Ingredients

  • vegetable oil cooking spray
  • 34 cup yellow cornmeal, plus
  • 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
  • 13 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 12 teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 18 teaspoon salt
  • 34 cup yellow cheddar cheese, grated
  • 12 cup fresh corn or 12 cup frozen corn, thawed if frozen
  • 1 12 ounces pepperoni, sliced and finely chopped
  • 14 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg

Method

  • Preheat oven to 450F and arrange rack in center.
  • Generously coat 3 cast-iron mini corn-stick pans (seven 1 oz.
  • sticks per pan) with cooking spray.
  • Heat pans in oven while making batter.
  • Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cumin and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add cheese, corn, pepperoni and cilantro; toss until combined well.
  • Whisk together buttermilk, butter and egg in a medium bowl.
  • Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture and stir until combined well.
  • Carefully remove 1 pan at a time from oven and spoon 1 heaping tablespoon batter into each stick section.
  • Immediately return to oven.
  • Bake until completely golden brown and set (if undercooked, they will stick to pan), 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Using a knife or small metal spatula, immediately remove sticks from pans and transfer to racks to cool.
  • Wipe out pans with a paper towel, coat with cooking spray and repeat process with remaining batter.
  • Serve warm.