In the American South, delicate cornmeal flatbreads known as hoecakes are a classic accompaniment to the regions signature barbecue. Originally a simple mixture of cornmeal, water and salt, hoecakes are so named for their earliest method of preparation. According to legend, early settlers and field hands cooked the cornmeal griddlecakes on the blades of hoes or shovels held over the hot embers of campfires. In other parts of America, similar breads are known as everything from ash cakes to johnnycakes. Serve these hoecakes alongside our Barbecued Chicken (see related recipe at right).

This works equally well as a small salad–even tossed with salad greens for more bulk–or alongside salsa fresca for scooping up with a tortilla chip.