Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes probably didn’t originate as a Southern dish, but have become a Southern classic over the years. It is thought that they were introduced in the Midwest and Northeastern parts of the United States by Jewish immigrants. By the early part of the 20th century, Fried Green Tomato recipes began popping up in newspapers, magazines and restaurant menus (for breakfast, lunch and dinner).
INGREDIENTS
8 Slices of Bacon
1 Large Egg White
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Cornmeal
¼ Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Medium Green Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Chives
Cut the tomatoes into ½ inch thick slices and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Crumble the bacon and set aside the skillet with the bacon drippings. In a pie plate beat the egg white and salt together. On a piece of waxed paper combine the cornmeal and ground pepper. Dip the tomatoes in the egg mixture, pressing so the mixture sticks to the tomatoes. Place on a separate piece of waxed paper. Heat the bacon droppings in the skillet over medium high heat. Cook the tomatoes for 1 ½ minutes on each side, in batches, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Place tomatoes on a serving platter and top with the bacon and/or chives. Serves 6
Creamy Polenta
Dubbed by some as “Italian Grits,” polenta has been popular and been abundant in the North of Italy since ancient times. First made from wild grains and later from a primitive wheat, faro, millet, spelt or chickpeas these grains were mixed with water to form a paste and then cooked on a hot stone. Sometime in the 15th or 16th century a new crop known as maize arrived from the New World. It was a perfect crop from the farms of Northern Italy and landowners were able to grow vast fields of corn for profit. Polenta was eaten either in porridge or in a hard cake like form. The best polenta that I have ever had was a few years ago at the now closed, L’Impero, in New York. It was the creamiest and served with a delicious mushroom sauce.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cold Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Yellow Cornmeal
4 ½ Cups Boiling Water
½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Tablespoons Butter Cut Into Pieces
Combine cold water and salt in a large Dutch oven. With a wire whisk, gradually beat in the cornmeal until smooth. Whisk in the boiling water and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for 25 minutes. The mixture should be very thick. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter into the polenta until the butter has melted. Serve immediately. Serves 8
Cherry Tomato & Zucchini Gratin
A Great Way To Use Up Those Prolific Summer Zucchini!
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Plain Dried Bread Crumbs
½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Pint Ripe Cherry Tomatoes
3 Sliced Shallots
2 Sliced Medium Zucchini
¼ Cup Butter
¼ Cup Freshly Chopped Basil
Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, pepper and oil until blended. Place cherry tomatoes, zucchini and shallots in a shallow 2 quart casserole dish. Cut the butter into pieces and place on top of the vegetables. Top with the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle with the chopped basil. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes until heated through and the bread crumbs have browned. Serves 6
Swedish Meatballs
Swedish Meatballs or köttbullar are traditionally served with gravy, boiled potatoes, lingonberry jam or fresh pickled cucumber.
INGREDIENTS
1 Beaten Egg
¼ Cup Milk
¾ Cup Soft Bread Crumbs
1 Medium Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
8 Ounces Ground Veal
8 Ounces Ground Pork
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Instant Beef Bouillon Granules
2 Cups Milk
In a large bowl mix together the beaten egg and ¼ cup milk. Stir in the bread crumbs, onion and ¼ cup parsley. Add the veal and pork. Mix well and shape into approximately 30 meatballs. You can use a melon baller or small cookie scoop to shape the meatballs. In a large skillet cook half of the meatballs at a time in heated butter over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn to brown evenly. Remove the meatballs, reserving the drippings, and place the meatballs on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoon of the drippings. Add the flour, bouillon and ¼ teaspoon black pepper into the drippings. Stir in the 2 cups of milk. Cook and stir over a medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Return the meatballs to the skillet. Heat through and serve over potatoes. Serves 4
Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff
The meaty taste of Portobello mushrooms makes this meatless pasta dish very satisfying!
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Fettuccine Or Pasta Of Your Choice
8 Ounces Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
¾ Cup White Wine
1 Crumbled Vegetable Bouillon Cube
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Diced Onions
3 Tablespoons Butter
5 Cups Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
Cook the fettuccine, drain and keep warm. Do NOT rinse the pasta. I like to drizzle the cooked pasta with olive oil to keep it from sticking together. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and unbleached flour. Stir in the water, bouillon and black pepper. Set aside. In a large skillet heat the butter over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until tender. Stir constantly. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan and add to the pasta. Keep warm. Wipe out the skillet and stir in the sour cream. Cook until bubbly. Pour the sour cream mixture over the pasta and mushroom mixture. Stir gently to coat. Serve warm. Serves 4
Cowboy BBQ Beer Brisket
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Pounds Boneless Beef Brisket
1 Cup BBQ Sauce
1 Cup Beer
Rub:
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
To make the rub combine the chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder and salt in a small bowl. Press evenly onto the beef brisket and put brisket, fat side up, into a stockpot. Combine the BBQ sauce and beer in a small bowl. Pour around the brisket and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cover with a tight lid. Simmer for 3 ½ hours until brisket is fork tender. Remove and keep warm. Skim the fat from the liquid and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Stir occasionally. Trim the fat from the brisket and carve diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with the sauce. Serves 6 hungry cowboys
Cherry Cobbler
This dessert is very easy to make and is always a big hit. You can make it ahead for easy entertaining!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ Cup Butter
6 Cups Pitted Tart Cherries
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Large Egg
¼ Cup Milk
Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a medium sized bowl, for the topping stir together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and set aside. In a large saucepan, for the filling, combine the cherries, 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Cook over a medium heat until the cherries release juices. Stir occasionally. Continue to cook over medium heat until it thickens and bubbles. Keep hot. In a small bowl stir together the egg and milk and add to the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour mixture is moistened. Transfer the hot cherry filling to a 2 quart square baking dish. With a spoon, immediately drop the topping into six mounds on top of the filling. Bake for 20 minutes until topping is golden. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Serves 6
Summer Melon Salsa
This salsa recipe is refreshing and light. Serve it with tortilla chips, over grilled chicken or fish or just serve it as a fresh fruit salad.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cubed Seedless Cantaloupe, Watermelon and/or Honeydew
1 Cup Chopped Seedless Cucumber
½ Cup Chopped Orange Bell Pepper
½ Cup Chopped Green Bell Pepper
½ Cup Fresh Corn Cut From The Cob
4 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Red Onion
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Honey
In a medium bowl combine the melon, cucumber, peppers, corn, cilantro and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice and honey and toss with the melon mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 4
Crawfish Etouffee
True confession…I have to confess that I used to be afraid of crawfish. It all started when I was about 5 years old riding in the back seat of an Oldsmobile going fishin’. There was an old Folgers’s coffee can on the back floorboard filled with live crawdads for bate. Somehow the crawdads forced the plastic lid off the coffee can and began crawling up the seat toward me. I don’t think I have screamed that loud since then.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Chopped Onion
1 Cup Chopped Celery
½ Cup Chopped Green Pepper
14 Ounces Chicken Broth
¼ Cup Sliced Green Onions
¼ Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
7 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Bay Leaf
1 Pound Fresh Peeled & Cooked Crawfish
3 Cups Hot Cooked Rice
In a large skillet heat the 1/3 cup olive oil over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in the flour until smooth. Cook the roux over a medium low heat for 20 minutes until the mixture is dark reddish brown. Stir frequently. Next, add the onion, celery and green pepper. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally. Stir in the chicken broth, green onion and parsley, garlic, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Add the crawfish and cook until warmed through. You can substitute crawfish with shrimp if you wish. Just make sure that you use 1 ½ pounds of shrimp that has been peeled and deveined and cook until opaque. Throw away the bay leaf and serve over rice. Serves 6
Homemade Habanero Hot Sauce
This sauce is HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!! Get yourself a doctor’s note and proceed with caution!
INGREDIENTS
20 Fresh Habaneros
5 Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Champagne Vinegar
½ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Raw Sugar
Slice and remove the insides of the habaneros. If you want hotter sauce you can use the insides in the sauce as the seed are the hottest part of the habanero. Peel the garlic and cut into quarters. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Oil a pan and roast the habaneros and garlic for 20 minutes until golden brown on top. Make sure that you keep an eye on them as you don’t want them to burn. Roasting the habaneros and the garlic really adds to the flavor.
After removing the habaneros and garlic from the oven, put them into a food processor and add the champagne vinegar, water, sea salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, raw sugar and puree. If you find that the sauce is too thick then add more vinegar and water in equal parts. Pour into a storage container or bottle and refrigerate. This sauce should keep for quite awhile. Use it on eggs, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, pasta, rice dishes or anything that you want to add a kick to. Makes 1 ½ to 2 cups
