Frank Stitts Corn Bread Recipes

CORN BREAD PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Make corn bread croutons:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Heat bacon fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in middle of oven 5 minutes.
• While fat heats, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together egg and milk in a small bowl, then add to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
• Carefully remove hot skillet from oven and stir scallions into hot fat (they will sizzle). Stir fat with scallions and melted butter into batter until just combined, then pour batter into hot skillet. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Turn corn bread out onto a rack and cool 15 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
• Cut corn bread into 3/4-inch cubes and spread in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in upper third of oven until edges are golden, about 10 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack.
• Make salad:
• Roast red and yellow bell peppers on racks of gas burners over high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 10 to 12 minutes (or broil peppers on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes). Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then let stand 20 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, peel peppers, discarding stems and seeds, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Whisk together vinegars, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking. Add tomatoes, onion, and olives to vinaigrette, tossing to coat, and marinate 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add roasted peppers, cucumbers, basil, mint, parsley, and croutons to bowl and toss.

FRANK STITT'S CORN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°.
• Preheat an 8-to9-inch cast-iron skillet in the hot oven.
• Add cornmeal and flour to a large bowl; stir in the milks, a little at a time, mixing with a large wooden spoon; the batter will be quite loose.
• Meanwhile, add the bacon fat to the preheated skillet, return it to the oven, and heat until the fat is very hot, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven; pour all but 1 tablespoon of the hot fat into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine.
• Add the egg and stir to combine.
• Pour the cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet and immediately place it in the oven.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and unmold; serve hot.