Kitchen Musings

This is the side dish that went so well with Keller’s Fried Chicken. I find it a bit heavy but very flavorful; small servings would be appropriate with the Fried Chicken. I love the combination of the roasted red bell pepper and the cheddar because it reminded me of that cheese pimiento spread I loved as a child. I used canned corn and left the kernels to drain for 2 hours, I also did not use the jalapeno chiles. I did not have a cast iron pan but my heavy skillet worked pretty well.

Cheddar and Green Onion Cornbread

Bon Appetit, September 2008

8 ½ tablespoons butter, melted, divided

1 cup chopped green onions

1 ¾ cups yellow corn meal

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups buttermilk

3 large eggs

1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup fresh corn kernels

½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers from jar

2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeno chiles

Preheat oven to 400F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add green onions; sauté 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.

Mix next 6 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and eggs in medium bowl stir into dry ingredients. Stir in 7 tablespoons of melted butter, then cheese, corn, red pepper, chiles, and green onions.

Add ½ tablespoon melted butter to the skillet; heat over high heat until foamy, about 1 minute. Pour batter into skillet. Transfer to oven; bake cornbread until golden, about 40 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in skillet.