Mexican Cornbread

My friend Ross is a bass player with a great jazz band, 'round midnight*, and an accomplished cook, among other things.  Anyone who can whip up escargot on mushroom caps with garlic butter on a portable BBQ at a grade 7 school camping trip is a chef to be reckoned with. 

Ross sent me this recipe because he knew I missed food with some bite in it.  As adapted, I have made it every week since.Tanya loves it.  Her family love it.  Ukrainians are usually not much on spicy food but I am working on changing that.  Here is the recipe Ross sent me:

 Mexican Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 (14 ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1/2 (4 ounce) can chopped green chili peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chilies, Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheese.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.

Since I was missing some of the ingredients, I had to adapt it a bit.  This is my version:

Mexican Corn Bread – Ukrainian style

Ingredients

• 1/3 lb butter, soft
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 350 ml (10 oz) can kernal corn
• 3 10-12 cm (4-5") hot red chili peppers
• 1/2 cup sour cream (Well, of course.  It is Ukraine, isn't it?)
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I may add another 1/3 cup next go)
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350F). Lightly grease a 20x35 cm (8x14") baking dish.
2. Clean and chop up the peppers, put corn, peppers and sour cream in blender, blend until coarsely mixed, (not until smooth).
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in corn/chili/sour cream and cheese.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add dry mixture to wet mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake  for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a knife inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.

* next gig
Regina Public Library Sunday Concert Series  
Sunday, March 27 · 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Sherwood Village Branch, Regina Public Library

6121 Rochdale Blvd., Regina, SK