼-inch-thick) red onion wedges
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Pour oil into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Place skillet in oven until oil is very hot, about 10 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, thyme, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir in cut okra, ½ cup bell pepper, and chopped onion. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs. Add buttermilk mixture to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until combined.
  3. Remove skillet from oven. Carefully pour batter over hot oil in skillet, smoothing top into an even layer with a small of set spatula.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; top cornbread with halved okra, onion wedges (broken into smaller clusters if needed), and remaining ¼ cup bell pepper, gently pressing into batter. Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/okra-buttermilk-cornbread/