Original recipe of the week: Quick & Tasty Cornbread

Sweetcorn has to be the hardest working vegetable out there, it is edible in nearly every form: fresh, popped, dried…. the list goes on. This makes use of polenta, along with other pantry staples and is the perfect slap-together dish. In terms of bakeware, cornbread is traditionally baked in a cast-iron frying pan but you can really use anything ovenproof. We have made use of a good quality 20cm frying pan, which is safe to use in the oven (make sure the handle is made of iron or thermoplastic). Enjoy it with a zesty lime butter (simply zest a lime into softened salted butter), syrup or even toasted.

Quick & Tasty Cornbread

Serves: 4-6 people

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

What you will need:

 1 cup plain flour

1 cup polenta (any type will work here)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 good pinch of salt

1 cup of milk

60ml vegetable oil plus 1 tablespoon extra

2 eggs

Optional: Lime-butter, to serve

What you need to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°c.

2. Pour the spare tablespoon of oil into the frying pan and put in the oven to heat up.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

4. In a jug or smaller bowl, mix together the milk, oil and eggs.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix through to combine.

6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and pour in the batter.

7. Place back in the oven and allow to cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

8. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a board, cut into wedges and serve with desired accompaniment.

Jessica Spiro