If you like your cornbread smooth and unruffled, then this recipe is not for you. But if you prefer a little crunchy pizazz enlivening each bite, then this sumptuous preparation will make you swoon with pleasure.

Folded into the batter are pine nuts as well as whole kernels of corn. (If fresh corn isn’t in season, use frozen.) The addition of these ingredients imparts a wonderful texture to the bread. The recipe calls for blue cornmeal, but I’ve used yellow, and the dish is still delicious.

Great for stuffing or warmed up a bit and slathered with butter, this corn bread also goes really well with chili. To keep it moist and tender, be careful not to overbake it.

Blue Cornmeal Bread

I found this cornbread recipe on Epicurious, but it was originally created by Cyotes Deli & Grill in Banff, Canada.

This sweet corn bread is best served warm. If you can’t find blue cornmeal, don’t worry: Yellow cornmeal works well, too.
Yield: Makes about 28 pieces

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups blue cornmeal* or yellow cornmeal
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed, drained

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, pine nuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl to blend. Whisk milk, vegetable oil, eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl to blend. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until just blended. Fold in corn kernels. Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cut bread into 2-inch squares and serve warm.

*Blue cornmeal is available at natural foods stores and specialty foods stores.

Related posts:

1. All Corn Dinner: With Cocktails Try Chewy Corn Nibbles
2. Corn Dinner: First Course, Grilled Corn on the Cob
3. Corn Dinner: Main Course, Corn and Clam Chowder