This one is courtesy of George Welch. It is his Grand Mother's [sic] recipe (he grew up in east Texas). As he notes, this cornbread plus a dal (or beans, or baked fish, or whatever) constitutes a full meal.

Below is George's description of her original version, but here's how I like to do it:

1. Place a well-seasoned, oven-ready, 9½ inch, cast-iron pan in the oven and set the oven to 375°.

2. While the oven preheats, prepare the ingredients for mixing:
   1. ½ cup (or a full cup!) pickled jalapeño slices,
   2. 1 cup coarsely-cubed, extra-sharp cheddar cheese,
   3. 1 egg,
   4. Aunt Jemima white cornmeal (1 cup),
   5. buttermilk (1 cup),
   6. baking soda, and
   7. vegetable oil.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ingredients thusly:
   1. scramble the egg with a whisk (or fork),
   2. whisk in 1 cup buttermilk,
   3. whisk in ½ tsp baking soda,
   4. whisk in 1 cup corn meal,
   5. whisk in 1 tsp oil,
   6. fold in the jalapeño slices, and
   7. fold in the cubed cheddar cheese.

4. By the time you've cubed the cheese, gathered the other ingredients and combined them, the oven will just about be preheated. When it is, pull out the cast iron pan and add 1 tsp oil to it (1½ or 2 tsp if it's not really well seasoned), and return it to the oven for a couple of minutes to let the oil heat up.

5. Spread the hot oil around the pan, then pour the ingredients in (they should sizzle when they hit the pan).

6. Bake for 25 minutes.

Below, as promised, is George's version of his Grand Mother's recipe:

Southern Corn Bread  (Irene Welch)

1 cup Aunt Jemima white [1] cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk [2]
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking _soda_ (rounded)
4 tsp [3] oil [4]

Add half the oil to a well seasoned medium sized cast iron
skillet, and put in middle rack of oven.  Set to 375 F.

---
    Wait until the oven is good and hot (and consequently so is the
    skillet and oil).
---

Break egg into mixing bowl, and scramble well.
Add buttermilk and mix well.
Add soda and mix well.
Add corn meal and mix well.
Add remaining oil and mix well.

Remove skillet from oven and pour the batter in.  If it doesn't
make a lot of noise, you didn't get the skillet hot enough first and it
is going to stick :-( .

Bake 25 min.

Invert skillet and the loaf will dump out on the table unless
it stuck.  If it stuck, try to get it out in one piece with a spatula.
Cut into pie-slices.  Makes six medium or 8 small pieces.

Notes:

[1]  Yes, it has to be *white* cornmeal, and yes it *has* to
     be Aunt Jemima.
[2]  Best if used 1 week *after* the expiry date.
[3]  Use more or less to taste.
[4]  Grandmother uses bacon grease.  I use canola oil.  YMMV.