Gluten-free chilli cornbread

Gluten-free chilli cornbread

Gluten-free chilli cornbread

Golden polenta and frozen sweetcorn make a deliciously different alternative to your regular loaf - best eaten fresh from the oven

  • plus at least 2 hrs soaking
  • Serves 6
  • Moderately easy

Nutrition per serving

  • Calories 200
  • Carbohydrates 29
  • Saturated Fat 3
  • Sugar 3
  • Protein 7
  • Fat 6
  • Fiber 1
  • Salt 1

Ingredients

  • 200g polenta or fine ground cornmeal

  • 284ml pot buttermilk

  • 25g butter

  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

  • 1 tsp baking powder (look for a gluten-free one)

  • ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 50g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

Method

  1. Lightly toast the polenta in a dry frying pan for 3-4 mins, stirring to ensure even cooking, until the polenta has heated through, is fragrant and small patches are starting to turn golden brown. Take off the heat, tip half into a large bowl and add the buttermilk. Stir well, cover and leave to soak for 2-3 hrs.

  2. Melt the butter in a 25cm ovenproof frying pan (a cast-iron one is perfect) and heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Stir the butter and the remaining ingredients, including the rest of the toasted polenta and 1/2 tsp salt, into the buttermilk and polenta mixture. (Don’t wipe out the frying pan – the slick of butter will ensure the bread doesn’t stick.)

  3. Put the pan back on the heat and turn up the temperature. Pour the mixture into the pan – it should sizzle as it hits it, like a Yorkshire pudding. Put the whole pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown and firm in the middle. Leave to cool a little, then serve cut into wedges.