My Spicy Cornbread

Dawn has spent her whole life eating cornbread and it is definately her favourite form of bread.  When we met 15 years ago, I had never tasted it; now I have perfected it.  This is my normal recipe.  However occasionally I add some cheese. It's great with a bowl of my meat-free bean and lentil chili.  Best of all is that I use Dawn's Granny's cast iron skillet, which has been around for donkey's years and is so well-seasoned.

Ingredients

284 ml Buttermilk (one carton)

150g “Dunn Rivers” Cornmeal

150g Plain white Flour

4 chilli peppers, seeds removed and chopped

Tsp of Bicarbonate soda

Tsp of Salt

3 Medium Free Range Eggs

30 ml Groundnut oil

15g “Splenda”Sugar (or 1 Tbs of sugar)

1. Set the oven to 200 degrees.

2. Pour 15ml of groundnut oil into a 9 inch cast iron skillet.

3. Place the skillet in the oven to heat the oil.

4. Measure the cornmeal into a medium bowl.

5. Measure the flour into the same bowl.

6. Add the bicarbonate soda to the same bowl.

7. Add the Splenda/Sugar to the same bowl.

8. Add the salt to the same bowl.

9. Break eggs into a second bowl and gently beat.

10. Add the buttermilk to the eggs and gently beat.

11. Add 15ml of groundnut oil to the wet mixture.

12. Gently beat the mixture until light cream colour and smooth.

13. Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

14. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

15. Pour the creamed mixture into the well of dry ingredients.

16. Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients until completely combined.
17. Stir in the chilli peppers.

18. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the oil around to coat the pan.

19. Carefully pour and spoon the wet cornbread mixture into the skillet using a spatula to get it all out of the bowl.

20. Swirl the skillet to even out the mixture.

21. Place the skillet in the middle of the oven and bake for approx. 18 minutes.

22. Remove the skillet when the top has turned a golden brown.

23. Turn the cooked cornbread onto a cutting board and then turn over again onto a wire rack to cool.

This can be cut into pieces when it has cooled, wrapped in foil and frozen for later use. If frozen, defrost in fridge and then reheat in a preheated 200 degree oven for five or so minutes.