Cornbread

This is a Southern style cornbread, made without flour. It's salty, not sweet, and is dense and gritty. If you're expecting a sweet, fluffy, cake-like cornbread, this isn't the recipe for you. But it's fabulous with soup, chili, red beans and rice, and so forth. I made it tonight to go with our leftover gumbo.

Cornbread

4 to 5 tablespoons bacon grease, shortening or vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400. Place bacon grease, shortening or oil in an 8-inch skillet. Let heat in the oven until it's almost smoking. Meanwhile, mix the batter.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the corn meal, salt and baking soda, and stir to thoroughly combine. Add the buttermilk and stir well.

Remove the hot pan from the oven. Swirl the pan to make sure it is coated with oil.

Pour the batter into the pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.