skillet cornbread with cheddar, corn, and chiles

This savory cornbread is rich and cake-like and full of flavor.  Taste your sage to see how strong it is; if you use a strong-flavored one like Berggarten, you should only use about 3 tablespoons.  Oregano and marjoram are also very tasty used in place of the sage.  This is a great accompaniment to baked beans and coleslaw.

Serves 8

1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
About 4 tablespoons finely shredded fresh sage leaves or 1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled dried sage leaves
1 cup whole milk or 2% fat milk
2 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable or corn oil
2 tablespoons honey or sorghum
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped green onions or other onion
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced fine
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 º F.  Rub a 10-inch iron skillet with oil.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and blend well.

Combine the milk, eggs, oil, and honey in another bowl, and whisk them for 1 minute.  Stir the sage, garlic, onions, chiles, and corn into the liquid ingredients.
   
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the cheese and stir until just mixed.  Pour the batter into the oiled skillet and place in a preheated oven.  Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the corn bread cool in the skillet for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

© Susan Belsinger