Ghost Pepper Spicy Cornbread
Recipe development and photography by Rochelle Keet
Cornbread might be a simple dish, but for most people it arouses a special memory. Every household has their own family recipe, and don’t even get us started on the debate between Northern and Southern cornbread. This recipe is somewhere in between. Like Southern cornbread, it’s made with eggs and buttermilk, but we also added some Northern inspiration with the addition of sugar. But don’t let this put you off…the sugar goes very well with the intense heat of the ADF African Ghost Pepper Sauce—believe us, you will need that touch of sweet. Serve this cornbread with a side of baked beans, bean chili, a casserole, or even pulled pork—and dinner is served!
servings:
8
PREP & COOK TIME:
15 mins prep time
15 mins cook time
calories:
283 per slice
All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup
Yellow Cornmeal
11/4 cup
Baking Powder
2 tsp
Baking Soda
1/2 tsp
Sugar
1/4 cup
Salt
1 tsp
Cheese
1/3 cup
Salt
1/2 tsp
Corn Cob, kernels removed
1 cob
Eggs
2
Buttermilk
1 cup
Milk
1/3 cup
Lean Bacon
4 oz
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
- Cook the bacon in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, but keep the bacon fat in the skillet, and keep the skillet warm.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cheese, corn kernels and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk (or yogurt), milk, cooked bacon, and ADF African Ghost Pepper Sauce.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and gently fold to combine until no flour is visible anymore. Don’t over mix.
- Add the batter to the warm cast iron skillet with bacon fat. Bake at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
NOTES:
- This recipe tastes best when you add fresh corn, but you can also omit it.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until just combined (no more dry ingredients visible).
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use 1 cup of Greek yogurt (plain). Alternatively, you can make your own buttermilk. Simply add 1 tablespoon white vinegar (or lemon juice) to 1 cup of milk (at room temperature). Mix together and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- This recipe is not for the faint-hearted. If you’re not sure if you can stand the heat, start with 1 tablespoon ADF African Ghost Pepper Sauce, and increase little by little.
- If you want to make this cornbread cheesier, feel free to add up to 1 cup of cheese. You can even sprinkle some cheese over the cornbread before placing it in the oven.
