Cornbread With Pancetta Food

CAESAR SALAD WITH SPICY PANCETTA AND CORNBREAD CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, milk and eggs. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Coat the sides and bottom of a 9-inch skillet with the remaining butter. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake until the center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. Cut half of the cornbread into cubes. (Devour the other half with butter and jam.)
• For the dressing: Combine the mustard, garlic, a pinch salt and about 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper in a food processor. Pulse to blend. With the machine running, pour the lemon juice and caper juice into the mix. Slowly pour in the olive oil and then the canola oil. Transfer the dressing to a bowl. Taste for seasoning. Too lemony? Add more oil. Too oily, add more lemon. Stir in the anchovies, anchovy oil and a few tablespoons grated Parmesan. Refrigerate. (See Cook's Note.)
• For the salad: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread the cornbread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until browned and toasty, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add about three quarters of the dressing to a large bowl and toss the romaine with the dressing. Grate some Parmesan over the leaves. Use a tea strainer or sifter to sprinkle the pancetta with an even, light layer of the cayenne. Top with salad with the pancetta and warm cornbread croutons and serve immediately.

PEACH AND CORNBREAD PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a baking sheet.
• Put the cornbread on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil and season with salt. Bake until nicely toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the dressing: Whisk the mustard, vinegar, oil, capers, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
• For the salad: Add the peaches, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions to the dressing and toss. Add in the cornbread cubes and basil and toss again. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
• Drizzle olive oil over the top. Place slices of prosciutto over the top.

TUSCAN CORNBREAD WITH ASIAGO BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Reserve drippings in skillet. If necessary, add enough oil to measure 2 tablespoons drippings., In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, basil and garlic until blended; stir in tomatoes. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in olives and pancetta., Place skillet with drippings in oven; heat 2 minutes. Tilt pan to coat bottom and sides with drippings. Add batter to hot pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in oil until blended; stir in cheese, green onion, basil, oregano and, if desired, garlic. Serve 1/2 cup butter mixture with warm cornbread (save remaining butter for another use).

CORNBREAD PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, reserving the drippings in the skillet, then chop.
• Add half of the Cornbread cubes to the hot bacon drippings in the skillet and brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and let cool. Add vegetable oil to the skillet if it becomes dry, then brown the remaining cornbread cubes. Let cool.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, basil, capers, cucumber and onion. Toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve right away.
• Just before serving, add the cornbread cubes and bacon and toss. Garnish with additional basil, if desired.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking pan with vegetable shortening or cooking spray.
• Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, butter, vegetable oil and egg in a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened. (The batter will be lumpy and thick.)
• Bake the cornbread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

CORNBREAD DRESSING WITH PANCETTA, APPLES, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Allow the diced bread to sit out on sheet pans for several hours or overnight, until dried out.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Wash the mushrooms thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a bowl with the canola oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; mushrooms will be very coated. Divide the mushrooms between 2 sheet pans and roast in the upper half of the oven for at least 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through roasting. Remove from the oven when the mushrooms are deep brown. Set aside.
• Reduce the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, cook the pancetta over medium-high heat until the fat is rendered and pancetta is golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Without cleaning the skillet, add in the onions and brown for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the apples, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Decrease the heat to medium and pour in the wine (be careful if you're using an open flame). Stir and cook to reduce the liquid by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the apple/onion mixture into a bowl and set aside.
• Return the skillet to medium heat (again, without washing) and add the chicken broth, thyme, turmeric, rosemary, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Heat for a few minutes, and then set aside.
• Add the bread to a large bowl, and then add the browned pancetta, mushrooms, and apple/onion mixture (and any juices that might have accumulated). Next, add the broth mixture gradually as you toss the ingredients, being prepared not to use all of the liquid, according to your taste.
• Check the seasonings at the end and add in the minced parsley. Pour into a large baking dish or iron skillet and bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. (Or you can stuff the turkey if you're into that kind of thing).
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons shortening in an iron skillet, muffin pan, or other baking pan. Combine the cornmeal, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, milk, and egg. Add the baking powder and baking soda. Stir. Add the remaining 1/4 cup melted shortening, stirring constantly. Pour into the hot pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

TUSCAN STYLE CORNBREAD (POLENTA BREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F In a medium bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a 10 inch cast iron skillet or 9-inch round cake pan and place in oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and swirl oil around to coat bottom and sides.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine half-and-half, eggs, and remaining oil. Crumble in bacon, then stir in tomatoes, shallot, and rosemary. Add dry cornmeal mixture and stir just until moistened. Pour batter into skillet or cake pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
• Cut into wedges and serve with softened butter.

CORNBREAD WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Butter two 9 1/2-inch-diameter deep-dish pie dishes.
• Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, sage, pepper, salt, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl and whisk to blend.
• Combine buttermilk, sun-dried tomatoes, reserved sun-dried tomato oil, butter, eggs and egg yolk in medium bowl and whisk to blend.
• Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients.
• Divide cornbread batter between prepared dishes.
• Bake corn breads until tops begin to brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Corn breads can be prepared 6 hours ahead.
• To reheat, cover with aluminum foil.
• Reheat covered in 350°F oven about 10 minutes.
• Cut cornbreads into wedges.
• Transfer to towel-lined basket; serve warm.

CORNBREAD STUFFING WITH PANCETTA AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Divide cornbread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread in a single layer. Bake, stirring a few times, until crisp and dry, about 25 minutes. Let cool. Break a piece open to make sure it's dried all the way through; if not, bake a few more minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Melt butter in a large ovenproof cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add scallion white and light-green parts, pancetta, celery, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and golden in places, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute. Pour in wine; cook until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Add scallion mixture to bowl with toasted cornbread. Drizzle with stock, stirring to combine. Stir in eggs to evenly coat. Return to skillet. Top with buttered parchment; loosely wrap with foil. (If making ahead, refrigerate at this point until you're ready to bake.) Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; continue cooking until golden on top, about 20 minutes more. Serve, with scallion greens sprinkled on top.

CORNBREAD WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing to blend. Stir in pancetta-butter mixture. Pour into prepared pan and bake until browned, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.