Cornbread

My friends Mark & Susan occasionally give me the turnips from their CSA share, because they don't care for them and I love them. I cooked the greens to have for my lunches (for dinner, I'll puree the roots with a russet potato, some leeks, and a bit of cream).

Last night, Susan asked if I'd used bacon fat in the greens. A true southern girl would have, but I didn't. Not because I'm opposed to it -- I LOVE BACON FAT!! -- only because I didn't have any. However, I did make cornbread, which is a "must" with turnip greens. Mmmm...

When I was real little, our cornbread was made with buttermilk and all cornmeal. No flour or sugar; that would be Yankee cornbread. But later my mom was given a recipe called California Cornbread, which tasted nearly like dessert to us and we often ate it for breakfast. I've adapted it since then, and without further ado, I give to you my standard cornbread recipe:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
4 T. canola (or other neutral flavored) oil

I've never written directions for it. Best I can tell you is to whisk all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl (or more likely, I use the measuring cup I put the milk in), whisk together the wet ingredient. Dump the wet into the dry and stir just until it's all moistened; don't overdo it.

I cook it in my tiny (#5) cast iron skillet, but you could double the amounts and use an 8x8" baking pan. Cast iron gives it a better crust though, especially if you grease it first and put it in the oven while the oven preheats to 425 degrees.

My mother-in-law asked me once how long to bake it. I swear I was not being a smart alek when I said "until it's done". Honest. I don't know... 15 minutes? 20? It will have nice brown flecks on it, and if you poke it with a toothpick, there won't be any wet batter on it when you pull it out.