Ingredients
- 11/2 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 slice smoked bacon
- 4 scallions, finely minced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Directions
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Stir the egg mixture into the dry mixture until well blended. Set aside.
Fry the bacon in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and add the scallions to the skillet. Sauté the scallions for 1 minute, then transfer to the cornmeal batter. Crumble the bacon into fine pieces. Stir the crumbled bacon and melted butter into the batter, then spoon the batter into the hot skillet.
Immediately, wearing oven mitts, place the skillet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting.
Turn leftover cornbread into croutons for Prairie Panzanella (page 147) or other salads. Cut the cornbread into ¾-inch cubes, spread on a baking sheet, and toast in a 350 degree F oven until the edges turn golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe from Heartland by Judith Fertig/Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2
