Ingredients:

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 8 tablespoons shortening

  • 4 Serrano chiles, seeded and minced

  • 3 cloves minced garlic

  • 1 cup flour

  • 1¼ cups blue cornmeal or yellow cornmeal

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1½ teaspoons salt

  • 3 eggs

  • 1¼ cups milk, at room temperature

  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  • olive oil, for brushing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter and shortening over low heat.  Add the Serranos and garlic, and sauté for 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Place cast-iron nonstick corn-bread molds in the oven to warm for at least 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.  In a medium bowl, beat the eggs lightly, and then add the melted butter, shortening, Serranos, and garlic.  Stir in the milk.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat just until smooth; do not over mix.  Add the cilantro.

Remove the mold from the oven and brush generously with the oil. Reheat the molds for about two minutes and, and then pour the batter into the molds. (Alternatively, use a cast-iron corn stick pan or muffin pan.) Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the corn bread is a little golden and springy to the touch.