SERVES 8 to 10
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Do not use stone-ground whole-grain cornmeal here; it will yield a drier and less tender bread. You can substitute ¾ cup plain yogurt mixed with ¼ cup milk for the buttermilk if necessary. We prefer to use a cast-iron skillet here because it makes the best crust; however, a 10-inch ovensafe skillet will also work for this recipe.
|
1½ |
cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose flour |
|
1 |
cup (5 ounces) cornmeal |
|
2 |
teaspoons baking powder |
|
¼ |
teaspoon baking soda |
|
¾ |
teaspoon salt |
|
4 |
ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup) |
|
¼ |
cup jarred jalapeños, drained and chopped |
|
2 |
scallions, sliced thin |
|
1 |
cup buttermilk |
|
2 |
large eggs |
|
10 |
tablespoons unsalted butter |
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Stir in Monterey Jack, jalapeños, and scallions, breaking up any clumps, until coated with flour. In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and eggs together until smooth.
3. Melt butter in 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of melted butter into buttermilk mixture and whisk to incorporate. Gently fold buttermilk mixture into flour mixture with rubber spatula until just combined. Batter will be heavy and thick; do not overmix.
4. Quickly scrape batter into hot skillet and smooth top. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking. Let bread cool slightly in skillet before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature.