GRAMMAW'S BLACK-SKILLET CORNBREAD

[andiesenji]

GRAMMAW'S BLACK-SKILLET CORNBREAD

Serves 8.

This is a dense, hearty bread, it will hold together when dipped in navy bean soup.

This is nothing at all like the Marie Callenders type of cornbread which is too sweet and more like cake than bread.

This sticks to your ribs.

Note, there is NO sugar in this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups stone-ground cornmeal, white or yellow

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons canola oil or corn oil

(I prefer bacon drippings or melted lard, but I don't have to worry about cholesterol and I know a lot of folks won't use it)

Preheat oven to 450. Grease skillet and place in oven to heat. (If using lard, melt it in the skillet)

Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk to mix.

Add eggs, buttermilk and oil. (If using lard, pour the melted lard into a metal cup to measure, make sure there is some still in the skillet).

Mix just enough to be sure all the dry ingredients are moist and there are no dry lumps.

Pour into hot, well-greased skillet, return to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Turn out onto wire rack if not serving immediately or onto a cutting board. Do not cut in the skillet!

Cut into 8 wedges. serve hot with fresh butter.

This also makes nice griddle cakes or waffles served with butter and maple syrup.

For waffles, substitue flour for up to half of the cornmeal and add two tablespoons of sugar.

YIELD: Makes 8 wedges

SOURCE: Andie’s Grammaw

Variations:

you can add freshly-cut-off-the-cob sweet corn.

You can add some green chiles or Jalapenos if you like spicy.

You can add crumbled crisp bacon

You can add some finely diced onion lightly toasted in the oven.

You can add a bit of grated cheese. I grate it fairly fine and let it

air dry for close to an hour so it doesn't melt away to nothing.

( RG1807 )