Corn Muffins with Sage, Jalapeno and Cheese (or not)

Corn Muffins (or mini loaves) with Sage, Jalapeno and Cheese
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman by Blue Heron Kitchen

This is the time of year when corn is all over your life. 


Sage is becoming one of my favorite herbs. I have a handsome pineapple sage plant with luscious foliage. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving, when neither corn nor sage is in season on the east coast. If your fridge is bursting with too much corn (mine was) double this recipe (I did.)  Alternatively, go to "search this blog", type in "corn". "Corn chowder" will get you out of this mess.

In a recent conversation with my mother about some Greek walnut rusks that I'd made with whole wheat flour (they were vile), she advised me that whole wheat flour makes everything dry. I don’t entirely agree with her. The way I see it, I am sentenced devoted to incorporating whole grains, the more the better, into my diet. At the same time, I’m genuinely devoted to and always learn from my mother. So, I’ve gone halfsies with whole wheat and all-purpose flour to moisten the situation and hopefully smooth out any rough edges between Mom and me. Love you, Mom.


Sugar? Although this recipe is not sugar-free, it’s just not that sweet. Reduce or increase the honey to your liking – your call. I'm kind of generous with my tablespoons. Nobody dives in for sour muffins.


Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably organic stone-ground
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage
2 eggs, size large, room temperature
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, organic, fat free if you can find it
1/4 cup Canola or other vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 cup corn kernels (about 1-2 ear of corn – you can be generous)
2 Tbsp. minced jalapeño (1 medium)
Optional: 1/2 cup (1 oz.) grated, aged cheddar (Grafton is a good choice), or other cheese that will stand up and round out the pepper/corn situation. I used Greek Manouri cheese, which is a sheep’s milk, ricotta-like cheese.


Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven to 400º F. with the rack positioned in the upper third. Paper cups, oil or butter muffin or mini loaf tins.
2. In a large bowl, sift together cornmeal, flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Whisk together.
3. In a large (1 qt.) liquid measure, measure the buttermilk, then the oil, add eggs and honey and whisk together.

4. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir or fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
5. Dump in the corn kernels, minced jalapeño, sage and (optional) cheese and fold into batter. Don't (ever) overmix.

corn, sage, jalapeno and (not joking), Manouri cheese

dump and fold

(a double recipe fills a half sheet)

6. Spoon into prepared tins or cups, filling them to just below the top (about 4/5 full).


7. Bake approximately 15 to 25 minutes, depending upon size, until risen and lightly browned.


Yield: One batch should yield about a dozen human-sized muffins. You take it from there. I always double recipes – same effort, yield: two for you, one for me, six for the freezer and a few for the space you freed up in the fridge from using the corn.


Storage: These keep for a couple of days out of the refrigerator, a few more days in the fridge, and for a few months in the freezer.


Serve with: a drizzle of honey, strawberry or other fruity butter, confiture du jour: peach, fig, citrus or try them warm from the oven, with nothing at all. 


Mom, this one's for you (always look on the bright side of life)
peace and love always,
jane