Cornbread: A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll

For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, I have always been obsessed with Donny and Marie's classic "Little Bit Country/Little Bit Rock and Roll."

Maybe it's that I identify with the duality of the song (after all I am a Gemini).  Having been raised a dual citizen of sorts, conveniently enough smack dab in the middle in Washington, DC, a city which itself often gets characterized as in a perpetual identity crisis. With one parent from Texas and the other a dyed in the wool Yankee (but luckily not a Yankee's fan) I have always had the best of both worlds. I got an appreciation for Bruce Springsteen and summers in the freezing Atlantic Ocean as well as a knack for knowing good Tex-Mex and a love of Governor Ann Richards. 

While my mother was horrified by my preference for sugar in my grits (instead of the requisite salt, pepper and even hot sauce) my father was, actually who am I kidding, apart from rooting for the Red Sox my father has pretended he's from Texas since 1976, but I digress. And then I digress further.

I have always found the North/South divide most interesting when it comes to corn bread. I don't like gritty corn bread. A black iron skillet? Only if you've got a little sugar and certainly some butter in there. If I'm being really honest with myself, I most adore the corn bread at Whole Foods. Sweet, moist and consistent. But I know it's not true to form. 

That why I love this recipe so much, it's got spice, real corn meal, CHEESE, and it's still a little bit sweet. I kicked Ina up a notch (double Food Network pun!) adding a can of creamed corn but you don't really need it I guess. If this cornbread can make me forget the cake they sell at Whole Foods, then it will make anyone a true believer. Also if you don't own this cookbook you should, it's awesome.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers 

1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn

Directions

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions, jalapenos, and creamed corn and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ah-mazing.