Another easy recipe that freezes well. Cornbread can be rather sweet, almost dessert-like but I prefer a more savory version and this is exactly that.

Fresh chilies, green onion and cilantro (coriander leaf) lift this up and out of the dessert category. I like to serve it toasted with ripe avocado or with lots of butter.  Chili cornbread also makes a wonderful accompaniment to this very easy chicken tortilla soup recipe – in fact I’ll replace crispy tortilla strips with toasted cornbread any day.

Chili Cornbread with Scallions & Cilantro

CHILI CORNBREAD WITH SCALLIONS & CILANTRO

(Makes about 12 slices)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 oz (50g) of butter, melted

9oz (250g) of quick-cooking polenta

4 1/2 oz (125g) of plain, all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

2 teaspoons of salt

2 teaspoons of sugar

19 fl oz (568ml) of buttermilk

2 eggs

3 scallions (spring onions) trimmed and sliced thinly

Small handful of cilantro (coriander) chopped

2 red chilies – seeded and finely chopped

Action:

Heat the oven to 395F (200C ). Grease and line the base and long sides of a 2lb (900ml) loaf tin.

In a large bowl combine the polenta, flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.

Mix the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter in a separate bowl and stir this into the dry ingredients. Finally, fold in the chilies, scallions and chopped cilantro/coriander. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. The top should be golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. If it looks like it’s browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil during the last 10 minutes or so.

Cool it completely in the loaf pan before turning out. It keeps well for a couple of days in an airtight container – or freeze it for later.