muffins – The Answer is Always Pork

These muffins were an experiment. I had some extra buttermilk left over from last week’s chicken and waffles and figured I should use it before it went bad. I’m sure glad I decided to experiment. The muffins were fluffy on the inside, crunchy on the outside and perfectly corn-y. We paired them with a grilled pork chop and a salad of arugula, radish and goat cheese.

Buttermilk Corn Muffins
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 T sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 T butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour 6 cups in a muffin tin or line with paper liners. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the wet with the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Mix just to combine. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Dust the tops with a additional cornmeal for an extra crunchy crust. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Enjoy hot from the oven with butter or honey.

-Emily

Jordan’s parents came over for breakfast on Saturday. I was thinking of making coffee cake, but then I stumbled upon these muffins on Molly Wizenburg’s blog Orangette. The picture was so cute I just had to make them.

Marion Cunningham’s Fresh Ginger Muffins, adapted from The Breakfast Book and Orangette
Yield: 12 muffins
One (~3-ounce) piece of unpeeled ginger root, washed well
¾ cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (I also decided that there is just no point in buying buttermilk when I can make it myself and have about cup of delicious homemade butter as the by-product. Want to learn how to make butter from scratch? Check out our post butter! homemade butter!)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a muffin tin.

Cut the unpeeled ginger root into large chunks. Process the ginger in a food processor until it is in tiny pieces; alternatively, mince by hand. Put the ginger and ¼ cup sugar in a small skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is hot. This takes only a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Add to the ginger mixture.

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the butter for a second or two, then add the remaining ½ cup sugar, and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, and beat well. Add the buttermilk, and beat until blended. (At this point my batter looked a little curdled – ew – but after I added the dry ingredients, it looked like regular batter and tasted just fine).

Add the flour, salt, and baking soda, and beat just until smooth. Add the ginger-lemon mixture, and beat to mix well. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Serve warm with fresh, salted butter

Conclusions: Absolutely delicious (and totally adorable)! I ate two right out of the oven (and wanted another). The ginger is surprisingly subtle, considering how much ginger goes into these muffins, and the lemon is a lovely companion. I will certainly be making these again! And, you have to try the homemade butter! It is soooo good.

-Emily