Corn and Jalapeño Muffins

adapted from New York Times Cooking

Yield: about 12 large muffins or 36 mini muffins

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven: 400° F.

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and the jalapeño and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place 4 Tablespoons of butter in a glass bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, about 30-45 seconds. Watch it closely.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat in the eggs and buttermilk to make a thick batter. Fold in the corn kernels, the jalapeño and melted butter. Stir in the shredded cheese.

For large muffins, fill muffin papers 3/4 full with batter. Bake about 12 minutes. Test the muffins with a toothpick before removing from the oven. (If you prefer, muffins may be baked in a well buttered muffin tin.)

For mini muffins, place about 1 1/2 Tablespoons batter in each section. Bake about 10 minutes, until golden. Check for doneness using a toothpick.