One of the less known dishes in the book, I was immediately interested as to what this recipe would create, and the payoff was absolutely worth it. The final meal resembles a pork casserole, but the seasoning holds Italian flavors in the dried sage and chopped tomatoes, giving this dish a Mediterranean feel. Cooking the onions in pork fat adds a meaty, umami flavor that comes through in the final dish. This pork spoon bread makes a lovely main dish if you’re hosting a dinner party. The Italian influence meets Southern cooking techniques for a delicious showstopper.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork
2 cups (1 16-ounce can) crushed tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry sage
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs, beaten
Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a Dutch oven, cook the ground pork. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
Add salt, pepper and sage to the cooked pork, mix well.
In the pork fat, cook the onions and the red pepper.
Add the celery.
Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add the crushed tomatoes.
Simmer until the liquid has evaporated.
Add the cornmeal and mix until incorporated.
Stir in the milk.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add to the cooled pork.
Add the pork mixture to the cornmeal.
Remove the pan from the stovetop, and pour into greased casserole dish.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Serve with a caesar salad.