Shrimp and Grits

I cannot get enough of good sweet shrimp. Every visit to the seafood store I always buy one pound for using that day and one for freezing. But I am picky about what kind of shrimp I buy. Never from China!

More and more consumers are demanding seafood that is natural, traceable, and sustainable. Since I am close to Louisiana I try to buy their wild caught, local shrimp. They are caught fresh and not frozen with any preservatives. I can buy a pound of medium shrimp for about $5.99 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, and I consider that a bargain. I miss Joe Patti’s in Pensacola.

I went to a one-hour lecture on Southern Culture and Food at the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, North Carolina last week and it did not tell me a lot of new things. But the speaker did remind me that the late Bill Neal was the chef who started using shrimp and grits together in 1982. Mr. Neal was a food writer and he published several cookbooks before he died. He influenced many young chefs across the South and his dish of shrimp and grits is still on the menu of his famous restaurant, Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I have not eaten there but there was a Crook’s Corner in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 80’s and I remember eating shrimp and grits there. Neal, according to Craig Claiborne, reinvented a low country breakfast dish to an entrée which is now served all over the South.

It seems that every restaurant has their own version of shrimp and grits these days. Well, I even have my own after years of working on this dish. I had one version of this dish at Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi, some while ago, and I did come home and duplicate it. The treatment of this shrimp dish was the use of a fried grits cake with a tomato sauce on top. Here is my take on this recipe.

Shrimp and Grits from Stanton Hall (Chef Bingo Starr) (my version)

2 servings

Make a pan of stone ground grits and cut out two squares and fry them in olive oil until crisp. About 4 minutes per side.

Sauté 8 shrimp in 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning while they are sautéing.  About 3 minutes.

Make a sauce of  1 cup of diced tomatoes, sautéed in 2 tablespoons olive oil with I green pepper chopped and ½ of a chopped onion. Cook for 8 minutes.

Make a small sauce of 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce and 3 tablespoons butter and stir until well blended about 2 minutes.

To serve: Put one half of the Worchester sauce swirled around the bottom of the plate. Place 1 fried grit square on top of this. Place 4 shrimps on top of the grit cake. Lastly, put the tomato sauce on top of the shrimp. Another take on ‘shrimp and grits’ but quite good, I thought.

I found the original Shrimp and Grits recipe from Crook’s Corner. I use it somewhat but sometimes add different spices such as tarragon or whatever might be in the garden. But this recipe is a good guide for your next dinner of shrimp and grits.

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits from Bill Neal’s cookbook, Southern Cooking

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

¾ cup half-and-half

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon hot sauce

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and the next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge with flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings.

 

I cannot get enough of good sweet shrimp. Every visit to the seafood store I always buy one pound for using that day and one for freezing. But I am picky about what kind of shrimp I buy. Never from China!

More and more consumers are demanding seafood that is natural, traceable, and sustainable. Since I am close to Louisiana I try to buy their wild caught, local shrimp. They are caught fresh and not frozen with any preservatives. I can buy a pound of medium shrimp for about $5.99 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, and I consider that a bargain. I miss Joe Patti’s in Pensacola.

I went to a one-hour lecture on Southern Culture and Food at the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, North Carolina last week and it did not tell me a lot of new things. But the speaker did remind me that the late Bill Neal was the chef who started using shrimp and grits together in 1982. Mr. Neal was a food writer and he published several cookbooks before he died. He influenced many young chefs across the South and his dish of shrimp and grits is still on the menu of his famous restaurant, Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I have not eaten there but there was a Crook’s Corner in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 80’s and I remember eating shrimp and grits there. Neal, according to Craig Claiborne, reinvented a low country breakfast dish to an entrée which is now served all over the South.

It seems that every restaurant has their own version of shrimp and grits these days. Well, I even have my own after years of working on this dish. I had one version of this dish at Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi, some while ago, and I did come home and duplicate it. The treatment of this shrimp dish was the use of a fried grits cake with a tomato sauce on top. Here is my take on this recipe.

Shrimp and Grits from Stanton Hall (Chef Bingo Starr) (my version)

2 servings

Make a pan of stone ground grits and cut out two squares and fry them in olive oil until crisp. About 4 minutes per side.

Sauté 8 shrimp in 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning while they are sautéing.  About 3 minutes.

Make a sauce of  1 cup of diced tomatoes, sautéed in 2 tablespoons olive oil with I green pepper chopped and ½ of a chopped onion. Cook for 8 minutes.

Make a small sauce of 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce and 3 tablespoons butter and stir until well blended about 2 minutes.

To serve: Put one half of the Worchester sauce swirled around the bottom of the plate. Place 1 fried grit square on top of this. Place 4 shrimps on top of the grit cake. Lastly, put the tomato sauce on top of the shrimp. Another take on ‘shrimp and grits’ but quite good, I thought.

I found the original Shrimp and Grits recipe from Crook’s Corner. I use it somewhat but sometimes add different spices such as tarragon or whatever might be in the garden. But this recipe is a good guide for your next dinner of shrimp and grits.

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits from Bill Neal’s cookbook, Southern Cooking

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

¾ cup half-and-half

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon hot sauce

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and the next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge with flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings.

 

I cannot get enough of good sweet shrimp. Every visit to the seafood store I always buy one pound for using that day and one for freezing. But I am picky about what kind of shrimp I buy. Never from China!

More and more consumers are demanding seafood that is natural, traceable, and sustainable. Since I am close to Louisiana I try to buy their wild caught, local shrimp. They are caught fresh and not frozen with any preservatives. I can buy a pound of medium shrimp for about $5.99 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, and I consider that a bargain. I miss Joe Patti’s in Pensacola.

I went to a one-hour lecture on Southern Culture and Food at the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, North Carolina last week and it did not tell me a lot of new things. But the speaker did remind me that the late Bill Neal was the chef who started using shrimp and grits together in 1982. Mr. Neal was a food writer and he published several cookbooks before he died. He influenced many young chefs across the South and his dish of shrimp and grits is still on the menu of his famous restaurant, Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I have not eaten there but there was a Crook’s Corner in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 80’s and I remember eating shrimp and grits there. Neal, according to Craig Claiborne, reinvented a low country breakfast dish to an entrée which is now served all over the South.

It seems that every restaurant has their own version of shrimp and grits these days. Well, I even have my own after years of working on this dish. I had one version of this dish at Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi, some while ago, and I did come home and duplicate it. The treatment of this shrimp dish was the use of a fried grits cake with a tomato sauce on top. Here is my take on this recipe.

Shrimp and Grits from Stanton Hall (Chef Bingo Starr) (my version)

2 servings

Make a pan of stone ground grits and cut out two squares and fry them in olive oil until crisp. About 4 minutes per side.

Sauté 8 shrimp in 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning while they are sautéing.  About 3 minutes.

Make a sauce of  1 cup of diced tomatoes, sautéed in 2 tablespoons olive oil with I green pepper chopped and ½ of a chopped onion. Cook for 8 minutes.

Make a small sauce of 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce and 3 tablespoons butter and stir until well blended about 2 minutes.

To serve: Put one half of the Worchester sauce swirled around the bottom of the plate. Place 1 fried grit square on top of this. Place 4 shrimps on top of the grit cake. Lastly, put the tomato sauce on top of the shrimp. Another take on ‘shrimp and grits’ but quite good, I thought.

I found the original Shrimp and Grits recipe from Crook’s Corner. I use it somewhat but sometimes add different spices such as tarragon or whatever might be in the garden. But this recipe is a good guide for your next dinner of shrimp and grits.

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits from Bill Neal’s cookbook, Southern Cooking

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

¾ cup half-and-half

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon hot sauce

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and the next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge with flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings.

 

Farmer's Market

It is always a treat to visit the farmer’s market in the summer. We were at one last Saturday and we could not resist taking pictures because of the wonderful colors of the peppers, tomatoes, and greens. What is terrific are the changes you see in the produce from month to month. We just never seem to have enough time to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday.

You then come home and wonder what to do with all this bounty. I wanted to use all that I could of my produce so I found two recipes that fit the bill. They are both, good end of the summer salads and will use a lot of the produce you can find at the farmer’s market this time of year. With Labor Day this weekend some of the farmer’s markets will be closing for the summer. Try and get out and find one to enjoy one last time!

Taken from the August 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Summer Vegetable “Ceviche”

8 servings

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1½ pounds in the pod) or other shelling beans

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup coarse chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cool water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

This salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

 

The next recipe adds some chicken to the salad. The farmer’s market is a good source of farm eggs, grass-feed beef and pastured pork and occasionally some chickens that have been raised free range.

Taken from the September 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Southern Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Serves 4-6

Dressing:

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 large Vidalia onions (1½ pounds), peeled and quartered through the core

1¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces (6 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup radish sprouts or just sliced radishes

4 ounces blue cheese, crumble (1 cup)

½ cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 Hass avocado, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise

Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the onions with oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, until the onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.

Peel the garlic and transfer the cloves to a blender. Add the onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With the blender on gradually add the 1¼ cups of vegetable oil until incorporated. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

 

 

It is always a treat to visit the farmer’s market in the summer. We were at one last Saturday and we could not resist taking pictures because of the wonderful colors of the peppers, tomatoes, and greens. What is terrific are the changes you see in the produce from month to month. We just never seem to have enough time to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday.

You then come home and wonder what to do with all this bounty. I wanted to use all that I could of my produce so I found two recipes that fit the bill. They are both, good end of the summer salads and will use a lot of the produce you can find at the farmer’s market this time of year. With Labor Day this weekend some of the farmer’s markets will be closing for the summer. Try and get out and find one to enjoy one last time!

Taken from the August 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Summer Vegetable “Ceviche”

8 servings

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1½ pounds in the pod) or other shelling beans

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup coarse chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cool water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

This salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

 

The next recipe adds some chicken to the salad. The farmer’s market is a good source of farm eggs, grass-feed beef and pastured pork and occasionally some chickens that have been raised free range.

Taken from the September 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Southern Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Serves 4-6

Dressing:

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 large Vidalia onions (1½ pounds), peeled and quartered through the core

1¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces (6 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup radish sprouts or just sliced radishes

4 ounces blue cheese, crumble (1 cup)

½ cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 Hass avocado, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise

Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the onions with oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, until the onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.

Peel the garlic and transfer the cloves to a blender. Add the onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With the blender on gradually add the 1¼ cups of vegetable oil until incorporated. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

 

 

It is always a treat to visit the farmer’s market in the summer. We were at one last Saturday and we could not resist taking pictures because of the wonderful colors of the peppers, tomatoes, and greens. What is terrific are the changes you see in the produce from month to month. We just never seem to have enough time to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday.

You then come home and wonder what to do with all this bounty. I wanted to use all that I could of my produce so I found two recipes that fit the bill. They are both, good end of the summer salads and will use a lot of the produce you can find at the farmer’s market this time of year. With Labor Day this weekend some of the farmer’s markets will be closing for the summer. Try and get out and find one to enjoy one last time!

Taken from the August 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Summer Vegetable “Ceviche”

8 servings

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1½ pounds in the pod) or other shelling beans

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup coarse chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cool water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

This salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

 

The next recipe adds some chicken to the salad. The farmer’s market is a good source of farm eggs, grass-feed beef and pastured pork and occasionally some chickens that have been raised free range.

Taken from the September 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Southern Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Serves 4-6

Dressing:

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 large Vidalia onions (1½ pounds), peeled and quartered through the core

1¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces (6 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup radish sprouts or just sliced radishes

4 ounces blue cheese, crumble (1 cup)

½ cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 Hass avocado, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise

Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the onions with oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, until the onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.

Peel the garlic and transfer the cloves to a blender. Add the onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With the blender on gradually add the 1¼ cups of vegetable oil until incorporated. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

 

 

 

Zucchini

We are eating a lot of zucchini these days. I like it raw as well as cooked and I have given a lot of recipes of raw zucchini salads in the past.

The name zucchini is Italian and means “little squash.” But zucchini are notorious shape shifters. Some can be very small and some monstrous. My husband brings me some of the “monstrous” ones quite often, and I wonder how in the world he missed it! I have heard from other people that they seem to grow huge overnight. The zucchini is a native of Central America and arrived in the South through northward migration and with immigrating colonists from Europe.

The vegetable itself didn’t gain widespread popularity until there were cooks and eaters who appreciated that zucchini, unlike more demure and delicate summer squashes, can hold their own with stronger, bolder seasonings such as garlic and chili peppers. The seeds and skins are fully edible, although those prospects lose their appeal as they grow in size. Not all zucchini are long, slender, and dark green. Zucchini can also be round or bulbous and can come in light green, gold, and yellow and have stripes and spots. Small zucchini can resemble other summer squashes to the point that any difference might be only in the eye of the beholder.

I found some really good zucchini recipes in the August, 2011 issue of ‘bon appétit.’

 

Squash and Tomato Gratin

4 servings

Toss 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and 2 Tbsp. olive oil; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 sliced large tomato; cook, tossing occasionally, until juices are bubbling, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Top with 2 thinly sliced large summer squash and breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 350° until squash is tender and breadcrumbs are golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

 

Shaved Squash Salad with Sunflower Seeds

4 servings

Shave 2 large summer squash lengthwise with a vegetable peeler and toss with 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice and 2 Tbsp. olive oil; season with salt kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Top with ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup town fresh basil, and 1 Tbsp. salted, roasted sunflower seeds.

 

Curried Squash Soup

4 servings

Heat 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 chopped large summer squash, 1 chopped small onion, and 1 tsp. curry powder; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Add 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until very tender, 25-30 minutes. Puree until smooth.

Serve soup warm or chilled, topped with sour cream, cracked pepper, and cilantro sprigs.

 

Sobou and Sylvain

We spent a wonderful two days in New Orleans last week at the New Orleans Antiques Forum which is held every year in August. We saw two fabulous houses on a pre-conference tour, one of which was Popular Grove Plantation in Port Allen, Louisiana which is a Victorian confection in a tropical setting reminiscent of Queen Emma’s palace in Hawaii, and Lakeside Plantation in Pointe Coupée Parish. The Lakeside Plantation was of interest to us since it was built by Charles Stewart, the son of the builder of our house here in Mississippi. At 12,000 square feet, it is the largest house in Pointe Coupée Parish and in the 19^th century the center of a large sugar plantation.  Much sugar cane is still grown in the flat fields behind the levees in the parish.

The tour day became more of interest as we walked to the bus for the tour; we passed St. Louis Cathedral as preparations were made for the funeral of Lindy Boggs.  Later in the day we had lunch at St. Mary’s, New Roads, where that afternoon Mrs. Boggs would be buried in her family tomb. Maybe you are more familiar with Mrs. Boggs’ daughter, the public radio commentator Cokie Roberts. I learned of some more people of interest from Point Coupée---Marine Commandant General John Archer Lejeune, for whom Camp Lejeune, North Carolina is named.  Another General of more recent interest is General Russell Honore who gained fame in New Orleans during Katrina.

We went to two new restaurants while in New Orleans. One was SoBou, short for south of Bourbon and is one of the newest Brennan’s restaurants. It is located on Chartres and the bar is very attractive. Of interest, my son who met us there, met a couple from Birmingham. Of course when I met them I went off about Frank Stitt and the Highlands Bar and Grill. They knew the restaurant and thought highly of it also. If you had not seen the latest edition of ‘Garden and Gun’, please pick up a copy. There is a huge spread on Frank Stitt and what he has done for Birmingham. “How did you hear of Frank Stitt?” We lived in Andalusia.”  “Small world, I’m from Brewton!” she said. How is that for connections? Getting back to SoBou, it is really a tapas restaurant, offering many small plates. We ordered a Cajun Queso (think pork rinds with a pimento dip), some alligator sausage, boudin balls and topped it off with a cheese plate. If you want some good small appetizers and a good drink or a glass of wine, this restaurant is for you.

We went to lunch the next day to our other new restaurant, but it has actually been in business for three years. Sylvain is also located on Chartres Street in the 600 block. This restaurant has an Alabama connection also, since the chef, Alex Harrell is from Dothan. His father has been a cardiologist in Dothan for many years and has just retired. Some of you have probably seen him as a patient. Alex is a charming young man and a very good chef. He uses local ingredients and changes his menu frequently. A main item on his menu is his Brussels sprouts salad (which I came home and duplicated and will give it to you). He also had a wonderful eggplant appetizer (so large it would be a meal). I had a beef belly appetizer and it melted in my mouth and had a great flavor. His hamburgers are good and he had a sweetbread appetizer with a chili sauce that my husband loved. So give this restaurant a try when you are next in New Orleans. I hear the bar can be noisy at night so maybe lunch would be the better venue.

Brussels sprouts are not in season I admit, but I did find some at Whole Foods. Alex keeps it on the menu because people like it so much. This recipe was so good I wanted to share it with you while it was fresh on my mind, but keep it for the months Brussels sprouts are in season. I found hazelnuts at Whole Foods also and I did toast them before putting them in a food processor. They are expensive but you only need a few in the salad.

 

Brussels sprouts with Hazelnuts and Pecorino (Adapted from Sylvain Restaurant)

4 servings

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced on a mandolin or shaved thin with a very sharp knife

1 Granny Smith apple, cut into small pieces

Juice of one lemon

½ cup of toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped in the food processor

½ cup of grated Pecorino

3 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Toss the shaved Brussels sprouts with the apple. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over all. Mix the white balsamic vinegar with the olive oil and mix well.

Toss the vinegar and olive oil mixture over the Brussels sprouts and apple. Mix well and then add the hazelnuts and grated Pecorino. Toss once or twice to mix well.

Can add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

 

 

 

Tepary Beans

In Tucson we again went to the Desert Museum---because we really liked it last year and because our son hadn’t been there.  It is a wonderful showcase of the desert’s flora and fauna (including fish, reptiles, and bugs) and the Sonoran Desert certainly isn’t barren; it is rich in plant and animal life.  We had a two hour guided tour---just us---by one of their fantastic volunteers.  He said they took a 3 day a week/6 month course before they started giving tours and interpreting various exhibits. The museum is located outside Tucson in the Saguaro National Park.  Although there are some indoor exhibits, most of the museum is outside with the plants and animals in their native space.

Another place we went again was the Native Seeds store.  They do a great job in seed saving and promoting gardening in the desert.  I bought some tepary beans and my husband bought some for seed to try back home.  He found a book in the 4^th St. downtown district, Growing Food in a Hotter, Drier Land---Lessons from Desert Farmers on Adapting to Climate Uncertainty.  The author, Gary Nabhan, farms near the Mexican border in southern Arizona.  He looks at centuries of lessons learned by desert farmers around the world and suggests ideas for use in our present “global warming” or as he prefers to call it, “climate uncertainty.”  He has several pages of varieties of vegetables and fruits that are heat and drought tolerant.  There is a whole section on tepary beans.  I asked the knowledgeable staff at the Native Seeds store.  They are to be planted with the spring rains and mature when the rains end.  They are easiest to harvest by pulling up the whole plant. They can fail to produce if the rain continues as it frequently does here in the South.  I plan to try them on a dry slope that will get the spring rains and will dry out even if the rains come on in the summer.  Tepary beans are ‘the world’s most drought tolerant domesticated bean.’  They are an ancient bean of the Akimel O’Odham and Tohono O’Odham tribes of the Sonoran desert of Arizona and Mexico. We’ll see if we produce any next year.  In the meantime we can enjoy those we bought in Tucson.  You can use another dried white bean as I know of no local source for tepary beans. If you would like to order some beans, just use the website www.nativeseeds.com.

Our trip ended with a visit to the Tucson Tamale Company. The tamales were the best I have ever eaten. They are all done fresh with wonderful fillings of peppers, cheese, black beans, squash and corn. I would go back to Tucson just for the tamales!

This soup is really tasty so give it a try. I cooked the beans probably an hour longer than suggested since I just could not get the beans soft enough. I used fresh herbs instead of dried, so just use more fresh herbs in the recipe to make up for the dried.

Tepary Bean Soup

Serves 4

1 cup tepary beans, soaked overnight and rinsed

1/3 cup diced yellow onion

¼ cup peeled and diced carrots

¼ cup diced celery

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ quarts chicken stock

¼ teaspoon dry basil

Pinch dry oregano

Pinch dry thyme

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch black pepper

½ teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon lemon juice

In a large saucepan add soaked beans and cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. Drain.

In a separate large saucepan, sauté onions, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil until onions begin to turn translucent.

Add beans and stir. Add stock, basil, oregano, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, or until beans are soft.

Beans should begin to fall apart and thicken broth.

Once soup begins to thicken, add remaining ingredients. Simmer briefly.

 

Keep cool. It’s hot!

Trip to Tucson '13

We have just returned from our trip out west to visit our daughter in Tucson. She thought we were crazy to visit her when she works almost 90 hours a week in her residency but we told her we like Arizona in the summer. The monsoons (yes, they have rain) come in July, which makes it cooler for all.

 

Our son went with us this year and this helped with the driving. He also helped find new restaurants and directions, which helped us along the way. We were in Houston during the lunch hour and he knew of a restaurant called Chuy’s, a Mexican chain, we had never heard of. It has a funky 1950’s motif but the food was good (We ate too much.) and priced reasonable. There is one in Birmingham, which is why I mentioned this restaurant.

 

The first evening was spent in Kerrville, Texas, a sweet little town west of San Antonio. We had dinner overlooking the Guadeloupe River at Billy Gene’s, and you can probably guess by the name that is was Southern food. After a meal of moist meat loaf and mashed potatoes we were ready to have a good night’s rest.

 

We arrived in Las Cruces, New Mexico late in the afternoon of the next day. We ate at a very good restaurant called Andele, where we had eaten last year. Andele is located in La Messilla where the US flag was raised in 1854 to mark the Gadsden Purchase of southern New Mexico and Arizona.  It was later the capital of Confederate Arizona Territory (of note, since this is the sesquicentennial of the War). We had posole, the Mexican soup, which is made with corn and beef or chicken. I gave the recipe last year, and still think it is one of the better things I had to eat. We had posole and then some more food and we left stuffed and so full we did not eat dinner. I keep forgetting how filling Mexican food is with the added rice and beans on every plate.

 

On to Tucson for the evening and after 24 hours of driving we arrived at the Arizona Inn, our place to stay for three nights. It is a haven in the desert and I just love staying there. The rates are cheaper in the summer so it is affordable. This old inn was begun in the 1930’s by Isabella Greenway, Arizona’s first woman representative to Congress who had been a bridesmaid in Eleanor Roosevelt’s wedding.

 

For breakfast the next morning, we ate at the inn since were too tired to travel anywhere. Of course my husband had the huevos rancheros, and what a big plate it was. He was stuffed again. But I did reproduce the recipe for him when I returned home and it is a wonderful breakfast dish. Mine was not as large.

 

I will get into more of the Tucson food next week, but I did buy a little Mexican cookbook, Perfect Mexican, for $5.00 and it has such good recipes that are simple. I tried the shrimp tacos last evening and they were tasty and easy.

 

So try the huevos rancheros and shrimp tacos this week and this will make you get a small taste of the old west!

 

Huevos Rancheros

 

Serves 4

2 tbsp. butter, bacon fat or lard

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped

4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp. lemon or lime juice

2 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper

4 large eggs

3 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the butter in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the bell peppers and chilies and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, adding a little more lemon juice if the mixture becomes too dry.

Transfer the mixture to a large, ovenproof dish. Make four hollows in the mixture and break an egg into each. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, are until the eggs are set.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve at once.

 

Chili-Shrimp Tacos

 

Serves 4

1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley

12 tortilla shells (We bought ours at the tortilla factory in La Masilla. You can find them at the grocery.)

scallions, chopped, to garnish

For the taco sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1-2 fresh hot green chilies, such as jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

 3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

juice of ½ lemon

salt and pepper

to serve: sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the bell pepper and chilies and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and sugar and cook the sauce for an additional 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10minutes.

Stir in the shrimp and parsley, cover, and cook gently for 5-8 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and tender.

Meanwhile, place the tortilla shells, open-side down, on a baking sheet. Warm in the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes. To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture into the tortilla shells and top with a spoonful of sour cream.

 

 

 

Okra

It is that time of the summer when the okra is plentiful and you either freeze it (I like to have it in the winter for gumbo when local fresh okra is not available.) or look for the many ways to use it. Aside from being an important ingredient in gumbo and frying up beautifully on its own, okra is equally at home simmered with tomatoes and when pickled with plenty of spices in a Mason jar.

Very drought and heat resistant, okra is believed to be native to an area that includes modern-day Ethiopia, and it is documented as far back as the early 1200s in Egypt. Okra arrived in the United States in the 18^th century as a result of the slave trade. Although okra’s liquid is a superb thickening agent for gumbo, its “slime” factor has also worked against its popularity. “Okra is a very tricky ingredient,” says Chef Donald Link, owner of Cochon (one of my favorite New Orleans’ restaurants). “The way to take the slime factor out of okra is to cook it a little bit first in some hot oil and lay it on napkins in a pan, even if you put it in gumbo,” he says.

Try to pick the small, bright green pods that are no longer than around 3 inches since the larger ones are not as tender. The big hard ones can be used for Christmas decorations once painted red. These recipes go beyond frying, but I really love fried okra. There is really nothing better that some fried okra to add to your beans and corn for dinner, but give these a try for a change.

My husband loves this recipe for okra. There is an Asian twist in this recipe but it is easy and tasty.

Okra with Scallion, Lime and Ginger

Serves 4

1 lb. small to medium okra, trimmed, leaving tops and tips

1 cup chopped scallions (about 1 bunch)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 (2-by 1-inch) piece peeled ginger, cut into very thin matchsticks

Lime wedges

Steam okra in a steamer over boiling water, covered until just tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

Cook Scallions in oil with ½ tsp. salt in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring until softened, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour over okra and toss with ginger. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over okra.

 

The next two recipes are from Louisiana Cookin’ August 2013.

 

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

Serves 6

4 slices bacon

1 cup chopped Vidalia onion

2 tablespoons sliced garlic

8 cups fresh okra, halved lengthwise

2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained (Might as well use fresh this time of year.)

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat, until browned. Remove bacon; crumble and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan.

Add onion and garlic to pan, and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat; until tender, about 5 minutes. Add okra, tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add crumbled bacon. Serve with hot cooked rice, if desired.

 

Corn and Okra Cornbread Sticks (It’s not actually frying but close.)

Makes about 1 ½ dozen

¼ cup butter

1 cup thinly sliced okra

½ cup fresh corn kernels

1 ½ tablespoons chopped shallot

1 ½ teaspoons chopped garlic

1 (6-ounce) package cornbread mix

1 (14.5-ounce) can creamed corn (Why not use fresh. Corn is in season too.)

½ cup whole buttermilk

3 tablespoons corn oil

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 375ᴼ. Spray 3 (6-well) cornbread stick pans with nonstick cooking spray, and place in oven while preheating. Frank Stitt uses bacon grease for his corn sticks which makes them special. So if you want to kick these up a notch.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add okra, corn, shallot, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, combine cornbread mix, creamed corn, buttermilk, oil, and egg. Stir in cooked okra mixture. Remove pans from oven, and fill each well about three-fourths full with batter.

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove corn sticks from pans, and serve warm or let cool completely on a wire rack.