Spiced cornbread

Really easy to make and great for sharing. While it goes really well with soups and stews, it is also great for taking on picnics as it will transfer well wrapped in a kitchen cloth.

Ingredients
40g butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 chillies, thinly sliced
200g coarse cornmeal (polenta)
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking power
3 eggs
100ml whole milk
200g sweetcorn
100g manchego cheese, or similar, grated

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and grease a shallow cake tin of about 20cm diameter.

Melt the butter in a pan and lightly fry the shallots. After about 10 minutes add the thinly sliced chillies and cook for another couple of minutes.

Combine the cornmeal, flour and baking power in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs with the milk before slowly adding to the flour mix while stirring. Add the cooked shallot mix and sweetcorn kernels and make sure everything is combined well.

Transfer to the tin and bake for 20 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese on top and cook for a further 10–15 minutes.

Tags: Baking, baking powder, Bread, Cheese, Chilli, Easy, Eggs, Flour, manchego cheese, Nibbles, Picnic, plain flour, Polenta, shallots, Side-dish, Sweetcorn