APRICOT CORNMEAL LOAF WITH HATCH CHILES
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Ingredients
- HANDS ON 45 minutes
- BAKE 1 hour 5 minutes at 350°F
- COOL 20 minutes
- 3 large hatch or Anaheim peppers about 12 oz. total
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- ¾ tsp. salt
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup butter melted
- ⅓ cup apricot preserves
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- 1. Preheat broiler. Arrange peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat about 10 minutes or until charred all over, turning occasionally. Bring foil up around peppers; fold to enclose. Let stand 15 minutes. Wearing gloves, scrape off and discard skins. Cut a small slit on one side of each pepper, keeping pepper intact. Gently scoop out seeds and remove stems.
- 2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Chop two of the peppers and cut the remaining pepper in half lengthwise.
- 3. In a large bowl combine the next five ingredients (through salt). In a medium bowl whisk together buttermilk, butter, apricot preserves, eggs, and chopped peppers. Add to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Spoon batter into pan. Arrange pepper halves over batter.
- 4. Bake 65 to 70 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean (a thermometer will register 205°F). Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
- 5. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Serve with softened butter and additional apricot preserves. Makes 16 servings (1 slice each).
- PER SERVING 211 cal., 7 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 39 mg chol., 244 mg sodium, 33 g carb., 1 g fiber, 12 g sugars, 4 g pro.
Notes
THEN: 1933 CORN MUFFINS This staple “hot bread” debuted in one of our earliest editions of the New Cook Book. Calling for pastry flour and just a touch of sugar, the basic muffins were mildly sweet with a fine crumb.
NOW: CORN BREAD PLUS In contrast to the 1933 muffins, this corn bread is anything but basic. Buttermilk and apricot preserves give the loaf a sweet, tangy flavor. Broiled Hatch chile peppers (in season August and September) baked on top make a statement. Out of season, use Anaheims or poblanos.
