CORNBREAD WITH CHILLI, ONIONS & NIBLETS, Easy-peasy, low-sugar, yeast free

ONE-BOWL WONDER: PERFECT FOR BRUNCH, BBQ'S & POT LUCK DINNERS

American Cornbread with a Latin twist: Muffins with Chilli, Onions & Corn 

photo 10/3/16

Food fads in London come and go but North American standards remain UK favourites.  My lunch group had never encountered Cornbread before but it was a knock-out success.  

The recipe 67goingon50 developed uses spelt flour to make it

Processed & organic
Cornmeal/Polenta 

wheat-free but wheat flour works fine.  

Cornmeal, also known as polenta, is the key to the dish; it looks like coarsely ground yellow flour.  There are two varieties - instant, which is pre-cooked, and organic, which is unprocessed. (Cornflour is not cornmeal/polenta.)

Cornbread is another Easy-peasy dish, whipped up in 10 minutes.  Versatile, too - the corn niblets can be replaced with ham or bacon and/or cheese.

Produces: 10 thick slices or 12 good-sized muffins
Cost: around £3

Use a 22 cm/1.3 litre loaf tin or a similar sized cast iron skillet, or well-greased muffin tins.  Double the recipe and cook in a 28x33cm11x13 rectangular pan.

Ingred:

140g white spelt or common wheat flour, with a tsp of baking powder sifted together 
125g coarse cornmeal/polenta, organic if poss  
1 Tbsp sugar (opt)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp (yes, tbsp) baking powder

2 1/2 oz/70g butter, melted and cooled OR half butter, half light vegetable oil
2 med eggs
200 ml milk

125g fresh corn niblets or tinned sweetcorn kernels, drained
3-4 spring onions sliced thinly on the diagonal, green and white 
1-2 red chillis to taste, finely diced or 1/2 to 1 tsp chilli flakes
4 oz/110 gm grated strong cheddar (opt)

Method:
      Preheat oven to 190C/170fan/375F/gas 5

1. Grease tin well.  If using a loaf pan, put a strip of greaseproof paper or foil into the bottom of the panfor easy removal (it does not need to go up the sides but should extend at the ends).  
2. Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl
3. Whisk eggs with milk; add melted butter, corn, spring onions & chillis. 
4. Tip wet ingred. into dry; combine loosely.  Lumpy is fine except in the case of organic polenta which has not been pre-cooked, in which case mix thoroughly but not vigorously.  Let the mix rest for 10-15 mins 
5. Pour into tin; bake 30-35 min until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  
6. Run a knife around the inside of the tin and turn onto a wire rack to cool.


Comment:

'The best I have ever had - the burst of chilli against the backdrop of corn was wonderful.' Political Agent

Variation: Cornbread Muffins with Ham, Chilli & Niblets

1. Replace onions with a generous handful of chopped ham
2. Mix ham with niblets and chillis; hold back about 1/4 cup for garnish
3. Proceed as in step 3
4. Scoop into a well greased 12-hole muffin tin; scatter with garnish
5. Bake in oven 20-25mins 
6. Rest 5 mins in tin; run a knife around the inside of each muffin hole, turn out onto a wire rack to cool

Tips:

• If you liked this you will also like Bacon & Corn Savoury Pancakes, portable & perfect for lunchboxes & Sweetcorn, Spelt & Polenta pancakes with soup or for brunch
• Cornbread keeps for several days and toasts beautifully.
• Frozen corn is cheaper than tinned but not as crisp. 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.