I usually have store-bought jarred pickled banana pepper rings and jalapeño slices in the fridge that I use here and there, and I feel they're totally underrated. I've started thinking up ways to use them in different recipes, and not just on sandwiches or nachos. And that is the story of my pickled pepper cornbread.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (see notes for substitution)
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
1/2 cup pickled banana pepper rings
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
*Notes:
- If you don’t have buttermilk, pour 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into a measuring cup and fill up to the 1 cup line with milk (I use whole). Stir and let sit for 5 minutes, then it’s ready to use!
- For less heat, opt for the jars that say "mild" or "tamed".
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F, and place a cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat at the same time. Baking cornbread in a preheated cast iron skillet gives me the best results, but feel free to use a square baking pan or muffin tin instead (do not preheat - just bake a few minutes longer).
In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the buttermilk and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. Don’t over-stir; it’s ok if there are some lumps.
Chop half of the peppers and leave the others intact in slices. Fold the chopped peppers and half of the scallions into the batter. Using oven mitts, remove the preheated skillet from the oven and lightly grease with canola oil (or scallion oil!). Pour the batter into the skillet and allow it to settle and even out. Scatter the remaining peppers and scallions on top and bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Slice and serve!
Visuals
The ingredients. Since my kids aren't yet able to handle a lot of heat, I went for the "tamed" and "mild" peppers.
Half of the peppers chopped and half left intact in slices.
Batter in the skillet, topped with pepper slices, and ready to go in the oven!
25 minutes later ...
The perfect side for grilled BBQ chicken and mixed vegetables! If you can get your hands on some Mike's Hot Honey, you can kick the heat up a notch!
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