Yes, I Fried Leftover Cornbread in Bacon Fat
Ok, so you read the last post, you read to yourself "vegetarian chili, sweet corn bread" and thought "eh, I'm not that impressed, I'm moving on with my day, I'm going to read about Anderson Cooper's gayness and Katie Holmes protecting her kids from Tom Cruise's Scientology." That's your prerogative. I won't judge.
But you won't be clicking away so fast when I tell you what I did with that leftover cornbread the next morning. It's almost pornographic, what happened, so parents, please shield your children's eyes.
It started with very good bacon from Lindy & Grundy. Into my cold cast-iron skillet it went, and up went the heat to medium low so it would render slowly:
Meanwhile, I took the pot of leftover chili out of the fridge and brought it to a simmer. This is unrelated to the bacon fat-fried corn bread, but connected to the final plate:
When the bacon was good and crisp and fried on both sides, I removed it from the pan and cranked the heat up to high. That's when I added the cornbread:
I heard a sizzle and just imagined the wonderful things that were happening in that pan. I imagine the bacon fat like Sharon Stone uncrossing her legs in "Basic Instinct." I imagine the cornbread like Jack McBrayer on "30 Rock." You can't conceive of a more erotic combination.
When the corn bread was fried on all sides, I removed it to a plate along with some of the chili which I topped with sour cream and scallions and cilantro; I also fried two eggs to round out the plate.
But let's talk about that cornbread.
I loved that cornbread just by itself hot out of the oven. But fried in bacon fat? The outside gets all crispy and caramelized; the inside is somehow moister, basted, as it is, in pork-flavored fat. It's a glorious marriage of two already indulgent ingredients.
So yes, I fried leftover cornbread in bacon fat. And I'd gladly do it again.