Skillet Cornbread with Jalapeño and Cheddar

• 60 g Unsalted butter
• 180 g Cornmeal
• 90 g Plain flour
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp Caster sugar
• 300 ml Buttermilk
• 2 Egg
• 1 Jalapeno pepper, firm
• 120 g Cheddar cheese, mature

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Put a 23 cm cast-iron frying pan in the oven to heat for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, then take off the heat to cool slightly. Finely chop the jalapeño and grate the cheddar.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, plain flour, baking powder, fine sea salt and caster sugar. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs, then whisk in the melted butter.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold just until you no longer see dry patches. Fold through most of the jalapeño and cheddar, reserving a small handful of each for the top.
5. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and swirl a little of the batter around the base to coat it, then scrape in the rest. Sprinkle over the reserved jalapeño and cheddar, then bake for 16 to 18 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
6. Rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm. If you like extra crisp edges, leave it in the pan for a further 2 minutes before slicing.

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