Lemon Cornbread

This cornbread is a little out of the ordinary, what with lemon and, if you want, blueberries. But let me tell you, it is just delicious with any southwestern dish, especially Pueblo Green Chile Stew. If you have any leftover cornbread, you can slice a piece in half, butter each half, toast them lightly and smear with honey. A great breakfast.

1 egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, see photos if you need them
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8x8 pan and set aside.
2. Whisk together the egg, zest, lemon juice, butter, and oil in a pitcher or small bowl. Stir in the buttermilk.
3. Mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the hole. Stir gently but thoroughly to combine. Fold in the blueberries if you wish. Do not over mix. Scrape batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or eat right away.

Makes one 8x8 pan or about 9 pieces
Adapted from The Junior League of Honolulu’s Aloha Days Hula Nights