Corny stuff...
When you make chili, you've got to make it spicy, and when you do, you want to make something to cool it down a bit.
The best thing for that task, I think, is corn bread.
Corn bread is a very versitile side dish that can be changed about your taste.
Sweet? Savory? Spicy? All of the above? You are the boss. What do you want?
Thick, moist and cake like? Thin and crispy? Again, it's up to you.
Americans have known about and eaten cornbread since our ealiest days. The native Americans learned early to dry and grind corn into corn meal, the basic ingredient in cornbread. When mixed with eggs and corn flour, the easiest and simplest of cornbreads can be made. Thin, dense, and flat, it was just the way to transport healthy food for long distances over periods of time without all the weight.
For us, it's more a matter of good taste rather than convenience.
Personally, I like thick, moist, sweet, with whole corn kernels and cheesy corn bread. That's the recipe I'll share with you. Feel free to add or subtract to make it your own...
Corn Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup masa harina (dried and powdered)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Honey, to taste
In a medium bowl beat the butter until it's creamy. Add the corn flour and water and beat until it's well mixed.
Stir the thawed corn into the butter mixture.
In a separate bowl, mix the cornmeal, the sugar, the cream, the salt, and the baking powder. Add to corn flour mixture and stir to combine it all.
Add the cheese and stir to combine.
Pour the batter into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch baking pan.
Smooth the batter.
Squeeze honey on the surface - as little or as much as you'd like.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
