Ingredients
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus salt for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium Pink Lady apples thinly sliced
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preparation
Start by preheating oven to 400°F. Then, melt butter in an 8″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour all but 2 tablespoons butter into a small bowl and set it aside.
Add the sliced onion to skillet with butter. Season the onion with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Add apples, 2 teaspoons thyme and 2 tablespoons sugar, and cook, stirring often, until apples are softened, roughly 4 min- utes. Transfer onion mixture to a medium bowl and reserve skillet.
Next, whisk cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, baking powder, and re- maining 3 tablespoons of sugar in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in eggs, buttermilk, and 3/4 cup melted butter until smooth (no lumps should remain). Fold in half of onion mixture and scrape batter into reserved skillet. Top with remaining onion mixture and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Bake cornbread for 30–40 minutes, until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.
