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APRICOT CORNMEAL LOAF WITH HATCH CHILES

APRICOT CORNMEAL LOAF WITH HATCH CHILES

Sarah Arruda
BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS ARE PART OF BHG’S HISTORY AND ARE MORE IMPORTANT TODAY SO HOME COOKS CAN USE THEM TO SELECT RECIPES—AND SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.  
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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.