Caraway corn bread with apricot, bacon and jalapeno jam

1 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1½ cup Cornmeal
¾ cup All-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Sugar; divided use
2½ teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Caraway seeds
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Cold butter; cut into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons Room temperature butter or bacon drippings
1 cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs; separated
1 tablespoon Butter or bacon grease for greasing pan
4 Thick bacon slices
¾ cup Dried apricots; cut into very thin strips
¾ cup Water
½ cup Apricot jam
2 teaspoons Minced fresh; seeded jalapeno chili; see cook's note
Fresh chives; either short sprigs or thinly sliced

Directions

CORN BREAD

JAM

GARNISH

Notes: From Orange County Registar Advance preparation: Corn bread can be prepared 12 hours in advance. Place rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store at room temperature. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes. Jam can be prepared 3 days in advance and stored, airtight, in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Cook's note: Jalapenos vary in their degree of hotness. Make the jam and taste it. If necessary, increase the amount of chilies to suit your taste.

I have used as much as 2 tablespoons of minced jalapenos. When working with fresh chilies, wash hands and work surface thoroughly upon completion. Do NOT touch your face or eyes.

Preliminaries: Fifteen minutes before baking corn bread, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Prepare the corn bread: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process cornmeal, flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, caraway seeds and salt until blended, about 20 seconds. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles course meal. Add 2 tablespoons room temperature butter or bacon drippings and pulse until just blended. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

2. Place empty 9-by-13-inch baking pan in oven.

3. In a small bowl, combine egg yolks and buttermilk. Pour into cornmeal mix ture and stir to blend. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon sugar until stiff and glossy. Fold into cornmeal mixture in 2 additions.

4. Remove baking pan from oven and brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter or bacon drippings. Pour batter into pan and bake in preheated oven for about 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

5. Transfer to a wire rack and cool slightly. Loosen edges with a sharp knife and invert on cutting board. Using a 1½-inch round cookie cutter, cut corn bread into rounds.

6. Prepare the jam: In a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towel, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.

7. Combine dried apricots and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; boil until water evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add jam and 1 tablespoon drippings. Cook, stirring frequently, unti jam dissolves. Add bacon and jalapenos. Cool to room temperature.

Presentation: Top each corn bread round with a dollop of jam. Garnish with fresh chives and arrange on platter.

Yield: 35-40 rounds

Nutritional information (per round): 79 calories, 3 grams fat, 1⅗ grams saturated fat, 18 milligrams cholesterol, 136 milligrams sodium, 34 percent calories from fat

Source: adapted from "Bon Appetit -- Entertaining With Style"

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