Savory Herb Bread
This quick bread recipe is a family favorite, passed down to me by my mom. It uses a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour to provide both fiber and structure, and cornmeal to add natural sweetness - eliminating the need for refined sugar. To finish off the flavor profile, a touch of honey is added. The dried herbs and fennel included in the recipe create an unusual and complex, yet satisfying taste in this delicious bread.
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 1955kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour preferably unbleached
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk see substitution in Note below
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup organic vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, dill, oregano, basil, thyme and fennel. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, honey and oil. Stir into the flour mixture just until blended.
- Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Buttermilk substitution: Stir together 1 3/4 cups regular milk and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes at room temperature. I don’t recommend using powdered buttermilk in this recipe - the bread tends to come out very dry if you do.
High altitude: Above 7500 feet, reduce baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon.
Make ahead: Bread can be made up to 2 days ahead, wrapped in foil and refrigerated.
Note: This recipe was originally published in my cookbook A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®.
Nutrition
Calories: 1955kcal | Carbohydrates: 254g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 87g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 44g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 232mg | Sodium: 3083mg | Potassium: 1527mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 1073IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1178mg | Iron: 15mg