Skillet sage & peppered cornbread

1 Batch

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
6 slices Bacon
1¼ cup Corn meal
¾ cup White flour
½ teaspoon Salt
3 teaspoons Baking powder
½ teaspoon Crushed dried red chile pepper
¼ teaspoon Ground white pepper
1 teaspoon Paprika
1¼ cup Buttermilk
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Molasses or honey
3 tablespoons Freshly chopped sage (generous tablespoons)
2 tablespoons Green onions; chopped
2 tablespoons Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

In a 9 to 10" cast iron skillet, fry bacon until crisp; reserve fat.

Crumble bacon.

In a medium size bowl, mix the corn meal, flour, salt, baking powder, peppers and paprika; blend well with a fork.

In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, egg and molasses or honey, then mix with dry ingredients. Add the chopped sage, onions, Parmesan and crumbled bacon.

In skillet, heat ¼ cup of the reserved bacon fat to near smoking, and pour into the corn meal mixture. Immediately return to the hot, greased skillet and bake at 425 F. for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Do not overcook!

Note: Try making this recipe in a cast iron corn pone mold.

(Vegetarians can substitute ¼ cup oil for bacon fat.) Use leftovers to make cornbread stuffing ~ delicious in baked onions, tomatoes or pork chops.

Hutson writes: "Dunk this dense, country-style cornbread in beans, hearty stews or gravy. The smoky flavor of bacon and fiery peppers is complemented by the fresh flavor of sage." From _The Herb Garden Cookbook_ by Lucinda Hutson. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing Company, 1992. ISBN 0-87719-215-4. Pg. 142. Electronic format by Cathy Harned. Submitted By CATHY HARNED

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