Show off your cornbread skills at cook-off
Think you have the best cornbread recipe around? You might want to consider entering the National Cornbread Cook-Off.
Registration for this Tennesseebased cooking competition is now open. This will be the 23rd annual cook-off hosted by Tennessee company Lodge Cast Iron.
An avid cook, I have always been intrigued by competitions like this one.
Every story I have heard from competitors includes tales of fun, camaraderie and new friendships formed. Plus, the chance to win a prize is alluring, too.
Now through Jan. 31, cook-off applicants can submit an original main dish or entree recipe that includes at least one cup of Martha White Cornmeal prepared in Lodge Cast Iron cookware. Ten finalists will be selected to compete during the National Cornbread Festival on April 27 in South Pittsburg.
Folks come from around the country to compete, but I sure think it would be cool if a Tennessean won this year, don’t you?
Along with the coveted cast iron skillet crown, the cook-off champion will receive $5,000 and a 30-inch stainless steel gas range (a $3,250 value) from FiveStar Professional Cooking Equipment.
Runners-up are also rewarded. The second-prize winner will receive $1,500, and the third-prize winner will receive $1,000.
The remaining seven finalists will walk away with $150, and all finalists will receive a $500 travel reimbursement and a gift basket courtesy of Lodge and Martha White.
This competition is part of South Pittsburg’s annual National Cornbread Festival, set for April 27-28.
For more information and registration details, go to nationalcornbread.com.
Last year’s winner, Pamela Gelsomini from Wrentham, Massachusetts, won with her recipe “Too ‘Gouda’ to be True” cornbread cakes topped with pancettalaced seafood cream sauce. 1, 7-ounce package Martha White Sweet Yellow Cornbread & Muffin Mix 1 egg cup milk 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons salt teaspoon paprika 1 medium onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the cornbread cakes For Pancetta-laced Seafood Cream Sauce 4 tablespoons butter pound scallops 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined 6 ounces pancetta, diced 11⁄2 cups smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons butter
For a little inspiration in case you’d like to throw your cornbread dish into the foray, here is her grand prize recipe.
1 jalapeno, chopped fine (including seeds) cup green pepper, chopped cup red bell pepper, chopped cup frozen corn, thawed 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining Reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.