Chef Ben Barker of the Magnolia Grill in Durham, North Carolina, prefers homemade mayonnaise and from-scratch cornbread for this Southern bread salad, but purchased products work fine when time is short.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Bottled hot pepper sauce
1 recipe Black Skillet Cornbread or one 8-inch purchased cornbread
2 cups arugula, cleaned
1 1/2 cups vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 of a small English cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into half-moons (about 1 cup)
1 stalk celery, thinly bias-sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
2 Tbsp. fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. mint leaves, torn in half
1/3–1/2 cup bottled sweet corn relish or whole kernel corn
1 recipe Lemon Roast Chickens (optional)

1. For dressing, in a small bowl stir together mayonnaise, buttermilk, and vinegar. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and bottled hot pepper sauce. Cover and chill until serving time, up to 1 week.

2. For croutons, cut cooled Black Skillet Cornbread or purchased cornbread into 3/4-inch rough cubes. Place on a baking sheet, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours to dry out. In a large bowl combine cornbread croutons, arugula, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, basil, parsley, and mint. Add dressing and sweet corn relish. Toss to combine. Serve with Lemon Roast Chickens, if desired. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Black Skillet Cornbread
Use this cornbread for the Cornbread Panzanella Salad or serve it warm with honey and butter.

1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. bacon drippings or butter

1. Place an 8-inch cast-iron skillet in a 450° oven.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl combine cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a small bowl beat together eggs and buttermilk until smooth. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients just until moistened.

3. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven and coat with remaining bacon drippings. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cornbread is set, lightly browned, and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool slightly. Turn out on a rack. Serve warm, or cool thoroughly and use for making cornbread croutons in the Cornbread Panzanella Salad. Makes one 8-inch round cornbread (6 to 8 servings).

Lemon Roast Chickens
Slice and serve these juicy chickens and wine-seasoned drippings alongside the Cornbread Panzanella Salad. Leftover meat can be used in sandwiches, soups, stir-fries, or pasta.

Two 2 3/4–3 1/2-lb. whole chickens (preferable naturally raised and air-chilled)
Kosher salt
2 lemons, quartered
4 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic
6–8 sprigs fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage, and/or rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Remove giblets from chickens and reserve for another use. Rinse and dry chickens inside and out. Sprinkle cavities with salt. Sprinkle skin with salt all over breasts, legs, thighs, wings, and backs. (This can be done a day before roasting; cover and chill seasoned chickens.)

2. Divide and insert lemon quarters, bay leaves, garlic, and herbs into chicken cavities. Tie legs of each chicken loosely together; season with pepper. Transfer birds to a roasting pan, breast side down.

3. Roast in a 375° oven for 20 minutes. Turn chickens breast side up and roast for 20 minutes more. Increase oven temperature to 425° and roast for 30 to 40 minutes more or until deep golden brown and leg-thigh portions test done. (To test, insert a skewer into meatiest section, and juices should run clear; or use an instant-read thermometer in the meatiest section to register 180° internal temperature.)

4. Transfer birds to a cutting board; cover and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes while making seasoned pan juices.

5. Pour off excess fat from pan juices in roasting pan; add wine or broth. Place roasting pan on burner. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, scraping up browned bits. Boil gently, uncovered, until reduced to 3/4 cup, 5 to 10 minutes. Add any additional juices that have accumulated while chicken stands. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice chicken and serve with pan juices. Makes 8 to 10 servings.