Jalapeño-Cornmeal Muffins

By á-170456

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups fine- or medium-grind cornmeal preferably
• stone-ground
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 jalapeño chile peppers seeded, minced
• 1 zucchini shredded
• 1/4 cup olive oil or sesame oil
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Asiago cheese
• Unsalted butter for serving

Details

Servings 11

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Grease 11 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray; fill the unused cup one-third full with water to prevent warping.

In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the jalapeño chilies and zucchini and toss to distribute evenly.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the oil, eggs and buttermilk. Stir just until evenly moistened, using no more than 15 to 20 strokes. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each level with the rim. Sprinkle each muffin with some of the cheese.

Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately unmold the muffins onto a wire rack. Serve them hot, warm or at room temperature, with butter.

This recipe yields 11 muffins.