More Southern Cooking!

I got busy over Memorial Day weekend and cooked a lot out of Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen. Pretty much every recipe was an unqualified winner, with a couple of minor exceptions. First, the good.

Yes, that is bacon all over those baked beans.

You know how sometimes when you make a recipe, you think: That’s it! I don’t have to try another version, because this is the one I’m going to stick with forever. That’s how I felt when I made these baked beans. They weren’t at all hard to make, and they were absolutely delicious. They use butter beans (but you could substitute any cooked bean), and I have never thought butter beans tasted so good. Usually, I’d rather not taste them at all. But these beans were sweet and smoky and spicy, all at the same time. They were everything you’d want baked beans to be, and they made the perfect accompaniment to all the hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken we were grilling up. Add some watermelon, and you’re set.

Speaking of watermelon, I also made the Watermelon-Tomato Salad with Shaved Feta and Handfuls of Mint. This was another keeper. The watermelon added a touch of sweetness that rescued somewhat bland tomatoes, which aren’t at their peak yet. Lots of basil and mint and a garnish of feta rounded it out. I need to make this salad every summer.

I also tried the Crispy Chicken Cutlets with a Heap of Spring Salad. This is a simplified version of buttermilk fried chicken. The cutlets are dipped in flour, soaked in buttermilk and egg, and then coated in homemade bread crumbs. They are shallow-fried until crisp. These cutlets were just great, much better than the Chicken Nuggets I made a while back. I liked the springtime salad they were served with, and I thought the Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing was a nice accompaniment. It was light and herby, perfect for this time of year. My only complaint is that it was a little thin for my tastes, probably because I made it with plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise, which was one of the suggested variations. So it was lighter, but a little too watery.

Finally, I attempted to make dessert. I have to admit up front that baking is not my forte, and I am about ready to give up on making cakes and their kin altogether. This time I attempted Granny Foster’s Simple Pound Cake. This was a true pound cake, for it required a pound of eggs, a pound of butter and a pound of flour. And it was gigantic, probably way too much batter for the pan. As a result, it took forever to cook, and even when I took it out of the oven after almost two hours, it still wasn’t set in the middle. It did firm up as it cooled, though, so we were able to eat it. It tasted darned good, although a bit on the sickly sweet side for my tastes. Everyone enjoyed it, and after piling some ice cream on top, we didn’t really notice the slight mushiness. But this is the first recipe from this book that I’ve tried and would not make again. Still, I can already tell that this book is a definite keeper.

My challenge this weekend was to make some barbecue classics, and I think the baked beans certainly qualify.

Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen: The First Recipes

As I promised, I’m cooking from my brand-new Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen over the next month and sharing the results here. At the end of the month, I’ll post a full-fledged review, but until then, you’ll just have to ogle the pictures. Try not to drool!

Last night, our theme was a warm-weather barbecue. From the cookbook, I made this gorgeous and delicious Salt and Pepper Skillet Cornbread. Honestly, this is going to be my main cornbread recipe from now on, it’s that good.

To accompany, my husband grilled chicken slathered with West Tennessee Thick and Sticky BBQ Sauce. This sauce was so easy to make, and it tasted delicious. We had simply grilled eggplant slices to accompany.

I also made Sara Foster’s Pimiento Cheese. Pimiento cheese is not my favorite thing, but it tastes miles better when it’s homemade, as opposed that florescent orange stuff they sell in the grocery store. No photo, but the recipe is online, and you can serve it on toasts made from the cornbread, which here’s my little one very much enjoyed.

Thanks to my husband for doing the grilling and taking the photos!

My Favorite Coleslaw

Here is the coleslaw recipe that goes with yesterday’s barbecued chicken (as well as with burgers, picnics or anywhere else you typically have coleslaw). I have grown less and less fond of an overuse of mayonnaise in my salads. This coleslaw is based on a recipe from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home, which uses sour cream as the base and just a touch of mayonnaise for richness. I find it much lighter and yummier than mayonnaise-based coleslaws.

This recipe is intended to serve 2-4 people, but I always end up making more coleslaw than we can possibly eat. Here’s one idea for what to do with the leftovers. A night or two later, make chicken tacos, using leftover coleslaw in place of the lettuce. If you have leftover barbecued chicken, that would also go well in tacos, or you can poach or roast a chicken breast for them. Add avocado and shredded white cheddar, and you’ve got a very tasty taco.

By the way, the recipe can be doubled or quadrupled, if you’re making coleslaw for a crowd. The original recipe I modified made 9 cups! Just remember that this recipe makes ¼ cup dressing total (3 parts sour cream to 1 part mayonnaise), so adjust accordingly.

Coleslaw

Yields: 2-4 servings

To make the dressing, combine:

• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Whisk to blend. Refrigerate until ready to use, or store up to 3 days.

For the coleslaw, prepare:

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 cup cabbage, sliced (I used green cabbage, but a mixture of green and red is also nice.)
• Fresh lemon juice to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

To easily slice the cabbage in a food processor, use the slicing disk, rather than the grating disk. Core the cabbage and cut it into wedges. Place the wedges horizontally in the feed tube of the food processor and slice. This produces long, thin strips that seem heartier than finely grated cabbage. (However, it seems to work better to grate the carrot with the grating disk, as the sliced carrot will be too thick.) The vegetables can be grated a day ahead and refrigerated.

When you’re ready to serve, toss the cabbage and carrot together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Season to taste with lemon juice and salt and pepper.

I feel that it’s okay to add or substitute any other crunchy vegetables I have in my fridge for the carrot. I have used red onion, romaine lettuce, celery and even zucchini successfully.

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A Down-Home Meal: Barbecued Chicken and Coleslaw

This week’s challenge was to make barbecued chicken and coleslaw: a summer meal in the middle of winter. I really enjoyed this meal. It was comfort food with a down-home feel, and it brought a little sunshine to all this winter weather we’ve been having. I think everyone else at the table liked it too. Even my toddler asked for a little of everything on his plate, and though he didn’t eat very much, that is still an improvement.

I have made the coleslaw recipe many times before, but this was an opportunity to really perfect it, and I think this was the best batch I have ever made. I’ll post that recipe tomorrow. (How come it is impossible to make coleslaw except in prodigious batches? I have some ideas for what to do with the leftovers, which I’ll also post.)

But let’s talk about the barbecue. I have never made barbecue sauce before, and I didn’t really know how to start. So I picked up How to Cook Everything, of course. Mark Bittman’s recipe for barbecue sauce begins with 2 cups of ketchup, which I thought might be overwhelmingly sweet. I consulted a few other recipes and Bittman’s long list of variations, and finally decided on a base combination of 1 part ketchup, 1 part tomato paste, 1 part hoisin sauce and 1 part stock to thin it out some. To this I added apple cider vinegar and bourbon (although I think dark beer would also work well).

All of the recipes I looked at called for chili powder as the main seasoning, but I decided to use Penzey’s BBQ 3000 mix instead, since I have a large bottle of it in my pantry (given to me as a gift). Chili powder can be substituted but will make the sauce a bit hotter, I think. To that I added salt, pepper, toasted onion powder and garlic powder.

The sauce tasted good, but it was still very sweet and lacked a certain depth. I consulted all the recipes again and decided to throw in a couple of spoonfuls of mustard (I used Coleman’s yellow) and Worcestershire sauce. That was better, but one last finishing touch was required. A few dashes of Tabasco did the job nicely. I let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes to meld the flavors.

My husband really liked this sauce, so I consider it a big success for my first attempt. He wants me to make it the standard for barbecue sauce in our house.

I dug up some old instructions for oven-barbecuing chicken, which basically consists of browning the chicken first, then slathering it with sauce and baking it until done. A quick broil at the end adds some “char.” I used bone-in, skin-on breasts, so if you add thighs or legs, your cooking time may be longer.

To serve, I pulled chicken off the bone and plated alongside the coleslaw and the traditional white roll. I reserved about half the sauce for dipping.

Oven-Barbecued Chicken

Serves: 2 but this recipe probably makes enough sauce for 4 large pieces of chicken

For the sauce, combine:

• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup tomato paste
• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• ½ cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
• ½ cup bourbon (or substitute dark beer)
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Penzey’s BBQ 3000 mix (or substitute 1 tablespoon chili powder or to taste)
• ½ teaspoon toasted onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 1-2 dashes Tabasco

Bring to a simmer. Let simmer over low, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large, oven-proof skillet, drizzle 2 bone-in chicken breasts with a little olive oil, and sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Brown both sides over medium-high and remove from the heat.

Pour about half of the sauce into a bowl. Reserve the remainder and keep warm on low heat, covered. Slather the chicken thickly on both sides with the sauce. Bake until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning and re-basting as needed. This can take 20 minutes or more, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

When the chicken is almost done, turn on the broiler and cook a further 5 minutes, turning once. Serve with the reserved sauce on the side.

Classic Cucumber Salad

I made this for dinner last night with the last of our garden cucumbers. This quick marinade is probably my favorite way to eat cucumbers. You can vary the herbs and citrus to suit your menu; for instance, basil is delicious in this salad. Do not omit the small amount of sugar, though, as it really helps the flavors shine.

The original recipe is from Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking, but as the title says, it is a Southern classic.

Classic Cucumber Salad

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, cilantro, basil or mint
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime or lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to chill.

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Hoppin’ John

Hoppin' John

Despite saying that I wasn’t going to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day this year, I broke down and made the traditional Southern dish of hoppin’ john. (I skipped the collards, though.) And I have to say, it was fantastic. As a bonus, I’ll have good luck this year due to eating black-eyed peas.

I was inspired to make hoppin’ john by some wonderful pepper-smoked slab bacon that I received as a Christmas gift. The bacon is what really made this dish. It was rich, smoky and hearty, probably the best hoppin’ john I have ever made. I had to call up my Dad, who gave me the bacon, right after dinner and thank him. Unfortunately, I threw away the wrapper and so now I don’t know where the bacon came from. If you plan to recreate this, do try to seek out a good-quality slab smoked bacon (not pre-sliced).

Hoppin’ john is an extremely simple dish to make, which means it’s a good choice for a weeknight dinner. Don’t save it just for New Year’s Day. Hoppin’ john is essentially another variant of the classic beans and rice combination. Most cultures have a version: red beans and rice from Louisiana, lentils and rice from the Middle East, black beans and rice from the Caribbean, to name a few. You can substitute other beans in this recipe and play with the seasonings to make any of the variants you choose. But please, don’t omit the bacon!

Hoppin’ John

Yields: 4 servings (leftovers can be frozen)
Time to make: ~45 minutes with frozen black-eyed peas

What you need:

• 1½ cups frozen black-eyed peas, or the equivalent of dried peas, cooked, liquid reserved
• ¼ lb. slab bacon, cubed
• ¼ cup celery, chopped
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning or to taste
• 1 tsp. oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup tomatoes, chopped, with their liquid
• ½ cup chicken stock (or use reserved cooking liquid, if you cooked dried peas)
• 1½ cups rice, cooked (I prefer the pilaf method)
• Optional garnishes: hot sauce, fresh parsley, chopped red onion, grated cheese and/or sour cream

1. Sauté the bacon, celery, onion and garlic in the oil until the bacon is crispy and the vegetables are golden, 10 minutes.
2. Add the seasonings.
3. Stir in the black-eyed peas, the tomatoes with their liquid and the chicken stock (or reserved pea-cooking liquid).
4. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the peas are tender.
5. Serve over the cooked rice.

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Skillet Cornbread: A Better Way to Make Cornbread

Making cornbread in a cast iron skillet.

I am a big fan of cornbread. This is a bread that’s hard for even anti-bakers like me to mess up. It comes together quickly, it can usually be made with whatever’s on hand (as long as you have cornmeal, and why don’t you?), and it’s appropriate for any meal or even a snack.

I usually make cornbread in a cake pan with equal parts cornmeal and flour. This makes a crumbly, lighter, bread-like cornbread that takes well to add-ins like chiles or cheese. But sometimes you want something different.

For Thanksgiving this year, I tried making cornbread the true Southern way, in a cast iron skillet. My trusty Le Creuset cast iron skillet was up to the task (one of the best investments I have made in pans). I also wanted a richer flavor befitting a special meal, so I greased the pan with bacon grease rather than oil, and I used a higher proportion of cornmeal to flour. The result was a dense, rich-tasting, cake-like cornbread that was among the best I have ever tasted. Cut into wedges fresh out of the oven, it was so moist it didn’t even need butter. I froze the leftovers and toasted them for breakfast this morning with a small pat of butter. Delicious.

Almost any way you make cornbread is a good way, I’ve found. But try out this method if you have some leftover bacon grease on hand. One thing I know for sure: I will only make cornbread in a cast iron skillet from now on.

Skillet Cornbread

Time to make: ~45 minutes plus time to cool
Yields: 8 servings

What you need:

• bacon fat
• ½ cup flour
• 1½ cups cornmeal
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
• cast-iron skillet

1. Coat the inside of the skillet with the bacon fat (or substitute a neutral oil).
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the skillet inside.
3. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and gently stir in the eggs and buttermilk.
5. Add the butter.
6. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry untl barely moistened.
7. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour in the batter.
8. Bake 25-35 minutes, until golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let rest a few minutes (up to 1 hour) before serving.

Greens Cooked with Bacon

In the South, it is a New Year’s Day tradition to eat black-eyed peas and collard greens. When I was a kid, I was convinced that this “tradition” was a trick to get me to eat things like black-eyed peas and collard greens. Now, of course, I realize this is one of many New Year’s food traditions designed to bring good luck and money in the coming year. I like both foods more now, anyway, and besides, who am I to buck tradition? They may know something I don’t.

So this year for New Year’s Day dinner, we had a contemporary but rustic menu featuring pan-roasted sausages, swiss chard cooked in bacon and black-eyed pea salad with roasted butternut squash, peppers and goat cheese (recipe from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster).

I actually reworked the black-eyed pea salad into a soup a couple of nights later, adding some crumbled bacon and serving it with croutons smeared with goat cheese, and I liked it even more. That should just remind me that I usually prefer bean soups over bean salads.

For me, the real hit of the night was greens cooked in bacon. This is a very simple way of cooking any kind of greens, including collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, spinach and chard, which I used. The result is bright green and tasty with a strong (but not overwhelming) flavor of bacon, unlike the way overcooked, mushy, overly meaty greens I remember from my childhood. (It may be heresy, but I do think it’s possible to improve on some Southern recipes.)

Best of all, this is so easy to make that you can eat it much more often than once a year. That is, if you didn’t make a resolution to stop eating foods cooked in bacon fat. Enjoy.

Greens Cooked with Bacon
Time to make: ~30 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

What you need:

• 2 slices bacon
• 2 bunches cooking greens, washed and stems removed

1. In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crisp and remove to paper towels to drain.
2. Reduce the heat to low.
3. Add the greens to the bacon fat, cover and cook over low.
4. Stir occasionally and add a tablespoon of water if needed to keep from sticking.
5. Remove greens when cooked to desired tenderness, as little as 5 minutes for spinach, up to 25 minutes for tougher greens.
6. Top with crumbled bacon and serve.

Inspired by a recipe from Fresh Every Day.

Quick and Easy but Elegant Party Food

Yes, the party season is winding down, but here’s a dilemma that can come up at any time: What do you do if you want to be social and have people over, but you don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking beforehand? I know that as I have gotten more and more pregnant, my tolerance for standing in front of a stove has diminished greatly. Here are some ideas I’ve used for putting together a simple but elegant spread without spending a lot of time or effort, beyond perhaps a quick trip to the grocery store.

The Cheese Tray

Of course, the cheese tray is a classic for good reason — who doesn’t love a selection of nice cheeses? But you can get creative with it without too much extra effort. Fresh and dried fruits, nuts, pickles and cured meats all pair well with cheeses. In addition, why not put out one or two unusual accompaniments? One of my favorites is hot pepper jelly, which goes especially well with a creamy cheese like chevre. An unusual mustard, chutney, honey or infused oil would also work. In fact, this is a great opportunity to get rid of that gourmet gift or that jar you picked up on a shopping trip that looked interesting but you haven’t figured out what to do with it.

Breads and Chips

This is another way to get creative without expending too much effort: make your own crostini and chips. Slice up a baguette or cut pitas or tortillas into wedges, brush with oil, sprinkle with a little coarse salt and crisp up in a 400-degree oven for 8-10 minutes, until browned. Other breads will work too. Crostini and chips freeze well, so are easy to keep on hand. I have gotten into the habit of making them whenever I have some bread that is about to turn rock hard and keeping a freezer bag full. Not only are they good to pull out for parties, but they also make yummy snacks.

Straws and Tarts

If you have some puff pastry dough or pre-made pizza dough, you can make a whole host of finger foods. Keep these ingredients on hand in the freezer, and all you have to remember is to take them out to thaw a few hours before the party starts. I have spread pizza dough with pesto and sprinkled with grated cheese, then folded over the edges to form a rustic tart. Other simple toppings, such as sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers or olives, would also be delicious. Bake for 10 minutes in a 400-degree oven, and the result is a real crowd pleaser.

Or press grated cheese, sesame seeds, herbs or spices into a sheet of puff pastry dough. Cut the dough into strips, twist each strip and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes to make elegant straws. These look nice served in a tall vase or pitcher.

Smoked Fish Platter

This is one of my favorite appetizers (sometimes I make a meal of it): an assortment of smoked fishes, such as salmon, trout and oysters, with a variety of accompaniments. I like to serve smoked fish with those tiny loaves of black bread, sour cream, honey mustard, fresh dill or chives and minced red onion. They also go well with cucumber slices, tomato slices and melon wedges.

Mulled Wine or Cider

One way to ensure that your house smells terrific when guests arrive is to have a pot of mulled wine or cider on the stove, and it’s dead easy to make. Pour 1 bottle of dry red wine or apple cider into a large pot. Add 1 sliced orange and 1 sliced lemon, 2 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks and a few dashes nutmeg. If needed, stir in some sugar to taste. Bring to a simmer — do not let it boil! — and then keep warm over low during the party.

Presentation

Since you don’t have to spend a lot of time cooking, you have more time to come up with creative ways to present the food. I actually think these ideas are more fun than the typical trays of hors d’oeuvres, because they can be served in lots of little bowls, plates and platters that you can place at various strategic points around the party area, rather than creating that one central food station where everyone congregates. I love to collect small ceramic dishes and bowls, and a gathering is a perfect excuse to show them off.

The key is to have fun with it. Even the simplest dishes can be impressive, and your guests won’t know what shortcuts you’ve taken. This leaves you more time and energy to actually enjoy your parties.

Happy new year!

Variations on a Theme: Chicken Salad

Chicken salad with diced apple, sunflower seeds and parsley, served as an open-faced sandwich on romaine.

One thing I’ve noticed, as I have cooked more and more, is that very few recipes are truly original. Most are just variations on a simple theme. Once I have learned the core recipe or technique, it then becomes a simple matter to vary the recipe to suit my tastes, the ingredients I have on hand or the occasion for which I’m cooking.

I keep a notebook of core recipes and techniques I have learned from reading cookbooks, food magazines and food blogs. Whenever I read about or make up a variation I like, I just note it in my notebook under the core recipe. This makes it easy to find all versions of a particular recipe when I feel like making it.

One of my favorite recipes for adapting is chicken salad. Of course, chicken salad is a handy recipe to have in your repertoire anyway. Serve it on a sandwich for lunch, on dressed greens or sliced tomatoes as a light meal or stuffed into cherry tomatoes, endive leaves or hollowed out cucumber slices for an hors d’oeuvre. It works all ways.

Here is my basic, bare-bones recipe for chicken salad:

Basic Chicken Salad

Yields: 2 servings
Time to make: ~5 minutes with pre-cooked chicken

Combine in a bowl:

• 1 cooked (roasted, poached or grilled) chicken breast, diced
• 1 tbsp. onion or scallions, minced
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, or to taste
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Basic, but a little boring, right? A recipe like this is like a blank canvas — you can take it in all sorts of directions just by adding a little color and texture. For starters, here are some of my favorite things to throw into the basic chicken salad:

• minced celery
• minced capers, pickles or relish
• diced apple
• sliced grapes
• cubed avocado
• pickled jalapeno slices
• sunflower seeds or nuts
• minced fresh herbs
• sliced tomato
• various seasonings, such as curry powder or herb mix, to taste

And so on from there. There really are no limits but your imagination and tastes.

But wait, there’s more! The basic chicken salad recipe can be transformed into three other dishes just by changing the main ingredient:

• Substitute 1 can tuna, drained, for tuna salad
• Substitute 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, for egg salad
• Substitute ¼ lb. macaroni, cooked, for pasta salad

Starting with this one basic recipe, you can make an endless variety of dishes. You’ll soon start noticing that recipes for chicken, tuna, egg and macaroni salad in cookbooks are all variations of this simple theme. They can give you ideas for new things to do with this all-purpose recipe, but at the heart, you really only need to know one recipe to make them all.

When you start recognizing the core recipes and give yourself permission to play with them, then you can liberate yourself from the cookbook. I love recipes for helping me think of new ways to make old dishes, but you’re really cooking when you take that recipe and make it truly your own.