I ventured into the freezer for last night's dinner, plucking some sirloin pork chops for the grill. Realizing that the opened package of pancetta was not going to last forever, I determined to finish that up, too. I covered the chops with a spice rub before cooking them, and then decided to mix the pancetta into some cornbread batter as an accompaniment to the chops. Here is the recipe:Cornbread with Pancetta and Rosemary
Serves 6
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground and organic (the IGA and Provisions both have it, so what is your excuse for buying Quaker?)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups whole or lowfat milk
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat the inside of an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the pancetta in a skillet until almost crisp but not too dark. Drain on paper towels.
3. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, rosemary, and pancetta in a medium bowl.
4. Whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg, and milk in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cornbread cool for 5 minutes in the pan and serve it warm.
