Spicy Cornbread with Honey Butter

Servings: 6

Ease of Preparation: Medium

This recipe is part of the One BIG Recipe: Salmon and Duck Dinner

SPICY CORNBREAD WITH HONEY BUTTER

Ingredients:

Honey Butter:

• 1 stick room temperature butter
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame seeds

Spicy Cornbread:

• 2 ears corn on the cob
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 3 jalapenos
• 2 small red sweet peppers
• 2 small orange sweet peppers
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) butter, divided
• 1 cup (240 ml) flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) creamed corn

Special equipment:

• Aluminum foil
• 10-inch (25.5 cm) cast iron skillet

Method:

Honey Butter:

Transfer 1 stick of the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk.

Whip the butter for 3-4 minutes, until it changes to a pale yellow (almost white) colour and the volume is increased by 1/3.

While whisking is running, add honey, kosher salt, and ground white pepper.

Transfer to a nice serving bowl and keep at room temperature.

Spicy Cornbread:

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).

Remove the husks and silk from 2 ears of corn.

Brush with enough vegetable oil to lightly coat (about 1-2 tablespoons/15-30 ml), season with salt and pepper.

Grill 2-3 minutes, turning regularly, until lightly charred, set aside for the cornbread.

At the same time, grill the jalapenos until lightly charred.

When cool enough to handle, chop the 3 grilled jalapenos into small pieces (similar size to a corn kernel), keeping skin, flesh, and seeds. Discard the stems.

Shave the kernels off of the corn cobs: place a small bowl upside-down in the middle of a wide tray with a lip. Position a cob vertically on top of the bowl and hold it still while using a sharp knife to shave the kernels off and onto the tray, the lip on the tray will catch the stray kernels (well… most of them anyway). Keep shaving and turning the cob until all the kernels are in the tray.

Cut the red and orange sweet peppers into small (1/4-inch/6 mm) pieces. Avoid seeds and discard stems.

Heat 4 tablespoons (30 ml) butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Add the corn kernels, jalapeno, and sweet pepper pieces and cook 2-3 minutes, until the sweet peppers are just starting to soften.

Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter and allow to melt.

Remove all from the pan and scrape into a mixing bowl. Set aside to cool.

Heat a 10-inch (25.5 cm) cast iron pan over medium-high heat.

In a separate large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift to combine.

In the bowl with the veggies, add 2 beaten eggs, buttermilk, and creamed corn, stirring with a wooden spoon until there are no large lumps of unmixed flour.

When the skillet is hot, add ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil and heat until shimmering.

Quickly combine the bowl with the wet ingredients with the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until there are no large lumps of unmixed flour.

Still working quickly, scrape the batter into the hot cast iron pan, making sure the hot oil forms a barrier between the batter and the pan.

Transfer immediately to the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.

When ready, remove cornbread from the oven and allow to rest, covered with a tea towel at room temperature.

To Serve:

Transfer the Cornbread from the skillet to a cutting board and cut into neat portions.

Transfer portions to 6 plates.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame seeds onto the Honey Butter in the serving bowl.

Place the bowl of butter in the center of the table with the plates of cornbread around.

Serve immediately.