Savory Muffins are often underrated to their sweet counterparts. But they will promise to be a welcome change with your morning tea or coffee, especially when you try these fool-proof Corn & Red Pepper Muffins, artistically crafted by none other than Dorie Greenspan, the famous baker! Made with cornmeal, they taste similar to corn-bread, but the addition of chillies, cilantro, scallions and fresh corn give it that extra edge that will leave an enticing effect on your taste-buds!
[Recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours; photo credit, Donna Diegel]
Savory Corn and Red Pepper Muffins
Yields about 12 medium-sized muffins
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1 small jalapeño pepper – seeded and finely diced
1/4 red bell pepper – seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
Method
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, chili powder, salt, baking soda and black pepper. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter and egg yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough–the batter will be lumpy, and that’s just way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels, jalapeño, red pepper, scallions and cilantro. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.
Serving: These are particularly good served warm and still very good at room temperature. As a morning muffin, they’re good with butter; for lunch or supper, try them with red pepper jelly or salsa.
Storing: Best served the day they are made, these can be kept covered overnight and split and toasted the next day. They can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split and toast them.
Such a gorgeous muffins…looks yummy!!