Chili Chorizo Cornbread

Chili Chorizo Cornbread –  This green chili and chorizo infused cornbread is so moist and tender, I struggled with naming it.  When you think of traditional cornbread, although delicious the texture isn’t quite as soft as this cornbread.  The delicate texture comes from using sour cream and an entire can of cream style corn in the batter.   I wondered if I should call it a casserole.  While it is indeed rich and hearty, it’s not really a main dish but a perfect companion to pinto beans, fresh from the garden green beans, or a bowl of soup during cooler weather.

When cornbread comes up in conversation it tends to always end in debate.  I’ve heard some say that “real” Southern cornbread doesn’t have any flour in it. That’s simply not true.  Cornbread recipes like any other handed down, usually have the same ingredients as your Mother used and her Mother taught her to use.  In my cookbook what Momma says is always right.  The same goes for the great debate of sweet versus savory.  I like cornbread both ways and would never tell someone they’re making it “wrong” simply because it’s not my preference.  My Daddy loved to crumble cornbread in cold buttermilk at the end of our meal and because of that for him it simply had to be savory.  To this day sweet cornbread isn’t his favorite although he has warmed considerably to the idea.  I must say I don’t think I’ve ever seen a biscuit or a piece cornbread that I didn’t like.   Unless it was incredibly dry and you know that’s never good.

I think cornbread itself is such a wonderful starting point to turn something inexpensive and simple into something truly special like this chili chorizo cornbread.  Variety is the spice of life, yes?  It doesn’t matter how you make it, cornbread is here to stay as one of the famous house breads of the South.

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Chili Chorizo Cornbread

Servings 9 pieces

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 8 oz chorizo sausage cooked and crumbled
• 2 cup white self-rising cornmeal [i.e. Martha White]
• 1 [14] oz can cream style corn
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 [4] oz can green chilies drained
• 2 large eggs
• 4 green onion thinly sliced
• 2 cup shredded sharp cheddar divided
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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. Whisk together he cornmeal, cream corn. sour cream, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, green chilies and eggs.
3. Mix in cooked and crumbled chorizo sausage, 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and green onion by hand.
4. Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center show moist crumbs.