Whey cornbread with jalapenos

Drizzle honey on top and this dish will transport you to Mexico.

SERVES 6-8

FOR THE PICKLED JALAPENOS (MAKES A 500ML JAR)

200g jalapeno chillies, sliced into discs 3-5mm thick

250ml cider vinegar

200ml filtered water

40g granulated sugar

1tsp sea salt

 1tsp black peppercorns

 1tsp cumin seeds

 1 garlic clove, peeled

 1 bay leaf

FOR THE CORNBREAD

100g unsalted butter

160g fine cornflour, fine cornmeal or very fine polenta

140g plain flour

1½tsp baking powder

¼tsp bicarbonate of soda                

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First, pickle the jalapenos. You will need to do this roughly 3 weeks in advance. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices in a large, non-reactive pan. Place over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5min, then allow to cool slightly.

Pack the jalapenos into a 500ml sterilised

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½tsp sea salt

20g light brown sugar

20g runny honey, plus extra for drizzling

1 large free-range egg, at room temperature, whisked

400ml whey or buttermilk, or 300ml plain yogurt mixed with 150ml milk 80-90g pickled jalapenos, drained and patted dry, half roughly chopped and half sliced but cooled jar, leaving a 1cm gap from the top. Add the garlic clove and bay leaf, pour over the brine, and gently tap out any trapped bubbles (trapped air can encourage fermentation). Top up with brine again so the jalapenos are entirely covered and seal with a sterilised dry lid. Store unopened in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks before opening.

To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. In a small saucepan, melt 60g of the butter and allow to cool.

Mix the cornflour/cornmeal/polenta with the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk the melted butter with the sugar and honey until it becomes smooth and thick.

Add the egg into the dry mixture until evenly incorporated, then fold in the whey

(or buttermilk or yogurt-and-milk mix). Add the roughly chopped jalapenos and stir through the sweetened butter mixture until just combined – don’t overmix.

Melt the remaining 40g butter in a 14-20cm cast-iron pan over a medium-high heat, swirling the butter around so it coats the bottom and sides of the pan. If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, grease and line a deep 30 x 20cm baking tin with butter instead.

Pour the batter into the hot pan (or greased baking tin) and spread with a spatula, levelling the top. Scatter over the jalapeno slices to decorate.

Transfer the pan to the middle of the oven and bake for 30-35min until the top of the cornbread is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of honey over the bread while it’s still hot, then put the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for 3-5min. Serve the still-hot bread in slices, or leave until completely cooled.

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