Double Corn Spoon Bread with chiles and cheese

taken from The Texas Border Cookbook by W Park Kerr and Norma Kerr

"Serve it as a meal's bread or in place of potatoes or other starch with chili, brisket, fried chicken, etc., or try it at brunch teamed with eggs and bacon. When hot and freshly baked, the bread is soft and spoonable; it firms as it cools and then cuts neatly into squares..."

(true confession: I have never taken the time to roast the green chiles. I'm sure it would be a fabulous addition to this recipe. But, I have substituted a can of diced green chiles.)



6 long green chiles
8 eggs, beaten
two 16-oz cans cream-style corn
8 oz. medium sharp cheddar or monterey jack cheese (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
two 4-oz jars of roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup cultured buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
5 pickled jalapeno chiles, stemmed and minced, about 1/3 cup
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

In the open flame of a gas burner or under a preheated broiler, roast the long green chiles, turning them, until they are lightly but evenly charred. Steam the chiles in a paper bag, or in a bowl, covered with a plate, until cool. Rub away the burned peel. Stem and seed the chiles and coarsely chop them. there should be about 1 cup.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375. Butter a 10-12 cup shallow casserole dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream-style corn, and cheese. Stir in the cornmeal, green chiles, red peppers, and buttermilk. Add the sugar, jalapenos, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix well. Transfer the batter to the baking dish.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and just barely set in the center. Serve hot or warm.