Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 5Alternate versions - theory and practice
My standard approach to modifying cornbread is to figure out what else we're eating, and find a mixture of cheese and herbs/spices and sometimes vegetables that will complement the meal. Just pick one from each category (Cheese, Herbs/Spices, Vegetables/Meat) and you're set to go.
Here's what I've tried:
Cheeses:
Brie, cheddar, feta, chevre (goat cheese), parmesan, blue, swiss, mozzerella, gouda, colby, cream cheese, manchego, pepper jack, and probably others that I can't recall. Really, any cheese will that's not too runny will be a good match. I'd stay away from cottage cheese and ricotta, but that's about it.
Herbs:
Fresh herbs of any type are excellent, particularly rosemary, basil, parsley, sage, oregano, chives, or thyme - most anything you've got growing outdoors. Dried spices are a fine substitute, but be sure to give them a sniff for staleness, as there's nothing like musty rosemary to throw off the whole taste.
Spices:
Chili powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, mace, mustard, paprika. Anything that works well with savory foods. I would stay away from delicate spices like cardamom, as it will have trouble standing up against the strong flavor of cornbread.
Vegetables:
Corn (canned or fresh), roasted peppers, hot peppers, fresh or cooked onions, fresh or roasted garlic, roasted or sun-dried tomatoes (fresh are too watery), green onion, roasted sweet potato, etc. Most anything with complementary flavor will work, provided you pre-cook it and chop it into smallish chunks.
Meat:
Bacon! This can be a tasty addition to most any dish. Non-vegetarian, but tasty. Ham and other pre-cooked meat and/or lunchmeats will work well too.
Some recommended combinations:
Sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, and brie
Corn, roasted peppers, basil, and mozzerella cheese
Roasted garlic, thyme, and chevre
Bacon, sage, and swiss cheese
Try it out, and see what you like! There's really no way to go wrong.
Here's what I've tried:
Cheeses:
Brie, cheddar, feta, chevre (goat cheese), parmesan, blue, swiss, mozzerella, gouda, colby, cream cheese, manchego, pepper jack, and probably others that I can't recall. Really, any cheese will that's not too runny will be a good match. I'd stay away from cottage cheese and ricotta, but that's about it.
Herbs:
Fresh herbs of any type are excellent, particularly rosemary, basil, parsley, sage, oregano, chives, or thyme - most anything you've got growing outdoors. Dried spices are a fine substitute, but be sure to give them a sniff for staleness, as there's nothing like musty rosemary to throw off the whole taste.
Spices:
Chili powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, mace, mustard, paprika. Anything that works well with savory foods. I would stay away from delicate spices like cardamom, as it will have trouble standing up against the strong flavor of cornbread.
Vegetables:
Corn (canned or fresh), roasted peppers, hot peppers, fresh or cooked onions, fresh or roasted garlic, roasted or sun-dried tomatoes (fresh are too watery), green onion, roasted sweet potato, etc. Most anything with complementary flavor will work, provided you pre-cook it and chop it into smallish chunks.
Meat:
Bacon! This can be a tasty addition to most any dish. Non-vegetarian, but tasty. Ham and other pre-cooked meat and/or lunchmeats will work well too.
Some recommended combinations:
Sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, and brie
Corn, roasted peppers, basil, and mozzerella cheese
Roasted garlic, thyme, and chevre
Bacon, sage, and swiss cheese
Try it out, and see what you like! There's really no way to go wrong.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
1
comment
|
Add Comment
|
Mar 5, 2009. 10:20 AMDarkstar
says:
Cornbread is a great and versatile quick bread. One suggestion I'd make is to procure a cast iron skillet to bake it in. Preheat your oven with the skillet in it and mix your batter. Pour batter into hot skillet and bake. The edges get brown, crusty, carmalized, and delicious. Also it's very easy and just about as cheap to make cornbread from scratch. Enjoy this excellent food!
Reply
 |
Add Comment
|
