Christmas Dinner - Salad: Field greens with country ham cornbread croutons & muscadine vinaigrette

I try to like muscadine wine.  I really do.  That being said, this was not my favorite homemade salad dressing.  But the croutons were great!

Country Ham Croutons

2 T. butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped country ham

2 cups buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 3/4  cups plain yellow cornmeal

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Melt buter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion and ham.  Saute' 6 minutes or until ham is browned and onion is tender.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine buttermilk, egg and saute'ed  ham mixture in a medium bowl.  Combine cornmeal and remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.  Gradually add buttermilk mixture to cornmeal mixture, whisking until blended.  Pour batter into a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Run a knife around edges to loosen cornbread from sides of pan.  Remove cornbread from pan; cool slightly on a wire rack (about 20 minutes).  Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Cut cornbread into 1 inch cubes.  Place cornbread cubes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Top salad greens with croutons.

Muscadine Vinaigrette

1 1/4 cup sweet muscadine wine

1 T. country dijon mustard

1 large shallot, minced

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

Bring wine to a boil over medium high heat in a small saucepan.  Cook 15 minutes or until wine is reduced to 1/2 cup.  Let cool completely about 20 minutes.

Combine wine reduction, mustard and shallots in a 2 cup glass measuring cup.  Gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly.  Whisk in salt and pepper. 

Drizzle over salad greens.

From:  Southern Living Christmas 2011