Cornbread with cheddar and wild garlic recipe
 This is a classic American cornbread recipe, with added cheese, that gets smothered in garlic butter. Delicious served with succotash lard or butter, for greasing250g/9oz medium cornmeal 100g/3½oz plain flour1 tbsp baking powder½ tsp bicarbonate of soda2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten400ml/14fl oz buttermilk100g/3½oz wild garlic, finely chopped or 2 garlic cloves, grated50g/1¾oz butter50g/1¾oz cheddar or other hard cheese, coarsely grated1 tsp salt, divided lard or butter, for greasing 250g/9oz medium cornmeal 100g/3½oz plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten 400ml/14fl oz buttermilk 100g/3½oz wild garlic, finely chopped or 2 garlic cloves, grated 50g/1¾oz butter 50g/1¾oz cheddar or other hard cheese, coarsely grated 1 tsp salt, divided Method Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Grease a 23cm/9in square baking tin with the lard. Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix thoroughly to combine. Lightly mix the eggs into the buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture and half of the garlic. Add the cheese and beat together to create a smooth batter. Scrape the batter into the tin and smooth the top with a palette knife. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the remaining garlic with the butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. Spread some of this over the cornbread and return to the oven for 5 minutes. The cornbread is done when it is well risen and golden brown with a crust on top. Spread more of the garlic butter over the cornbread when it comes out of the oven and serve the rest in a small bowl alongside. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Grease a 23cm/9in square baking tin with the lard. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Grease a 23cm/9in square baking tin with the lard. Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix thoroughly to combine. Lightly mix the eggs into the buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture and half of the garlic. Add the cheese and beat together to create a smooth batter. Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix thoroughly to combine. Lightly mix the eggs into the buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture and half of the garlic. Add the cheese and beat together to create a smooth batter. Scrape the batter into the tin and smooth the top with a palette knife. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the remaining garlic with the butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. Spread some of this over the cornbread and return to the oven for 5 minutes. The cornbread is done when it is well risen and golden brown with a crust on top. Scrape the batter into the tin and smooth the top with a palette knife. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the remaining garlic with the butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. Spread some of this over the cornbread and return to the oven for 5 minutes. The cornbread is done when it is well risen and golden brown with a crust on top. Spread more of the garlic butter over the cornbread when it comes out of the oven and serve the rest in a small bowl alongside. Spread more of the garlic butter over the cornbread when it comes out of the oven and serve the rest in a small bowl alongside.