Dutch-Oven Green-Chile Cornbread

By Joelene

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (plus extra to prepare pan)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup roasted, seeded and diced green chiles (canned may be used)
• 1 1/2 cups cream-style corn
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (may use jalapeño Jack for more spark)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 325 degrees if cooking in the oven. If cooking outside, light 18 charcoal briquettes or use the glowing embers from a wood fire.

Butter a 10-inch Dutch oven with a lid, or a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chiles, corn and cheese and mix well. Sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; add to the egg mixture and mix until smooth.

To make cornbread in the Dutch oven:

Pour batter into the prepared Dutch oven. If baking over a fire, place the Dutch oven on top of 9 of the briquettes (or glowing embers) and place the remaining 9 briquettes (or embers) on top of the lid. Don't let briquettes touch the bottom of the Dutch oven. The legs of the Dutch oven should keep it elevated 1/2 inch or so above the briquettes.

Ideally, the Dutch oven should be placed in a pit just deep and wide enough to hold it so it's surrounded by a consistent, even heat. Bake approximately 1 hour.

If using a conventional oven, bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

To make cornbread in the baking pan:

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in oven until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1/2 hour. (The thinner pan will cook the bread faster.)