A hearty cornbread is high on the list of comfort foods. Whether wolfed down warm from the baking pan or as an accompaniment to a meal, it is delicious! There is cake-like component to a cornbread provided by the addition of a small amount of sugar and the sweetness from the corn. The addition of the buttermilk provides a lightness to the bread.
This cornbread brings all of these components to the table and a few additional tricks. There is the depth of green provided by the basil, the bite and flavour of the peppers and onions, the heat from a small pinch of cayenne and the comfort of some mozzarella. A little pizza-like, I dare say!
There is some easy preparation to be done before assembling this bread. There is some chopping and grating that needs to take place. The peppers and onions have to be sautéed till soft – about 15 minutes. If using fresh basil, then a little chopping is needed. And a minute or 2 to grate the mozzarella.
Once you have this done, grab 2 bowls, a whisk and a spatula and you are on your way to cornbread heaven.
Ingredients for Cornbread
- 125 g butter (25g to sauté the onions and peppers; 100 g to be rubbed into dry ingredients)
- I medium onion finely chopped
- 1 red pepper de-seeded and finely chopped
- 225 g maize meal or polenta
- 175 g cake flour
- 50 g sugar
- 15 ml baking powder
- 7 ml salt
- 3 ml bicarbonate of soda
- 3ml cayenne pepper or paprika
- 375 ml buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 125 ml grated mozzarella cheese
- 410 g corn kernels, drained
- 45 ml chopped fresh basil or 15 ml dried
Method to make Cornbread
- Melt 25 g of butter in a medium saucepan and sauté onion and red pepper until soft.
- Grate mozzarella.
- Finely chop basil if using fresh herbs.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
- Grease and line a 24 cm x 34 cm pan.
- Measure out maize meal/polenta, cake flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to lightly combine.
- Add 100 g of butter and rub into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Beat eggs and buttermilk and add to dry ingredients.
- Using a spatula, add corn kernels, red pepper mix, mozzarella and basil and mix well.
- Turn mixture into baking pan.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Bread is done when well risen, coming away from the sides of the pan and a light golden brown.
- Leave to cool for a few minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Cut into slices.
