Maple and Walnut Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled slightly, plus 1 additional tablespoon for pan
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add the walnuts to a 10-inch cast iron skillet set over medium high heat, and toast them until they smell nutty, 3 to 5 minutes. Move the walnuts to a bowl, then put the skillet in the oven.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until evenly mixed. In another medium bowl, whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, syrup, eggs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and canola oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk until no dry pockets remain. Fold in the walnuts.
3. With pot holders, carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet, turning the pan so the butter melts and coats the inside. Scrape in the cornbread batter and return the skillet to the oven. Bake until a skewer pushed into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the bread in the skillet for 5 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack and cool for another 10 minutes. Serve right away. Warm any leftover cornbread before serving again.