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Recipe: Gluten-Free Texas Jalapeño Cornbread

corn bread
User Whitney via Flickr
Corn bread

This week, we have another cornbread recipe, but this time, it's flourless. And spicy.

For best results, bake the cornbread in a cast-iron skillet. You must preheat the pan in the oven until it is piping hot before pouring in the batter.

1 cup cornmeal, preferably stone ground

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 small jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob (about 2 ears)

1/3 cup bacon drippings or browned butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Smear a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (best choice) or a 9-inch square metal baking pan with vegetable shortening. (Do not use butter; it will burn). Place on the center rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. The pan must heat for 15 minutes. A few minutes longer is okay.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a fork to combine well.

Stir in the buttermilk, onion, jalapeños, pimientos, garlic, corn, and bacon drippings or butter. Add to the cornmeal batter and stir to combine well. Stir in the cheese.

Carefully remove the pan from oven—use mitts!--and set it on a pot holder. Scrape in the batter and level it. Immediately return the pan to the oven and bake about 20 minutes, or until the cornbread is nicely browned on top and springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool in the pan a few minutes, then cut into wedges or squares. Serve hot with lots of butter. Makes 8 servings.

Copyright© 2018 by Greg Patent

(Broadcast: "The Food Guys," 8/26/18. Listen weekly on the radio at 11:50 a.m. Sundays, or via podcast.)

Greg Patent is co-host of The Food Guys on Montana Public Radio. He won the Pillsbury bake-off when he was 19 years old. His cookbook, Baking in America, won the 2003 James Beard Award for best baking book of the year.
Jon Jackson is co-host of The Food Guys and a frequent guest on Jazz Sessions at Montana Public Radio. He is a mystery writer and jazz music expert with a passion for great food.
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