We made cornbread similar to how my wife grew up eating it in West Virginia. A good cast iron skillet bread with hearty crust. The other obstacle we faced was that the only type of cornmeal here in Australia we have found is Polenta which is a slightly grainier grade of Cornmeal and we have found NO Self-Rising Cornmeal. However last nights pan turned out very well. So here is our Australia made USA Southern Cornbread Sans Dairy. Here is instructions/recipe. First you need a seasoned cast iron skillet.
We set our oven to it’s MAX temperature which is only 250C (482F) and let it preheat.
Mix up 1 1/2 cup Darifree Buttermilk and let set on table.
Place 1 heaping Tablespoon of Lard / Solidified Animal Fat in large Cast Iron Skillet (Frying Pan) and place in oven to heat.
While skillet is heating measure and mix the following:
2 cups of Polenta
2 1/2 (2.5) t Baking Powder
1/2 (.5) t Salt
1/2 (.5) cup Orgran Self-Rising All Purpose Flour (which primary ingredient is corn)
When the Skillet is sufficiently hot which takes about 10 minutes, using just a fork or wooden spoon to mix, pour in the Darifree Buttermilk until right consistency. If necessary add a little more Darifree to get right consistency. (This is really where Art comes in instead of science. It may take a couple of tries to get it right.)
IMMEDIATELY pour into the HOT cast iron skillet. You should hear a pleasant sizzle and see it bubbling/frying all around the sides. Place back into oven on lower rack and bake for 15 minutes until the outer edge looks a little browned, the top is dry and has a crack.
Then open the oven move the skillet to the top rack and change the oven to Grill / Broil (ie heat only from top element), leave the oven door cracked open and let it sit in there for 1 to 2 minutes until the top is browned a little more and pull out. Then within another minute invert the pan over a large plate and the cornbread should fall out easily to the plate. Immediately and carefully cut the bread into pie shaped sections and place on table to eat.
Serving suggestions: Topped with Apple Butter, Eat with a bean Soup, Put Nuttelex or other Dairy Free Margarine on it, Crumble left overs the next moring and top with Darifree Milk like a breakfast porriage
When the skillet has cooled, just wipe it out and put it away. The Lard keeps it seasoned. My mother-in-law and my wife, keep 1 cast iron skillet for cornbread and NOTHING else is ever allowed to be made in it or face a stiff penalty.
Entries (RSS)