Baked with Bacon

CRACKLIN’ CORNBREAD

Makes 15 corn sticks

1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon
1 cup freshly shaved yellow corn
½ cup thinly sliced green onion (about 6 small green onions)
1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
⅓ cup corn flour
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large egg
1½ cups whole buttermilk

1. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add corn and green onion, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.

2. Generously spray several cornstick pans with cooking spray. Place pans in oven, andpreheat oven to 400°.

3. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, corn flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk; stir egg mixture into cornmeal mixture. Stir in bacon and onion mixture.

4. Carefully remove cornstick pans from oven, and fill each well with about 2 tablespoons batter.

5. Bake until cornsticks are golden brown and begin to pull away from sides of pan, 15 to 17 minutes.

BACON-CHEDDAR CORNBREAD

Makes 1 (10-inch) skillet

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup chopped yellow onion
½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1¼ cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups whole buttermilk
2 large eggs
Softened butter, to serve
Garnish: crumbled cooked bacon

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. In a deep 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet; reserve remaining drippings.

Add onion and corn to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove onion mixture from skillet. Add 2 tablespoons reserved drippings to skillet; reduce