Southwest Hatch Chile Cheese Cornbread for Bold Flavor (Print version)

A tender, cheesy Hatch chile cornbread with roasted green chiles, sweet corn, and Southwest spice baked in a hot skillet.

# Ingredients:

For the cornbread batter

01 - 1 cup (150 g) yellow cornmeal
02 - 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

For the mix-ins

12 - 1 cup (120 g) roasted Hatch green chiles, peeled, seeded, chopped, and patted dry
13 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
14 - 1/2 cup (55 g) shredded pepper jack cheese
15 - 3/4 cup (115 g) corn kernels, fresh, frozen and thawed, or well-drained canned
16 - 1 tablespoon butter or oil, for greasing the skillet

# Instructions:

01 - Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 400°F. Let the skillet heat for at least 10 minutes while you mix the batter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cumin, and smoked paprika until evenly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth. The butter should be warm but not hot.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the Hatch chiles, cheddar, pepper jack, and corn kernels without overmixing.
05 - Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and grease it with butter or oil. Scrape in the batter, spread it evenly, and bake for 22-26 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs.
06 - Let the cornbread rest in the skillet for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter, honey butter, chili, soup, or eggs.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served warm after a 10-minute rest.
02 - Use mild or hot Hatch chiles depending on your heat preference.
03 - Pat chiles dry before adding them so the crumb stays tender, not wet.

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