Lance’s Jalapeño Cornbread
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
All purpose flour: 1 cup
Fine yellow cornmeal (Anson Mills preferred): 1 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp
Ground cayenne pepper: 1/2 tsp
Baking soda: 1/2 tbsp
Large jalapeño: 1 (seeded and finely diced)
WET INGREDIENTS
Sorghum syrup: 1 tbsp
Unsalted butter: 1/2 (melted)
Large eggs: 2 (beaten)
Cultured buttermilk: 1 cup
FOR THE WHIPPED SEA SALT BUTTER
Unsalted butter (McWhorter uses Plugrá): 1 lb
Fine sea salt (La Baleine preferred): to taste
Cornbread is the perfect accompaniment to gumbo, either served alongside it or as a snack beforehand, says chef Lance McWhorter. Especially this jalapeño cornbread, which he’ll make two or three pans of because, as he puts it, “I want to eat all of it, every day, forever.”
How to make Lance’s Jalapeño Cornbread
01.
Make the Batter
- Whisk the butter and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the eggs and buttermilk, and whisk until fully combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients, then cover with plastic film pressed directly on the batter.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to hydrate.
02.
Bake the Cornbread
- Pour the batter into an oil-sprayed 9x13-inch baking dish, or into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. (If you have them, 6-inch mini cast-iron pans make great individual portions.)
- Bake for about 15 minutes at 450°F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
03.
Make the Whipped Butter
- Whip the butter in a stand mixer, slowly adding sea salt to taste.
- Stop the mixer and taste frequently, seasoning as desired.
- Hold covered at room temperature until the cornbread is ready.
04.
To Serve
- Serve the cornbread warm with the whipped sea salt butter—it’s an unbeatable combination.
