Cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a 12 by 8 by 2-inch pan, and place it in the oven to heat.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the fl our, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, add the corn, and stir until just combined. Add the butter and stir once or twice to incorporate.

3. Remove the hot skillet or pan from the oven, pour batter into it, and give the whole number a smack on the counter to settle it. Put pan in oven to cook until mixture is brown on top and a sharp knife inserted into its center comes out clean, approximately 1 hour. Cornbread can, indeed should, be made ahead of time. If it is slightly stale at the start of the process, so much the better—the dried cornbread leads to a fluffier dressing.