Summer Squash Casserole...An Easy Favorite For a Long Weekend

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 Many of you will be getting ready for the long Fourth of July weekend and planning menus not only for the holiday but also for the meals in between.  Here's a favorite casserole that is very easy to make and goes well with grilled chicken, pork chops or steak.  A simple green salad and you are done!

I have been making this casserole for the last 40 years.  It comes from a favorite Junior League Cookbook, 300 Years of Carolina Cooking, published by the Junior League of Greenville in 1970.  Under my name it shows I bought it in Hilton Head Island, S.C. on July 5, 1976.  We spent that bicentennial weekend with two other couples on a sailboat 40 years ago! Talk about coincidences...I just realized this when I opened the front to credit the source.

Squash Casserole
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 lbs yellow summer squash, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 stick butter
1/2 package dry onion soup mix
1 cup sour cream
1 can diced pimentos drained (my addition)
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil (I steam) squash until just tender and drain well.  Starting with the butter so it melts on the squash, add the other ingredients and blend.  Turn into a buttered casserole, sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese if using, and bake for 20 minutes in 375 degree oven until mixture begins to bubble.

Note: If you want a crispy top, just sprinkle some breadcrumbs (about 2 TB) at the end and put under the broiler until golden.

Fried Fish, Southern Style

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Let's face it...nobody fries fish like a Southerner and this recipe is not for for the fainthearted or for those with a cholesterol problem, but boy is it good!  Yes, we have all had fish sticks, particularly Mrs Paul's, remember those? I had my share when we first arrived in this country and my mother discovered her in the frozen food department.  They were a staple at our dinner table on Friday nights when, as good Catholics, we were supposed to abstain from eating meat.  For breakfast or dessert there was always Aunt Jemima or  Sara Lee.  Together with Betty Crocker, those four women kept us alive and well fed while my mother learned to cook.

I haven't had fish sticks or fried fish in years, that is, until I came to the South.  Here I learned about fried oysters and whenever my daughter is out of town, MM and I splurge on a pint.  Last week I had some cod that was kind of blah looking but still quite fresh  and perfect for frying, southern style. I was so right, and it was so good that my daughter didn't even complain about the frying.

This recipe is more about Southern frying than about fish.  In my search for the best and authentic I turned to none other than one of  the greatest American cooks and the doyenne of southern country cooking, Edna Lewis.  Her recipes represent home cooking at its Southern best..  They are a real treasure and if you don't have one of her books, you don't know what you are missing.

Mother was horrified when she saw me taking photos for the blog while the fish sat in paper towels on a plate.  I am in the camp of another great Southern cook, Lee Bailey, who said food should be photographed the way it looks with no fancy embellishments around it.

This is the kind of food you serve right out of the pan via a plate with paper towels..  It is family fare not company food.  No need for silver or fancy plates. Just you and the fish.

Yes, it is a bit messy but it comes off easily with just vinegar and water.

Make the Coconut rice ,but if you really want to be a Southerner, a yellow rice pilaf and a simple tomato salad or coleslaw and ice tea is the way to go.

 Edna Lewis's original recipe calls for freshwater fish, such as catfish, perch or whiting.  I made these with cod and it was excellent.  I bet it would be great with yellow tail !   Do make it with peanut oil which heats to a higher degree than other oils.  It is an integral part of this recipe and of southern frying.  Lastly, I have halved the original recipe so adjust accordingly if you are frying more fish.

Fried Fish Recipe Adapted from A Fish Fry For Porgy, Edna Lewis

4 people

Ingredients

3 Cups Peanut Oil
4 to 8 fish fillets, freshwater or saltwater

Dredge

1 cup white cornmeal
2 TB all purpose flour
1 TB cornstarch
1 TB sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

lemon wedges to accompany

Directions:

Mix together all the ingredients for the dredge.  In an iron skillet heat the oil,to 340 degrees F.When it reaches that temperature, quickly dredge the fish fillets in the cornmeal mix shake the excess and slip one at a time into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan.  You will need to cook the fish in batches.  Fry the fish until golden brown and crisp all over, about 5 to 7 minutes.    Remove from the oil and place on crumpled paper towels. Serve immediately!

All photos Lindaraxa

Recipe adapted from Edna Lewis

Mama's Angel Food Cake With A Bourbon Creme Anglaise

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For Christmas my daughter in law gave me a copy of a fabulous cookbook by Virginia Willis called Bon Appetit, Y'all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking. It is a unique cookbook in that it combines many of her family's traditional southern recipes with the french techniques she learned while studying in France.  This angel food cake is a perfect example of what she calls "refined Southern cuisine"

For those of you who don't know her, she apprenticed under Natalie Dupree, graduated from both L'Academie de Cuisine and La Varenne and has cooked for President Clinton, Julia Child, chef Roger Verge, and Jane Fonda.  Formerly Martha Stewart Living's kitchen manager, she now lives in Atlanta Georgia.

This is the first recipe I have made from her cookbook and I found it simple and straightforward.  Do notice that the flour needs to be sifted a total of five times. Yes, five.  Once before measuring and four times with the sugar.  This is necessary to achieve the traditional light-as-air texture of angel food cake. 

Read the recipe through once and you will see that it is not complicated at all.  

There is an unusual implement for cutting these cakes found in many silver chests throughout the South, including mine. These old fashioned rakelike cutters typically have a long slightly offset handle with 3-4 inch long tines that actually split rather than cut the cake.  They are wonderful to cut any type of cake and can still be found online and in gourmet catalogues.  If you do not own one, you can use a serrated knife.  Here's a photo of mine

The Bourbon Creme Anglaise is optional and not necessary although I highly recommend it if you are serving the cake for company.  I made mine this weekend for the grandchildren who spent the night while their parents entertained a group of friends, so I skipped it this time.  That's another thing, it's a great cake to make for the little ones.  No fuss and very little mess.  They can walk around with a handful and with the sous chef following close behind there's no need for cleanups.  Oh, and for the old foggies like me who are trying to watch their diet and cholesterol (boring) it's the perfect dessert! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Bourbon Creme Anglaise, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven.
2. Sift the flour before you measure it.  THIS IS IMPORTANT!
3. Sift flour together with 3/4 cup sugar. Repeat process three more times; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tarter, and salt on medium speed until foamy. Add vanilla-bean seeds and almond extract. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Continue mixing until whites are glossy and stiff peaks form.
5. Sift enough of the flour mixture over the egg white mixture to lightly dust the top. Gently fold flour mixture into the egg white mixture. Repeat process until all the flour is incorporated into the egg white mixture.
6. Gently spoon batter into a 10-inch tube pan. With a spatula or knife, using a circular motion, cut through the batter twice to eliminate any large pockets of air. Smooth top to remove any large peaks.
7. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Invert pan over a bottle (such as a 2-liter soda bottle or wine bottle) until completely cooled, about 2 hours.
8. To serve, set upright, and using a butter knife or a long spatula, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Invert onto a serving plate. Slice using a serrated knife or an angel food cake cutter; serve drizzled with bourbon creme anglaise, if desired.

 BOURBON CREME ANGLAISE


 Yield Makes 3 cups 

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon bourbon

Directions

1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.
2. Place milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt until thick and light. Slowly pour in half of the hot milk, while stirring constantly. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in bourbon.
3. Place saucepan over low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat.
4. Strain creme anglaise through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Set bowl in ice water bath and stir creme anglaise until cooled. Keep refrigerated until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Top photo Martha Stewart.com
Middle photo Lindaraxa

Southern Cornbread

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The traditional Southern cornbread is not sweet and is baked in a very hot cast iron skillet.  These are the main differences from the cornbread most of us grew up with.  Both are equally delicious and it's just a matter of preference as to which you choose to make at any given time.

I have to admit that until a week ago my preference was for the kind I grew up in the North...yellow and sweet.  My daughter always keeps a box or two of the Jiffy Cornbread mix and although not as good as homemade, it works in a pinch.

When Mother was here, I bought some magazines to keep her entertained and among them was a copy of Southern Living's Best Recipes of last year.  I had it close at hand on the night I served split pea soup and rather than go rummaging for my old recipe, I decided to try theirs.  It was one of the best decisions I have made in my world of food.  Not only was it to die for, it converted me forever to the Southern camp.  The crustiness of the top is what takes this recipe over the top.  It stays like this even after you reheat it the next day. But in order to get this crustiness, you must use a cast iron skillet and preheat it before the cornmeal is poured in.

I used White Lily white cornmeal which is available in every Southern supermarket but may not be available where you live. I know this makes a lot of you very jealous and we have gone through very lively discussions on the merits of White Lily flour when making biscuits;  but this is cornmeal,  so it is not a tragedy.  In this case you can use any brand of self rising white cornmeal and it won't be a sacrilege.

Serves 8

Ingredients
 
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 3/4 cups self-rising white cornmeal mix
 2 cups nonfat buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 425°. Coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with canola oil; heat in oven 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together cornmeal mix, buttermilk, flour, egg, melted butter, and sugar. Pour batter into hot skillet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden.


Recipe Southern Living

 

Fried Oyster BLT Sliders

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One of the things I am most grateful to the South for is introducing me to fried oysters.  I have always been an oyster lover, particularly Bluepoints, something I used to have often when I lived in New York.   The Plaza Hotel's Oyster Bar was famous for their Bluepoints but you could really get a fresh dozen in most good restaurants..  Unfortunately raw oysters have to be at their freshest and I simply don't trust them when I am landlocked.  Fortunately for me this is fried oyster country and it's easy to find pints already shucked at your local supermarket.  How do I now they are fresh?  Simple, they can't keep them in stock.  By Sunday morning  they are gone until the next shipment on Tuesday afternoon. 

These oyster sliders are made with oysters, bacon, mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, and horseradish.  Frankly, most of the time I skip the bacon.  It feels somewhat like gilding the lily but I guess I couldn't call this a BLT unless bacon was in the mix. 

To my Northern readers who are used to such fantastic fresh oyster (they know who they are) give fried oysters a try sometime.  You will not be sorry.


Ingredients:

* peanut or vegetable  oil

* 1/2 cup yellow or white cornmeal

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/8 teaspoon pepper

*dash of cayenne

* 1/2 pint of shucked oysters (figure on two or three per sandwich, depending on the bread)

* 1/2 cup mayonnaise

* 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

* 4 rolls, or 8 brioche or white bread toasted

* 4 thin slices tomatoes

* 4 slices crisp cooked bacon

* lettuce leaves


Preparation:

Melt about an inch of oil in a large heavy skillet. Combine cornmeal, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Coat oysters with the cornmeal mixture. Shake excess. Fry oysters in oil until lightly browned on all sides. Do not crowd.  Do them in batches if needed.  Mix mayonnaise with horseradish. Spread 4 buns with the mayonnaise mixture. Cover with tomato slices, and then bacon. Cover with lettuce leaves then arrange oysters over lettuce. Secure with wooden picks and trim crusts if using toast.

Alternatively, you can serve the oysters on a plate with everything served separately so that everyone can make their own.



Photo: Marx Foods via The Examiner

Sausage, Bean And Spinach Dip

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It's that time of the year again...football season (yawn).   Me, I just like the food and being able to go to the movies with my married non football watching girlfriends; and they are delighted to finally catch the latest "chick flick" with someone who will truly appreciate it.  As long as they are allowed to hang out with their buddies and there's plenty of food and beer in the fridge, husbands are in guy heaven...  It's a terrific situation for all involved.  Bring it on!

In order to qualify for football season fare, the recipe must be spicy, rich, hot, burp inducing and loaded with  calories.  Oh, and it has to go with chips and beer...that's all.

This is a good one...fits all of the requirements!


Yield: Makes about 6 cups


Ingredients

1 sweet onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 (1-lb.) package hot ground pork sausage

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 (6-oz.) package fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese

Serve with: Corn chip scoops, red bell pepper strips, pretzel rods


Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cook diced onion and next 2 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid has almost completely evaporated.

2. Add cream cheese, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in spinach and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Gently stir in beans. Pour mixture into a 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

3. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with corn chip scoops, bell pepper strips, and pretzel rods.



Brent Grainger, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living

Savannah Sponge Cake With Berries And Madeira Sweet Sauce

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Sponge cakes are European-style cakes, like the French génoise, and are a fundamental block in your cake-building repertoire. Unlike butter cakes and chiffon cakes, sponge cakes include little or no fat, other than what's in the egg yolks. Traditional recipes produce cakes leavened only by the air beaten into the eggs, not by baking powder or soda.

Sponge cakes are used in layer cakes, charlottes, jelly rolls, and tiramisu (either as a sheet or piped into ladyfingers). Madeleines are also a version of sponge cakes.

Since fat acts as a tenderizer, plain sponge cakes can be dry and seem tough. When soaked with simple syrup and flavorings, sponge cakes are delectable.

This cake supposedly arrived in this country by way of Thomas Jefferson who copied the recipe while abroad and sent it back to his cooks at Monticello.  For many years it was also identified with the city of Savannah from where this recipe comes.  It was very popular in the 50's and 60's and I still remember the one made by a store called the A&P which was where my mother shopped for groceries.  The store and the cake somehow disappeared from the radar and I hadn't thought about it until I saw and made this recipe last night.  Well, it won't be forgotten for long, it is a delectable way to serve fruit in the summer as an alternative to the heavier shortcake.  The Madeira Sauce which accompanies the cake is something else.  That is where the fat is but don't have a hissy fit yet.  ...you won't be eating all the sauce, just about 1 tablespoon (or two) and then you might lick the remnants before you put the pan in the sink...that's all!.

Ingredients

5 eggs

1 cup white sugar

1 large lemon

4 ounces cake flour (sifted)

1/4 teaspoon salt

powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Grate rind of the lemon into small glass bowl.  Juice lemon through a strainer into the bowl and let seep while you prepare batter. 

Butter and flour 9 inch  cake pan.

Separate the eggs. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until very thick and lemon colored. Beat in sugar gradually. add lemon extract and lemon rind..

In another bowl, beat egg whites with the salt until frothy Beat mixture until whites are stiff, but not until they are dry. Add flour. Fold this whipped mixture and flour into yolk mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 300 degrees F  for 45 minutes or until done.

Dust with powdered sugar. It makes a delicious tea cake or can be used for triffle, charlotte, or tiramisu.

For dessert, serve with strawberries and blueberries and Sweet Madeira Sauce (follows)



Sweet Madeira Sauce

1/2 cup medium dry Madeira wine

3 to 4 TBS sugar

10 Tbs or 1 1/4 stick cold unsalted butter cut into small bits

1/4 to 1.2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg. or lemon or orange zest

Direction

Put wine in small saucepan, add sugar and stir until dissolved.  Bring to simmer over medium heat.  Reduce to low and remove pan from heat.

Whisk is 3 or 4 bits butter until almost melted.  Continue with rest of the butter a few bits at a time until it becomes a thick cream.  Do not bring to a boil.  I added the nutmeg and left it to come to room temperature.

Ladle some in bottom of plate, cut a slice of cake and place over it.  Put some strawberries and/or blueberries on the side.


Recipe and photo The Savannah Cookbook by Damon L. Fowler

Payback Time...A Derby Party

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As my friend and fellow blogger Reggie Darling says in his wonderful blog, there is no excuse for not reciprocating and paying back all those invitations you've had during the year.  None.  There are great opportunities to have friends over and they need not be lavish or expensive.  Derby Day is one of them. 

The time of day and season couldn't be more perfect, particularly if you have a nice garden where to host the party.  If you schedule your party for 5:00 p.m. everyone will have time to mingle before the actual race starts at around 6:30.  You must have a friend or two who enjoy running the books, i.e. placing bets on the horses! That shouldn't be too hard to organize and its always fun.  Call him beforehand (I'm sure it's a he) and ask him to help.  You will make his day!

Make it Derby Day attire, so everyone has plenty of leeway to dress up and it gives the impression that something more than casual wear is expected  i.e. no jeans or t-shirts! Just because it's a casual menu doesn't mean we don't get to dress up.

I know this is too much to hope for, but wouldn't it be nice?!

The menu is a cinch, and you can go all out and make it yourself or buy some things already made like a sliced ham from Honey Baked Ham.  I have to admit it's one of those things that you can buy that is actually delicious. A couple of casseroles, biscuits, dessert, and you are done.  It is also one of those parties that you need not seat everyone down with place cards etc.  Set some tables out with pretty tablecloths and lots of flowers and lay the plates, napkins etc right on the buffet table.  This is a casual menu, that's what makes it so easy!

 Oh yes, and make sure you have one of those big TVs somewhere in the house were everyone can gather. And don't make them wait for the food too long. Set out the buffet after the winners are announced...not the horses, your guests!  As to mint julep cups, it is perfectly acceptable nowadays to serve mint juleps in highball glasses, so don't panic.  What is not acceptable is paper cups! If you have pretty linen cocktail napkins, now is the time to use them. 

Make sure you have plenty of appetizers, particularly munchies, both outside and inside where you'll watch the race.   A couple of homemade spreads and something hot to pass around.  Go to Costco, you'll find plenty of inspiration there!  Depending on how many people you have, you can add or cut back from the suggestions below.  Keep in mind this menu is very similar to the one served at the Governor's Party in Kentucky after the race so it's quite authentic.  I have eliminated the grits and a couple of other starchy things, considering the time of day and the fact I'm not a Southerner and can't see eating grits after 5:00p.m., but if you want, be my guest!

 Here's the menu, now go out and invite your friends!

Derby Day Menu

Mint Juleps

Assorted roasted nuts

Kentucky beer cheese with crackers

and/or

Smoked Salmon Spread
Cocktail meatballs or frankfurters

Baked Ham

and/or

Fried Chicken

Homemade Biscuits

Zucchini Tomato Casserole

Corn Pudding*

Tossed Salad (optional)

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Orange Pound Cake

Vanilla Ice Cream

White and red wine

*The corn pudding recipe is posted in my country blog My Kitchen by the Lake

Keep in mind this is an early party, so don't be put off  if people leave early.  Remember, this party started at 5:00 so for those of you who hate to stay up, everyone should be happily gone by nine or ten at the latest, promise!

Derby Day...Mint Juleps at the Governor's House

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It's the drink synonymous with the Run for the Roses, and indeed on Derby Day, vast amounts of Mint Juleps are sipped under cover of splashy hats.

 The classic Kentucky Derby drink requires the perfect balance of mint, sweetness, and bourbon.  The one you will see below was the one prepared at the Governor's Party after the Derby when John Y. Brown (Kentucky Fried Chicken) was the Governor and Phyllis George Brown (Miss America) the First Lady of Kentucky.  Remember Chicken By George?

Stay tuned for my Derby Party Menu tomorrow!

Preparation

A mint julep is traditionally made of four ingredients: mint, bourbon, sugar, and water. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choice used in Southern states; in particular, Kentucky Colonel. In the use of sugar and mint, it is similar to the mojito. In preparing a mint julep, a fresh mint sprig is used primarily as a garnish, to introduce the flavor and aroma through the nose. If mint leaves are used in the preparation, they should just be very lightly bruised, if at all. However, proper preparation of the cocktail is commonly debated, as methods may vary considerably from one bartender to another. By another method, the mint julep may be considered as one of a loosely associated family of drinks called "smashes" (the brandy smash is another example, as well as the mojito), in which fresh mint and other ingredients are muddled or crushed in preparation for flavoring the finished drink. The step further releases essential oils and juices into the mixture, intensifying the flavor from the added ingredient or ingredients.

Kentucky Colonel Mint

Traditionally, mint juleps were often served in silver or pewter cups, and held only by the bottom and top edges of the cup. This allows frost to form on the outside of the cup. Traditional hand placement may have arisen as a way to reduce the heat transferred from the hand to the silver or pewter cup. Today, mint juleps are most commonly served in a tall old-fashioned glass, Collins glass, or highball glass with a straw.

 History

The origins of the mint julep are clouded and may never be definitively known. The first appearance of a mint julep in print came in a book by John Davis published in London in 1803, where it was described as "a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning." However, Davis did not specify that bourbon was the spirit used. The mint julep originated in the southern United States, probably during the eighteenth century. U.S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky introduced the drink to Washington, D.C., at the Round Robin Bar in the famous Willard Hotel during his residence in the city. The term 'julep' is generally defined as a sweet drink, particularly one used as a vehicle for medicine. The word itself is derived from Arabic: ماء ورد‎ Māʾ ward and Persian: گلاب Golâb, meaning rose water. Americans enjoyed not only bourbon based juleps during the nineteenth century, but also gin based juleps made with genever, an aged gin. However, bourbon based juleps have recently decisively eclipsed gin based juleps.

The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival and is widely considered the most prestigious horse race in the world. The race is one and a quarter miles (2 km) at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57.2 kg) and fillies 121 pounds (54.9 kg). The race is known in the United States as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" or "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate duration, and is also called "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the winner. It is the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and is followed by the Preakness Stakes then the Belmont Stakes. The attendance at the Kentucky Derby ranks first in North America and usually surpasses the attendance of all other stakes races including the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes and the Breeders' Cup.

The mint julep is well-known as the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby, a position it has held since 1938. Each year almost 120,000 juleps are served at Churchill Downs over the two day period of the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby. For over 18 years, the Early Times Mint Julep Cocktail has been the designated "official mint julep of the Kentucky Derby". Early Times is a brand of Kentucky whiskey which was first distilled in 1860. The brand became popular during 1920s. During the prohibition in the US, this whiskey was exempt from the law, having been designated as "medicinal whiskey".

Mint Juleps at the Governor's House

Serves 12

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water
2 bunches fresh mint, divided
24 oz. (3 cups) Kentucky bourbon
Crushed ice


Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes until thick and clear.  While hot, stir in 1 bunch of mint sprigs.  Let cool.  Then strain the syrup into a small container and discard the mint.

When ready to serve, pour two ounces (1/4 cup) bourbon and 2 oz syrup into each ice filled, frosted cup.  Add a sprig of mint.

Some may find this a bit sweet, in which case only add 1 ounce of syrup to 2 ounces of bourbon and that way everyone can be happy! dont forget the sprig of mint!

Photo top Charles Walton
others from Google images

Succotash...A New Found Favorite

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It's funny how taste changes with age. I used to hate succotash when I was in boarding school and they used to serve it at least once a week, or so it felt.  Now, all of a sudden, I love it. The traditional recipe, that is, if you are Southern, has heavy cream added towards the end.  I frankly don't think it needs it so I have omitted it.  To be frank, more often than not, I just cook the lima beans and corn together in water and add a little butter at the end.  I only gild the lily if guests are involved.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

2 cups frozen or canned corn, drained

2 cups frozen lima beans

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

2 slices of Bacon (optional)


Directions

Cook bacon in moderate heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

In a saucepan, heat butter and cook red pepper until tender about 1 minute. Stir in corn, lima beans and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in butter and season to taste. Garnish with crisp bacon.

Edna Lewis Meets Thomas Keller in the Best Southern Fried Chicken!

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What do you get when you cross Edna Lewis' southern fried chicken with Thomas Keller's? Last night's best fried chicken EVER.  Now, I know you can buy it ready made at your grocery store, or at KFC, but they are not even close to the fried chicken you make at home. 

Ever since I moved to Georgia I have had a yen for southern fried chicken, the real stuff.  There's nothing like home made fried chicken just out of the frying pan.  Most recipes recommend  buying a whole chicken and cutting it up. This way, the pieces are smaller and this makes for an optimal ratio of meat to crust.  But I was too lazy to do that so I went ahead and bought some individual packages of thighs, wings, legs and small breasts (bone in with skin!) used half and froze the other half. 

Edna Lewis and Thomas Keller brine their chickens first overnight in water and a salt solution and then pass it through buttermilk just before dredging in flour. I skipped the brining and instead soaked the chicken overnight in the buttermilk.  Ms. Lewis does a combination of lard and butter for frying and adds smoked ham strips to the fat while Keller uses peanut or canola.  I used 3 strips of bacon fat to flavor the vegetable oil.  As to dredging, Lewis adds cornstarch to the flour and does not add any spices.  Keller only uses flour but spices it.  I took the best of both worlds by adding cornstarch and spices to the flour. The result, the crispiest juiciest, tastiest chicken you could ever have!

For dinner last night I accompanied it with Bobby Flay's Cole Slaw and served Thomas Keller's Lemon Tart for dessert...I was almost canonized!


Ingredients

One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 quart buttermilk

3 strips of bacon

 vegetable oil for frying

3 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne

3 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

250 degree oven for keeping fried pieces warm

Method

Place the chicken  in a large bowl and add the buttermilk so that it covers all the pieces.  Place in the refrigerator covered, overnight

1. To prepare the chicken for frying:  Place the chicken on a wire rack so it discards some of the buttermilk .

2.  Prepare the dredge by blending together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, paprika salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on wax paper.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the fat for frying by putting the bacon slices into a heavy skillet or frying pan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to render the fat and cool until pieces brown..  Add a little oil if needed.Remove the bacon to a paper towel but keep the fat in the pan. Add enough vegetable oil to the pan to measure 3 inches. and just before frying, increase the temperature to medium-high and heat the fat to 335°F (170°C).

Dredge the drained chicken pieces thoroughly in the flour mixture, then pat well to remove all excess flour.

4. Slip some of the chicken pieces, skin side down, into the heated fat. (Do not overcrowd the pan, and fry in batches if necessary.) Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Drain thoroughly on a wire rack or on crumpled paper towels, and place in a 250 degree oven to keep warm while you fry the rest of the chicken.  Make sure you do not keep pieces in the oven for more than 10-15 minutes or chicken will dry out.  Serve hot or at room temperature
 


Photo: Thomas Keller Ad Hoc

Shrimp Creole...Remembering Craig Claiborne

Pin It We go around trying to invent new recipes when there are so many old ones, like Shrimp Creole, that are just great.

To those of you too young to remember, Craig Claiborne (September 4, 1920 – January 22, 2000) was an American restaurant critic, food writer and former food editor of the New York Times from 1957 to 1988. He was the author of numerous cookbooks and an autobiography. Over the course of his career, he made many contributions to gastronomy and food writing in the United States including the now-universal reviewing system of awarding stars to reflect quality. His most famous, and best-selling cookbook is the 1961 NEW YORK TIMES COOKBOOK. Craig Claiborne died at 79 and left his considerable estate to the Culinary Institute of America.

Two cookbooks were given to me for my wedding in 1969...one of them was the Joy of Cooking and the other was The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne. Together with my grandmother, my mother and Julia Child, he was one of the most influential people in my kitchen.

This is an adaptation of Craig Claiborne's Shrimp Creole recipe. I made it over the weekend with some tweeking here and there and it was one of the best shrimp dishes I have cooked in a long, long time. It's a great dish to prepare for a dinner party as it can easily be prepared a day or two ahead. It freezes very nicely too. Why don't you serve it with the Cold Cucumber & Spinach Soup to start!

I had it with a chilled and inexpensive Pinot Grigio which was already chilling in the refrigerator and it was great!

Yield 2 -4 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound raw shrimp

2 tablespoons butter*

2 tablespoons olive oil *

3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

3 small ribs celery, coarsely chopped

1 green pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 cups canned tomatoes, preferably Italian peeled tomatoes

(I used Pomi Crushed Tomatoes)

2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 bay leaf

Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Worcestershire sauce (optional)*

Juice of half a lemon.

Directions

1. Shell and devein the shrimp. Rinse and pat dry. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is wilted. Add the celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook briefly, stirring. The vegetables must remain crisp.

3. Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, Tabasco and Worcesterhire sauce to taste, lemon rind, salt and pepper to taste. I added the basil and lemon basil, but its optional. Simmer 10 minutes uncovered. 4. Add the shrimp and cover. Cook three to five minutes, no longer. Add the chopped parsley, lemon juice and, if desired, more Tabasco sauce to taste.

Pimiento Cheese Spread

Pin It
This is a traditional and very Southern recipe by Craig Claiborne. Although I've never been to Augusta National in Georgia, I understand that it is a favorite of golfers around the world and is served in the tents around the course during the Masters. It is great for a light lunch or afternoon snack, particularly if you are having your friends over for bridge. In these hot summer afternoons, I love to serve it on tea sandwiches with a big pitcher of freshly made lemonade or iced tea. I also serve it on Ritz crackers or celery sticks! Either way, it's addictive.


Ingredients


1/2 pound mild yellow Cheddar or longhorn cheese

1/2 pound white aged sharp Cheddar cheese

1 can (7 ounces) pimientos

1 cup chopped scallions, including green tops

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

6 drops Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Use a meat grinder, if possible, to grate the cheeses, using the cutterwith large holes. Otherwise, use the coarse side of a cheese grater. Put the grated cheese in a mixing bowl and add half the juice from the canned pimientos. Dice the drained pimientos and add them along with the scallions. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic, and add the cheese mixture. Add the Worcestershire, Tabasco, and pepper and blend well. Serve at room temperature as a spread for crispcrackers and raw vegetables or use as sandwich spread. Yield: 8 to 12 servings.



Top Photo: Wright Bryan NPR

Southern Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Pin It I have been looking for an easy Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe for a long time. I think I've found it in this adaptation of a Martha Stewart recipe. What she has done to shorten the cooking time is to break the butt in 4 sections so it will cook faster. If you have never tried Pulled Pork, do...you will be in heaven. This sandwich is a typical dish from North Carolina, which adds coleslaw to the sandwich, but there are many variations. Granted if you could cook it in a smoker all day long, like my son does, I'm sure it would be better...but how many of us do? The leftovers just get better as the week goes on!

Ingredients

Serves 8

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp.paprika

1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 soft sandwich rolls, split

barbecue sauce, for serving (See below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in lower and upper positions.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Place pork in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot; rub with spice mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water; pour over pork. Cover pot, and place in oven on lower rack. Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer pork to a work surface, reserving pan juices. With two forks, shred meat.

Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with pan juices to moisten (you may not need all the juices). Pile pork on rolls, and top with barbecue sauce. Serve with coleslaw

Barbecue Sauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup catsup

3 TB dark brown sugar

1 TB yellow mustard

1 TB molasses

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp. salt

Combine in a saucepan and cook until sugar melts. Put in a squeeze bottle and drizzle sauce over pork

Makes 2 cups

The Best Home Biscuits

Pin It Whether you are having a brunch or just doing something nice for your mother, these are great and easy to make. Make sure you use White Lily flour for best results.

Ingredients

2 Cup White Lily Flour*
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Sugar
1 Cup cold Buttermilk
8 TB. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat Oven to 475

Combine solids, combine wets and blend.Using 1/4 measuring cup, scoop batter into oven tray (Spray tray with Pam) Brush with melted butter and bake 12-14 min.

Note

White Lily flour is the best flour to make biscuits. Not all flours are created equal. Southern bleached all-purpose flours are made from the soft winter wheat that grows well in the warmer southern climate while northern all-purpose flours are made from the hard spring wheats that grow in the colder climate. Strains of soft winter wheat have less protein than the hard spring wheat and therefore southern all-purpose flours are better-suited for quick breads such as biscuits, cakes and muffins. For an in-depth and well researched article on biscuits, go to the following blog You can also find an even quicker recipe for biscuits in back of the White Lily Self-Rising Four package. No excuses!