Categories: Breads

Ingredients

• 1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups white cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 slice bacon

Directions

1. Place a cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium

3. high heat, and add the onions. Add the salt. If you like, add a pinch of black pepper, too. Cook stirring the onions. If they begin to stick, you can add a few drops of water, broth or wine to the skillet and stir vigorously. Continue cooking and deglazing until the onions are deep golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Set them aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and butter.
6. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until well combined. Add the onions, then fold in the blue cheese.
7. Fry or microwave the slice of bacon, and collect the drippings.
8. Carefully remove the hot cast-iron skillet from the oven, and add 1 Tablespoon of the bacon drippings to it. Swirl the drippings to coat halfway up the sides of the skillet. Place the skillet on top of the stove, and pour the batter into it.
9. Position the oven rack in the top half of the oven, place the skillet on the rack, and bake 20 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch and the top is golden. Remove form the oven, let cool slightly, and cut into wedges.

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