We're finally past the Winter Solstice. The shortest day, and longest night of the year.
That should be good news- right?
I guess the good news is that we are inching towards Spring..... slowly
But the bad news is that we still have the coldest days of the year ahead of us.
This calls for even more rib-sticking goodness and gratuitous carbs as we comfort ourselves with comfort food and the knowlege that This Too, Shall Pass. By making a more savoury recipe this week I feel very virtuous indeed, as it has been a real struggle not to surcumb to my cravings for hot, sticky puddings dripping with syrup and doused with lactose free cream.
I sure hope you appreciate it
Any way, I was wanting something yummy to mop up gravy and pan juices of all the slow cooked meals we've been having lately. Not bread exactly, but not going to the effort of dumplings either. I eneded up deciding on Corn Bread.
Fairly light, sweetness from the corn, bite from the chilli, and all pulled together with the mildness of the cheese. I used soy cheese today as it's a lot less assertive in flavour than my favourite goat cheese, and I wanted the bread to be versatile. As you can see it was not photographed with the slow cooked shoulder of lamb, or the sticky baked goat ribs we also had this week for dinners, but with littlej's tin of Baked Beans. Her comfort food of choice as she's home sick this week. It just goes to show how this Cornbread goes well with evrything!
For this version I used 2 types of cornmeal- fine Polenta and Mexican style Masa Flour. You can use gluten free plain flour in place of the Masa, but watch the liquid as you might not need nearly as much.
Chilli Corn Bread
2 cups fine Corn Meal/Masa Corn Flour
1 cup Polenta
2 cups tinned Creamed Corn
1 cup Corn Kernels
1 cup Water or lactose free Milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup grated soy cheese (or other lactose free type)
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1 tablespoon Oil
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 finely chopped Chilli
Tabasco Sauce to taste
Salt
Thoroughly mix together the dry ingredients
Whisk up the eggs, adding the water, creamed corn and oil
Add both mixtures together, then pop in the kernels, sauce, chilli and cheese. Don't over mix
Isn't it a pretty mix, with all the yellow and red flecks ?
Pour into a greased cake tin, then bake at 200*C for an hour
Let it cool down for a while before slicing and serving with some yummy beans so there's something to soak up into the bready goodness, yummo!
This is a lovely bread with a large, loose crumb. Certainly not meant for sandwiches or suchlike, but perfect as a side dish with your wintery warmer of choice
So Dear Readers, do you like something to soak up the juices or gravy of your favourite Winter Dishes?
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