Cornmeal and Mixed-seed Bread

Begin by sifting the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda together into a large bowl, then add the polenta, all the seeds, the oatmeal and caster sugar and give everything a good mixing.

Next, whisk the egg and buttermilk together, add this to the bowl and gradually stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a soft and slack dough. Now just transfer the dough to the prepared loaf tin, scatter the reserved poppy seeds over and bake the loaf on the middle shelf of the oven for 50-60 minutes.

The loaf is cooked when, after you've turned it out, it sounds hollow when you tap the underneath with your knuckles. Return it to the oven upside down, without its tin, for 5 minutes to give it a final 'crunch', then cool it on a wire rack.