We eat cornbread and polenta often in my house. That cornmeal flavor is a particular favorite of mine—polenta for breakfast, cornbread for dinner and even cornmeal layer cake for dessert! I love the way rich corn flavor plays off other ingredients like maple syrup, spicy sauces and even—you might recall this post—apple pie filling for an amazing stuffed coffee cake.
So it was sort of a given that once I fell in love with Zubi’s yummy Tex-Mex sauces, I’d eventually use them in a cornmeal recipe. And I did! Well…it wasn’t cornmeal exactly….it was corn flour—lighter, brighter, with strong corn flavor. This recipe really changes the texture of traditional skillet cornbread, turning it more like cake, which allows the Zubi Salsa and Queso to really shine. And it’s easy! Yes, it is. I see that look. Be brave.
Ingredients
- One and one-quarter corn flour (Try Bob’s Red Mill Organic Corn Flour.)
- Three-quarters cup whole wheat pastry flour (I really suggest pastry flour here; if not use all purpose.)
- Two teaspoons baking powder
- One-quarter teaspoon baking soda
- Two teaspoons raw sugar
- One teaspoon fine sea salt
- Two large eggs, beaten
- One cup good-quality buttermilk (high-fat if possible)
- Four tablespoons melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly
- One jar Zubi’s Salsa
- One jar Zubi’s Queso
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Generously butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
- In a large measuring cup whisk the eggs and buttermilk until smooth and completely combined. Slowly whisk in the cooled, melted butter.
- Using a rubber spatula, create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the egg, butter, buttermilk mixture into the well. Working from the sides of the bowl, fold the dry ingredients into the wet using big strokes. The goal is to completely combine everything, incorporate some air for fluffiness, but not overwork the batter. You want a really light texture here.
- Once everything is combined, pour half the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet.
- I used a set of drizzle spoons for the next step but two squeezy bottles would work even better. Starting with either of the Zubi sauces (doesn’t matter which one), drizzle it in a thin crisscross pattern across the cornbread batter (see photo after recipe). Then, using the second Zubi's sauce, repeat the process so that you have some of each sauce on every inch. Don’t worry about looks here because no one will see this. The fancy stuff comes next.
- Now carefully spoon and spread the rest of the cornbread batter on top of the sauce pattern you just created. Finish the cornbread by drizzling or squeezing the remaining Zubi's sauce in a decorative pattern across the top. You may not use the entire jars of Zubi’s, but they will keep well in your frig for other purposes—like scrambled eggs or tacos!
- Bake the cornbread for 20 minutes, until golden and slightly crusty on top. Carefully remove from the oven—note that the skillet is heavy and really hot. Heavy mits here.
- Cool in the skillet on your stovetop for about 10 minutes. If need be run a knife around the edge, but it should lift right out. Transfer to a pretty plate or just serve from the skillet.
Notes
You can use fine cornmeal if you cannot find corn flour, but the best texture will come from using the flour.
Don’t be intimidated when it comes to creating the center layer with the Zubi’s sauces. The steps for creating a flavor-filled center for your Zubi’s Fiesta Cornbread is much easier than it may sound. You can do it!
There is Everything to Love about Zubi’s
I am an old curmudgeon when it comes to from-scratch cooking, so it’s rare that I rely on store-bought ingredients, and I might have missed these delicious sauces if it had not been for the New Hope Network Blogger Box—so sombreros off to the great folks at New Hope Network. Zubi’s has become a wonderful exception to my “make-it-myself” rule. The Salsa, Queso and Crema show up in my pantry pretty regularly.
It’s not just the taste and quality that first sold me on using these products for my “from-scratch” fish tacos last year, it’s also the company and its incredible owner. Founded in 2017 by Sarah Zubiate, ZUBI’S is a Latina owned business headquartered in Athens, Texas. Success has followed Sarah Zubiate every step of her hardworking way, and I think it is because she has focused her energies on what really matters: organic farming, healthy food, zero waste, and a sustainable approach to farming powered by solar. Ms. Zubiate honors her roots as she honors the Earth that is her close partner in creating these amazing products. Love it! And you will, too.
