TO DINE SOUTHERN // A SPECIAL PUBLICATION FROM OKRA. // VOLUME 1 // 2020 by okra magazine

o k r a. TO DINE SOUTHERN

S P E C I A L

I S S U E

2 0 2 0

V O L U M E

Photo: fcafotodigital

“ Well, Southerners like to eat well. You see, it's an event when it's done right.” Stan Shaw

o k r a. TO DINE SOUTHERN

V OLU M E

SOUT H ER N

R ES TA UR A N T S

O K R A M A G A Z I N E. C O M

C H EF S

/ /

2020

contents 12

OUT TO LUNCH soups, salads & sandwiches

IN THE KITCHEN The VeryVera Cookbook // Vera Stewart

ALL WE KNEAD breads

IN THE KITCHEN Bon Appetit Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;all // Virginia Willis

FROM SIDE TO SIDE sides & veggies

IN THE KITCHEN Low-Carb Vegetarian Cookbook // Amy Lawrence & Justin Fox Burks

102

GO WITH THE GRAIN

124

IN THE KITCHEN

134

FISHING FOR COMPLIMENTS

grains & pasta

Mosquito Supper Club // Melissa Martin

fish & shellfish

Photo: Abbie Images

contents 164

continued

IN THE KITCHEN Gulf Coast Oysters // Irv Miller

174

MAKING ENDS MEAT meats & poultry

200

IN THE KITCHEN Whole Hog BBQ // Sam Jones & Daniel Vaughan

210

SWEET DREAMS cakes & desserts

234

KEEPING COMPANY jams & pickles

249

MANY THANKS acknowledgments

soups, salads & sandwiches

PEG LEG BOURBON CHILI

CAJUN FRIED PO'BOY WITH SPICY REMOULADE SAUCE

SESAME CEASAR SALAD

BACON CHOWDER

FRITO PIE

HOTEL ROANOKE PEANUT SOUP

GRILLED PEACHES AND SHISHITO PEPPERS WITH TASSO HAM

RAMP TOP GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

SMOKED BEYOND MEATLOAF SANDWICH

CHAPTER 1

OUT TO

LUNCH

Photo: Mekanikko

Photo: Henry Gonzalez

PEG LEG BOURBON CHILI CAREY BRINGLE // PEG LEG PORKER // NASHVILLE, TN "There are two things involved in making BBQ," according to pitmaster Carey Bringle – time and temperature. “That time you spend on bbq allows you to visit with your family, friends, or peers. Bringle has been competing in BBQ competitions for 28 years, and in 2013, opened the celebrated Peg Leg Porker BBQ restaurant in the trendy Gulch area of Nashville. Peg Leg Porker sells its BBQ sauces and dry rubs through its online store, but its pork rinds can be found only at the restaurant or in various locations around Nashville. They are a bit of a celebrity in their own right, as they star on top of the Crackle Shack burger at Shake Shack in Nashville. Peg Leg Porker Tennessee Straight Bourbon is currently only available in Tennessee, Oklahoma and New York with plans to expand distribution in the Southeast. peglegporker.com

1 lb ground beef ½ lb ground pork 2 yellow onions 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped 1½ cups (1 can) fire roasted tomatoes 1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce 3 tsp of Peg Leg Porker BBQ sauce 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper ¼ cup of Peg Leg Porker 8 year Bourbon 1½ Tbsp Peg Leg Porker dry rub 1 Tbsp brown sugar few sprigs of fennel or parsley handful of Peg Leg Porker pork rinds

In a large skillet brown the ground beef over medium-high heat and drain the fat. Add one of the onions, finely chopped and continue to cook till onions are tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Transfer the mixture to a 4-quart stock pot or a crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients (except second onion and bourbon) and cook on medium low for 2-3 hours until tender. Add olive oil to a separate pan and remaining onion, cook until tender and add Bourbon - tenderize until brown. Serve on top of chili when chili is ready to be served. You can add this PLP Bourbon Chili as a topping to your favorite burger or dress up your own nachos PLP style - or add a handful of Peg Leg Porker Pork Rinds for a pop to your bowl!

CAJUN FRIED OYSTER PO'BOY WITH SPICY REMOULADE SAUCE EVANGELINE MAID BREAD // LAFAYETTE, LA Evangeline Maid has been a part of life in Acadiana for 100 years. As it is well known among all locals, even the region’s millennials who view themselves as “new natives,” love the simplicity and nostalgia that the Evangeline Maid brand represents. Founded by the Huval family in Youngsville, LA in 1919 and moved to Lafayette in 1926. Products are made with the water from the local Chicot Aquifer. evangelinemaid.com

4 Evangeline Maid Po-Boy Rolls, lightly toasted 2 lbs shucked oysters 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 2 Tbsp whole milk 1 Tbsp Creole seasoning ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup cornmeal vegetable oil, enough for shallow frying 4 large leaves of red leaf lettuce, torn 2 lemons, cut into wedges

In a large mixing bowl, add the oysters and buttermilk, stir and let soak for 30 minutes.

SPICY REMOULADE ½ cup mayonnaise 3 Tbsp creole mustard (spicy brown mustard also works) 1 tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp creole seasoning 2 tsp prepared horseradish 2 tsp dill pickle juice 1 tsp hot sauce 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp garlic powder Salt and pepper

In a large pot or deep fryer, heat the vegetable oil to 365 degrees. Fry the oysters in batches for 2 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp. Once fully cooked, remove from the oil and drain on a few pieces of paper towel. (Be careful not to overcrowd your frying oil. Fry the oysters in small batches for best results.)

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all the remoulade ingredients and mix evenly to combine. Refrigerate until later. In another mixing bowl, add the eggs and milk and whisk to evenly combine. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, add the creole seasoning, flour and cornmeal, seal the bag and shake to mix. Once the oysters have soaked, remove them from the buttermilk and drain. Add the oysters to the egg mixture and coat evenly. Then, using tongs, place the oysters into the plastic bag with the seasoned breading. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the oysters.

To plate, add a few pieces of lettuce to the Po-Boy Roll and then some of the remoulade sauce. Add 8-10 fried oysters and squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the top. Serve hot. Makes 4

Photo: Slattery Media

PREPARING THE FIELDS, MADISON, GA // SMOKED BEYOND MEATLOAF SANDWICH, PG. 29 // HOTEL ROANOKE PEANUT SOUP, PG 23

Photo: The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center - Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge

" From the mountains of Virginia to the Texas Plains there is a Southern way of life and it begins with hospitality and a proper emphasis on good cooking." Winifred G. Cheney

Photo: Ben Rice

SESAME CAESAR SALAD MAILEA WEGER // LOU // NASHVILLE, TN The daughter of a bohemian mother from Venice Beach and a well-read, charming Frenchman father, Lou is Chef and Owner Mailea Weger’s brunch locale, dinner destination, and all-natural wine bar new to East Nashville. Located in a renovated white 1930s craftsman house within the hip Riverside Village, Lou merges the playful juxtaposition between contemporary California fare and Old-World European style. Mailea created Lou’s menu as a nod to the West Coast's healthy-ish cuisine, emphasizing seasonality and sustainability through vegetable-forward dishes and a focused selection of proteins. Lou also features an all-natural wine program to complement each dish on the menu. Serving brunch and dinner every day, Mailea brings an intimate, magical atmosphere and healthy, flavor-driven cuisine to Nashville and its diners. lounashville.com

6-8 anchovies 1 garlic clove 2 egg yolks 2 tsp lemon juice ¾ tsp Dijon mustard 3 tsp parmesan 1 Tbsp lemon zest 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1 Tbsp honey Salt and pepper, to taste ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup veg oil 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

To a blender, add anchovies, garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, parmesan, lemon zest, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. SLowly add the olive, vegetable and sesame oils in slowly. If the dressing seems too thin, you can add a little water to thin. We like to serve this over a mix of bitter greens with escarole. Add shaved bottarga cheese, jammy boiled eggs, herbs and edible flowers. Add chicken if you'd like. Feel free to make the salad your own. Makes 1 cup

BACON CHOWDER EDWARDS VIRGINIA SMOKEHOUSE // SURRY, VA Founded in 1926, Edwards Virginia Smokehouse is a family owned ham, bacon, and sausage purveyor, currently in the hands of third-generation cure master Sam Edwards III and his son, Sam Edwards IV. Utilizing the highest quality heritage and commodity hogs — and curing and smoking methods that are rooted in the traditions of America’s first settlers, with minimal processing — Edwards’ product lineup far surpasses basic country hams. Edwards' products incorporate a flavor that’s unique to the region, and include traditional Country and Sweet hams, Surryano ham, bacons, sausages, and a variety of specialty items. Edwards’ products are used by some of the country’s leading chefs, many of whom are James Beard Award winners. edwardsvaham.com

½ 1 1 1 2 4 1

lb bacon, diced large onion, chopped 17 ounce cream-style corn can cream of potato soup Tbsp sugar cups milk cup cheddar cheese, shredded ¼ tsp thyme 1 ⁄8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 dash chopped parsley 1 dash paprika 22

Dice 1/2 lb. of bacon strips and chop 1 large onion. Place a medium sized pan over medium heat. Add diced bacon to the pan and fry for about 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bacon from pan with a strainer and drain fat from pot. Add cooked, diced bacon to the pot, along with onion, corn, cream of potato soup, sugar, milk, shredded cheese, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Heat until cheese is melted and chowder starts to bubble. Taste for seasoning. Remove pot from heat. Spoon chowder into serving bowls. Garnish with a pinch of chopped parsley and paprika. Serves 6

FRITO PIE

Shown on page 25

CHEF DAVID BANCROFT // AUBURN, AL

1 3 ½ 2 1 2

stick unsalted butter lbs ground beef cup all-purpose flour red bell peppers, diced large white onion, diced jalapeños, minced (seeds optional) 15 cloves garlic, minced 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 2 Tbsp kosher salt ¹⁄³ cup chili powder 2½ Tbsp cumin 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp dried oregano 4 cups low-sodium beef stock ½ cup Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 cup dark beer ½ of 1 16-oz. can pinto beans, drained (optional) 12 2-ounce bags Fritos Optional garnishes: Chopped scallions, diced onion, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese

Located in historic downtown of Auburn, Acre is a delightful anachronism –a restaurant with sophisticated charm and repurposed architectural details serving stylishly modern food with roots deep in Southern soil. Led by Chef and owner, David Bancroft, Acre brings classic favorites to the table with fresh, innovative flavors and artistic presentations. Acre is wrapped in edible landscapes designed to provide fresh seasonal harvest used to create delicious offerings which change daily, depending on what is ready in the garden. acreauburn.com Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and sauté until fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon and strain fat, reserving 1 cup and 2 tbsp. Pour 1 cup reserved fat into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour to fat to begin roux, whisking frequently, and continue to cook until the roux is milk chocolate in color, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve. Pour 2 tbsp. reserved fat into Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cooked beef to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, salt, and dried spices and continue sautéing until paste begins to toast, no more than 2 minutes. Pour reserved roux into the pan, stir to combine, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in liquid ingredients and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer covered until ready to serve, stirring occasionally. (If using beans, add them a few minutes before serving to heat through.) To serve, ladle the chili over the chips. Garnish and enjoy. NOTE: You can serve this chili in bowls poured over the chips or for a no-fuss serving pour the chili directly over the chips in the bag.

PEANUT SOUP

Shown on page 19

HOTEL ROANOKE // ROANOKE, VA

¼ 1 2 3 2 1 ¹⁄³ 1 1 ½

pound butter small onion, diced celery ribs, diced Tbsp flour quarts chicken stock pint peanut butter tsp celery salt tsp salt Tbsp lemon juice cup ground peanuts

Built in 1882, the Tudor-style hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today it features 330 luxuriously appointed guestrooms and a 63,000- square-foot, high-tech conference center. Once a state of rolling farmlands, Virginia is home to plenty of iconic food and wine, dating back to President Washington’s days. Visit The Regency Room and Pine Room Pub to experience these iconic foods and experience true southern hospitality! hotelroanoke.com Melt butter in cooking vessel and add onion and celery. Sauté for five minutes (not brown). Add flour and mix well. Add hot chicken broth and cook for a half hour. Remove from stove, strain and add peanut butter, celery salt, salt and lemon juice. Sprinkle ground peanuts on soup just before serving. Serves 10

“ Southerners equate food with love, so if you love what they cook, they’re sure to love you back.” Kim Holloway

FRITO PIE, PG 23

Photo: Andrew Cebulka

GRILLED PEACHES AND SHISHITO PEPPERS WITH TASSO HAM KEVIN JOHNSON // THE GROCERY // CHARLESTON, SC Chef Kevin Johnson began his career in Charleston at Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B.), while later spending time as sous chef at the Inn at Little Washington (VA) and as executive chef of Anson (SC) before realizing his long-time dream when he opened The Grocery with his wife, Susan, in December 2011. Earning a James Beard Best Chef: Southeast nomination for his approach and commitment to cooking with the seasons, Johnson’s dedication to the art of culinary creation and authenticity of flavors is driven by the bounty of seasonal produce and ingredients available from local and regional purveyor partners. The Grocery’s kitchen is stocked with house-made charcuterie, fresh, local fish and seafood, and an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, which he also preserves through a sustainable in-house canning program. thegrocerycharleston.com

ripe peaches about the size of a baseball (not too soft) 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 bunch basil 1 pinch red pepper flakes 8 Shishito peppers 1 cup fresh goat cheese 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream ½ cup pecan granola ¼ lb tasso ham, sliced thin salt and pepper, to taste PECAN GRANOLA 2 cups pecan pieces 1 cup oats 1 cup sunflower seeds ½ cup sesame seeds 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp paprika 1 ⁄8 tsp cayenne 1½ tsp kosher salt 1 egg white ¹⁄³ cup canola oil 2 Tbsp sorghum syrup or honey

Cut the peaches into wedges either in sixths or fourths. Zest the lemon and juice, reserve juice. Thinly slice basil leaves, discarding the stems. Slice the Shishito peppers lengthwise in half and set aside for grilling. In a large mixing bowl, toss the peach wedges, lemon zest, pepper flakes, and one pinch of basil (saving the rest for garnishing). Set aside to marinate. Using a food processor, blend the goat cheese with heavy cream until smooth, resembling the texture of thick heavy cream Season marinated peaches and peppers with salt and pepper. Place onto a lightly oiled grilling surface. Cook on one side about 1-2 min without turning, till deep brown or lightly charred. Start the granola by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Using a food processor, grind the oats, sunflower seeds and sesame into a powder and place into mixing bowl. Pulse pecans in food processor until finely minced but not so far that they are powder, then add to mixing bowl. Add chili powder, paprika, cayenne and salt to nut-oat mixture and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, beat egg white until frothy. Stir in oil and sorghum. Gently coat nut mixture with egg white mixture and spread into even layer on baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, stirring mixture halfway through to redistribute. Allow to cool to room temperature. and store in airtight container (good for about one month). On a large platter or individual plates, place grilled peaches and peppers neatly scattered. Add small spoonfuls of goat cheese around the plate. Sprinkle entire plate with Savory Pecan Granola. Place slices of tasso ham evenly spaced around whole plate and garnish with reserved basil and a few drops of reserved lemon juice. Serves 6-8

RAMP TOP GREEN GODDESS DRESSING KEN NARON // LONESOME VALLEY // CASHIERS, NC

2 cups chopped ramp tops 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp tarragon, minced Â˝ cup rice vinegar 1 Tbsp kosher salt 2 Tbsp black pepper, ground 4 anchovies 2 cups Duke's mayonnaise 2 cups crĂ¨me fraiche

Nestled within Lonesome Valley Community and beneath a striking granite bald in Cashiers, Canyon Kitchen serves patrons during spring and summer months inside a restored farmhouse. Past the garden and chicken coop, among meticulously groomed grounds, guests settle in with a drink in hand at one of the stone fireplaces as mountain temperatures cool for the evening. Louisiana native, Ken Naron draws from his own roots, reaching deep into the South for a reminiscent take on Creole- and Cajun-inspired comfort foods from his grandmother's recipe box. Chef Naron utilizes fresh, locally- and regionally-sourced ingredients to reinvent those dishes. The high quality and variety of local foods allows him to bring new flavors to often familiar entrees. His take on Green Goddess Dressing is a favorite. Dress any great salad with it but don't stop there. It's great on a variety of seafood and meats. lonesomevalley.com

Choose the freshest ingredients. It will make all the difference. Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. It couldn't be easier!

SMOKED BEYOND MEATLOAF SANDWICH

Shown on page 18

BRIAN CARSON, ANDREW MARVIN // BOXCAR // ATLANTA, GA From the team behind the celebrated Hop City Craft Beer & Wine, Boxcar is the team’s second restaurant concept bringing craft beer and chef-driven cuisine to Atlanta’s newest Lee + White development in the West End. Offering 80 rotating draft options at two different bars, Executive Chefs Brian Carson and Andrew Marvin have created a menu of elevated bar food that includes Wild Mushroom Poutine, House Made Beyond Meat Meatloaf, Turkey and White Bean Chili, Turn the Beer Around Vegan Burger and more. Boxcar also offers a full bar program with creative cocktails and, downstairs, Hop City at Boxcar offers about 1,000 beer and 800 wines to go as well as beer on tap. This 9,000 square foot restaurant is located off Atlanta's hot Beltline. boxcaratl.com

MEATLOAF 2 lbs Beyond Meat® ½ cup diced red bell pepper 2 Tbsp minced garlic ½ cup diced onion 2 Tbsp Tamari ½ cup chopped mushrooms 2 Tbsp corn starch (as needed) SAUCE 2 cups ketchup 1 cup honey 2 Tbsp Dijon 1 cup apple juice PICKLED ONIONS 1 lb red onions cut into 1⁄8” strips 1 cup red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp pickling spice

Start off by preparing the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small, sauce pot, simmer until thick like bbq sauce. Set aside. Place all meatloaf ingredients into a large bowl and mix by hand until mix feels slightly tacky. but not sticking to your hands. Use corn starch to adjust stickiness. Spray two 1-pound loaf pans and split mixture between pans. Top each with a couple tablespoons of sauce. Place both pans in smoker or charcoal grill uncovered at around 300º F for 1½ hours or until internal temperature reaches 165º F. Meanwhile prepare the pickled onions by combining the liquid ingredients and bring to a boil, pour over onions and reserve. Toast your favorite sourdough, smear a generous coat of sauce on both sides, top with arugula and pickled red onions and dig in! Makes 4-6

IN THE KITC HEN

“May I have that recipe, please?”++

caterer, hostess, and beloved TV personality Vera Stewart is finally divulging her culinary secrets. In The VeryVera Cookbook: Recipes from My Table, Vera invites you to dine in her kitchen by sharing more than 75 of the favorite Southern-inspired recipes that put her VeryVera Café and mail-order business on the map. From buttermilk biscuits to pecan-crusted chicken salad, Bitsy’s meatloaf to the carrot cake that beat Bobby Flay, this cookbook is the culmination of an outstanding career made from sharing delicious food with her family, friends, and devoted customers. Vera pours her heart and soul into each recipe—just like Mama made it.

THE VERYVERA COOKBOOK

==After 30-plus years of being asked,

==the++

VERYVERA COOKBOOK ==recipes from my table++

VERA STEWART

t can be hard to say no to a crab cake. Making them from scratch can sometimes be tricky too, so we've got an easy and insanely delicious recipe for you. This one is calling Red Clay's name!

VERA STEWART

Vera Stewart of VeryVera and The VeryVera Show officially released her first cookbook, The VeryVera Cookbook: Recipes From My Table, in 2018. The book contains every recipe she sold in her cafe and across the country via mail order. That’s right–all the layer cakes, pound cakes, casseroles, soups, and salads you haven’t been able to get since 2013! These recipes are traditional southern favorites just like Mama made them, with a twist! veryvera.com Excerpted from The VeryVera Cookbook by Vera Stewart. Copyright © 2018 by Vera Stewart. Reprinted by permission of Vera Stewart. Photography by Peter Frank Edwards.

PARMESAN SQUASH CASSEROLE, PG 33

TOMATO PIE VERA STEWART // THE VERYVERA COOKBOOK Tomato pie is the savory king of the pie family—the rooster, you might say. Creamy, savory, flaky, and hearty, this pie works at any time of year. Roma tomatoes hold up perfectly through baking and maintain their structure without falling apart.

3 or 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced ½-inch thick Salt, to taste Ground black pepper, to taste ½ cup Parmesan cheese, hand-grated 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, hand-grated 1 cup Hellmann’s® mayonnaise 1 frozen deep-dish pie shell ¼ cup green onions, sliced ¼ fresh basil, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place the sliced tomatoes on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix both cheeses and mayonnaise together. Place the first layer of tomatoes in the pie shell, completely covering the bottom. Cut a tomato slice in half to completely cover the bottom if need be. Sprinkle with a third of the green onions and basil, and spread a third of the cheese mixture on top. Repeat with two more layers. On the final layer, be sure to let the tomatoes show through the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Makes 1 deep-dish pie, serves 6 people

PARMESAN SQUASH CASSEROLE

Shown on page 31

VERA STEWART // THE VERYVERA COOKBOOK This casserole screams “autumn” to me because it’s so appropriate for holiday gatherings, but I also love making this in the summer when golden squash are ripe on the vine. Green peppers break up the rich cheesiness of a traditional Parmesan Squash Casserole.

2 lbs yellow squash 1¼ cups Hellmann’s® mayonnaise 3 large eggs, beaten ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp ground black pepper ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (or crushed Ritz® crackers 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup chopped green bell peppers (optional) ¾ cup chopped green onions

Preheat the oven to 350º F and prepare a 7" x 11" pan with pan spray. Slice the yellow squash into 1-inch pieces. Place a steam basket in a Dutch oven over boiling water and steam for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Mix together the mayonnaise, eggs, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese. Stir in the green peppers and green onions. Add in the yellow squash last and mix until well-incorporated Pour into the prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole bubbles and the top is lightly browned. Serves: 8 to 10

PIMENTO CHEESE

Shown opposite

VERA STEWART // THE VERYVERA COOKBOOK Pimento cheese has a multitude of descriptions, and in the South, people fight over whose is the best. At VeryVera, we had customers that came in just for the pimento cheese. It’s a versatile spread to have on hand. Unlike traditional pimento cheese recipes that call for jarred pimentos, mine uses roasted red peppers, which add a welcome smoky element.

1 cup roasted red peppers 1¼ lbs Cracker Barrel® Sharp Cheddar Cheese, hand-shredded ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp Tony Chachere® Creole Seasoning 2 cups Duke’s® Mayonnaise

Slice the red peppers into ¼-inch strips. Cut the strips on the bias to make small chunks. Pat the red pepper pieces dry. Combine all the ingredients. Do not overmix. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serving Suggestion: The Grill Sandwich: homemade pimento cheese on marbled rye with 3 strips of cooked bacon and tomato slices, lightly grilled. Serves: 6 to 8 (makes approximately 4 cups) NOTE: When the food columnist for the New York Times, Marian Burros, chooses your product for the special “The Gift Is in the Mail” issue that runs in early November for the holidays, you might as well put an Oscar next to this item on the shelf! We were very proud of this 2007 accolade. A book called American Sandwich by Becky Mercuri, published in 2004, selected VeryVera’s pimento cheese as the state sandwich for Georgia. I gave them the recipe for our café’s “The Grill Sandwich,” but they had to find another recipe for pimento cheese—I haven’t published mine until now!

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE VERA STEWART // THE VERYVERA COOKBOOK A family favorite, this Breakfast Casserole finds itself at the table for every celebratory morning occasion, but it should be made the night before. It includes all the breakfast staples, and the little bit of dry mustard will add a tangy flavor as well as cut through some of the richness of the dish.

6 1

slices white bread lb pork sausage (mild or hot, your preference) 2 Tbsp salted butter 5 large eggs 2 cups half & half ¼ tsp dry mustard 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Tear the bread into ½-inch pieces and place in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour over the bread pieces. Cook the sausage and drain the excess fat. Sprinkle the cooked sausage over the bread and butter. In a large liquid measuring cup, mix together the eggs, half & half, and dry mustard. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and sausage. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator prior to preheating the oven. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves: 10 to 12

LOU'S POPPYSEED POUND CAKE VERA STEWART // THE VERYVERA COOKBOOK

Why is Lou the only the sibling with two pound cakes? Well, funny story . . . We started getting calls from customers who loved the cake but wanted us to know that poppy seed consumption can cause you to fail a drug test! Because we loved our customers and wanted them to keep their jobs, we replaced this cake with Lou’s Cream Cheese. Since it is such a delicious cake, though, I knew I couldn’t leave it out of the cookbook. Just . . . maybe eat it on the weekend and let your boss know ahead of time. 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 cups granulated sugar 3 cups cake flour ¼ tsp baking soda 6 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup sour cream 2 tsp lemon extract 2 tsp butter flavor 1 tsp coconut flavor 1 tsp orange flavor 1 tsp almond flavor ¼ cup poppy seeds Floured baking spray

Preheat the oven to 325º F. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 20 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, alternating with the dry ingredients. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again. Let the mixture beat on low speed for 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and flavorings. Beat until incorporated. Add the poppy seeds and beat until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter if necessary. Prepare a large 12-cup Bundt pan with floured baking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan until it is about 1 to 1½ inches from the top. Tap the pan on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles. (If there is remaining batter, use it to make muffins.) Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Insert a wooden skewer into the cake, and if there is no cake on the skewer, it is done. Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately push down the sides if they have risen above the edge of the pan. This will keep the edges from getting crisp and separating when you invert the pan. Allow the cake to cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle with pot holders. Place the wire rack on top of the cake pan and flip the pan over. Gently lift the pan, being careful not to remove any of the outside crust. Allow the cake to cool completely before wrapping. Serves: 24

breads

SOUTHERN SCRATCH CINNAMON ROLLS

BISCUIT LOVE FAMILY RESERVE BISCUITS

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

BLUEBERRY COCONUT BRAN MUFFINS

BANANA NUT BREAD

MOM'S REFRIGERATOR YEAST ROLLS

NADINE YEAGAR'S SOURDOUGH BREAD

HOTEL ROANOKE SPOONBREAD

PORK BELLY HUSHPUPPIES

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD TWO WAYS

CHAPTER 2

ALL WE

Photo: Violeta Stoimenova

KNEAD

SOUTHERN SCRATCH CINNAMON ROLLS KATHRYN FILIPIAK, RDN, LDN // SOUTHERN SCRATCH CONSULTING // WASHINGTON, GA I started making these cinnamon rolls in 2010 when I left my job as a clinical dietitian and started selling baked goods at our local farmer’s market. They are quick to come together and I would time the baking so that I would show up with a trunk full of warm cinnamon rolls and hot coffee right when the market started. My customers would line up to help me set up my table while I served cinnamon rolls. The dough is incredibly versatile. I use it for white loaf bread, rolls or focaccia. I no longer have a bakery but am still in the business of helping people eat wonderful food and be unafraid to take risks in the kitchen. My nutrition consulting business, Southern Scratch Consulting, focuses on helping individuals repair their relationship with food from the damage done by diet culture and restrictive eating and learn instead how to have meals with food they enjoy and people they love. And honestly, I don’t know what is more southern than that. southernscratch.com

DOUGH ¼ ¼

cup white granulated sugar cup warm water (like baby bathwater warm) ¼ cup UNSALTED butter (that's half a stick) 2 cups whole milk (1-2% is okay but not nearly as good) ½ ounce instant yeast 2 tsp sea salt-coarse (can use regular fine salt but this is how I do it; also, I usually measure this out when I measure the yeast so that I don't accidentally forget to add it) 6 cups (approximately) AP flour (I use King Arthur) FILLING

To make the dough, add sugar to warm water and stir. Then melt butter together with the milk either in the microwave or on the stove not letting milk get too hot. (Yeast dies in too much heat. It's better to err on the side of too cool and let the dough rise longer than it is to kill it right off the bat and have to start over or waste all your time.) Add the warm milk and butter to the water/sugar. Double check the temp and then add your yeast and stir. Wait 5-10 minutes until you see the yeast forming a circle in the middle which lets you know it is happy and growing. Then add the salt, stir and wait another 5-10 minutes. Yeast will temporarily part when you stir it then come back together. Again, let's you know it's alive and well. Now, add about half of your flour and stir to make a very soft dough. Then add a little flour at a time starting to knead until a soft dough is formed. It won't be sticky and it won't be very tight or tough. I then add a little more flour underneath the dough to the bowl and let rest for about 10 minutes or so. During all this resting time you will want to make your filling and icing as well as spray the pan you want to use. Also preheat your oven to 375º F. For the filling, put all ingredients in a bowl and stir. You want a "schmear" type consistency that will be easy to spread a uniform layer on to the dough.

1¼ cups brown sugar 6 Tbsp SALTED butter, softened 2 Tbsp+ cinnamon (the more the better in my opinion) Tiny bit of warm water to thin as needed to spread

Put all the ingredients for the icing in a pan on the stove on low heat and whisk together until combined. I don't do this, but if you want the icing to get harder after you ice them, you can add a couple tablespoons of light corn syrup to the icing. Also, the cooler they are when you ice them the more opaque the icing will look.

ICING

Spread the filling on the entire rectangle. Start rolling up your dough into whatever width of cinnamon rolls you want. Then use a knife and cut down the roll into sections.

½ cup butter 3-4 cups powdered sugar Dash salt Dash pure vanilla extract Warm water to thin to desired consistency

NOTE: These freeze well-just reheat by letting thaw to room temp and warming covered in foil in a 325 degree oven.

Now, back to the dough. Lighly flour a clean work surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape...mine is usually somewhere around ¼ inch thick.

Place them in greased pan fairly close together but not crammed and let rise about 5-10 minutes until they've puffed up again. I usually just set them on top of the warm oven. You can use any kind of pan including muffin tins or a cast iron skillet. (I cook almost everything in cast iron. It makes me feel invincible like I can feed my family and fend off a pack of wolves in one fell swoop.) Bake about 15 minutes until golden and the dough doesn't fully bounce back when you press down on the inside. Let cool about 5 to 10 minutes, before icing. I personally like a little less icing and more cinnamon filling but my customers tended to like a little more icing. It is all up to you and you should have them exactly like you want them!

BISCUIT LOVE FAMILY RESERVE BISCUITS KARL WORLEY // BISCUIT LOVE // NASHVILLE, TN Founded as a food truck by husband and wife team Karl and Sarah Worley in 2012, Biscuit Love has become a Nashville breakfast staple for biscuits and brunch. After becoming an integral part of the food truck community, they upgraded to an airstream named “Lily” a year after opening. In 2015, the Worleys found a brick and mortar home for Biscuit Love in the heart of the Gulch neighborhood. Fast-forward three years later, and the Worleys have now opened a second location in Nashville and third in Franklin, Tennessee. While a lot has changed since the food truck days, Biscuit Love’s commitment to local suppliers still remains at the heart of the restaurants. Shortly after opening, Bon Appetit named Biscuit Love one of America’s top 50 best new restaurants and named their East Nasty Biscuit the Best Sandwich of 2015. biscuitlove.com

FOR BISCUITS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2 3 2 1 2 2 1 ²⁄³

Butter the bottom and sides of a 8-inch* cast iron skillet.

cups all-purpose flour Tbsp sugar tsp baking powder tsp Kosher salt Tbsp butter, very cold Tbsp lard,* very cold cup full-fat buttermilk cup heavy cream

FOR SHAPING 1½ cups all-purpose flour 4 Tbsp butter, melted

Mix together dry ingredients. Grate the cold butter and lard** into the dry ingredients and toss to distribute. Pour buttermilk and cream into dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined. It should resemble cottage cheese. Use 4-ounce scoop or spoon to place one dollop of dough into a bowl with the remaining flour. Sprinkle flour on top. Pick up dough ball and gently shake off excess flour. Place into the skillet very close together. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and set. Pour melted butter over biscuits as soon as they are out of the oven. NOTES: *Double recipe for a 10-inch skillet. ** If you don’t have lard on hand, you can use butter instead!

HISTORIC DISTRICT, WASHINGTON, GA // SOUTHERN SCRATCH CINNAMON ROLLS, PG. 41 // MOM'S YEAST ROLLS, PG 54

â&#x20AC;&#x153; If you want something sweet, order the pound cake. Anybody who puts sugar in the corn bread is a heathen who doesn't love the Lord, not to mention Southeastern Conference football.â&#x20AC;? Lewis Grizzard 45

Photo: nada_vkusidey

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES OKRA MAGAZINE // Who doesn’t love pancakes? They make breakfast (or supper) extra special. This easy recipe is one you’ll want to add to your weekend line-up.

1 cup whole milk or buttermilk 1 large egg ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil 1 Tbsp syrup 1¼ cups self-rising flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and egg till incorporated. Add the oil and syrup to the wet ingredients. Mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until incorporated and no lumps. Do not overmix. Heat griddle or pan until water dropped on it will sizzle and dance. Ladle batter onto griddle. Drop blueberries onto batter. Flip when the edges start to bubble and set. Serve with melted butter and your favorite syrup. Garnish with extra blueberries if you wish. Makes 8 NOTE: These are equally good served without fruit or add ½ cup chopped pecans to the batter. As another option, serve them plain and top with apple pie filling instead of syrup.

BLUEBERRY COCONUT BRAN MUFFINS Shown on page 52

OKRA MAGAZINE // Besides being good (and good for you,) this batter can be mixed the day before you are ready to bake. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It’s wonderful to have on hand and bake early in the morning before coffee.

cups whole bran cereal (we used All-Bran®) 1 cup boiling water 2½ cups AP flour ¾ cup sugar 2½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 eggs 2 cups buttermilk ½ cup canola or vegetable oil ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (if you can’t find this, sweetened is fine) 1 cup fresh blueberries (thawed frozen are fine)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, stir cereal with boiling water to moisten evenly. Set aside to cool. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the eggs and buttermilk. Pour this into the cooled cereal mixture and mix well. Stir in the flour mixture. At this point you can either bake these now or cover and place in refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, add the coconut and blueberries (toss the blueberries in a little flour so they won’t settle in the bottom of the muffins.) Stir gently to combine. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Makes 2 dozen NOTE: These are really good without any additions, but equally good with a 1 ½ tsp of cinnamon, ½ cup of raisins and ½ cups walnuts added to the batter.

Photo: Quanthem

BANANA NUT BREAD OKRA MAGAZINE // This is an easy recipe to mix by hand in a large bowl. You can also double the recipe and make two. It's great for breakfast toasted with butter.

1¾ cup AP flour 2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ²⁄³ cup sugar ½ cup vegetable or canola oil 2 large eggs ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1 cup mashed ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Set aside. Peel bananas and mash the banana pulp with a fork. Place the mashed bananas into a small bowl. Add the oil and eggs and mix well. In a large bowl, combine the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Alternately you could use muffin tins. Place the pan into the preheated oven. Bake about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan about 10 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack. Cool for 15-20 minutes and serve. Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins

â&#x20AC;&#x153; Warm familiar scents drift softly from the oven, And imprint forever upon our hearts That this is home and that we are loved.â&#x20AC;? Arlene Stafford-Wilson

Photo: Sohadiszno

NADINE YEAGAR'S SOURDOUGH BREAD STARTER, PG 55

Photo: agcreations

BLUEBERRY COCONUT BRAN MUFFINS, PG 47

MOM'S REFRIGERATOR YEAST ROLLS Shown on page 45

OKRA MAGAZINE // Mother makes these rolls for every special occasion, often making a double batch so family members can take some home. This dough has the ability to be made the day before, giving you more time to spend with friends and family. It will hold in the refrigerator for up to 6 days until you are ready to bake.

cups lukewarm water (too hot and you’ll kill the yeast) ½ cup sugar ¼ cup soft Crisco or vegetable shortening 6-7 cups bread flour (or mix 2 cups whole wheat flour with 4-5 cups bread flour) 2 pkgs yeast (about 4 tsp) 2 tsp salt 1 egg

Dissolve yeast in water (do not let it bloom, you’re just looking to dissolve it.) Combine sugar, salt, shortening and egg in large bowl of stand mixer and beat until combined with paddle attachment. Add yeast water while mixer is on and combine. Add 2 cups of flour and mix well. Slowly begin adding the remaining 4-5 cups mixing well. You may not need all of the remaining flour. When you’ve added all the flour, change to the dough hook and knead the dough until everything comes together and pulls away from the bowl. The dough should not be sticky, rather it should be somewhat firm. Place the dough into a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. At this point you would place in the refrigerator to use later. If you want to use it over several days, this is the time you need to divide the dough into separate containers. When you are ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and punch down. Shape dough into 1½ inch balls and place on greased sheet pans. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until the dough is doubled, about 1½ to 2 hours. You can place in the oven and turn the oven light on for warmth. When rolls are ready, bake in a preheated 400ºF oven for 12-15 minutes. Makes 4 ½ dozen NOTE: If you want to bake them on separate days, you will need to divide the dough into separate bowls. Once you punch down the dough after rising, you will need to shape them to rise again. It is also great to use for cinnamon rolls! If you have leftover rolls (and we can’t imagine you would!) you can wrap them in aluminum foil and freeze. They will last in the freezer for up to a month. Reheat in the oven on 350ºF wrapped in the aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes.

NADINE YEAGAR'S SOURDOUGH BREAD

Shown on page 51

RED LAND COTTON // AUBURN, AL It’s our honor to share a little bit of our farm & family with you. “Sourdough bread came into our family as a favorite bread in the 1970’s after we moved to the farm. A friend of mine always made it for church dinners. It was always a treat to everyone. My grandchildren liked the bread so much that it was the first thing on their minds when they came to visit. The making of the starter sounds complicated but someone shared this starter with me and I just fed it and kept it in the refrigerator. It just became simple, as I soon knew from memory the ingredients in the bread.” Nadine Yeagar. redlandcotton.com

STARTER 3 packages dry yeast 1 cup warm water

To make the starter, combine dry yeast and water in quart jar. Let set for 12 hours at room temperature. Feed the yeast and water with sugar, instant potatoes and water. Let stand loosely covered at room temperature for 8-10 hours. Your starter is now ready to use.

FEEDER

Every 5 to 7 days you need to feed or use 1 cup of starter. Pour out 1 cup of starter if you don’t want to make the bread at this time — or you can pass it on to a friend.

½ cup sugar 1 cup warm water 3 Tbsp instant potatoes BREAD 1 cup starter 1½ cups warm water 6 cups bread flour ¹⁄³ cup corn oil ½ cup sugar

When you are ready to make bread, combine 1 cup starter, water, corn oil, sugar and salt in bowl; mix well. Stir in flour, spray top surface with cooking spray. Let rise loosely covered with wax paper for 8 to 10 hours (in a warm place). I use my oven with the light on. Shape into 3 loaves on floured surface. Place in greased loaf pans. Spray tops with cooking spray. Let rise covered with wax paper for 8 to 10 hours or until doubled in bulk. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a preheated 350ºF oven. Brush tops of baked loaves with melted butter for a soft crust. Remove from pan and place on wire racks to cool. Save remaining starter to feed and use again. Store in a jar in the refrigerator and use. Punch holes in jar lid so the starter can breath.

Photo: The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center - Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge

HOTEL ROANOKE SPOONBREAD HOTEL ROANOKE // ROANOKE, VA Built in 1882, the Tudor-style hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today it features 330 luxuriously appointed guestrooms and a 63,000 square-foot, high-tech conference center. Once a state of rolling farmlands, Virginia is home to plenty of iconic food and wine, dating back to President Washington’s days. Visit The Regency Room and Pine Room Pub to experience these iconic foods and experience true southern hospitality! Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge hotelroanoke.com

½ cup corn meal 5 eggs ¹⁄8 lb butter 2 cups milk 1 tsp sugar 1½ cups boiling water 1¹⁄³ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder

Mix corn meal, salt and sugar together and scald with boiling water. Add melted butter. Beat eggs and add milk to eggs. Combine two mixtures and add baking powder. Pour into baking pan and bake 30-40 minutes at 350ºF. Serves 10

PORK BELLY HUSHPUPPIES MIKE JOHNSON // SUGARFIRE SMOKE HOUSE // ST. LOUIS, MO With a whopping fifteen locations, and counting, Sugarfire Smoke House is known around the country for smoked meats, signature sides and zingy sauces — just one bite will transport you to barbecue bliss. Enter Sugarfire owner/ chef Mike Johnson’s Pork Belly Hush Puppies recipe, served with Jalapeño Jelly. Offered as a starter, the golden, crispy-fried balls are a riff on a classic that’s an easy "get" for the home cook! Johnson combined his fine dining background with his passion for barbecue to create unconventional barbecue fare. Since it’s such a crowdpleaser, this dish will constantly make appearances beside your favorite seafood platter or nestled in a basket at the center of your barbecue feast. sugarfiresmokehouse.com

8 cups peanut oil 1½ cups self-rising cornmeal ½ cup self-rising flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 green onions, chopped 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg, lightly beaten 4 ounces smoked pork belly or 6 strips of bacon, diced and fat rendered jalapeño jelly

Using a deep pot, preheat oil for frying to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the onion. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the buttermilk and egg. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Drop the batter, 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil. Dip the spoon in a glass of water after each hush puppy is dropped in the oil. Fry until golden brown, turning the hush puppies during the cooking process. Serve with jalapeño jelly.

Photo: ginauf

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD TWO WAYS OKRA MAGAZINE // There are so many ways to make great Southern cornbread. Every family puts their own spin on it. We're offering two different recipes. One is a quick recipe made with a mix. The other is made with plain mill ground corn meal. We love the corn meal from Geechie Boy Mill in SC The biggest question we are asked seems to be sugar or no sugar? Well, it just depends on how you want it. Some do. Some would never! If you want to add sugar, just add one tablespoon or less, unless you really want it sweet. And to quote Southern humorist, the late Lewis Grizzard, “If you want something sweet, order the pound cake. Anybody who puts sugar in the corn bread is a heathen who doesn't love the Lord, not to mention Southeastern Conference football.” It's your call.

1: 1 1 2

tsp vegetable oil or butter large egg cups self-rising cornmeal mix, we use White Lily® 1½ cups buttermilk or milk (you may need a little less milk since the buttermilk is thicker) ¼ cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425°F. Add oil to an 8-inch iron skillet or 12 muffin tins. Place in oven to heat for about 5 minutes. It’s very important for the oil and pan to be very hot to get that beautiful crunchy crust. In a medium bowl, add cornmeal mix, egg, buttermilk and oil. Stir just until moistened (don't worry if batter is a little lumpy). Pour batter into skillet. You should hear a sizzle. That's a very good thing! Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. You can also test with a toothpick inserted into center to come out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for just a couple of minutes before removing from pan. Just turn the pan upside down. It should come right out. Serve with some good butter while still hot.

2: 3 tsps unsalted butter (for pan) 2½ cups yellow plain cornmeal, we like Geechie Boy Mill 2 tsps baking powder 1 Tbsp kosher salt 1 cup whole milk 6 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 large egg, beaten 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven and prepare the pan following directions above. Mix the dry ingredients together. Melt the butter. Add to milk. Stir the beaten egg into the milk and butter mixture. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the buttermilk. (You can use whole milk, but use about ¼ cup less.) Pour batter into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the bread rest for 2-3 minutes. Invert the bread onto a cutting board or plate.

IN THE KITC HEN

t can be hard to say no to a crab cake. Making them from scratch can sometimes be tricky too, so we've got an easy and insanely delicious recipe for you. This one is calling Red Clay's name!

Espousing a simple-is-best philosophy, classically trained French chef and daughter and granddaughter of consummate Southern cooks, Virginia Willis uses the finest ingredients, concentrates on sound French technique, and lets the food shine in a style she calls "refined Southern cuisine." More than 200 approachable and delicious recipes are arranged by chapter. You'll also find a wealth of tips and techniques from a skilled and innovative teacher, and the stories of a Southern girl steeped to her core in the food, kitchen lore, and unconditional hospitality of her culinary forebears on both sides of the Atlantic. You'll want to stay a good long while. virginiawillis.com

Photo: Ellen Silverman

FINGERLING POTATO SALAD VIRGINIA WILLIS // BON APPETIT Y'ALL While I lived and worked at La Varenne, we often dined outside on a terrace overlooking miles of Burgundian countryside. One memorable day, I cut off the tip of my left thumb while preparing potato salad for one of our outdoor feasts. I quickly wrapped my hand in a towel and raised it above my head. I grabbed the severed bit from the cutting board in my right hand, walked into Anne Willan’s office, and told her I had cut myself. She asked to see it. I refused. She insisted. Finally, opening my right palm, I said, “Well, here it is.” The grand dame Anne blanched and replied, “Oh dear, I think we need a Cognac.” After a trip to the hospital I did enjoy the feast, but declined a serving of the potato salad.

3½ pounds fingerling or red bliss potatoes, halved ½ cup white wine vinegar ¾ cup mayonnaise ¾ cup sour cream 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

To cook the potatoes, place them in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium low. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander. While still warm, transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet and drizzle with the vinegar. Set aside to cool to room temperature. To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, and mustard in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the salad, add the cooled potatoes, onion, celery, and parsley to the dressing and stir to combine and coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 4-6

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE VIRGINIA WILLIS // BON APPETIT Y'ALL No salad screams “summer” louder than this one. The combination of tomatoes with freshly chopped herbs is a testament to my philosophy of simple recipes executed with the best possible ingredients. Heirloom tomatoes are grown from non-hybrid, open-pollinated seeds, and are the varieties that have been passed down through the generations by farmers and gardeners around the world. They are far superior to the red-colored tennis balls available in most grocery stores. If you cannot find heirloom tomatoes, use a ripe tomato from your garden, a good produce market, or a farmer’s market. Be sure to look for a regional goat cheese and support your local farmer.Other cheeses to consider for this recipe include briny cubes of feta or mild, creamy fresh mozzarella.

1½ Tbsp red wine vinegar 1½ tsp Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp canola oil Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 lbs mixed heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges ¼ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs such as basil, pars ley, and chives 4 to 6 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled ¼ cup microgreens, such as basil, arugula, or beet (optional)

To make the dressing, whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a large bowl. Add the oils in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing is creamy and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato wedges and gently toss to coat. Add the herbs and goat cheese and toss to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide among chilled serving plates. Top with the greens. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

MICROGREENS Microgreens are the plant’s first true leaves and are exceptionally tender. The young seedlings are harvested when less than fourteen days old, often with the stems attached. The tiny leaves are exact miniatures of how they would look if left to mature. They are often very intense in flavor. Common varieties include arugula, basil, beet, collard, mustard, daikon, chard, and celery. Microgreens are available at upscale and natural grocery stores such as Whole Foods and many farmer’s markets.

Photo: Ellen Silverman

COCA-COLA GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS VIRGINIA WILLIS // BON APPETIT Y'ALL Coca-Cola is to Atlanta as Guinness is to Dublin. Friends and family liked my Coca-Cola–Glazed Wings so much that I decided to try a similar combination on pork. Pork has a natural affinity for sweet, rich caramel flavors. These “nouveau” Southern ribs are by no means traditional, but they are lip-smacking good. Scotch bonnet peppers are intensely hot, but their fire is tempered by the sweetness of the sugar and Coke. To tone down the heat, substitute jalapeños instead.

1 cup Coca-Cola Classic ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar 2 Scotch bonnet chiles, chopped 2 racks baby back ribs (3 pounds total) Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring the Coca-Cola, vinegar, brown sugar, and chiles to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to low and keep the sauce warm while the ribs cook. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. Place the ribs on a broiler pan and bake for 30 minutes, glazing the ribs occasionally with the Coca-Cola mixture. Turn the ribs over and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes, glazing occasionally, or until the ribs are tender and the meat is starting to pull away from the bone. When the ribs are cooked through, set the oven to broil. Liberally spoon half of the remaining glaze over the ribs and broil until glazed a deep mahogany brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn over; repeat with the remaining glaze, an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately with lots of napkins. Makes 20 pieces

sides & veggies

EDEN EAST FARM BBQ

TEMPURA CAULIFLOWER WITH PEANUT-CHILE SALSA

HENLEY MAC & CHEESE

DELTA MEAT MARKET DEVILED EGGS

PAT MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE JOINT BROCCOLI SALAD

SKILLET MAC & CHEESE

HATCH GREEN CHILE CORN PUDDING

TOMATO PIE

OKRA PANCAKES

COLLARDS

BRAISED COLLARDS

MUSHROOM TART

CLASSIC MAC & CHEESE

CHAPTER 3

FROM SIDE

TO SIDE

Photo: Anchiy

EDEN EAST FARM BBQ SONYA COTÉ // EDEN EAST // AUSTIN, TX Located in East Austin, Eden East is a true farm-to-table dining experience. Menus are based on the most vibrant seasonal ingredients from their farm, as well as local farms and ranches. Guests dine al fresco style at community tables situated under a majestic Elm tree. This Southern, vegetarian take on BBQ comes from chef Sonya Coté at Eden East. The dish is extra special because all produce is grown on the restaurant’s farm, just steps away from the kitchen, but don't let that stop you. edeneastaustin.com

PECAN ROMESCO 2 lbs fresh whole tomatoes ½ lb pecan halves or pieces ¼ lb mild to hot dried chilies, assorted 4 Tbsp paprika just enough oil to coat 4 cloves black garlic 4 ounces apple cider vinegar 4 ounces molasses MOLASSES GASTRIQUE 1 cup molasses 1 cup sherry wine vinegar 3 lemons, juiced VEGETABLES

Prepare the Romesco by hydrating the chiles. Cap, destem and deseed them before placing in water. When they have softened, remove and reserve the chile water. It can be useful when blending later. Toss the chiles together with the remainig ingredients and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF. Stir occasionally to prevent chilies from drying out. Bake until everything is “toasty." Blend in batches till smooth. (no more than half way full on Vitamix carafe top). This can be stored in fridge for up to 2 weeks. Make the gastrique by bringing molasses and sherry vinegar to a simmer in a small sauce pot. Allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and allow to cool. Stir in lemon juice. Toss vegetables in olive oil & salt and smoke for 2 hours at 200º F in smoker. Finish cooking in oven at 350º F, if needed. Serve with pecan romesco and molasses gastrique. Garnish with fresh greens, fennel frond, radish, chèvre and everything seeds (or any seasonal garnish on hand).

3 beets cut in wedges ¼ lb mushrooms halved 1 sweet potato cut in half moons 1 fennel bulb sliced 1 head Romanesco, chopped

TEMPURA CAULIFLOWER WITH PEANUT-CHILE SALSA BRANDON CARTER // FARM // BLUFFTON, SC Known for his inventive approach to modern Southern cuisine at FARM in Bluffton, Executive Chef Brandon Carter has put a healthy, gluten-free spin on this alternative to chicken wings. farmbluffton.com

CAULIFLOWER Canola oil, for frying 1 head cauliflower cut into small florets 2½ cups Anson Mills Gluten Free Flour Blend 1 cup cornstarch 1 Tbsp salt 20 oz soda water (more or less, used to adjust consistency) PEANUT CHILI SALSA 1 cup canola oil, for frying 16 Guajillo chiles, stemmed & deseeded 10 Arbol chiles, stemmed & deseeded 1 shallot, peeled & sliced ¼ inch thick 4 cloves garlic 1 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped 1 Tbsp salt

Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot so that the oil is at least 3 inches deep. Insert a deep fryer thermometer and allow the oil to heat to 325 - 350 degrees F. Alternatively, a deep fryer may be used. 2. Combine the gluten free flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together. Slowly whisk in the soda water to desired consistency. 3. Spoon some (or all - depending on how thick of a batter you prefer) of the tempura over the cauliflower florets. Thoroughly mix to ensure the cauliflower is evenly coated in tempura. 4. Carefully drop spoonful’s of cauliflower into the hot oil. Occasionally stir to help prevent the florets from sticking to each other. Fry until golden brown, approximately 2-5 minutes. 5. Remove the cauliflower from the oil with a slotted spoon onto a tray lined with paper towels. 6. Toss the cauliflower in a bowl with as much peanut chili sauce as desired. 7. Garnish with julienned red onion and chopped mint, if desired. Pour oil into a heavy bottomed pot. Insert a deep fryer thermometer and heat oil to 300 degrees F. 2. Finely chop peanuts and put aside. 3. Place the garlic and shallots into the preheated oil and fry until they are lightly golden. Removed the garlic and shallots with a slotted spoon and put aside. 4. Place the chiles into the oil and lightly fry until they turn bright red - about 15 seconds. Remove from oil and put aside. 5. Place the fried chiles, garlic, and shallots into a blender along with the oils used to fry them with. Blend until it reaches a smooth consistency, in batches if necessary. 6. Place the chili puree into a bowl and whisk in the chopped peanuts and 1 tablespoon of salt.

GARNISH ¼ ¼

red onion, thin julienne cup chopped mint leaves

LUNCH MEETING, TALLADEGA, AL // PAT MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE JOINT BROCCOLI SALAD, PG. 79 // SKILLET MAC & CHEESE. PG 79

“ Well, Southerners like to eat well. You see, it's an event when it's done right.” Stan Shaw

HENLEY MAC & CHEESE DANIEL GORMAN // HENLEY // NASHVILLE, TN Rooted in the traditions of regional cooking, Henley celebrates quality products made by American hands–a restaurant with a Southern soul and French technique. Mac & Cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods, and Executive Chef Daniel Gorman’s recipe is both elevated and delicious! Henley’s Mac & Cheese includes Sweetwater Valley Farm cheddar, country ham and black truffle. henleynashville.com

16 16 2 1 4 2 2 1

oz whole milk oz cream, 40% fat bay leaves Tbsp peppercorn gratings of nutmeg ounces butter ounces all purpose flour lb Sweet Water Valley Farm buttermilk cheddar cheese salt and pepper, to taste 2 lb pasta, fresh or dried (we prefer to use gemelli)

To make the sauce, combine milk, cream, bay leaves, peppercorn and nutmeg to a small sauce pot and slowly bring to a light simmer. While cream mixture is heating, in a separate small saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour to create a roux. Cook roux over medium low heat till mixture doesn’t smell of raw flour anymore. Remove roux from pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Once roux is cooled, whisk the roux into the cream mixture and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Be sure to stir to avoid any burning. Once béchamel is cooked and thickened, strain into a separate sauce pot and fold in cheddar cheese. Season the mac sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (I like the heavy side of pepper) Cook pasta as directed and strain. Once pasta is drained, fold pasta into mac sauce and heat up just slightly to bring back to temp. Serve mac in a hot bowl and garnish with fresh chopped chive, your favorite breadcrumbs (garlic and thyme for me) and thinly sliced country ham or other cured meat.

DELTA MEAT MARKET DEVILED EGGS COLE ELLIS // DELTA MEAT MARKET // CLEVELAND, MS Ellis returned to his hometown of Cleveland to open Delta Meat Market, a butcher shop and boutique grocer of fine Southern foods. Nominated in 2017 as a semifinalist for the James Beard Award “Best Chef South.” Chef Ellis' much acclaimed market has a new home in the Cotton House Hotel. deltameatmarket.com

6 large eggs 4 Tbsp Duke’s mayonnaise 3 Tbsp of finely cut chives 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Dill Pickle juice 2 dashes of hot Sauce salt and pepper, to taste paprika, for garnish

Place eggs in a 6 qt. saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Cover the pan with a lid and bring water to a rolling boil over high heat for 6 – 7 minutes for perfect eggs. While the eggs are boiling prepare an ice water bath and set aside. After the 6-7 min have passed submerge the eggs until cooled. Once the eggs have cooled completely, peel them and slice in half lengthwise. Remove the yolk to a small bowl with a spoon and place the egg whites on a plate. In your food processor add the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Fold in chives and mix well before filling the eggs. Use a spoon or a Ziploc bag to fill the egg whites with the yolky goodness. Sprinkle on paprika for garnish. NOTE:: Vary the toppings. Sometimes we use bacon jam, relish, tomato conserve and smoked onion jam.

PAT MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE BROCCOLI SALAD Shown on page 74

PAT MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE JOINT // NASHVILLE, TN One of the Bar-B-Que Joint’s most famous and popular side items is the Broccoli Salad. Its cool and crunchy and it’s got bacon and cheese in it. After coleslaw, it’s just about the perfect thing to eat with some pulled pork or smoked brisket. Now the salad we serve at our Joints is a secret “Church of Christ Salad” recipe from Pat Martin’s grandmother, and of course he can’t divulge it, but we wanted to give you something that will be easy to recreate at home and satisfy that craving when you can’t make it to our place for the real thing. martinsbbqjoint.com

4-6 cups broccoli florets ¾ cups diced red onion ¾ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese ¾ cup crumbled bacon ¾ cup raisins 1 cup Martin’s Bar-B-Que Alabama White Sauce or other white barbecue sauce 1 Tbsp mayonnaise

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onion, cheese, bacon and raisins. In a separate bowl, whisk together Alabama White Sauce and mayonnaise. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate before serving. NOTE: Like many of our other recipes, this salad can be made ahead, and might actually be a little better after it’s had time to sit. We use our famous Alabama White Sauce to dress the salad, and that’s all you need. A little mayo will tighten it up, but our signature sauce flavor is all the seasoning required. If you want to add some nuts into the salad, sunflower kernels make a great addition and add a nice extra crunch.

SKILLET MAC & CHEESE

Shown on page 75

BART PICKENS // PARTY FOWL // NASHVILLE, TN Specializing in Nashville Hot Chicken and killer cocktails, Party Fowl offers diners a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of Nashville. Chef Bart Pickens' popular, hot, cheesy and super comforting side dish is great alone or as a bed for your Nashville Hot chicken tenders. partyfowl.com

1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese 1 cup shredded provolone 1 cup shredded mozzarella 1 Tbsp of salt 1 tsp of granulated garlic 1 tsp of white pepper 1 cup heavy cream 1 lb macaroni pasta

Cook pasta for approximately nine minutes. In a separate pot combine heavy cream, salt, garlic and white pepper and bring to a boil. Add cooked pasta to the cream mixture and bring back to boil. Fold in cheese and cook until melted (about two minutes.) Serve and enjoy.

â&#x20AC;&#x153; The food in the South is as important as food anywhere because it defines a person's culture.â&#x20AC;? Fannie Flagg

Photo: Carlo107

HOME TEAM BBQ COLLARDS, PG 88

Photo: Leslie Ryann McKellar

HATCH GREEN CHILE CORN PUDDING JOHN LEWIS // LEWIS BARBECUE // CHARLESTON, SC A trailblazer in the neo-traditional style of Central Texas barbecue, Pitmaster John Lewis uses his custom-made smokers to produce expertly smoked pork spareribs, beef ribs, turkey, “Texas hot guts” sausage, and his legendary beef brisket. John’s unerring devotion to his craft has him up at 4 a.m. most mornings, tending to his smokers, and constantly striving to improve his product. Born in Brooklyn, NY, John moved to El Paso, TX when as a kid and at 18, relocated to Austin to start his culinary career. After a stint in Denver honing his craft in the competition barbecue circuit, John returned to Austin in 2010 to help open Franklin Barbecue. John then partnered with LeAnn Mueller to launch the much-beloved La Barbecue, and quickly became the rising star of Austin’s barbecue scene. In 2015, John packed up his smokers and moved to Charleston, SC to open his first restaurant. After many successful pop-ups, John and his barbecrew opened their doors in June 2016 to a long line of barbecue fans. The queue for ‘cue has been lengthy ever since. lewisbarbecue.com

¼ cup chopped roasted Hatch green chile (about 2 or 3 chilies) ½ lb frozen corn kernels, pureed ¼ cup all purpose flour ¼ cup yellow cornmeal 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 1 Tbsp kosher salt ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp granulated garlic 3 large eggs ²⁄3 cup heavy cream ½ cup mild cheddar cheese cut into ½ inch cubes ¾ cup corn kernels, freshly cut (1 ear of corn) 2 Tbsp butter ¼ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Roast the Hatch green chiles over a hot open flame until the skins blacken and separate (about 4-5 minutes each side.) Place the roasted chiles in a ziplock bag and allow them to steam in their own heat for 1 hour. Peal the skins and remove the seeds. In a food processor, roughly chop the chiles. Defrost the frozen corn kernels and chop in a food processor until pureed. Combine the flour, y ellow c ornmeal, g ranulated s ugar, s alt, b aking p owder, and granulated garlic in a mixing bowl and blend together until homogeneous. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs and whisk in the heavy cream. Add the frozen corn puree, chopped and roasted Hatch green chiles, cubed mild cheddar cheese, and fresh corn kernels. Pour the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients. Whisk together until homogeneous. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a medium cast iron pan. Take the heated cast iron pan out of the oven and add the butter. Allow butter to heat until foaming and milk solids are lightly toasted. Be sure to allow the butter to fully coat the bottom. Pour corn pudding batter into the hot cast iron pan with foaming butter. Sprinkle the shredded mild cheddar cheese on the batter and return to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes at 375°F. The cheese should be nicely browned and the pudding should be set, but not firm in the center. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and serve. Serves 4-6

TOMATO PIE 1

deep dish pie crust (your favorite recipe or store bought) 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 1½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese ½ cup chopped scallions 5 large tomatoes, peeled, sliced and drained 12 fresh basil leaves, chopped salt & pepper to taste ½ cup of Greek yogurt

KATHERINE BELK // CHESTER, SC // OKRA MAGAZINE Summer means tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes! Paired with fresh basil and cheese and baked as a pie, you have the perfect Southern lunch. Use your favorite variety or mix them. You can’t go wrong. This recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of the usual mayonnaise to add a little extra tang. We think it’s a great creamy substitution. Preheat oven to 400º F. Cook pie crust according to package directions until slightly brown. Cool. Slice tomatoes and place on paper towel to drain for 15 minutes. Combine Mozarella cheese, 1 cup of Gruyere (reserve the 1/2 cup for the top), scallions, yogurt, chopped basil, salt and pepper. Spread cheese mixture on the bottom of the crust. Add a layer of tomato slices. Continue layering tomatoes until you have filled the pie shell. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Photo: Jason Smith

SCOTT PEACOCK'S OKRA PANCAKES ½ cup white cornmeal ½ cup all-purpose flour 1½ tsp coarse salt, plus more for serving 1 tsp baking powder 1 large egg, lightly beaten ½ tsp freshly ground pepper ½ cup finely chopped onion 2 cups thinly sliced okra 1 inch of oil for frying

JASON SMITH // SELMA, AL // OKRA MAGAZINE It goes without saying, that if you put a basket of okra in front of us, we are going to make something – anything! But of all the ways to prepare it, frying must top the list. Jason Smith of Cog Hill Farm shared this recipe for okra pancakes from his longtime friend, and Southern icon, Chef Scott Peacock. Needless to say, after one bite, this now ranks at the top. In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and the baking powder. Whisk to combine. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg and ½ cup water. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the onion and okra. Season with remaining 1 tsp In a cast-iron skillet, heat ½ to 1 inch of oil. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, spoon the batter by heaping teaspoons into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to remove from oil. Drain on crumpled paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.

BRAISED COLLARDS, PG 89

COLLARDS AARON SIEGEL // HOME TEAM BBQ // CHARLESTON, SC Chef Aaron Siegel's collards at Home Team BBQ are a guest favorite and they are sure to stand up to your grandma's. The leafy greens hit an acidic note while also getting a meaty umami from the ham hock. hometeambbq.com

1 gallon water 3 cups cider vinegar ¼ cup hot sauce ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup kosher salt 2 to 3 shoulder bones or smoked ham hocks ½ lb smoked pork shoulder, chopped or pulled 2 lbs collard greens, stems removed, cut in 2" strips

Bring water to a simmer in a large pot. To the pot, add cider vinegar, hot sauce, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Add bones or ham hocks for flavor and simmer for 25 minutes. Lastly add the greens and smoked pork. Simmer lightly for 2 to 3 hours or until tender. Serves 4-6

BRAISED COLLARDS

Shown on page 87

JAMIE LEEDS // HANK'S OYSTER BAR // ALEXANDRIA, VA Chef Jamie Leeds' simple yet satisfying greens have been on the menu at Hank’s Oyster Bar since day one and are the perfect accompaniment to Southern table staples, from pork and fried chicken to every kind of seafood. For a bit of heat, add 1 tsp of crushed red pepper. For a bit of smoke, sauté a few slices of thick cut bacon, chopped into pieces, in the pot before adding the remaining ingredients. hanksoysterbar.com

3 2 1 1 1 1

bunches fresh collard greens, cleaned medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced bay leaf cup white wine vinegar tsp white pepper Tbsp salt

Strip the Green leaf from the stem. Cut into ½” thick strips. Throw leaves and all remaining ingredients into a large stock or cast-iron pot. Fill pot with water until water level is about an inch over greens. Simmer over medium low heat until tender, approx. 2 hours.

MUSHROOM TART CHEF COLE ELLIS // DELTA MEAT MARKET // CLEVELAND, MS Ellis returned to his hometown of Cleveland to open Delta Meat Market, a butcher shop and boutique grocer of fine Southern foods. Nominated in 2017 as a semifinalist for the James Beard Award “Best Chef South.” Chef Ellis' much acclaimed market has a new home in the Cotton House Hotel. deltameatmarket.com

CRUST 1¼ cup all purpose flour ½ cup chilled salted butter approx. 1 ounce ice water FILLING ¼ cup salted butter ¼ cup shallots finely chopped 10 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms 1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary 6 ounces shredded cheddar 2 ounces Chardonnay 8 ounces heavy cream 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375°F. Blend flour and salt in processor. Cut in butter using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add enough water to blend dough. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic, chill 45 minutes. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim edges, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang in to form double-thick sides. Press tart edges to raise dough 1/8 inch. Line crust with foil. Fill the crusts with dried beans and blind bake until golden, Approximately 10 minutes. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add crimini mushrooms. Season with salt. In a cast iron skillet sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and sweat until translucent deglaze with wine and cook until the wine is fully reduced. Mix in rosemary and cool. Whisk cream and eggs together and pour over mushrooms. Sprinkle the cheese just covering with mushrooms. Bake for 20 minutes. Then check to make sure the filling has set. Simply do so with the back of a spoon in the center by making an impression if you don’t see any liquid. If you see liquid on the spoon return it to the oven to finish about 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Serves 4-6

CLASSIC MAC & CHEESE CHEF ROB NEWTON // SEEKING THE SOUTH COOKBOOK In his debut cookbook, Chef Rob Newton brings to life the regional distinctions and new influences that make up the changing face of Southern cuisine--a category of cooking as cutting-edge as any other in the world. As Southern regions' demographics shift and food cultures bump up against one another, Newton reveals just how diverse Southern cuisine really is bringing his unique perspective to show there's much more to the food below the Mason-Dixon Line than meets the eye. Crisscrossing all areas of the South, Newton shares recipes as old and familiar as Mac and Cheese and as current as Okra with Sichuan Peppercorn and Black-Eyed Pea Falafel. Southern cuisine delights because it is delicious and, above all, endlessly dynamic. In this cookbook, Newton brings this exciting evolution of flavors to your table. amazon.com

MAC & CHEESE

Preheat oven to 425º F.

1 1

Have bread crumb topping complete or prepare while mac and cheese is cooking. Put on a pot of water large enough for one pound of pasta and season with salt until you can taste it. ¼ - ½ cup per gallon is a good range. Bring to a boil. Take the butter and combine with shredded cheese in large pan or pot. Combine all wet ingredients. Boil macaroni when water is ready. Cook 80% through (approximately 5-6 minutes.) Immediately combine with butter and cheese to melt completely. Once mixture is below 145º, (you can tell by touching or using a thermometer, this is to insure that the eggs do not curdle) combine with wet mixture and salt and pepper. Mix well. All cheese should be melted and the mac and cheese base should be nice and creamy. Transfer this to the casserole dish you would like to use or individual servings, either choice needs to be oven friendly.

lb elbow macaroni stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1.5 lbs sharp white cheddar, shredded, plus more for additional topping before cooking, if desired 4 whole eggs, mix very well 2 12 oz cans evaporated milk 2 tsp Dijon mustard, not whole grain ½ tsp hot sauce, such as Louisiana, or to taste 2 Tbsp salt plus salt for pasta water ½ tsp black pepper TOPPING ¾ cup Melted butter 2 cups panko bread crumbs or homemade Salt to taste

Bake mac and cheese (if you want extra cheese, now is the time to add it in an even layer) in the preheated oven 8-12 minutes depending on the depth and diameter of your chosen vessel. You will know the mac and cheese is finished when thoroughly heated, bubbling gently and beginning to brown slightly on top. If you like more browning, allow to cook longer. Adding more cheese to the top will help facilitate this as well. To make the bread crumb topping, preheat oven to 350º F. Thoroughly combine and toast in oven on a cookie sheet or sheet tray until light golden brown. Stir as needed for even browning. Top mac and cheese with the prepared bread crumbs and serve.

IN THE KITC HEN

t can be hard to say no to a crab cake. Making them from scratch can sometimes be tricky too, so we've got an easy and insanely delicious recipe for you. This one is calling Red Clay's name!

Now you can enjoy hearty and heart-healthy meals in minutes. The Low-Carb Vegetarian Cookbook is the perfect way to feel full and lose weight while serving up scrumptious veggie dishes at home. Featuring 100 quick, easy, and mouthwatering recipes like Avocado Almond Toast and Savory Cheesecake, this creative vegetarian cookbook will help guide you on your culinary adventure. Kick-start your low-carb meal plan today and start eating smarter, healthier, and happier in a snap. Stay carb-conscious and eat lots of oh so delicious dishes with this 100% vegetarian cookbook. amazon.com/dp/1646112199 The Low-Carb Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Easy Recipes and a Kick-Start Meal Plan, by Amy Lawrence and Justin Fox Burks, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright ÂŠ 2020 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved. Photography by Justin Fox Burks.

WARM ASPARAGUS WITH EGG SALAD. PG 95

CHEDDAR THYME BISCUITS AMY LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN FOX BURKS // LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK You don’t have to miss out on biscuits just because you’d like to consume fewer carbs! Here, almond flour works its magic to create soft, supple, and flavorful biscuits you may like even better than the traditional kind.

Preheat your oven to 425º F.

2 2 1 ½ 2 ½ 1

cups almond flour Tbsp baking powder tsp dried thyme tsp kosher salt large eggs, beaten cup 2% Greek yogurt cup cheddar

In a small bowl, combine the egg and yogurt. Whisk baking powder, almond flour, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter into the dry mixture. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg mixture. Fold the mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the cheddar. Using a medium ice cream scoop, scoop up a ¼-cup portion of dough and place it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat, spacing at least an inch apart, until all dough has been used. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. TIP: Feel free to switch out the cheddar and thyme for some of your other favorite flavors. Try Swiss cheese and nutmeg; goat cheese and green onions; or mozzarella and basil. Serves 6

WARM ASPARAGUS AND EGG SALAD Shown on page 93

AMY LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN FOX BURKS // LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK Warm salads are a welcome addition to a weekend brunch or lunch buffet, and this wonderful asparagus and egg salad is simple but oh-sopretty and colorful. Blanching the asparagus keeps it crisp and bright green, and the dressing couldn’t be easier to make.

2 hardboiled eggs, sliced 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and discarded 1 Roma tomato, cut into small dice 1 Tbsp minced shallot 1 Tbsp olive oil Juice of one lemon ¼ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

Place a large pot of salted water on to boil. It should be about as salty as sea water. Blanch asparagus for three minutes. Drain. Place asparagus on serving platter, arrange slices of hardboiled egg over the top, and garnish with diced tomatoes and minced shallot. Drizzle the dish with olive oil and lemon juice and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Tip: If you have one available in your kitchen, use an egg slicer to create perfect and precise slices for this dish. Serves: 4 to 6

The Low-Carb Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Easy Recipes and a Kick-Start Meal Plan, by Amy Lawrence and Justin FoxBurks, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2020 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved. Photography by Justin Fox Burks.

SAUSAGE SPICED PORTOBELLOS AMY LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN FOX BURKS // LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK Why take the time to break down mushrooms for sausage when they’re already sausage-shaped? Start by adding the right herbs and spices to highlight the already meaty mushroom texture, and you’ll soon have an excellent accompaniment for your eggs or your tofu scramble.

6 medium portobello mushroom caps 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 tsp rubbed sage ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ tsp ground clove ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp cracked black pepper 1 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos 1 tsp maple syrup

Preheat your oven to 350º F. Remove the stems from the portobello mushroom caps and reserve them for another use. Into a large bowl, place the portobello mushroom caps, sesame oil, sage, red pepper flakes, clove, nutmeg, pepper, Bragg Liquid Aminos, and maple syrup and toss to coat. Onto a large, parchment-lined baking sheet place the mushrooms gill-side-up. Place the mushrooms into the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and serve warm anywhere you’d serve sausage patties. Chop them up in casseroles or scrambles for a plant-based sausage experience. TIP: These patties may be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for six months. Serves 3-6

EGGPLANT LARB LETTUCE WRAPS AMY LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN FOX BURKS // LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK Larb is often described as an Asian meat salad, but you can make it using just about any vegetable, meat substitute, or block of tofu. We make eggplant the star of this recipe because of its meaty texture and its ability to soak up all the flavors of the dish. Any way you make make it, it’s going to be super flavorful and fun to eat.

4 1

cloves garlic stalk lemongrass, tough outer part removed Zest of one medium lime 1 medium jalapeño, stem removed 1½ inch piece fresh ginger 1 medium eggplant, trimmed and cubed 1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained 1 8-ounce package mushrooms 1 tsp soy sauce, like tamari or Bragg 1 head iceberg lettuce SPICY PEANUT SAUCE 2 Tbsp peanut butter 2 Tbsp rice vinegar 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos 2 Tbsp sriracha Water

Preheat your oven to 425º F. Into the work bowl of your food processor, add the garlic, lemongrass, lime zest, jalapeño, and ginger and process until very finely chopped. Add half of the cubed eggplant and pulse 4 times or until the eggplant is broken down into black-eyedpea-sized pieces. Onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet, scrape the contents of the food processor. Repeat the process with the remaining eggplant. To the work bowl of the food processor, add water chestnuts and mushrooms and pulse 4 times or until broken down into black-eyed-pea-sized pieces; add this to the eggplant mixture. Mix in the soy sauce, spread out into a single layer, and place into the oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm, allowing everyone to spoon the mixture into the lettuce leaves and top it with the Spicy Peanut Sauce.

SPICY PEANUT SAUCE Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan AMY LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN FOX BURKS // LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK This sauce makes anything and everything taste amazing! We use it as an all-purpose dipping sauce, a stir-fry sauce, and as a fiery accompaniment to spring rolls and cucumber noodles.

Using a blender or food processor, blend the peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Bragg Liquid Aminos, and sriracha until smooth. Add one tablespoon of water at a time to get a pourable but still thick consistency. TIP: If you prefer or if dietary requirements call for it, you may certainly substitute cashew butter or sunflower butter for the peanut butter in this recipe. TIP: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to six months. The Low-Carb Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Easy Recipes and a Kick-Start Meal Plan, by Amy Lawrence and Justin FoxBurks, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2020 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved. Photography by Justin Fox Burks.

MATCHA CHIA PUDDING PARFAIT AMY LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN FOX BURKS // LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK Chia is a powerhouse of a seed with tons of fiber and protein. We can’t think of a better way to start the day! Make this dish ahead of time and stash it in the fridge for a healthy breakfast or snack on the go.

²⁄3 cup chia seeds 1 can light coconut milk 1 Tbsp green matcha powder 1 Tbsp monk fruit sweetener ¼ tsp Kosher salt

Place chia seeds and coconut milk, matcha powder, monk fruit sweetener, and salt in a Mason jar. Shake jar until ingredients are well combined.

²⁄3 cup strawberries ²⁄3 cup blueberries ¼ cup water Juice from one lemon ¼ tsp salt Yogurt topping

Let compote cool and store in a container in the refrigerator.

1½ cups Greek yogurt 2 tsp monk fruit sweetener 2 tsp vanilla extract

TIP: The unique texture of chia pudding can be a hard sell for people who have never tried it before—the trick to making it irresistible is to combine it with other flavors that folks already know and love.

Place the jar of chia pudding in the fridge to rest overnight. Make a berry compote by combining strawberries, blueberries, water, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan. Cook compote for 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring every few minutes.

Mix yogurt, monk fruit sweetener, and vanilla; store in a container in the refrigerator. Once the chia pudding has rested overnight, you are ready to assemble the dish: in clear glass bowls or cups, layer in pudding, compote, and yogurt.

Serves 4

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grains & pasta

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BK RICE BOWL

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BREAKFAST GRAIN BOWLS

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HERONS SIGNATURE EGG AND GRITS

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VEGAN MUSHROOM GUMBO

115

DAN DAN NOODLES

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DUMP AND BAKE SAUSAGE, RED BEANS AND RICE CASSEROLE

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CLASSIC JAMBALAYA

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SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA

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SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP PASTALAYA

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DELTA MEAT MARKET CREAMY GRITS

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EATZI'S MEAT LASAGNA

CHAPTER 4

GO WITH

THE GRAIN

Photo: foxys_forest_manufacture

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T H E S E E D W E S OW â&#x20AC;&#x201C; T H E G R A I N YO U E AT

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BK RICE BOWL ROBIN HOLLIS // BASIC KITCHEN // CHARLESTON, SC

SEAWEED SALAD 2 2 2 2 2 1 1

ounces dried wakame Tbsp rice vinegar tsp sugar tsp grated fresh ginger tsp tamari Tbsp toasted sesame oil lime, zested and juiced

RICE 1½ cups Carolina Gold rice 3 cups water 1 tsp salt 1 Tbsp olive oil ROASTED CARROTS 3

large carrots, peeled and cut into 1’’ rounds 1 Tbsp oil (I prefer coconut oil, melted) ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper MISO SAUCE ¾ cup miso paste 2 oranges, zested and juiced 2½ Tbsp orange blossom water ½ cup mirin 2 Tbsp rice vinegar 2 cups vegetable oil GARNISH 1 1 ½ 2

Tbsp white sesame seeds Tbsp black sesame seeds tsp chili flake scallions sliced thin

Chef Robin Hollis is most comfortable with her hands in the ground, picking out the produce to use in her next dish. In 2019, Robin moved to Charleston, SC to become executive chef at Basic Kitchen. Here, she has found her home. At Basic Kitchen, Robin wants to provide people with food that is delicious and makes guests feel great while eating. Supporting local agriculture is important for Robin as she believes it helps create community and sparks a conversation about how we should be consuming food. Robin’s food philosophy is to let the ingredients speak for themselves. When the ingredients are high quality, simplicity is key. basickitchen.com

Soak the seaweed in cold water for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain off excess water. Combine all other ingredients and toss with seaweed. Adjust salt if necessary. Set aside. Rinse the rice well in a colander, stirring with your hands under the water constantly. This will give it the desired sticky texture once cooked, but prevent it from becoming too sticky. Combine rinsed rice, water, and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and stir in olive oil. Peel and cut carrots. Toss in a bowl with oil, salt, pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking tray. Bake at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Texture should be soft but toothsome. To make the miso sauce, combine all ingredients, except oil, in a blender. With blender running, slowly add in oil and emulsify. This will make more dressing than you will need—store in a container in your refrigerator. It will make an excellent sauce for fish, chicken, or veggies! Combine all garnish ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. To plate the dish, evenly divide rice, carrots, and seaweed between 4 bowls. Add ½ of an avocado to each bowl, and ¼ of a cucumber to each bowl. In the center of each bowl, add pickled ginger. Drizzle miso sauce over the bowl and garnish with sesame/chili/ scallion mixture. Serves 4

TO ASSEMBLE 1

English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds 2 avocados, cubed ½ cup pickled ginger (store bought is fine!)

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BREAKFAST GRAIN BOWLS OKRA MAGAZINE // Want to get maximum flavor from your grains? Prepare them with vegetable, chicken or beef stock in addition to water. Adding or replacing water with coconut milk will also give you a sweeter and creamier dish. Prepare your grains according to package directions and use your imagination to substitute the liquids as desired.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE 14 3 ½ 1 1

Tbsp butter large egg yolks Tbsp salt Tbsp lemon juice pinch cayenne pepper

top to bottom: SOULFUL BULGER BOWL Ccook barley in chicken broth according to directions. Top with sautéed spinach, baked chicken or ham, caramelized onions, soft boiled egg and cilantro SAVORY OATMEAL BOWL Steel cut oatmeal cooked in water according to package directions. Top with soft poached egg, hollandaise sauce (recipe included,) sliced tomatoes and fresh thyme. To make the hollandaise sauce, melt butter just until melted – don't let it separate. Whisk all of the other ingredients in a bowl until they become lighter in color. Very slowly add the butter to this mixture and whisk until everything is well combined. FRESH FARRO BREAKFAST BOWL Cook farro in beef broth according to package directions. Top with soft poached egg, ham, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber slices and fresh basil. OAT 'N HONEY NUT BOWL Cook steel cut oats in coconut milk according to package directions. Top with mixed toasted nuts (pecans, almonds, pistachios & hazlenuts), fresh shredded coconut and honey.

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HERONS SIGNATURE EGG AND GRITS STEVEN DEVEREAUX GREENE // HERONS // CARY, NC Grits Chips 1 quart John Haulk Grits Iberico Ham Sauce 8 farm eggs 8 16/20 count shrimp, cleaned 3 Tbsp sliced chives 8 pieces uni (sea urchin) 2 Tbsp small dice Iberico ham blended oil Salt GRITS CHIPS 1 cup John Haulk grits 4 cup water salt IBERICO HAM STOCK Iberico leg (if available) ½ lb country ham ¼ lb bacon 1 ham hock 1 yellow onion, peeled, halved 1 carrot, peeled 2 stalks of celery, halved 2 bay leaves 2 Tbsp black peppercorns BROWN CHICKEN JUS 1 chicken cage 1 yellow onion, peeled, large dice 1 carrot, peeled, large dice 2 stalks of celery, large dice 10 sprigs thyme 5 clove garlic 1 cup red wine 1 cup chicken stock blended oil

Tucked away in Cary, four-time James Beard Award “Best Chef: Southeast” semifinalist chef Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons at The Umstead Hotel & Spa is quietly producing world-class cuisine and some of the most exciting modernist dishes in the Southeast. He and his team are redefining American cooking by presenting classic ideas translated with local and seasonal ingredients and precise technique. Greene has a passion for using products and ingredients from the rich Piedmont region and works closely with the hotel’s acre of sustainable farmland at One Oak Farm to determine what he serves on his menu. Herons delivers a dining experience that is both refined and relaxed. theumstead.com/dining/herons

Sous vide eggs at 62.2° C for one hour. Slice shrimp, season with salt and sear in medium hot pan in blended oil. Top ½ cup of grits with one egg and seared shrimp. Garnish with sliced chives, diced iberico ham and a piece of uni. Eat with spoon and grit chips. Grind John Haulk grits in a blender until fine. Bring water up to a boil and sprinkle in John Haulk grits. Bring back to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Blend with an emersion blender to remove clumps and spread on a siltpat 1/8 in thickness. Let dry in 120 degree oven until it has formed a hard chip. Fry in new oil at 400 degree and it will puff. Season with salt Put the Iberico leg, country ham, ham hock, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves and black peppercorns in a pot with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a slow simmer and let cook for 8 hours. Strain through a chinois and reserve liquid. Cut up the chicken cages until they are 2 x 2 inch pieces. In a large pan sear the chicken cages in blended oil. When they are medium brown remove and add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Allow to turn golden brown before adding the chicken cages back and deglazing with the red wine. Let wine reduce by half and add chicken stock and thyme. Let the sauce reduce to 1 quart over medium heat and strain through chinois. Combine 2 quarts ham stock and 1 quart chicken jus. Let reduce to 1 pint. Then add one more quart of ham stock and season with salt and lemon juice. Heat water, heavy cream, butter and milk to a boil. Whisk in the John Haulk grits. Cook over low/medium heat until grits are cooked, about 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary and season with salt. Serves 8

GRITS 1 cup John Haulk grits 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup water 4 ounces butter salt 110

VEGAN MUSHROOM GUMBO SEED // NEW ORLEANS, LA Offering an approachable plant-based dining experience in New Orleans. The menu showcases the unique flavors of plants and spices with a taste of NOLA. Chef Chris Audler brings this healthy take on a classic New Orleans comfort food. seedneworleans.com

ROUX 2 1 1 1 2 3 1 4

Tbsp Kosher salt tsp black pepper Tbsp cayenne Tbsp sweet paprika Tbsp Crystal hot sauce yellow onions, medium dice head of celery, medium dice green bell peppers, medium dice 1 cup garlic cloves, minced 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 bay leaves 1 cup Worcestershire sauce 3 quarts vegetable stock 3 lbs oven roasted “andouille” mushrooms (cremini) 2 lbs pan roasted mushrooms (Blue oyster, Pink oyster) 2 Tbsp filé powder 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (garnish) Kosher Salt to season MUSHROOM "ANDOUILLE" 3 lbs cremini mushrooms cleaned and quartered. 4 Tbsp soy sauce 4 Tbsp vegetable oil 4 Tbsp salt 4 Tbsp creole seasoning MUSHROOMS 2 lbs oyster mushrooms (we use blue and pink), trimmed and sliced 4 Tbsp vegetable oil 3 Tbsp Salt

Place a large, heavy saucepan over high heat and pour in 1 cup of vegetable oil. When the oil is starting to smoke, whisk in the flour a little at a time until a paste comes together. Continue cooking the roux on medium-high heat whisking constantly until a mahogany brown color is reached. Carefully (it’s HOT), add the onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper to the roux and continue to cook over med-high heat for an additional 5 minutes, mixing the vegetables to thoroughly incorporate with the roux. Slowly pour in the Crystal hot sauce & vegan Worcestershire sauce while stirring constantly (suggest a heavy whisk) to avoid lumps. Slowly add the vegetable stock while whisking (to avoid lumps) and bring the gumbo to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 1 hour or until the gumbo stops producing fat and foam. As foam and fat form, skim from the top of the gumbo and discard. (***During this time, you should be making both your andouille mushrooms and your pan roasted mushrooms - recipes below). Once gumbo is no longer letting out fat, add roasted “andouille” mushrooms and continue to cook for 20 minutes. Once fully cooked, remove from heat and immediately whisk in filé powder and fold in pan roasted mushrooms. Ladle into a shallow bowl and top with a mound of jasmine rice. Garnish with a pinch of green onion. Pour oil into a heavy bottomed pot. Insert a deep fryer thermometer and heat oil to 300 degrees F. Finely chop peanuts and put aside. Place the garlic and shallots into the preheated oil and fry until they are lightly golden. Removed the garlic and shallots with a slotted spoon and put aside. Place the chiles into the oil and lightly fry until they turn bright red - about 15 seconds. Remove from oil and put aside. Place the fried chiles, garlic, and shallots into a blender along with the oils used to fry them with. Blend until it reaches a smooth consistency, in batches if necessary. Place the chili puree into a bowl and whisk in the chopped peanuts and 1 tablespoon of salt. To make the mushroom Andouille, begin by preheating oven to 425ºF. Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer seasoned mushrooms to a sheet pan in a single layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Mushrooms should be caramelized, but still plump and not shriveled. For the mushrooms to add to the dish, trim and remove woody stems. Slice into ¼” segments. Place a heavy gauge sauté pan over high heat and pour in ¼ cup of vegetable oil. Just as the oil begins to smoke, add the mushrooms - work in batches as not crowd or steam the mushrooms. Do not agitate mushrooms and allow to sear on one side before agitating/flipping them. Once flipped, quickly season and toss with a generous sprinkle of salt and remove from the pan. Move to a perforated pan and allow to cool in a single layer (do not crowd or stack)

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Photo: Rory Doyle

RICE FIELD IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA // ZATARAIN'S SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP PASTALAYA, PG. 121 // DELTA MEAT MARKET GRITS PG 122

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; The proverbial hospitality of the South may be selectively extended but it is not a myth.â&#x20AC;? Sally Mann

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DAN DAN NOODLES PARISH // MONROE, LA Chef Cory Bahr is the owner/founder of Parish Restaurant and owner/operator of Heritage Catering in Monroe, where he was born and raised. Parish is an homage to what is most important to Cory—community, culture, and culinary heritage—and presents an inventive take on classic Southern dishes utilizing live-fire cooking that makes use of all the flavors, technique and heritage of his beloved Delta region. parishrestaurant.com

CHILI OIL 2 1 2 1 ¼

Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns inch long piece of cinnamon star anise cup canola oil cup crushed red pepper flakes

MEAT MIXTURE 2 1 ½ 4 3 1 2 1 1

Tbsp canola oil lb ground venison tsp kosher salt tsp hoisin sauce tsp mirin tsp black vinegar tsp soy sauce tsp 7-spice powder tsp umami powder

SAUCE

Start by making the chili oil. In a small pot, add the Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and canola oil. Put on range at med heat for about 15 mins or until fragrant. Turn off heat and let cool for about 15 mins. Strain out the peppercorns, cinnamon, and anise. Then add red pepper flake to oil and let steep for 15 mins before using. Heat an 18-inch saucepan to medium heat. Add oil then add venison and kosher salt. Cook until venison is done then add the rest of the ingredients for the meat mixture and simmer till liquid is reduced by at least halfway. The sauce is easy. Mix all ingredients together over low heat in an 18 inch sauce pan. To assemble keep sauce warm in the pan while you boil the noodles in salted water. Have hot venison mixture ready in a separate pan. Add noodles and room temperature blanched bok choy to sauce and toss together. Divide between 6 bowls and top with venison meat mixture. Finish by garnishing with peanut green onions and oyster sauce. Serves 6

4 6 4 ½ ¼

Tbsp sesame paste Tbsp soy sauce tsp sugar tsp 7-spice powder tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder ½ cup of the chili oil you made 4 cloves of minced garlic ½ cup of hot water from cooking the noodles GARNISH AND NOODLES 2 picked and blanched bok choy ½ cup crushed salted and roasted peanuts ½ cup chopped green onions ¼ cup oyster sauce 2 (1.35 lbs) packs of “fresh udon noodles”

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DUMP AND BAKE SAUSAGE, RED BEANS AND RICE CASSEROLE ZATARAIN'S // NEW ORLEANS, LA Zatarain’s is known for delivering the authentic flavors of New Orleans to dinner tables nationwide, and we think it matters that our products are made by New Orleanians in New Orleans, the city our company has called home for more than 125 years. With just 5 simple ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep, this Dump-and-Bake Sausage Red Beans and Rice Casserole is an easy dinner recipe for your busy weeknights. The quintessential New Orleans Monday night favorite is a flavorful, comforting, and kid-friendly one dish meal! mccormick.com/zatarains

package Zatarain’s Andouille or Cajun Style Smoked Sausage, thinly sliced ½ cup diced onion 1 green bell pepper, diced ¼ cup diced celery 1 package Zatarain’s Red Beans & Rice Mix 2½ cups water Sliced green onion, optional Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl until completely combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake 50 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and return to oven (uncovered) for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Garnish with green onion and/or parsley, and serve! Serves 4

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" Farming is a profession of hopeâ&#x20AC;? Brian Brett

Photo: Rory Doyle

EATZI'S MEAT LASAGNE, PG 123

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CLASSIC JAMBALAYA 1 1

Tbsp vegetable oil lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 lb of Zatarain’s® Andouille or Cajun Smoked Sausage, cut into ¼ inch slices 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic 1 medium tomato, chopped 2 tsp Zatarain’s® Creole Seasoning 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 cup extra Long Grain Rice 1¾ cups Kitchen Basics® Original Chicken Stock

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ZATARAIN'S // NEW ORLEANS, LA Nothing says homemade like this “from scratch” jambalaya recipe. Try your hand at a favorite New Orleans dish, cooked to perfection with the “trinity” (onions, bell pepper and celery), tomatoes, chicken and Zatarain’s® Smoked Sausage. mccormick.com/zatarains Heat oil in large heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and sausage; cook and stir 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic; cook and stir on medium heat until onion is softened. Stir in tomato, Creole Seasoning and cayenne pepper. Return chicken and sausage to skillet. Add rice and stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Makes 8 servings. COOKING TIP: Save time by using rotisserie chicken and pre-chopped vegetable mix.

SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA ZATARAIN'S // NEW ORLEANS, LA Zatarain’s is known for delivering the authentic flavors of New Orleans to dinner tables nationwide, and we think it matters that our products are made by New Orleanians in New Orleans, the city our company has called home for more than 125 years. Cook up a hands-off batch of this New Orleans favorite in your slow cookers. Toss in Zatarain’s® Smoked Sausage, chicken and frozen peppers for the easiest Mardi Gras meal yet. mccormick.com/zatarains

lb of Zatarain’s® Andouille or Cajun Smoked Sausage, cut into ¼ inch slices 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed 1 package Zatarain’s® Original Jambalaya Mix 1 package (12 to 16 ounces) frozen peppers and onions blend

Place sausage, chicken and vegetables in slow cooker. Stir until well blended. Cover. Cook 3 ½ hours on high or 7 ½ hours on low. Stir in Rice Mix. Cover. Cook 30 minutes longer on high until rice is tender. Serves 8 COOKING TIP: Use 1 each large green bell pepper and onion, chopped, in place of frozen peppers and onion blend.

SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP PASTALAYA Shown on page 112

1 1

1 1 2 1 1 8 2 1 2

Tbsp vegetable oil package (14 ounces) Zatarain’s® Andouille or Cajun Smoked Sausage, sliced ¼ inch thick medium yellow onion, chopped small green bell pepper, chopped ribs celery, finely chopped container (32 ounces) chicken stock (4 cups) can (14½ ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained ounces uncooked pasta, such as fusilli tsp Creole seasoning lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

ZATARAIN'S // NEW ORLEANS, LA A one pot delicious meal, ready in 30 minutes! This weeknight winner features Zatarain’s® Andouille or Cajun Smoked Sausage and shrimp with a kick of heat from Creole Seasoning. All the flavors of a New Orleans Jambalaya – but served up with pasta. mccormick.com/zatarains

Heat oil in large deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir until browned. Add onion, bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 5 minutes or until softened. Add stock and tomatoes; bring to boil, stirring to release browned bits from bottom of skillet. Stir in pasta. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in Creole seasoning and shrimp. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Sprinkle with parsley and additional Creole seasoning, if desired. Serves 10

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DELTA MEAT MARKET CREAMY GRITS

Shown on page 113

CHEF COLE ELLIS // DELTA MEAT MARKET //CLEVELAND, MS Ellis returned to his hometown of Cleveland to open Delta Meat Market, a butcher shop and boutique grocer of fine Southern foods. Nominated in 2017 as a semifinalist for the James Beard Award “Best Chef South.” Chef Ellis' much acclaimed market has a new home in the Cotton House Hotel. They get their grits, polenta, and cornmeal from Delta Grind Grits out of Water Valley, MS. They source all of their grain from MS and their family has their roots n Cleveland. Sometimes if we're shaking it up, we'll make Rice Grits which we source from our friends at Two Brooks Farm in Sumner, MS or Delta Blue Rice outside of Ruleville, MS. deltameatmarket.com/market

1 2

quart heavy whipping cream, quarts milk (of your preference, we use whole) 2 quarts chicken stock (we make our own, but any organic non-processed/pasteurized will do) 1 quart Delta Grind Grits (if you can't get them - they sell online - use coarse grits) ½ lb butter salt and pepper to taste

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Combine all liquids in a large heavy bottom stock pot. Bring to a boil. Add grits and stir into liquid. Reduce heat and add salt and pepper. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for approximately 35-40 minutes. The grits should be soft and fluffy, if they hard or tough they are not done yet. Just cook them a few more minutes and test. When they are ready you need to taste test! Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Dice butter and stir into grits. Let rest for 10-15 minutes. Don't forget to taste before serving. Yields just under 2 gallons

EATZI'S MEAT LASAGNA

Shown on page 119

EATZI'S MARKET // DALLAS, TX Nothing is more comforting than homemade lasagna. Director of Food & Beverage, Jim Dunleavy, shares Eatzi’s Meat Lasagna recipe stacked with layers of gooey mozzarella, ricotta, marinara and meat filling, if you’re in need of a comforting, homemade meal for the family. eatzis.com

ASSEMBLE 4 12 1 9 1

4” X 6” fresh pasta sheets ounces ricotta filling cup marinara sauce ounces meat filling ounce freshly grated parmesan cheese 1½ ounces shredded mozzarella cheese MEAT FILLING 1 1 1 ¹⁄8 ¼ 1 2 ¹⁄8 ¼ ¼ ¹⁄8 ½ ¼ ¼

pinch fennel seed Tbsp canola oil garlic cloves, sliced tsp red chile flakes lb ground beef ounce ground veal ounces ground pork tsp black pepper tsp dried oregano tsp kosher salt tsp fresh rosemary, chopped cup water cup peeled tomatoes, canned cup marinara sauce

In a 4 X 6 Loaf pan; place ¼ cup of marinara sauce on the bottom. Top with 1 pasta sheet, then 4oz of ricotta filling, 3oz meat filling, and 2 tablespoons of marinara; spread evenly. Repeat 2 more times. Top with last pasta sheet, then 3 fluid ounces of marinara, shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until top is browned and bubbling. Start the meat sauce by toasting fennel seed in a small sauté pan over a medium heat and set aside. Heat oil in large sauté pan until it begins to smoke. Add garlic, crushed red pepper and toasted fennel/anise seed and sauté. Add all meat and remaining dry spices, break up any clumps of meat, with a spoon, and brown completely for about 10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Continue to break up meat, until all water is boiled away, about 15 minutes. Drain all excess fat from meat. Add peeled tomatoes and marinara sauce to the meat. Simmer while mixing for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Combine all ingredients for the ricotta filling in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until well blended. Set aside or refrigerate till ready to assemble.

RICOTTA FILLING ½ 2 1 ¹⁄8 2 ¼ ¹⁄8 ¼ 1

lb whole milk ricotta Tbsp fresh chopped parsley egg yolk cup heavy cream Tbsp fresh chopped garlic tsp salt tsp ground white pepper cup shredded mozzarella cheese Tbsp freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

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IN THE KITC HEN

t can be hard to say no to a crab cake. Making them from scratch can sometimes be tricky too, so we've got an easy and insanely delicious recipe for you. This one is calling Red Clay's name!

Named after her restaurant in New Orleans, chef Melissa M. Martin’s debut cookbook shares her inspired and reverent interpretations of the traditional Cajun recipes she grew up eating on the Louisiana bayou, with a generous helping of stories about her community and its cooking. Illustrated throughout with dazzling color photographs of food and place, the book is divided into chapters by ingredient—from shrimp and oysters to poultry, rice, and sugarcane. Each begins with an essay explaining the ingredient and its context, including traditions like putting up blackberries each February, shrimping every August, and the many ways to make an authentic Cajun gumbo. mosquitosupperclub.com Excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

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GARLIC CRABS WITH PARSLEY AND LEMONS MELISSA MARTIN // MOSQUITO SUPPER CLUB In Louisiana, when temperatures start rising to sweltering highs and the brackish water heats up, it’s peak crab season. From June to September, you can open just about any icebox on the bayou and find a tray of boiled crabs. We eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are endless ways to eat leftover boiled crabs. You can eat them cold, stew them, throw them in gumbo, or roast them like this, with garlic and lemon. The crabs are already cooked, so you are just warming them through and creating a delicious sauce that will be partially baked on. You’ll need lots of crusty bread or rice to soak up the buttery, garlicky jus.

Leaves from 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley 12 garlic cloves, peeled Zest and juice of 1 lemon 6 boiled large or medium blue crabs, halved and cleaned of their gills and lungs (see Note) 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp cracked black pepper ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp hot sauce, preferably Original Louisiana Hot Sauce 3 bay leaves (see Note) ½ cup (120 ml) canola oil ½ cup (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter Crusty bread or cooked rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). On a cutting board, combine the parsley, 6 of the garlic cloves, and the lemon zest. Finely chop them together, transfer to a bowl, and set aside. Put the crabs in a large bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and hot sauce. Add the bay leaves. Warm a large cast-iron skillet or ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then add the oil and the remaining 6 garlic cloves. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate; set aside. Working in batches to avoid crowding the skillet, add the crabs to the hot oil and cook until starting to brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes, then flip and cook until starting to brown on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the crabs to a roasting pan and repeat to brown the remaining crabs. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and let it melt. Return the crabs to the skillet and turn them to coat evenly with the butter. Transfer the crabs and the reserved garlic to the roasting pan and place the pan in the oven. Roast, flipping once after 3 minutes, until the crabs are golden, about 6 minutes total. Remove from the oven and add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and the parsley-garlic mixture to the pan. Toss until the crabs are evenly coated. Season with the lemon juice and serve with crusty bread or rice. Serves 2-4 Note: A cleaned crab is a live crab that has had the top shell, gills, and back flap removed. Ask your fish market or seafood purveyor for fresh cleaned crabs, or ask if they’ll clean some crabs for you if they’re not already on hand. Note: I like to leave the bay leaves in the final recipe. They’re not meant to be eaten, but it makes for a beautiful, rustic presentation.

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SHRIMP BOULETTES

¾ cup (110 g) coarsely chopped green bell pepper 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped green onion ¼ cup (25 g) coarsely chopped celery 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1¼ pounds (565 g) peeled and deveined small or medium shrimp 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed ¹⁄8 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more as needed ¹⁄8 tsp cayenne pepper, plus more as needed 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp hot sauce, preferably Original Louisiana Hot Sauce, plus more as needed Peanut oil, for frying

MELISSA MARTIN // MOSQUITO SUPPER CLUB Shrimp boulettes, or fried shrimp balls, might remind you of Thai fish cakes or Vietnamese shrimp on sugarcane. The shrimp is ground up and fried without any flour or cornmeal (shrimp is sticky enough to bind the vegetables together, so you don’t need to add any filler). Eat the boulettes as a snack with hot sauce, or put some on a roll with bitter greens, cocktail sauce, or spicy mayo to turn them into a sandwich. Either way, they are a great way to eat small fresh shrimp.

In a large bowl, combine the bell pepper, green onion, celery, parsley, shrimp, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and hot sauce and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Using an old-fashioned meat grinder or a food processor, grind the mixture together. If using a food processor, work in small batches and pulse until smooth, then transfer to a bowl. In either case, after grinding, you should not see any vegetables; the boulette mix should be a homogenous paste. Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with 4 inches (10 cm) of peanut oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375°F (190°C). (Alternatively, use a tabletop fryer; see page 25.) Using two spoons or a small (#100) cookie scoop, form a ball of the boulette mix no bigger than the diameter of a quarter and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Fry this tester boulette for about 6 minutes, until golden brown on the outside. Transfer the boulette to a paper towel or a brown paper bag to drain excess oil and let it cool. Taste the boulette: Does the mix need more salt? More pepper or more heat? Add salt, black pepper, cayenne, or hot sauce to your liking—I like boulettes to have a slight vinegary taste, and hot sauce gives them that flavor. There is no one perfect formula. You have to taste your mix every time. Once you have adjusted your mix, drop about 15 balls at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the boulettes to paper towels or brown paper bags to drain and cool briefly, then serve. The boulette mix will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 days. If making ahead of time, add the salt right before frying to keep the mix from getting watery. Serves 6

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BLACKBERRY DUMPLINGS MELISSA MARTIN // MOSQUITO SUPPER CLUB

Blackberries come into season at the beginning of April, so that’s when I start checking the waterline on the back bayou of my grandparents’ land in Cocodrie to see how the crop looks. My dad and I love the unripe blackberries for salads and garnishes; they have a slight bitterness. When blackberries are in full season, we’ll pick as many as we can so we can make blackberry dumplings throughout the year. Pair any flavored dumplings with a scoop of “Pop Rouge” Ice Cream or vanilla ice cream.

BLACKBERRY STEW 2 2 1

pints (6 cups/750 g) black berries cups (500 g) raw unrefined sugar bay leaf

DUMPLINGS 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little more for the top ½ cup (65 g) freshly milled flour, preferably Ruby Lee wheat 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 Tbsp kosher salt 2 Tbsp leaf lard 4 large eggs 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk Ice cream, for serving (optional)

Make the blackberry stew: In a large bowl, combine the blackberries and sugar; add the bay leaf. Let sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. Pour the blackberries and 2 cups (480 ml) water into a wide, heavy-bottomed 8-quart (8 L) pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes. Make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Add the lard and cut it in with your fingers or a fork. Make a well in the center of the mixture and crack the eggs into it. Add the milk to the well, then use a fork to whisk the eggs and milk into the flour mixture. Just bring the ingredients together— don’t overmix. Sprinkle a little flour over the batter to cover it. This also helps coat the scoop with flour when you go in to scoop up the dough. Let sit for 5 minutes. Working in batches, use two spoons or a small (#100) cookie scoop to drop the dough into the simmering blackberry stew (see Note) and cook, basting the dumplings frequently with the blackberry mixture, until they are set and cooked through, about 6 minutes, then carefully flip the dumplings over and cook, basting frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes more. The dumplings will stiffen and be easy to handle with a slotted spoon. If the batter is still gooey and falling apart, then the dumplings are not cooked yet. Once they are cooked, remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter. Eat the dumplings warm as is or serve with a scoop of ice cream. Note: When cooking the second round of dumplings, you may need to add a little boiling water to the blackberry stew to thin it out. Makes 24 dumplings

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fish & shellfish

134

139

SIMMONS PAN FRIED CATFISH, PICKLED COLLARD GREENS AND CHILE BROTH

140

SWEET CHILI SIMMONS CATFISH WITH RICE AND SESAME ROASTED OKRA

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CRAB CAKES WITH BLISTERED OKRA, GRILLED LEMON, AND RED CLAY AIOLI

145

ZATARAIN'S EASY STOVETOP SHRIMP BOIL

149

SMOTHERED OKRA GUMBO WITH DIRTY RICE

150

TUNA TARTARE IN SPICY SAUCE

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PARMESAN CRUSTED FLOUNDER

153

SANDERLING RESORT'S PAN ROASTED ROCKFISH

156

ANTOINE'S CRAWFISH QUICHE

157

JUNG HOTEL'S NOLA BBQ SHRIMP & GRITS

160

TEQUILLA-CURED SALMON TARTARE

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PISTACHIO PESTO CRAB CAKES

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CHEF STANLEY'S AUTHENTIC NEW ORLEANS GUMBO

CHAPTER 5

FISHING FOR

COMPLIMENTS

Photo: Rory Doyle

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; We, at Simmons, are totally committed to producing the absolute best U.S. catfish. After all, my name is on every box.â&#x20AC;? Harry Simmons, Jr.

Why settle for a flash in the pan when the time-tested, taste-tested choice can be yours? Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish is the best catfish in the world and is available in a wide range of products to perfectly suit your needs.

simmonscatfish.com

fresh from the pond

TO YOUR PLATE

Photo: Chris Granger

SPONSORED

SIMMONS PAN FRIED CATFISH, PICKLED COLLARD GREENS AND CHILE BROTH

PICKLED GREENS & BROTH ½ gallon water 1 cup white vinegar ½ cup sherry vinegar ½ cup red wine vinegar 1½ cups sugar 1 Tbsp salt 2 bay leaves ¾ cup garlic cloves, sliced 3 cups julienned onions (about 2 onions) ½ cup arbol chilies ½ cup dried criolla sella chilies (or other spicy dried chili) ½ cup fresh chilies, sliced 2 bunches collard greens CATFISH 3 lbs Simmons Catfish fillets 1 lb corn meal 1 lb white flour Salt and black pepper Vegetable oil, for frying

RYAN PREWITT // PÊCHE SEAFOOD GRILL // NEW ORLEANS // LOUISIANA Why settle for a flash in the pan when the time-tested, taste-tested choice can be yours? Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish is the best catfish in the world and is the catfish choice of top chefs. Focused on working with local fishermen and farmers who harvest sustainably, Pêche serves simply prepared contemporary dishes, rustic creations cooked on an open hearth, as well as fresh oysters and Gulf fish. Chef Ryan Prewitt is inspired by the cooking of South America, Spain, and the Gulf Coast. In 2014 he was honored with a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South. That same year Pêche won a James Beard award for Best New Restaurant in America. Pêche is continuously named one of the Top 10 Best Restaurants in New Orleans. pecherestaurant.com

Combine all ingredients for the broth except the greens. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes to combine the flavors. Clean collard greens thoroughly. Stem the greens and cut into 1 inch squares. Raise the broth back to a boil and drop greens into the boiling pickle broth, stir well to submerge the greens and cook over low heat until the greens soften, about 30 minutes. If you can store the greens overnight, or even for a few days, the flavors will develop more. You will have some pickled greens left over after you plate the dish. They are great left over served with another meal. To fry the catfish, heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Combine the cornmeal and flour. Season the catfish with salt and pepper. Dredge the catfish in the cornmeal mixture, pressing down to make sure the dredge adheres. Add a generous amount of vegetable oil to the pan and carefully fry the catfish in batches. Remove catfish to a rack to drain after they are cooked. To finish, place the catfish in the bottom of a large bowl. Spoon a generous amount of hot greens and pickling liquid over the catfish. Serves 6

WATCH CHEF RYAN PREWITT MAKE THIS RECIPE

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SPONSORED

SWEET CHILI SIMMONS CATFISH WITH RICE AND SESAME ROASTED OKRA

CATFISH 1 lb Simmons Catfish fillets 1 Tbsp minced ginger Salt and pepper, to taste BATTER ½ cup AP flour ½ cup cornstarch 1 tsp baking soda 1½ cups water 2 eggs, beaten 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp minced celery 1 tsp black pepper SAUCE 2

Tbsp scallion whites sliced thin (about 4 scallions). Slice the greens for garnish 1 Tbsp minced ginger 1 Tbsp minced garlic 1 serrano pepper, minced ¼ cup soy sauce ¹⁄³ cup Heinz Chili sauce 2 tsp sriracha 2 tsp sesame seeds 1 Tbsp cornstarch, mixed with ¼ cup water to make slurry 1 tsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp neutral oil ROASTED OKRA 16-20 small/medium tender okra pods 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp sriracha 1 Tbsp canola + 2 tsp sesame oil 2 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds 140

VISHWESH BHATT // SNACKBAR // OXFORD // MISSISSIPPI A native of India, Chef Vishwesh Bhatt has worked as a chef in Oxford for over 20 years and thinks of himself as a Southern chef because his style of cooking represents where he is now, but references his Indian roots. Opening Snackbar in 2009, Bhatt introduced a menu that intertwines both Southern and continental food–a Southern-French brasserie hybrid–the result called Bubba brasserie cuisine. In 2019, Bhatt won the James Beard Award as Best Chef-South. Charcuterie is supplied by The Big Bad Smokehouse and choucroute garni gets a second chance with collards and pickled peaches. Adding to the list of Southern delicacies found at Snackbar is catfish. Generations of fans have enjoyed the pure, clean, fresh taste in a whole range of delectable dishes. While fried catfish has its share of fans, the perfectly light flavor of Simmons Catfish makes it deliciously diverse, perfect for gourmets, foodies or families looking for meals that all will love. citygroceryonline.com

Cut catfish fillets into bite sized pieces, season with salt, pepper and minced ginger. Set aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes. Prepare the batter by mixing together all the ingredients and set aside while you make the sauce. For the sauce, heat oil in a saucepan until shimmering hot and quickly sauté the ginger, garlic, scallion whites and serrano. Stir in soy sauce, chili sauce, sriracha and sesame seeds. Add the cornstarch slurry, bring the mixture to a boil and turn off the heat, stir in the sugar and set aside. Slice okra pods in half lengthwise. Toss all ingredients together and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Lay the marinated okra out on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Broil on low until okra is blistered and charred in spots. Taste and, if necessary, sprinkle a with a little salt. Heat 2 cups of peanut oil in a Dutch oven or a tabletop fryer to 350º F. Mix the marinated fish pieces with the batter until completely coated. Fry the fish a few pieces at a time until golden brown and crispy (about 3-4 minutes.) Carefully remove the fried fish to a paper towel lined plate using a slotted spoon. Once all the fish is fried, toss it in the sauce until all pieces are evenly coated. To plate as a main course, spoon prepared rice into each bowl, top with pieces of okra. Divide catfish between bowls. Add extra sauce if desired. As an appetizer, simply place fried catfish and sauce on a serving plate. Garnish both with scallion greens and serve. Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter

Photo: Danny K Photography

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CRAB CAKES WITH BLISTERED OKRA, GRILLED LEMON, AND RED CLAY AIOLI GEOFF RHYNE // RED CLAY HOT SAUCE // GREENWOOD, SC Chef Geoff Rhyne spent his early years in the red clay fields of Georgia, fishing rivers and exploring farms alongside his grandparents. He took a winding route through some of the most esteemed kitchens in America, always looking for ways to meld tradition and innovation. While working on an oyster dish, Geoff hit on what would become his signature sauce - a Fresno blend cold-fermented in bourbon barrels to elevate the flavor of the oysters, not just overpower them with heat. The sauce became so beloved by patrons that they would steal it straight off the plate. Geoff left the restaurant world in 2014 to pursue Red Clay full time. Since then, he has perfected the art of bottling his signature sauces. redclayhotsauce.com

CRABCAKES 2 2 1 1

lb jumbo lump crabmeat Tbsp whole grain mustard egg cup Duke’s mayonaise

AIOLI 1 ½ 1 ½

large egg yolk tsp Dijon mustard clove fresh garlic cup neutral oil (canola or grapeseed) 1 ounce Red Clay Original or Carolina Hot Sauce 2 tsp kosher salt ¹⁄³ cup rice vinegar ¹⁄³ cup honey 1 tsp ground black pepper

It can be hard to say no to a crab cake. Making them from scratch can sometimes be tricky too, so we've got an easy and insanely delicious recipe for you. This one is calling Red Clay's name! Preheat over to 400º F. Pick crab for shells, place on a sheetpan, and place in cooler to dry for an hour. Mix wet ingredients. Gently fold in crab being careful to retain the meat’s integrity. Mold and bake for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, place the egg yolk in a bowl with the Dijon mustard, and microplane the garlic clove. Add salt. While vigorously whisking, gradually add in the oil being careful to keep the emulsification. Continue to whisk while incorporating Red Clay hot sauce. Warm a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add oil and the whole okra with the stems gently trimmed. Blister okra in hot skillet, turning every 30-45 seconds until tender. To char the lemons, heat a grill, and place cut lemons on the grates to gently char.

OKRA 1 lb whole okra 2 Tbsp neutral oil

Makes 4 servings

4 lemons

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Photo: bhofack2

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ZATARAIN'S EASY STOVETOP SHRIMP BOIL ZATARAIN'S // NEW ORLEANS, LA Zatarain’s is known for delivering the authentic flavors of New Orleans to dinner tables nationwide, and we think it matters that our products are made by New Orleanians in New Orleans, the city our company has called home for more than 125 years. With just 5 simple ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep, this Dump-and-Bake Sausage Red Beans and Rice Casserole is an easy dinner recipe for your busy weeknights. The quintessential New Orleans Monday night favorite is a flavorful, comforting, and kid-friendly one dish meal! mccormick.com/zatarains

5 quarts water 1-2 packages (4 ounces each) Zatarain’s Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab Boil - Complete 1 package NEW Zatarain’s Andouille or Cajun Style Smoked Sausage, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces 8-12 new potatoes 6 ribs celery, cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces 3 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved 2 heads garlic, halved 4-6 lemons, halved 2 pounds large (21 to 30 count) shrimp with shells 6 ears corn-on-the-cob, shucked, cut into 3 pieces, ea

Mix water and Crab Boil in large (10 to 12 quart) stockpot. Bring to boil on high heat. Stir in sausage, potatoes, celery, onions and garlic. Return to boil; cover. Boil 15 minutes. Squeeze juice from lemons into the water and add lemons into the pot. Stir in shrimp. Return to boil; cover. Boil 1 minute. Turn off heat. Stir in corn. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain well and serve. Serves 12

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Photo: Rory Doyle

FISHING ON THE ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA // PARMESAN CRUSTED FLOUNDER, PG. 151 // JUNG HOTEL'S BBQ SHRIMP AND GRITS, PG 157

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"Many of the most highly publicized events of my presidency are not nearly as memorable or significant in my life as fishing with my daddy." Jimmy Carter

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

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SMOTHERED OKRA GUMBO WITH DIRTY RICE SCOTT SAPP // GAINESVILLE, GA // OKRA MAGAZINE Growing up in north Georgia with a Cajun mother was a real experience. While other kids were dealing with the shortcomings of meatloaf, crowder peas or applesauce for meals, at my house we were dealing with shrimp-stuffed Mirlatons, smothered okra and gumbo. Fortunately, we were all excused from eating one dish – mine was smothered okra. It’s taken me 60 years, to appreciate it. Today, I have a real fondness for this simple dish. I remember Momma putting a bowl of it on the table for us kids, along with saltine crackers and the ever-present bottle of hot sauce. We greedily spread it on crackers drizzled with hot sauce. It is a great treat, even for the kid who tried so hard not to like it.

SMOTHERED OKRA 2 pieces of bacon or ¹⁄³ cup of oil 3 lbs fresh okra, thinly sliced 1 onion, finely diced ½ bell pepper, finely diced 3-4 cloves garlic, finely diced ½ bottle hot sauce, or to taste salt & pepper, to taste GUMBO recipe of smothered okra 5 cups water 1 cup chicken broth 2 cans diced tomatoes 2 cups sliced okra 3 lbs shrimp 1 lb crab 1 lb chicken 1 lb andouille sausage hot sauce, to taste salt & pepper, to taste

To make the smothered okra, stir all ingredients together in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid on medium heat. When heated through, reduce heat to low and cook approximately 3 hours on low heat. Do NOT add any water. Stir often so it doesn't stick. Great as a side dish with dirty rice, as a gumbo base or a spread on crackers with hot sauce. My mother's gumbo starts with a finished recipe of smothered okra. To this, add water and broth. You can use less water and more broth or no broth, whatever your preference is. Add tomatoes, okra and sausage. Taste it and add more or less hot sauce, according to your taste, salt and pepper. Cook covered on low about 6 hours. Add chicken and crab, cook through. About 20 minutes before serving, add shrimp. Serve over dirty rice. Dirty rice is a must for this gumbo. To make the mixture for the rice get started by boiling livers and gizzards for 10 minutes in water to cover. Remove from water, drain and cool. Cut gizzards in half through gristle. Place livers, gizzards, onions, peppers, celery, garlic through a grinder. Heat a pot with the oil and add the ground mixture along with hot sauce and salt and pepper. Cook on low heat about 1 hour. Let cool. You can divide the mixture into ½ pint or 1 pint containers to freeze. When you are ready to use, remove from freezer, thaw, cook for half an hour, add parsley and mix into cooked rice – ½ pint for 2 cups cooked rice, or to your desired taste.

DIRTY RICE MIXTURE 1½ lbs chicken livers 3 lbs chicken gizzards 4 medium onions, peeled and cut into quarters 3 green bell peppers, seeded, cored, and cut into quarters 1 small celery stalk 1 head garlic, peeled and divided 2 Tbsp oil hot sauce, to taste salt & pepper, to taste chopped fresh parsley 149

TUNA TARTARE IN SPICY SAUCE C&S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER BAR // ATLANTA, GA candsoysterbar.com

TARTARE 2 ripe avocado 10 ounces diced ahi tuna 2 Tblp thinly sliced chives 2 Tblp olive oil 1½ tsp salt ¾ tsp white pepper crushed potato chips SAUCE 1 tsp wasabi 1½ cups reduced sodium soy sauce 1 cup mirin ¹⁄8 cup olive oil 2 Tbsp dry Chinese mustard powder ¹⁄³ cup rice vinegar ¹⁄³ cup honey 1 tsp ground black pepper

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Cut avocado in half and take out seed. Dice into ¼ inch cubes and dress with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cut your tuna about ¹⁄8 of an inch, making sure to scrape tuna of any sinew. Once tuna is cleaned and cut, place in cold bowl and mix the other remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chive, salt and white pepper to tuna and mix together. To make the sauce, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until emulsified. Set aside. Next place a 3-inch ring mold onto one shallow 6 inch bowl first laying avocado in the mold first evenly, then followed by the tuna. Pull your ring mold carefully from packed tuna and avocado. Sauce around the cylindrical formed tuna. Top with crushed lightly salted potato chips. Accompany with toasted French bread points. Makes 4 servings

PARMESAN CRUSTED FLOUNDER Shown on page 146

C&S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER BAR // ATLANTA, GA Established in 2007, C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar is the first restaurant concept from Jonathan Schwenk and Rich Clark. Inspired by New York’s timeless fine dining, C&S aims to provide guests with fresh seafood, a wide variety of raw bar offerings, and classic prime steaks. The upscale American seafood house offers a beverage menu with well-crafted signature cocktails to complement each dish, along with a wide-ranging selection of wines and craft beer. candsoysterbar.com

FLOUNDER 4 6 oz. portions fresh flounder filets 2 cups mayonnaise 2 cups freshly grated parmesan 2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 cups panko bread crumb ¾ lb jumbo lump crab meat kosher salt and pepper SPINACH

Pre-heat oven to 400º F. Combine mayonnaise in a medium mixing bowl with soy sauce and lemon juice. Mix well. Gently sort through individual crab lumps cleaning them of any shell pieces remaining. Grate parmesan cheese, on a box grater on the side that gives you small long strands. This size ensures the parmesan in the crust cooks evenly on the fish. Add your cleaned crab, parmesan, bread crumbs and parsley into the mayonnaise base. Mix well. Season fish with a small amount of kosher salt and pepper. The parmesan crust will add a fair amount of seasoning to fish once baked. Place flounder on sprayed nonstick surface. Add parmesan crust about one inch in height to portioned flounder. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown and fish is cooked through.

3 lbs baby spinach 2 cloves thin sliced garlic ½ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice kosher salt and pepper

In a large 16 inch sauté pan gently heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. First add garlic to sauté pan. After about 15 seconds of gently cooking garlic turn heat to high and add all the spinach. Constantly stir around with tongs moving the cooking spinach from the bottom surface of the pan. Once wilted, season with kosher salt, pepper and lemon juice to desired taste.

AIOLI

Take tomatoes and core. Cut the tomato core side down directly in half horizontally. This keeps juices in the tomato while roasting to ensure flavor. Next place tomatoes, thyme ,and garlic in mixing bowl and coat with olive oil. Lightly preseason tomatoes with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place oiled tomatoes and aromatics on sheet tray with roasting rack. Roast until you see the tomatoes have far begun to break down and are caramelized with no excess tomato water. Discard garlic and thyme. Cool tomatoes down to ensure emulsification. Once cooled blend cooked tomatoes in blender and slowly emulsify oil into the puree. Fold in thinly sliced chive. Season with salt to taste.

4 beefsteak tomatoes ¼ cup canola oil ¹⁄8 cup thin sliced chive 4 cloves crushed garlic 2 sprigs fresh thyme kosher salt and pepper

Makes 4 servings

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SANDERLING RESORT'S PAN ROASTED ROCKFISH SANDERLING RESORT // DUCK, NC Originally opened in 1985, Sanderling Resort, a AAA Four Diamond property, is the only full-service resort located on the shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Beloved by many for its warm and charming spirit, welcoming amenities and romantic ambiance, Sanderling truly embodies the best of the South. Sprawled across 13 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and the serene Currituck Sound. Dining options include the AAA Four-Diamond Kimball’s Kitchen for local, sustainable fare. The Lifesaving Station and No. 5 Bar presents elevated Carolina comfort cuisine amid historical memorabilia and nautical artifacts along with an indoor/outdoor lounge. sanderling-resort.com

1 6 oz Rockfish filet with skin on 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 4 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 cup of blanched farro 4 cloves of minced garlic 2 small shallots, minced 4 cups of chicken stock 3 Tbsp of whole butter 2 Tbsp of grated parmesan 5 asparagus 1 tsp of sherry vinegar 1 cup of oyster mushrooms ½ lb of shell on shrimp 1 bulb of fennel, rough chopped ½ cup of white wine 1 Tbsp of tomato paste 2 cups of whole plum tomatoes 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper, to taste

In a non -stick sauté pan on high heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow the pan to get hot enough to almost smoking. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and gently lay the fish skin side down into the pan. Do not move the fish but with the back of a spatula press down on the fish for 20 seconds allowing it to sear evenly. Once you can see the bottom edges of the fish are golden brown. add one sprig of thyme and 1 tablespoon of butter to the top of the fish and transfer it to a 350º oven for 6 minutes. Again, don’t turn the fish because it will continue to sear while in the oven. Blanch the farro in simmering water for approximately 12 minutes or until it’s tender. In a medium sized sauce pan sauté the half of the minced garlic and shallots until translucent. Add the farro and half of the chicken stock stirring occasionally and keeping the heat on medium/high. Once the majority of the chicken stock has cooked out taste the farro for doneness and add more stock if necessary. When the farro is fully cooked, add the parmesan and 1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a medium size sauce pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the remaining garlic, shallots and fennel. Add the tomato paste and allow to cook for 1 minute until beginning to brown slightly. Add shrimp, bay leaf and thyme and cook for about 2 minutes so the shrimp have started to cook. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce by half. Add the remaining chicken stock and plum tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. To finish, sauté the mushrooms on medium/high heat in 1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper. To prepare the asparagus trim the tips off reserving the stems and blanch in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Season the tips with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. With a peeler shave the asparagus stems creating a ribbon. Add the ribbons to the boiling water for 20-30 seconds–just long enough to soften them. Allow the ribbons to cool and toss with the sherry vinegar, the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Plate and serve warm. Serves 4

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" I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair ? " Walker Percy

Photo: Rory Doyle

Photo: Tyler Darden

BOILED CRAWFISH READY TO EAT IN LA // CRABCAKES & SOFT SHELL CRAB ON TANGIER ISLAND, CHESAPEAKE BAY, VA

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ANTOINE’S CRAWFISH QUICHE CHEF RICH LEE // ANTOINE'S // NEW ORLEANS, LA Established in 1840, Antoine’s is the country’s oldest family-run restaurant. The long line of the Alciatore family members and descendants has guided Antoine’s to continued greatness, through the Civil War, two World Wars, Prohibition, the Great Depression and Hurricane Katrina. Classic Quiche is a favorite on our Jazz Brunch Specials Menu. It can also be served as a lunch entrée. Pair with a side of fruit or simple green salad. If you do not have access to crawfish, substitute coarsely chopped cooked shrimp. antoines.com

1 pie shell, ready-to-bake 9” deep dish FILLING 1 Tbsp butter ½ cup yellow onion, ¼”dice ¼ cup celery, ¼” dice ¼ cup green pepper, ¼” dice ¼ cup green onion, tops only, sliced 2 cloves garlic, fresh, minced 1 tsp crawfish seasoning* ½ lb crawfish tails, cooked and peeled ½ lemon, (juice and zest) 1 cup shredded cheese (blend, gruyere, sharp cheddar, your choice) Kosher salt and pepper Tabasco® CUSTARD 3 eggs ¾ cup milk, whole ¾ cup heavy cream ¼ tsp salt, kosher CRAWFISH SEASONING 1 tsp white pepper ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp ground garlic ½ tsp dried basil leaves ¼ tsp dry English mustard

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Pre-heat standard oven to 350ºF or 325ºF in convection oven. Sauté onions, peppers, and celery on med-high heat for 3 minutes. Add garlic, green onion and crawfish tails. Cook for 3 minutes or until veggies become soft. Add crawfish seasoning, lemon juice and zest. Season to taste with Tabasco®, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 1 minute only. Pull off the heat to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs well, then add milk, cream and salt and whip further, fully mixing the custard . In a thawed, uncooked pie shell, place cooled crawfish mixture (approx. 2 cups) and 1 cup shredded cheese and spread out evenly. Pour custard mix into the pie shell, over the crawfish mixture. Gently spread out the mixture and cheese evenly with the liquid. Bake for 60-75 minutes and quiche has doubled in size. Remove and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Makes 1 pie, serves 6

THE JUNG HOTEL’S NOLA BBQ SHRIMP & GRITS

Shown on page 147

CHEF JAZZ WILLIAMS // THE JUNG HOTEL // NEW ORLEANS, LA This luxurious mixed-use development includes a 207-room hotel and modern residences located in the heart of New Orleans' burgeoning Biomedical Innovation District. Notable highlights include a grand lobby bar, 21,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space, a rooftop pool deck with unparalleled city views, a new spa and fitness center, two restaurants and a coffee shop. Adjacent to Tulane University Medical Center and walking distance to Bourbon Street, the French Quarter and the streetcar, The Jung serves as the gateway to Upper Canal Street’s resurgence. bourbonorleans.com

GRITS 1 cup stone ground grits 2 cups whole milk ½ cup Boursin Cheese® salt & pepper, to taste NOLA SHRIMP & SAUCE 2 Tbsp butter for sautéing the shrimp heads 2 lbs large shrimp head on ¼ lb butter 2 Tbsp minced garlic 2 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 cup Crystal Hot® sauce ½ cup beer Budweiser® or other light tasting beer 1 Tbsp creole seasoning (like Zatarains®) ½ tsp thyme leaves ¹⁄8 tsp oregano ½ tsp rosemary leaves crushed 5 Tbsp butter for finishing dish 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch strips 4 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into ¼-inch strips ½ tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped (½ tsp dried thyme)

To a saucepan, add the grits and milk, stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add cheese just before serving and stir through until the cheese has just melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To prepare the shrimp, rinse them in cold water. Pinch off heads and place heads in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sauté shrimp heads until the fat in the heads melts and the oil turns red in color. Remove heads. While the shrimp heads are sautéing, peel and devein the shrimp and set aside. In a large skillet add the butter and garlic over medium heat and sautee until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning. Add the beer and stir. When the sauce begins to bubble, add the shrimp. Flip the shrimp when they begin to turn pink and shrink. Cook for one minute more and remove shrimp. Continue to cook the sauce until it reduces by 1/3, then remove from the stove. Add the 5 tablespoons of butter and stir until the butter melts into the sauce. The sauce should be thick and shiny now. In another skillet, heat the oil for the topping in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized, and the peppers are tender and slightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. If a brown coating forms on the bottom of the pan during the cooking process, add a few tablespoons of water and stir; repeat as necessary. Stir this mixture into the sauce along with the thyme. Plate the dish by placing a serving of grits in a shallow bowl, top with the shrimp, spoon the sauce over the shrimp. Serves 8

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Photo: Laura Lea

PISTACHIO PESTO CRAB CAKES, PG 161

" Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure I can ever make pesto with other nuts besides pistachios, now that I have tasted the magic." Laura Lea

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TEQUILA-CURED SALMON TARTARE WES FULMER // MOTOR SUPPLY BISTRO // COLUMBIA, SC Motor Supply Co. Bistro has been serving fresh, local and diverse dishes in the heart of the historic Congaree Vista in Columbia since 1989. Menus change daily, offering diners something exciting every time they come through the door. Serving an eclectic blend of contemporary American, French, Italian and Asian cuisine, Chef Wes Fulmer utilizes produce and grains provided by local farms along with house-smoked meats. motorsupplycobistro.com

1 3-4 in. skin-on salmon 3 lemons zested and juiced 3 limes zested and juiced ½ cup kosher salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1 Tbsp ground coriander ½ cup cilantro stems, rough chopped 1 cup tequila of choice

Place the salmon on two sheets of aluminum foil with each crossed and lined with plastic wrap. Rub the citrus zest evenly over the salmon along with the juice from the limes and lemons. Mix together the salt, sugar, coriander, and cilantro stems. Coat and rub in the mixture packing into the flesh of the salmon and then sprinkle tequilla over the side of salmon carefully to make sure it is evenly distributed. Wrap tight with the plastic wrap and foil. Place on a sheet pan and press with at least eight pounds of pressure, then refrigerate for 72 hours or at least till a firmness is apparent. Rinse and cut into 1/8 inch dice, mix with olive oil, shallots, chives, and salt to your tasting. Serve on a crostini with your favorite sour cream or crème fraiche.

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PISTACHIO PESTO CRAB CAKES

Shown on page 158

LAURA LEA // SIMPLY LAURA LEA COOKBOOK A Certified Health-Supportive and Holistic Chef based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her first book, The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook, and her popular website, LLBalanced.com, dispel myths about healthy eating and guide people toward a vibrant, engaged relationship with food. For the pesto, it’s key to use store-bought roasted and salted pistachios. These cakes are inspired by her childhood in Maryland. They are lightly crispy on the outside, light and mildly sweet on the inside. Do not skimp on the quality of your crab here; it makes all the difference in the world. “Jumbo lump” and “wild-caught” are your ticket to recreating this classic seafood dish even in a landlocked area! lbalanced.com

PISTACHIO PASTE 2

lightly packed cups fresh basil, stems removed ¾ cup roasted salted pistachios 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, roughly chopped ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan (sub 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast for dairy free) 1 tsp mild white miso paste ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, or to desired consistency pinch of black pepper Optional: 2-4 Tbsp mayo for a creamier sauce CRAB CAKES 3 Tbsp avocado oil 1 medium shallot, diced into 12 ounces jumbo lump, wildcaught crab* 1 tsp sea salt (feel free to start with ½ tsp and add to taste) ½ tsp black pepper 1½ tsp dijon mustard 2 large eggs ½ cup almond flour 2 Tbsp mayo 2 Tbsp Pistachio Pesto 1 tsp lemon juice

For the pesto, combine all ingredients, EXCEPT olive oil (and mayo if using), in a food processor. Pulse until it forms a fine-crumble texture. While machine is running, slowly pour in olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste for salt and pepper. If you want to add mayo, set aside 2 tablespoons of pesto without mayo to go inside the crab cakes, then stir in mayo and set pesto aside. Heat a cast iron or other nonstick skillet to medium add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil moves quickly around the pan, add shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until softened and translucent. Set aside to cool 5 minutes. Drain crab and gently squeeze out excess liquid. Add to a mixing bowl, along with cooked shallot, sea salt, pepper, mustard, eggs, almond flour, mayo, pesto and lemon juice. P.S. don’t clean the pan/skillet! Use clean hands to evenly incorporate. This is quite a wet mixture and that’s what we want! Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop ¼ cup of crab mixture and turn onto your parchment. Repeat with remaining mixture, so you have 8 scoops. Heat the same cast iron or other nonstick skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is slightly “popping”, add several crab cakes (I can usually get 3-4), leaving a few inches between each. Gently press them down to approximately 3” in diameter. Allow to sear for 4-5 minutes, until golden-brown and crusty on the bottom. When you can slide a spatula under the crab cakes easily, flip and sear another 2-3 minutes, to achieve the same color and crust. Place on your serving platter or a large plate. Repeat cooking process with remaining crab cakes (note that cook time might be less, as the pan gets hotter. You also might need to turn the heat down a bit). Allow final batch to cool 5 minutes before serving Pistachio Pesto on top, with or without mayo mixed in. Leftovers will keep tightly sealed in the refrigerator up to 3 days or frozen 2-3 months. Makes 8

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CHEF STANLEY'S AUTHENTIC NEW ORLEANS GUMBO STANLEY BROUSSARD // BOURBON ORLEANS HOTEL // NEW ORLEANS, LA A French Quarter treasure with its rich history and vibrant dining and nightlife. Restored to its former glory, this 218-guestroom hotel offers a lively and authentic New Orleans experience right off the famed Bourbon Street. Showcasing traditional French Quarter architecture and classic European style, the hotel pairs modern and inspired amenities with its historic roots for an authentic New Orleans experience that includes sun-splashed relaxation by the hotel’s Courtyard Pool, inspired cocktails and live jazz at Bourbon “O” Bar, contemporary Creole fare at Roux on Orleans and perhaps, a ghostly visit from one of the hotel’s friendly resident spirits. Every Wednesday at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Chef Stanley Broussard, the executive chef at Roux on Orleans at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, gives guests a gumbo demonstration and tasting, complete with take home recipe and brief history of gumbo. bourbonorleans.com

½ cup vegetable oil (corn or canola preferred) ¾ cup flour 2 cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped green pepper ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped ½ Tbsp Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire sauce 6 cups seafood stock 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes 2 cups sliced okra (if frozen, thaw before use) ¹⁄8 cup gumbo file 2 bay leaves 1 tsp Tabasco sauce 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled ¼ lb crabmeat Oysters (optional)

Place oil and flour in pot, stir well and brown to make a roux. When flour is browned to the color of milk chocolate or an old copper penny, add chopped vegetables and saute on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Gradually add stock, stirring constantly until blended. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove lid and cook 30 more minutes stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, okra and file and continue to cook on low heat uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve in a bowl with rice. A serving of 1/3 cup rice to 1 ¼ cup gumbo is the way it's done in New Orleans. Serves 8

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IN THE KITC HEN

t can be hard to say no to a crab cake. Making them from scratch can sometimes be tricky too, so we've got an easy and insanely delicious recipe for you. This one is calling Red Clay's name!

Beautifully photographed and replete with mouth-watering recipes, Gulf Coast Oysters is a joyful and thorough exploration of Gulf oyster culture that honors the many oyster classics of the Gulf foodways while also putting a fresh, modern spin on preparing “panhandle pearls.” Miller’s years of hands-on experience of modernizing the way the Florida Panhandle thinks about food, as well as his support of sustainable food-producing practices, has provided him the unique and credentialed perspective for telling the story of the ever-changing food scene along the Gulf Coast. jacksonsrestaurant.com

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Photo: Rory Doyle

SIMPLE FRIED OYSTERS IRV MILLER // GULF COAST OYSTERS Preparing superb-tasting oysters starts with a reputable seafood supplier who you can rely on to properly handle processed, freshly shucked oysters or shell oysters from the Gulf of Mexico. For sustainably harvested oysters and shrimp, I can trust Chris Nelson of Bon Secour Fisheries, Inc. in Alabama. For oysters, shrimp, fresh fish, and crab, I can trust my longtime friend Ray Boyer of Maria’s Fresh Seafood Market in Pensacola to source from the Gulf’s best oyster and crab processors, shrimpers, and fishermen. See the resource section to find Bon Secour and Maria’s.

sleeves (100) saltine crackers ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 24 Gulf Coast oysters in their shells (see note) or 2 pints freshly shucked 3 cups vegetable or peanut oil Kosher salt Lemon wedges

Place crackers in food processor with a knife blade; pulse to make medium-fine crumbs, and then transfer into a medium bowl. Add flour and pepper. Strain the oysters and then drop them into the cracker mixture a few at a time, keeping them separated. Place them on a platter in a single layer. Sprinkle few pinches of the flour mixture over top of the coated oysters. Repeat until all the oysters have been used. Place in refrigerator until frying. Just before frying, tap off any excess flour mixture. Heat frying oil to 350°F in a deep skillet using a clip-on thermometer and fry the coated oysters in two batches, for 2 to 3 minutes (depending on their size) or until golden brown. Place them on a paper towel– lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Using your favorite oyster platter, stack the fried oysters, add lemon wedges, and serve right away. Makes 6 servings NOTE: If using shelled oysters, scrub and rinse the shell oysters well to remove any debris. Shuck the oysters and reserve them in their liquor. Place the oysters and liquor in a small bowl and refrigerate them until ready to use. Reserve the bottom cupped shells. Place the bottom shells in a large sauce pot, submerge the shells in water, place the pot over medium-high heat, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from water and let cool on a kitchen towel or wire rack.

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OYSTER, BACON & CARAMELIZED ONION TARTELETTE IRV MILLER // GULF COAST OYSTERS I’m reminiscing now, taking that first bite of tarte flambé. It was a Sunday morning in 1986. My girlfriend and I headed out for a short visit with her mom in Fort Walton Beach. As we entered her kitchen, her mother was hunched over the counter, rolling dough as thinly as I had ever seen. I looked over as she topped it with bacon, thinly sliced onions, crème fraîche, cheese, and freshly grated nutmeg. Wow. I knew something very special was going on. And it just so happened that Marlyse was from Alsace in France. Go figure. It took just seconds to slice the piping-hot tart like a pie, fold it like a pizza, and put right into my mouth. Sensational! The only ingredient that would undoubtedly make it even better is oysters. So, here’s a similar recipe using Gulf Coast oysters!

ONION-BACON MIXTURE 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup dry sherry Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 slices thick-sliced bacon DOUGH 16 Gulf Coast oysters 4 4-oz balls of bread or pizza dough Flour, for dusting ½ cup cornmeal or semolina for dusting a pizza peel ASSEMBLY 12 Tbsp fromage blanc (French-style plain cheese) 6 Tbsp heavy cream Fresh nutmeg Small wedge of aged Parmigiano Reggiano Extra-virgin olive oil

FOR ONION-BACON MIXTURE: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and reduce heat to low. Stir until the onions are very soft and beginning to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add sherry and season lightly with salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Increase the heat to medium high or until the onions are evenly browned and lightly caramelized, about 10 additional minutes. Set aside. Cut the bacon slices into ¼-inch matchsticks and render in a medium skillet. Use a slotted spoon to lift them from the bacon fat and onto a paper towel–lined plate to drain. FOR DOUGH: Position a pizza stone on a middle oven rack and preheat oven to 450°F. Shuck oysters from their shells directly into a small bowl with their liquor. Place one ball of dough on a flour-dusted work surface. Flatten and roll out to an 8-inch thin circle. Fold over edges, leaving a ½-inch edge all around. Repeat for remaining balls. I like to partially cook the dough first, because the oysters release water when cooked and will make the dough soggy. Sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and carefully transfer the tarts one at a time to the pizza stone. Poke the dough bottoms with a fork to keep them deflated and then par-bake the dough for 7 minutes to ensure a crispy crust. TO ASSEMBLE: Remove from oven. In a small bowl, combine fromage blanc and heavy cream and blend well. Add 3 tablespoons of cheese mixture on top of each pre-cooked tart round and smear evenly with the back of a spoon to cover the bottom. Scatter the caramelized onion and cooked bacon mixture over the tarts. Grate fresh nutmeg on the cheese, and then arrange three or four oysters on each. Season with a pinch of salt and grate parmesan over the top. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the dough crust. Sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and carefully transfer the tarts one at a time to the pizza stone. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, and then serve immediately.

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CHARGRILLED OYSTERS WITH SMOKY SPANISH PAPRIKA BUTTER & SERRANO HAM IRV MILLER // GULF COAST OYSTERS When colonists from the Old World resettled along our coastlines, they discovered a seemingly endless supply of oysters. As New World inhabitants, they also found new cooking ingredients in the flavor-rich lands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states. In the 21st century, innovative cooking techniques have continued as cooks have popularized the art of grilling oysters over an open fire with seasoned butter. For this recipe, I did just that by adding paper-thin slices of salty cured ham and splashing the mild oysters with bold Spanish seasonings. The New World is your oyster!

cup finely grated fresh Iberico cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano ¼ cup finely processed panko breadcrumbs 24 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 Tbsp minced garlic 3 Tbsp finely chopped chives 3 Tbsp dry sherry 1 Tbsp minced jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed 2 tsp sweet smoky paprika (La Chinata brand preferred) ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes Pinch kosher salt 2 thin slices serrano ham or prosciutto 12 Gulf Coast oysters in their shells, scrubbed and shucked 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Combine Iberico and panko in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces, place into a second mixing bowl, and put in a warm area (about 80°F) for 30 minutes. Combine the butter, garlic, chives, sherry, jalapeño, paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt. Taste; adjust seasoning with salt. Transfer butter mixture to a sheet of parchment paper, deli paper, or plastic wrap, placing on edge closest to you. Fold paper over and roll into a cylinder, twisting the ends in opposite directions to seal. Place in refrigerator to chill solid for a minimum of 2 hours or several days in advance. Unwrap the compound butter and cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a plate and keep chilled. Cut each slice of ham in half, then quarter each half into 1-inch pieces. Shuck the oysters. Sprinkle each oyster with a dusting of the cheese mixture to give the butter mixture some texture to adhere to. Next, place a slice of the butter mixture onto each oyster, and then divide the remaining cheese mixture evenly among the oysters. Place one piece of the ham on each oyster. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes about a dozen

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MAGNOLIA BLUFF MIGNONETTE IRV MILLER // GULF COAST OYSTERS Pensacola is notorious for adapting to its settings. Some 500 years ago, a massive estuary system evolved from the sediment carried down from the Appalachian Mountains, creating present day Escambia Bay. The same flow deposited the oval grains of white quartz sand that shaped the Santa Rosa Island bay systems and formed our beautiful white beaches. The bays became the source for bountiful seafood like oysters, which in turn help to clean the bays by filtering the water and creating a healthy habitat for all marine life. Right now, Gulf Coast hatchery-produced oyster seeds are being raised off-bottom, and can be seen in their floating cages overlooking Magnolia Bluff along Pensacola’s scenic highway. I prepared this mignonette sauce to accompany Magnolia Bluff Oysters, Pensacola’s premium comeback oyster, and for the grand opening event for Pensacola Bay Oyster Co. Oysters are back in our bay!

¹⁄³ cup white balsamic vinegar ¹⁄³ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar ¼ raspberry vinegar 1 lime, juiced 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 3 Tbsp minced shallot Freshly cracked black pepper 2 Tbsp small-chopped cilantro leaves

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, raspberry vinegar, lime juice, jalapeño, and shallot. Stir, taste, and season with black pepper. Place in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight. Just before serving, add the cilantro, stir, and then spoon over chilled cocktail oysters. Serve right away.

Makes 1 cup

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meats & poultry

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PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET CORN SPOONBREAD, CRISPY VIETNAMESE BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND TOMATO JAM

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SMOKED BONE-IN PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE CIDER SAUCE

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WINTER PORK & POTATOES

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GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH CORN TOMATO SALAD

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HONEYBAKED HAM AND CHEESE SAVORY DUTCH BABY WITH HONEY DIJON DIPPING SAUCE

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VENISON SCHNITZEL

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RUMI'S KITCHEN RACK OF LAMB

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MEATLOAF MEATBALLS

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CHICKEN AND WAFFLES WITH BOURBON MAPLE SYRUP

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SANDERLING RESORT CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

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CHICKEN CREAM PIE

CHAPTER 6

MAKING

ENDS MEAT

Photo: KucherAV

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

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PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET CORN SPOON BREAD, CRISPY VIETNAMESE BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND TOMATO JAM WEST FULMER // MOTOR SUPPLY BISTRO // COLUMBIA, SC Motor Supply Co. Bistro has been serving fresh, local and diverse dishes in the heart of the historic Congaree Vista in Columbia since 1989. Fulmer’s pork chop preparation is simple and success here relies on choosing the best product and not overcooking it. “Seek out the best pork you can find,” he says. He goes for pasture-raised pork from Carolina Heritage Farms and seasons with salt and pepper. He emphasizes: No brining. “Brining is a slap in the face to the farmer who raised it,” he says, and adds, “If I wanted a pork chop that tasted like apple juice, I’d drink apple juice.” motorsupplycobistro.com

PORK CHOPS 4 thick cut bone-in pork chops salt and pepper 2 Tbsp cooking oil, your choice BRUSSELS SPROUTS 2

lb Brussels sprouts (cleaned and cut in half) 1 Tbsp fish sauce 1 whole lemon salt and pepper 1 Tbsp cooking oil, your choice SWEET CORN SPOONBREAD 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup AP flour ½ cup sugar 1 Tbsp kosher salt ½ tsp cayenne pepper ¼ cup lard 1½ cups buttermilk ½ cup sweet corn 1½ cups corn purée 2 whole shallots (finely diced) 2 Tbsp chopped thyme 2 ounces butter (softened) 6 large egg whites 2 whole large eggs

Season pork chops well on both sides with salt and pepper. Add cooking oil to a skillet over medium high heat and let it get very hot. Add pork chops to the skillet and sear on all sides until browned. It should take 4-5 minutes per side. Rest the pork before serving. Pre-heat oil in a deep fryer to 325º. Rinse Brussels sprouts, trim, cut in half and pat dry. Once oil has reached 325ºF, fry Brussels sprouts until outside leaves turn a golden brown. This should take about 90 seconds. Take Brussels sprouts out of the fryer to drain for about 10 seconds. Then, immediately toss in a stainless-steel mixing bowl with salt and pepper. Drizzle with fish sauce and squeeze lemon over the Brussels sprouts. Toss together. Begin by prepping the corn purée. Take corn off of the cob until there is a little over a cup and a half of loose corn. Using a vita prep mixer or food proces sor, process the corn until it is smooth and velvety. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, cayenne pepper and salt. Add the lard to the dry mix and begin to incorporate. Add buttermilk, corn purée, loose sweet corn, and two whole eggs to the mix. Fold together with a rubber spatula until smooth and set aside. In a medium sauté pan on medium low heat, melt butter and cook the diced shallots and chopped thyme until shallots are translucent. Once cooled, add shallots and thyme to the corn mixture and combine. Set aside. Add the egg whites to a stand mixer and whip to medium to stiff peaks. In thirds, fold the egg whites into the corn mixture until fully incorporated. Spray a spring form pan with cooking spray and pour the mixture into the pan about halfway. Bake in a water bath at 325º for 30-35 minutes. Check with a toothpick or cake tester for doneness. It should come out with the mixture slightly stuck to the toothpick – it needs to be just underdone to finish cooking while it cools. Top with tomato jam. Recipe found on page 239. Serves 4

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SMOKED BONE-IN PORK CHOP WITH APPLE CIDER SAUCE BRIAN KENNINGTON // RED SKY TAPAS BAR // MARIETTA, GA Friends Brian Kennington and Terry Kirby began discussing the idea of opening a restaurant and bar with live entertainment way back in high school. The idea continued to grow as the years passed. Today Red Sky is a reality and they deliver an exceptional social experience through wonderful food, service, and entertainment. Chef Brian's passion for creating food that is unique, simple, and with flavors that cross the spectrum of many regions and cultures. As Chef Brian says, "My greatest satisfaction is creating food for others to enjoy." Terry's true passion lies in service. "There is nothing more rewarding or gratifying than to talk to people in the restaurant, see them smile and have fun, and know that we created an atmosphere that made it all possible." redskytapas.com

PORK CHOPS 4 1" thick bone-in pork chops salt and pepper SAUCE ½ gallon of apple cider 1 cup of molasses 2 cups maple syrup GREEN BEANS 1 lb fresh cut green beans salt and pepper 1 Tbsp canola oil grated parmesan cheese

Season pork chops with salt and pepper (or you favorite seasonings.) Smoke chops to mid-rare to medium. This should take about 1 hour for 1" pork chops at 200ºF. Remove from heat and set aside. Combine cider, molasses and syrup in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat till the sauce has thickend and reduced by half. Toss green beans with oil. Roast in 350ºF oven for 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside on sheet pan. To finish, place pork chops in sauté pan and pour enough sauce over the top to coat. Place in 400ºF oven for 5-8 minutes (how long really depends on the temperature you want your pork chop cooked to.) Sprinkle the roasted green beans with parmesan cheese and return to the oven Place in the oven at the same time as the pork chops. Portion green beans on the plate. Place a pork chop on part of the green beans and pour additional thickened sauce over the pork chop. Serves 4

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STAYING COOL, CLAY COUNTY, AL // GRILLED PORK CHOP WITH CORN TOMATO SALAD, PG. 185 // CHICKEN CREAM PIE. PG 199

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

" We Southerners live at a leisurely pace and sharing our hospitality with our family, friends, and the stranger within our gate is one of our greatest joys." Winifred G. Cheney

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WINTER PORK & POTATOES CHEF TOM RAMSEY // OKRA MAGAZINE In cooler months a hearty pork roast is the perfect centerpiece to any dinner table. This recipe combines the earthy, herbal aroma of rosemary with the deep bass notes of garlic and a sauce that reminds us why we set aside some of the sweets of summer so they can be enjoyed year-round. The sauce for this recipe calls for apricot preserves, but any sweet, summer fruit preserve will do nicely. I’ve used fig, peach, plum and even huckleberry preserves with great success.

PORK LOIN ROAST

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

2 lbs boneless pork loin roast Kosher salt fresh-ground black pepper 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped finely 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced ½ cup chicken stock 2 Tbsp dry white wine 4 Tbsp apricot preserves 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Heat a large black iron skillet with olive oil until oil is very hot and nearly smoking. Generously season pork on all sides with salt and pepper and sear until lightly browned on all sides. After searing, turn the loin so that the fat side is on top and season with chopped rosemary and garlic.

SALT CRUSTED POTATOES* 2 lbs small, red potatoes 3 Tbsp kosher salt *Adapted from J. Kenji López-Alt and José Pizarro, Food Lab and Serious Eats

Roast in the oven, uncovered for about one hour or until the center of the pork is 140 degrees, as measured with an instant-read thermometer. (The internal temperature of the pork will rise to 145 while resting.) Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes while you make the sauce. Transfer the skillet to the stovetop and deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and wine over medium high heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any fond (the brown bits) from the pan. When the liquid has reduced by one third, add preserves and vinegar and continue reducing until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat to very low and add the butter, stirring quickly until fully incorporated. Just before serving, slice the roast, transfer to a platter and drizzle with the pan sauce. Arrange the potatoes in the bottom of a wide saucepan so that they are in a single layer. Add just enough water to cover the potatoes by ½ inch. Add the kosher salt evenly around the pan and bring to a boil. Continue boiling over high/medium high heat until ALL of the water has cooked out of the pan and only the dry salt and potatoes remain. Remove from heat and give the pan a good shake. Allow the potatoes to rest in the pan for two additional minutes. Serve immediately. NOTE: I like to serve this with a little roasted garlic aioli. If you don’t have time to make an aioli from scratch, just combine 1 cup of mayonnaise with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and three cloves or roasted garlic in a food processor and pulse until the garlic is fully incorporated in the mayo. If you don’t have roasted garlic you can use 2 tsp. garlic powder.

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GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH CORN TOMATO SALAD SCOTT SERPAS // SERPAS // ATLANTA, GA South Louisiana native and executive chef Scott Serpas has a knack for carving out a style all his own, and his culinary charisma has culled attention from adoring diners and critics alike. From the prestigious James Beard Foundation to Gourmet, GQ and Food & Wine, this chef has garnered attention for his honest approach to Southern food with Louisiana flair. Scott has become an irreplaceable part of Atlanta’s culinary scene with Serpas True Food. Located in what was once a cotton storage facility in the heart of Atlanta’s culturally rich Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, Serpas is known for its “true food” approach to cuisine with an edge. While Chef Serpas prefers using Berkshire pork – a juicy, tender heritage pork which is heavily marbled with fat – he stresses as long as the pork and vegetables are fresh, you can't go wrong. Simply prepared, this dish offers all the flavors of summer. serpasrestaurant.com

BRINE 2 1 8 4 2 3 ½ 2 14

quarts water cup salt ounces brown sugar peppercorns bay leaves garlic cloves, smashed onion, rough chopped sprigs rosemary 6 ounce pork chops

CORN TOMATO SALAD 4 1

ears corn pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved ½ red onion, diced ½ bunch asparagus 1 bunch broccolini florets LEMON VINAIGRETTE ½ 2 1 2 2 1 1 ¼

cup champagne vinegar Tbsp honey tsp salt tsp Dijon mustard lemons, juiced tsp thyme leaves cup canola oil cup olive oil

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Allow brining liquid to cool before placing pork chops in the liquid. Place pork chops in brining liquid for 2 hours. Remove from liquid and pat dry. Rub the pork chops with canola oil and season with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning. On a high heat grill and mark the pork chops cooking to desired temperature. Soak corn in husks for approximately 20 minutes. Grill corn in husk rotating until the corn starts to feel tender, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from grill and pull husk off and clean silks from corn. Cut the kernels off of the cobb and set aside in bowl. Blanch the asparagus and cut into 1½” angled pieces. Pull 12 to 15 florets from the broccolini and leave raw. Add all vegetables to the bowl with the corn. To the bowl of vegetables add just enough vinaigrette to coat the vegetables. While grilling the pork chops, assemble the salad. In a bowl add the first 6 ingredients and whisk together. Slowly drizzle in the canola and olive oil while whisking very briskly until it is incorporated. Pour small amount of vinaigrette over vegetables in bowl and gently toss. Place pork chops on serving plates and spoon the vegetable salad mixture over the top. Alternately plate individually with 2 pork chops per person. Serves 6-8

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HONEYBAKED HAM AND CHEESE SAVORY DUTCH BABY W/ HONEY DIJON DIPPING SAUCE DUTCH BABY 3

oz + 2oz HoneyBaked Ham (cut into thin strips and divided) 2 oz cheddar or Swiss cheese (grated) 1 cup all purpose flour ¼ cup cornstarch (if you do not have cornstarch, substitute all-purpose flour) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp herbs de Provence (you can substitute another savory herb blend or go without) ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper 3 eggs 1¼ cups skim milk (you can sub stitute 2% or whole, but Dutch baby will not be as crispy) 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (melt ed and cooled) 2 Tbsp vegetable oil ¼ cup green onions (thinly sliced) HONEY DIJON MUSTARD SAUCE ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp to a ¼ cup honey (depending on how sweet you like it) 1 Tbsp white vinegar

THE HONEYBAKED HAM COMPANY® // ALPHARETTA, GA Founded in 1957, The Honey Baked Ham Company® is a premium food retailer with over 450 locations nationwide, as well as an e-commerce site. Over the years, HoneyBaked has effortlessly marked the moments that matter for families across the country. Best known for its signature spiral-sliced Honey Baked Ham® with a sweet and crunchy glaze, The Honey Baked Ham Company® offers delicious, fully-cooked hams and turkey breasts sourced exclusively from American farmers. They also offer heat-and-serve sides, lunch, catering and desserts. honeybaked.com

Begin by preheating the oven to 450ºF. While the oven is preheating, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, Herbs de Provence (or other savory herbs) and black pepper in a large bowl and whisk until incorporated. In a different bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the milk and melted butter and whisk until combined. Pour ½ of wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk until no lumps remain. Pour remaining wet mixture into dry mixture, whisking until completely smooth. Once oven is preheated, heat vegetable oil in a 10 to 12 inch oven-proof skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add 2 oz of ham to skillet and sauté until ham begins to darken in color, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove ham from skillet and set aside for later use. Carefully pour batter into hot pan. Sprinkle the remaining 3 oz of uncooked ham and cheese around center of pan, making sure to leave an inch or so at the edge clear. This will allow the batter to puff up along the sides of the pan as it cooks. Place pan in oven and set timer for 20 minutes, rotating the pan at the halfway point. While the Dutch baby is cooking, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey and white vinegar until combined. Carefully, remove hot skillet from oven. Using a spatula and being careful of the hot pan, transfer the Dutch baby to a cutting board. Top with fried ham, green onion and a generous drizzle of the honey Dijon mustard sauce. Cut into wedges and enjoy.

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Mama was a natural cook. At harvest time, she would whip up a noontime dinner for the men in the field: fried chicken with milk gravy, ham, mashed potatoes, lima beans, field peas, corn, slaw, sliced tomatoes, fried apples, biscuits, and peach pie. Bobbie Ann Mason

EDWARD LEE'S CHICKEN AND WAFFLES, PG 196

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VENISON SCHNITZEL CORY BAHR // PARISH // MONROE, LA Chef Cory Bahr is the owner/founder of Parish Restaurant and owner/operator of Heritage Catering in Monroe, where he was born and raised. Parish is an homage to what is most important to Cory—community, culture, and culinary heritage—and presents an inventive take on classic Southern dishes utilizing live-fire cooking that makes use of all the flavors, technique and heritage of his beloved Delta region. parishrestaurant.com

SAUCE 2 ¼ ½ 1 ½

cups Steen’s cane syrup cup creole mustard Tbsp tomato paste Tbsp ground coffee beans cup honey

VENISON 6

venison flank steaks pounded out thin 2 cups buttermilk 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups Italian breadcrumbs Salt and pepper LOADER GRITS 2 cups grits 2 cups heavy cream 12 cups water ½ lb butter 1 sm diced jalapeno 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar 1 cup mascarpone 1 cup chopped green onion Salt and pepper to taste

Make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Keep warm but be careful not to let it burn. Coat both sides of each piece of venison with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece first into flour, then buttermilk then finally into Italian breadcrumbs. Set aside unti ready to plate. Put cream, water, and butter in a medium pot and bring to a simmer then add grits and jalapeño. Stir every 5-10 mins over the next 45-60 mins as the grits cook (they are done when grains are no longer crunchy). Then add both cheeses and green onions and add salt and pepper to taste. Combine all salad ingredients in medium sized mixing bowl (about 12 inches.) Toss together by hand and add salt and pepper to taste. To put together the dish divide grits onto 6 plates. Pan fry the breaded venison until golden brown. Then place venison on top of the grits. Ladle sauce over each piece of venison then top with peach salad. Serves 6

PEACH SALAD 3 sliced peaches 5 shaved spring onions ½ pint of blackberries 3 shaved radishes 1 pint watercress 2 ounces olive oil 1 ounce lemon juice Salt and pepper

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RUMI'S KITCHEN RACK OF LAMB ALI MESGHALI // RUMI'S KITCHEN // ATLANTA, GA Rumi’s Kitchen, from Chef Ali Mesghali, features modern Persian cuisine with a bold, technique-driven menu offering guests a wide range of elevated Middle Eastern dishes made from time-honored recipes. The restaurant concept also offers Rumi’s Pantry, a selection of individually portioned meats from Farmers and Fisherman Purveyors as well as Rumi’s bread dough and signature marinades – including the Rack of Lamb Marinade to create some of the most popular Rumi’s Kitchen entrees in guests’ home kitchens. rumiskitchen.com

packages whole racks of lamb, 8 bones each 2 ounces *saffron water 4 tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp black pepper, ground 3½ ounces lemon juice 2 Tbsp lime juice 2¼ Tbsp garlic cloves, peeled 1½ Tbsp rosemary leaves 8 ounces extra virgin olive oil

Open the three packages of rack of lamb. Clean the excess fat off of the fatty side of the lamb by using a boning knife, leaving a layer of approximately ¼” thickness of fat. Cut each rack into two-bone segments. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the lamb segments with the kosher salt, black pepper, saffron water, majority of the lemon juice, and lime juice. Add the remainder of the lemon juice and the garlic cloves to a blender and blend until emulsified. Add the rosemary into the blender and then slowly begin adding the olive oil into the blender. Pour the blender mixture over the Rack of Lamb segments and gently massage the marinade into the meat. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Heat grill and cook on open flame to desired internal temperature. NOTE: Saffron water is made by grinding up saffron and letting it steep in a small amount of hot water until all the color and aroma has come out. For this recipe, steep about a teaspoon of ground saffron. Serves 4-6

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MEATLOAF MEATBALLS TABLE & MAIN // ROSWELL, GA At Table & Main, simple, seasonal and Southern is what's on the menu. Decadently hearty without being overly fulfilling, these Meatloaf Meatballs are a crowd-pleasing appetizer that's an easy "get" for the at-home chef! They're the perfect way to start any get togethers, family gatherings or even just a Friday night in! eats.rohospitality.com

½ 1 5 ½ ½ 1 ¼ ½ 1 1 ½ 5

onion clove garlic, minced eggs can roasted green chili Tbsp Worcestershire Tbsp Dijon mustard cup ketchup cup milk Tbsp kosher salt tsp black pepper sleeve Ritz cracker crumbs lbs ground beef

Dice the onion and sauté in a skillet until transluscent. Let cool slightly. Mix the onion and the remaining ingredients with the meat until completely combined. Measure the meatballs at 3 ounces each. Roll in seasoned (s&p) flour and roast at 350ºF until dark and cooked through. Store in their broth from roasting until ready to serve. Alternately use beef broth to store them. Glaze with ketchup or preferred barbecue sauce. Garnish with chopped chives. Makes 12 servings

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CHICKEN & WAFFLES WITH BOURBON MAPLE SYRUP

Shown on page 190

BOURBON MAPLE SYRUP ¾ cup pure maple syrup 2 Tbsp bourbon Pinch of salt VINEGAR BRINE 2½ cups white vinegar 2½ cups water 3 garlic cloves 4 bay leaves ½ Tbsp whole black peppercorns 1 tsp sugar ¼ cup soy sauce 1 tsp salt WAFFLES 1 1 1 ½ ¼ ¼ ¼ 3 2 1

cup all-purpose flour tsp sugar tsp baking powder tsp salt tsp paprika tsp nutmeg tsp black pepper Tbsp melted butter eggs cup buttermilk

FRIED CHICKEN 2

lbs chicken, thighs and drumsticks 4 tsp salt 2 cups buttermilk 1 cup AP flour for coating 1 tsp salt 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp black pepper 2-3 quarts vegetable oil for frying Extra salt for seasoning GARNISH 12 pieces Pickled Okra ½ lb aged sheep’s milk cheese, grated fine with a microplane (like Everona Dairy’s Piedmont cheese or any manchego style cheese)

EDWARD LEE // SUCCOTASH PENN QUARTER // WASHINGTON, DC From Culinary Director and multiple James Beard Award nominee, Chef Edward Lee. Try your hand at Succotash’s Fried Chicken and Waffles complete with bourbon maple syrup and grated Manchego cheese. The recipe may seem advanced but outside of brining the chicken overnight, it should only take about an hour to complete. Whether its breakfast or dinner, or dinner for breakfast, this is a great dish the whole family will enjoy. Lee is also the chef/owner of 610 Magnolia, MilkWood, and Whiskey Dry in Louisville, KY. succotashrestaurant.com Make the bourbon maple syrup. In a small pot, add the maple syrup and heat over low heat till warmed. Add the bourbon and salt and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside at room temperature or keep in the fridge until ready to use. For the vinegar brine, in a medium-sized sauce pot, combine all the ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, turn off heat and let the brine cool to room temperature. Transfer the brine to a non reactive bowl. Add the chicken parts to the brine and cover tightly. Leave in the fridge and let brine for 10 hours or overnight. The next day, remove the chicken pieces from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. While the chicken pieces are drying, make your waffles. Preheat your waffle maker and lightly oil it. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, paprika and black pepper. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs and buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients a little at a time while whisking. Cook the waffles according to your waffle maker’s instructions. Reserve cooked waffles on a plate at room temperature. Pour the buttermilk into a bowl, and in a separate bowl, combine the flour with the salt, paprika and black pepper. Dip each chicken piece in the buttermilk, then shake off any excess liquid. Immediately dredge in the flour mixture and transfer to a plate. Repeat this step with the remaining pieces of chicken. Leave all the dredged chicken pieces on a plate at room temperature for 15 minutes. The floured surface will turn a little soft. Meanwhile, fill a large cast-iron skillet about half full with vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 365° F. Cook the chicken pieces 2 or 3 at a time for 12 - 14 minutes, turning it every minute, depending on how thick the cut of chicken is. Be careful to keep the oil temperature at around 350 to 365° F. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature of it reaches at least 165° F. Using tongs, lift the chicken out of the oil and drain the pieces immediately on paper towels. Season again with a little salt. Reheat the waffle pieces by warming in a 300 degree oven for 3 minutes. Serve the fried chicken over the waffle pieces. Drizzle a little of the bourbon maple syrup over the chickens. Top with a little grated cheese. Finish by adding a few pickled okra spears to the plate. Serve and eat it while it is still hot. Serves 4

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SANDERLING RESORT'S CHICKEN AND WAFFLES WAFFLES

SANDERLING RESORT // DUCK, NC

3 2 2 1½ 2 2 2 1

Originally opened in 1985, Sanderling Resort, a AAA Four Diamond property, is the only full-service resort located on the shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Beloved by many for its warm and charming spirit, welcoming amenities and romantic ambiance, Sanderling truly embodies the best of the South. Sprawled across 13 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and the serene Currituck Sound. Dining options include the AAA Four-Diamond Kimball’s Kitchen for local, sustainable fare. The Lifesaving Station and No. 5 Bar presents elevated Carolina comfort cuisine amid historical memorabilia and nautical artifacts along with an indoor/outdoor lounge. sanderling-resort.com

Tbsp melted unsalted butter cups all-purpose flour tsp baking powder tsp kosher salt large eggs cups whole milk cups Boursin cheese Tbsp black pepper

FRIED CHICKEN 2-3 ¼ 1 2 1 6

eggs cup water cup Texas Pete hot sauce cups self-rising flour tsp pepper 4 ounce boneless chicken breasts Oil for frying 3 Tbsp old bay seasoning OLD BAY SEASONING 1 cup salt ¼ cup black pepper ¼ cup garlic powder

Melt the butter on low heat being careful not to let it separate. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. Place the eggs in a second large bowl and whisk until just broken up. Add the milk and, while whisking, slowly pour in the melted butter until evenly combined. Add the cheese and stir until combined. Add the milk-cheese mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the flour is just incorporated and no streaks remain (the batter may have a few lumps); set aside. Heat a classic (not Belgian) waffle iron to medium according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fill it with batter, close the lid, and cook until the waffle is golden brown (when the steam starts to diminish from the waffle iron, you can open the top and peek for doneness). Transfer directly to a rack in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have 12 waffles, placing the cooked waffles in a single layer on the rack in the oven to keep warm until plating. In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add hot sauce so the egg mixture is orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the old bay, pepper and garlic powder mixture.. Place the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then dredge through the flour mixture. Heat the oil to 350ºF in a deep pot or fryer. Carefully fry the chicken until golden brown and crisp. Place two waffles on each plate with a piece of chicken. Drizzle maple syrup and hot sauce to your liking! Serves 6

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

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CHICKEN CREAM PIE ELLEN R. HOWLE // ATLANTA, GA // OKRA MAGAZINE When I moved to New York in 1996, I asked my mother to make me her chicken pot pie. Of all the things Mama cooked, it was my favorite. I can still smell the rich aroma of her chicken broth, made by simmering a whole chicken, along with carrots, onions and celery, and salt and pepper. Though my mother is gone, I feel her love with me every single time I make it. This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Mattie Lee Cooley, Fairfield County from the South Carolina Cook Book, 1954, HC South Carolina Council of Farm Women/USC. It is rich and filling and the epitome of comfort food.

2 ²⁄³ 2 ½ 1 3 1 1

cups flour cup shortening tsp baking powder cup hot water tsp salt tsp lemon juice egg yolk stewed fryer chicken, boned and cubed

•add carrots and peas or vegetables of your choice, if desired. It's equally good without. BASIC ROUX 4 Tbsp butter 4 Tbsp flour 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup milk salt & pepper, to taste

To make the roux, melt butter slowly in medium hot pan. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir continuously. Don't let it brown, but make sure the flour cooks so it doesn't taste raw. Add broth and milk and cook till thickened. Stir continuously so it doesn't burn. When thickend to desired consistency, remove from heat and set aside to use in pie. Mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, melt the shortening in the hot water. To this mixture, add the lemon and egg. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix, it will make the dough tough. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes. Pinch off pieces and line the sides of a baking dish, patting it out and together with your fingers. Fill the lined baking dish with the stewed chicken, which has been cut into small pieces. If using peas and carrots (or other vegetable of your choice), this is the time to add them. Cover the meat and vegetables with the basic roux. Piece together the remainder of the pastry dough to fit the top of the baking dish. Cut small slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape. Place in a hot oven about 425ºF and bake about 25 minutes. For individual service, bake in ramekins. Serves 6-8

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IN THE KITC HEN

In the world of barbecue, Carolina-style pork is among the most delicious and obsessed-over slowcooked meats. Yet no one has told the definitive story of North Carolina barbecue â&#x20AC;&#x201D; until now. In his first book, Whole Hog BBQ, third-generation pitmaster Sam Jones teams up with barbecue expert Daniel Vaughn to share his best stories, recipes, and family secrets. Here, Jones recounts the history of the Skylight Inn (which opened in 1947) and shares step-by-step instructions for cooking a whole hog at home. Readers will learn how to construct a pit from concrete blocks and how to build a burn barrel, along with two dozen classic family recipes ranging from cornbread and biscuit pudding to spare ribs, smoked turkey, a signature burger, and more. samjonesbbq.com Excerpted from Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue with Recipes from Skylight Inn and Sam Jones BBQ by Sam Jones and Daniel Vaughn. Copyright ÂŠ 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

Photo: Andreas Kermann

We bought a wood-fired cabinet smoker just for ribs because we couldn’t keep up with demand when we first opened. The smoker is a big metal box fueled by wood chunks, but it’s not really appropriate for home cooks due to its size and hefty price tag. It was the first barbecue- cooking implement we’d ever used that wasn’t fueled solely by hardwood coals. After a few months of tweaking temperature settings and which racks the ribs should sit on, we gave up the fight. The results just weren’t right. The ribs were either undercooked or too smoky, and we didn’t have the time or help to figure it out. One of our pit guys reverted back to cooking the ribs inside the whole hog pits during his shifts. We liked the flavor and made what in hindsight was an obvious change in methods. There’s nothing that isn’t improved by a little extra smoke from hog fat.

PORK SPARERIBS

Shown on page 30

SAM JONES // WHOLE HOG BBQ We brine the meat overnight, then rub it in the morning. The brine isn’t necessary at home, but it helps with making consistently juicy ribs at the restaurant. The rub is best applied right before you put the slabs on the pit. Feel free to season ribs as heavy or light as you like at home. At the restaurant, we evenly coat them from a shaker full of Rub Potion Number Swine (purchase here). “Evenly coat” means a lot of different things to different people, but it’s not a rub. The racks aren’t dunked into a large pan full of rub, either. It’s shaken on to a thickness where you can still see some of the meat underneath.

BRINE 1 gallon water 1½ cups sugar 1 cup kosher salt 1 gallon ice RIBS 1

full rack pork spare ribs, about 2½ lbs ¼ cup Rub Potion Number Swine 1 ⁄3 cup Sweet Barbecue Sauce

NOTE: The foil wrapping helps tenderize the ribs, and it also buys you some time. If you’re at home executing an entire meal, it’s hard to keep a close eye on meats that are cooking over direct heat. They might be burning while you’re brewing sweet tea or mixing up the potato salad. The foil wrapper helps prevent that.

To make the brine, in a 10-quart pot, bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Pour in the ice to chill the mixture. If you’d rather not bother with the ice, make the brine with 2 gallons of water, and do it far enough in advance so it will be completely cooled before adding the raw ribs. To make the ribs, brine the ribs overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Preheat a smoker to 250°F. Evenly coat the ribs with about 2 tablespoons of the rub on each side. Put them bone side down on the rack of the smoker, directly over the coals. Let them cook for 1 hour, then flip and cook for another hour. Check the sag of the ribs with the bend test. To do so, take a pair of tongs held perpendicular to the rib bones and guide one arm of the tongs under the rib rack. Do so carefully so as not to rough up the underside of the ribs too bad. Once the arm of the tongs is halfway up the rack, pinch down on the rack and lift the whole thing up. If the ribs don’t bend at all, you still have a long way to go. The more tender they become, the more bend you’ll see when performing this test. Once there’s enough bend that a seam opens up, cracking the surface of the rib bark on the top side of the ribs, they’re tender enough to wrap. Once they’ve reached the proper sag, wrap the ribs in foil and place them back on the pit for at least another hour. Use the bend test to check for doneness and tenderness. Rewrap and continue cooking if needed. Unwrap the ribs, lightly brush each side with half the barbecue sauce, and put them back on the pit for 10 minutes longer, until the surface of the ribs is browned. To serve, cut through the rack between the rib bones. The bones will be easier to locate with the ribs turned upside down. Serve with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side. Makes 3-4 servings

Excerpted from Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue with Recipes from Skylight Inn and Sam Jones BBQ by Sam Jones and Daniel Vaughn. Copyright © 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

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SWEET BARBECUE SAUCE, AKA "BEAN SAUCE" SAM JONES // WHOLE HOG BBQ The bean recipe we always made for catering at Skylight events required us to make a “bean sauce.” It wasn’t much more than a simple, sweet barbecue sauce, but batch after batch, we’d mix up the bean sauce from a half-dozen ingredients. When we opened Sam Jones BBQ, Michael and I developed a sweet barbecue sauce. We also use it on the ribs. The finished product in the bottle was pretty dang close to the bean sauce in flavor, sweetness, and consistency. That’s why we don’t make “bean sauce” at SJB anymore and instead use our bottled sweet sauce. If you don’t have any Sam Jones BBQ sweet sauce at home, you can always order some, or make the bean sauce recipe here. My dad still insists the beans are better with the bean sauce—something about heartburn—but it’s not much different. I never have gotten an explanation as to why they add just a smidge of Kraft brand barbecue sauce at the end. Maybe it’s a heartburn cure or something. Most likely, it’s just because that’s the way the Joneses always did it.

1¼ cups granulated sugar 1¼ cups light brown sugar 2 cups ketchup 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp yellow mustard ¼ cup Kraft® barbecue sauce (I know, right?)

There’s no need to heat this sauce. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until the sugars are well dissolved. It will keep in the refrigerator for weeks. Makes 6 cups

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE SAUCE SAM JONES // WHOLE HOG BBQ We have both a sweet barbecue sauce and a vinegar sauce that we bottle. The vinegar sauce is not the same vinegar mixture we pour over the hogs as they’re chopped, but some folks like to pour a little on their barbecue sandwiches whether or not we think they need to. That’s why we refer to it at the restaurant as “table sauce.” I liken this style of sauce more to a dressing than a sauce. It is thin, and shouldn’t be overapplied. A straightforward, simple, vinegar-based sauce elevates the natural flavor of pork. Some sort of magical thing takes place with the acid- ity in the vinegar and the natural fat in hogs.

3 ½ 2 2 1 13 ⁄ ½

cups apple cider vinegar cup sugar Tbsp crushed red pepper Tbsp ground black pepper Tbsp chili powder cup Texas Pete® Hot Sauce cup bottled barbecue sauce, such as Sweet Barbecue Sauce

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until the sugar is well dissolved. Alternatively, place in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until the ingredients are combined. Makes 1 quart

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BARBECUE BAKED BEANS SAM JONES // WHOLE HOG BBQ My great-uncle Gerald was a cook in the National Guard. I always remember that if we had a family event, he was going to bring baked beans. I took his recipe and made it my own. His called for Kraft barbecue sauce and some other stuff. We have our own barbecue sauce at Sam Jones BBQ, and our beans are meatier. My daddy still prefers Uncle Gerald’s recipe. He swears it’s better than mine, Kraft barbecue sauce and all. Everyone has the right to be wrong.

½ lb (80/20) ground beef 2 (15-oz) cans pork and beans, drained ¼ bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice 1 cup Sweet Barbecue Sauce ½ small red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

FOR A WHOLE HOG PARTY

Serves 8-10

In a large pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef together with the bell pepper and onion. Cook the beef all the way through while stirring to break the beef into chunks. The onion and pepper should be wilted. Drain the fat off the beef once it’s done. Pour the beef mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or a dutch oven. Add the beans and barbecue sauce and mix well. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 70-80 servings

4 lbs (80/20) ground beef 2 bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch dice 4 small red onions, cut into ¼-inch dice 2 (114-oz) #10 cans pork and beans, drained 8 cups (64 oz) Sweet Barbecue Sauce

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SWEET POTATO MUFFINS SAM JONES // WHOLE HOG BBQ Either people are adamant about their love for our cornbread or they absolutely hate it. There is no middle ground. Younger people expect something fluffy and sweet, and our cornbread is exactly opposite of that. After it cools, it could go in your saddlebag and ride for days. There’s nothing fluffy or sweet about it. After we opened Sam Jones BBQ, we had lots of complaints about the cornbread from folks who had never had it at Skylight. I’d rather make a living than be right, so Michael and I starting working on an alternative. We tried a few recipes that weren’t working out and were kind of at a loss about what to try next. Kathy Diaz, who is one of the anchors in the SJB kitchen, overheard us talking about our search. She said she had a good recipe and made it for us. When the muffins came out of the oven, I brushed some melted butter on the top, and we tasted them. We had a winner. Butter makes everything better.

2 lbs sweet potatoes ¾ cup brown sugar 1½ cups sour cream ½ cup unsalted butter, melted 7 large eggs, beaten 3 cups self-rising cornmeal (see note)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, until they are soft to the touch. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash them. Measure out 3 cups, and set the potatoes aside. Raise the oven temperature to 375°F. Line the cups of two 12-cup muffin pans with paper or parchment liners. Place the mashed sweet potatoes (warm from the oven or at room temperature) in a large bowl. Add the sugar, sour cream, and ¼ cup of the melted butter. Mix well. Add the eggs. Slowly add the cornmeal while mixing. Mix well until fully combined.

NOTE: If self-rising cornmeal is not available, you can make your own by adding 1 Tbsp baking powder and ½ tsp salt to a 1-cup measuring cup, then filling it the rest of the way with cornmeal. That will equal 1 cup self-rising cornmeal.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes, until the tops have browned. Brush the hot muffins with the remaining ¼ cup melted butter and remove from the pans to cool before serving. The muffins will keep, well covered, for a day or two. Makes 24

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desserts

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GLAZED FIG PRESERVES CAKE

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MOTHER'S BANANA CAKE

221

APPLE CHEDDAR BEIGNETS

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ROSE'S KIDS FAVORITE BAKED OATMEAL

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STRAWBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

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PEACH DUTCH BABY

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PEACH BLUEBERRY CRISP

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JULU'S TEA CAKES

CHAPTER 7

SWEET

DREAMS 211

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The VeryVera Show, entering its 9th season in the Fall of 2020, showcases Vera’s natural teaching ability with prompts that remind us to use our manners and modern suggestions to translate a new twist to your grandmother’s favorite recipes. MARKET S GA : Albany • Augusta • Columbus • Cordele • Macon • Savannah SC : Myrtle Beach • Charleston • Greenville FL : Tampa AL : Mobile • Huntsville • Dothan IN : Indianapolis MD : Hagerstown NY : Watertown LA : Lake Charles MS : Jackson • Hattiesburg OK : Oklahoma City TX : Dallas • Houston • Victoria • Waco VA : Richmond • Roanoke

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making culinary memories with THE ONES YOU LOVE

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards

Photo: Henry Gonzalez

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GLAZED FIG PRESERVE CAKE JOHNATHON SCOTT BARRETT // SAVANNAH, GA A seventh-generation Georgian with a deep appreciation of the history, foodways, and culture of the South. His book, COOK & TELL is a moveable feast across Dixie showcasing the incredible food created in the homes of the South and the resulting tales that accompany those heartwarming dishes. This cake crafted by his nephew, Jason – one that calls back to their family’s roots – is his Glazed Fig Preserve Cake. Lightly spiced with the flavors of fall and winter, this confection is now a holiday tradition within their family. Each Thanksgiving and Christmas one will be found crowning a cake stand, the sweet but tart buttermilk topping whispering promises of a taste of home. amazon.com/Cook-Tell-Southern-Kitchens-American

CAKE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1½ cups sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp allspice 1 cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup whole milk buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup fig preserves ½ cup chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir together with a fork until just mixed.

BUTTERMILK GLAZE

Serves 10-12

1 ¼ 1½ 1

Add the oil and eggs to the bowl, and on medium speed beat well with an electric mixer until just incorporated. While continuing to beat, add the buttermilk and vanilla. When thoroughly mixed, stir in the preserves and pecans. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Add the batter and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. When done, place the cake on a rack and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. When cooled, invert the cake onto a cake platter or serving tray. Pour the glaze over the cake. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate overnight before serving.

tsp unsalted butter cup whole milk buttermilk cups confectioner’s sugar tsp vanilla extract

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

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MOTHER'S BANANA CAKE KAY LITTLE // NORTHEAST TX // OKRA MAGAZINE 6th generation Southerner with roots from Atlanta, GA to Northeast TX. Now living in Texas, her passion for cooking was instilled by her parents who shared their love of Southern cooking with their family and others who were at their dinner table. Looking to hand that tradition down to her children and grandchildren, Kay started a food blog celebrating Southern cooking in every season. She is in the process of writing a cookbook to share her mother's recipes while adding a section on converting the recipes to be more healthful, yet maintaining the flavor. Growing up, her mother’s three-layer banana nut cake covered with banana buttercream was her birthday cake of choice. "It was so good I didn’t even care if I had ice cream to go with it, pure deliciousness." Follow Kay on IG @cookingwithk and on her blog cookingwithk.net

CAKE 3

Tbsp shortening (to grease cake pans) 3 Tbsp flour (to dust cake pans) ½ cup butter, softened 1½ cups sugar 2 whole large eggs 3 ripe bananas, mashed (1½ cups) 4 Tbsp buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp soda ½ cup chopped pecans FROSTING ½ cup butter, softened 6 cups powdered sugar (or more if needed) 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup) ½ tsp vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease three 8" round cake pans and dust with flour. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy, using the paddle attachment. Add the eggs beating well after each one. Add mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix well. In a small bowl, combine flour and soda. Whisk together until blended. With mixer running, add ½ cup flour mixture at a time into the banana mixture. Mix only until flour is blended in with the banana mixture. Pour equal amounts of batter into prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. Remove from the oven and let rest in pans on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool on the rack until cool to the touch, approximately 30 minutes. While cake is cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and the mashed bananas, using the whisk attachment. Add additional powdered sugar as needed to reach the right consistency; it should not be runny, but slightly stiff. Place the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator until cake layers are completely cool. When ready to frost, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and stir in the nuts by hand with a large spatula. Place one layer of the cake on a platter. Spread frosting on top of the layer evenly to the edges. Repeat with the other two layers frosting the sides after the final layer. NOTE: I like to place the cake in the refrigerator after icing to set the frosting for 30-40 minutes. Refrigerating the cake does not change the taste but does make for a prettier cake. When using bananas with butter, the frosting can become a little more liquified and take longer to set.

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AFTER THE RAIN, MIDDLE GEORGIA // JULU'S TEA CAKES, PG. 233 // MOTHER'S BANANA CAKE, PG 217

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

â&#x20AC;&#x153; I hate the notion of a secret recipe. Recipes are by nature derivative and meant to be shared, that is how they improve, are changed, how new ideas are formed. To stop a recipe in its tracks, to label it "secret" just seems mean.â&#x20AC;? Molly Wizenberg

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Photo: Henry Gonzalez

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APPLE CHEDDAR BEIGNETS CHRIS RAINOSEK //THE NOBLE SOUTH // MOBILE, AL The Noble South,is a market driven restaurant in the South. Under the guidance of Chef Rainosek, it takes great pains to find inspiration for all their dishes with the seasons of the South. Alabama produces some amazing apples in Chilton County, which is famous for its peaches in the summer months. Chef Rainosek decided to play off the classic combination of apples & cheddar, and felt beignets were a unique way to do that. Since these beignets are savory the apple butter is made a little more savory by using the apple cider vinegar, backing off of the sugar, and adding a pinch of cayenne for subtle heat. Dried horseradish and chive helps to round everything out and balance the final sweetness. thenoblesouthrestaurant.com

BEIGNETS 3²⁄³ cups AP flour 2 cups Half & Half 2 tsp dry yeast 2 eggs, beaten ¼ cup sugar 2 tsp salt 2 cups grated sharp cheddar 3 medium apples (Gala or Granny Smith), peeled & grated 2 quarts canola oil for frying APPLE BUTTER 4

lbs apples (Gala or Granny Smith) 2 cups cider vinegar 1 cup water 2 cups brown sugar 1 Tbsp salt 2 lemons, juiced 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp cinnamon HORSERADISH 1

cup prepared horseradish

In a saucepan, heat Half & Half to 110º (warm, but not hot). Sprinkle the yeast into the warm Half & Half. Grate cheese and apples on a box grater. Squeeze apples in a paper or cloth towel to remove excess juice. In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, beaten eggs, salt, cheddar, and apple. When the yeast has fully bloomed in the Half and Half, add the cream mixture to the flour mixture. Gently combine with a spatula until formed into a loose dough. Place dough in a large bowl and set in a warm spot to rise. Dough should double in volume. Approximately 1-2 hours. In the meantime make the apple butter. Chop apples into large pieces, leaving skin on. Add to a pot, with the water and cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer apples for 1 hour on low. Let apple mixture cool for 10 minutes or so, then carefully puree in a blender. Work in batches if necessary. Put apple mixture through a sieve to remove any remaining pieces. Add apple puree to a pot along with the remaining ingredients. Slowly cook down on low until thick, stirring consistently so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Approximately 30-45 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust as needed. Final consistency should be like softened butter. This can also be prepared ahead–will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Prepare the horseradish by squeezing the juice out of the horseradish with a paper or cloth towel. Lay dry horseradish in a thin layer on a sheet pan, and place in a 250ºF oven. Cook 25 minutes until dry, but not browned or burnt. Set aside to cool completely. To finish and plate begin by heating oil to 350-375ºF in large pot. Using a spoon, scoop the beignet dough and carefully drop into hot oil. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, turning if necessary, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from oil onto a napkin covered plate. To plate the dish, spread a thick circle of apple butter in the middle of a plate. Pile 4 or 5 beignets on top of apple butter. Top with dried horseradish, more freshly grated cheddar, and the finely chopped chives. Makes approximately 20 beignets.

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Photo: Eliesa Johnson

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ROSE'S KIDS FAVORITE BAKED OATMEAL JESSICA AND STEPHEN ROSE // THE PEACH TRUCK COOKBOOK In their debut cookbook, The Peach Truck Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes for All Things Peach, Jessica and Stephen Rose of The Peach Truck in Nashville, TN offer craveable peach recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The book is filled with easy, attainable recipes for kitchen pros and novices alike. Inspired by Stephen's childhood in rural Georgia and Jessica's upbringing in the Pacific Northwest, the cookbook presents an original perspective on the beloved summertime fruit. thepeachtruck.com

3 eggs 3½ cups milk 1 cup honey, plus additional for topping 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp baking powder 8 cups old fashioned oats ½ cup chia seeds ½ cup hemp seeds 3 cups mixed fresh blueberries, blackberries, and rasp berries, plus ½ cup addition al for topping 1 ½ cups diced peaches

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Whisk together the eggs, milk, honey, vanilla, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the oats, chia seeds, hemp seeds, 3 cups of the berries, and the peaches. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Top with the remaining ½ cup berries. Bake 50 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and the center is set. Serve warm or at room temperature Makes 12 servings. Excerpted from The Peach Truck Cookbook by Jessica N. Rose and Stephen K. Rose. Copyright © 2019 by S&J Rose, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; In my South, the most treasured things passed down from generation to generation are the family recipes.â&#x20AC;? Robert St. John

Photo: Henry Gonzalez

GLAZED FIG PRESERVE CAKE, PG 215

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Photo: Forrest Clonts

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STRAWBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WES FULMER // MOTOR SUPPLY BISTRO // COLUMBIA, SC Executive Chef Wes Fulmer and Pastry Chef Tess Ward lead the helm at Motor Supply Co. Bistro. They have been serving fresh, local and diverse dishes in the heart of the historic Congaree Vista in Columbia since 1989. Menus change daily, offering diners something exciting every time they come through the door. Serving an eclectic blend of contemporary American, French, Italian and Asian cuisine, with produce and grains provided by local farms along with house-smoked meats. This strawberry cake is a take on the classic pineapple dessert, but with all the goodness of strawberries. motorsupplycobistro.com

CAKE BATTER

In a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, combine melted butter, oil and sugar.

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Add room temperature eggs in one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding in the next.

cups cake flour Tbsp baking powder tsp salt large eggs (room tempera ture) 1¾ cups granulated sugar ¾ cup melted unsalted butter ¼ cup blended oil 1¼ cups milk 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste MACERATED STRAWBERRIES 1

quart strawberries, washed, destemmed and sliced ½ cup granulated sugar 3 Tbsp tapioca starch 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 1 lemon, juiced

In a separate bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of the sifted dry mixture to the wet mixture, little by little. Then, add ½ of the milk to the combined wet and dry mixture. After the milk is incorporated, add the remaining dry mixture and the rest of the milk and mix until the mixture is smooth and all ingredients are combined. Once the batter is smooth, scrape the bowl and add the vanilla bean paste. Mix for 30 seconds to make sure the vanilla is fully incorporated. Set aside cake batter and grab a large mixing bowl for the macerated strawberries. In the large mixing bowl, mix strawberries, sugar, tapioca starch, vanilla bean paste and lemon juice. Cover the strawberry mixture with plastic wrap and let set at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Once both the batter and macerated strawberries are ready, oil a round, 8-inch cake pan and cover the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Pour the macerated strawberries on the bottom of the cake pan, completely covering the bottom of the pan. Pour the cake batter on top of the strawberries. Find a pan larger than the cake pan to create a water bath. Put the cake pan in the middle and fill the larger pan with water until water is surrounding the cake pan. Leave some space near the top so water does not seep into the cake pan. Bake in the water bath at 325º for 35-45 minutes. Rotate the pan in the water bath once, halfway through cooking. Once the cake is out of the oven, let cool for 15 minutes. Once cooled, flip the cake upside down so the strawberries are on top. To serve, slice the cake and top with whipped cream or crème fraiche.

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Photo: Eliesa Johnson

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PEACH DUTCH BABY JESSICA AND STEPHEN ROSE // THE PEACH TRUCK COOKBOOK In their debut cookbook, The Peach Truck Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes for All Things Peach, Jessica and Stephen Rose of The Peach Truck in Nashville, TN offer craveable peach recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The book is filled with easy, attainable recipes for kitchen pros and novices alike. Inspired by Stephen's childhood in rural Georgia and Jessica's upbringing in the Pacific Northwest, the cookbook presents an original perspective on the beloved summertime fruit. thepeachtruck.com

5 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup chopped peaches (about 1 medium) 3 large eggs ¾ cup whole milk ¾ cup all-purpose flour 4 Tbsp granulated sugar ½ tsp kosher salt TO SERVE 2 cups sliced peaches, about 2 medium (optional) 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped peaches and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and cook, stirring often, until the peaches begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove peaches from the skillet and wipe the skillet clean. Place the skillet in hot oven for 10 minutes. Blend the eggs, milk, flour, remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and salt in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the skillet and swirl the skillet until the butter has melted. Pour the batter over the melted butter in the skillet without mixing it in. Spoon the caramelized peaches on top of batter. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve immediately, topped with a dusting of powdered sugar and additional sliced fresh peaches, if desired. Serves 4 Excerpted from The Peach Truck Cookbook by Jessica N. Rose and Stephen K. Rose. Copyright © 2019 by S&J Rose, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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PEACH BLUEBERRY CRISP OKRA MAGAZINE // What could be better than a fresh juicy peach right off the tree? Anything made from them, of course. In this case we are enjoying peaches mixed with blueberries for the perfect crisp. This recipe is also perfect for any fruit you have on hand. Serve it up with vanilla ice cream and you have the perfect Summer dessert.

4 cups sliced peaches 1 cup blueberries 1 cup quick cook oats ½ cup AP flour ¼ cup light brown sugar pinch salt 4 Tbsps cold butter, cut into 1-inch pieces Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 375º F and butter an 8×8 (or similar size) baking dish. Place peaches into the baking dish as you slice it and spread in even layer. Toss blueberries over top. To make the topping, combine the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Using your hands, mix in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over the fruit in an even layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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JULU'S TEA CAKES OKRA MAGAZINE // Aunt Julia is lovingly called Julu by her nieces and nephews. Whenever they are headed to her house for a visit, a meal or dessert of their request is sure to be waiting. One of their most requested cookies are her Tea Cakes. These cookies are a Southern tradition and Julu has adjusted her mother’s recipe to make it more to her own family’s liking. Unlike crispy sugar cookies, these tea cakes are not too sweet, have a great buttery flavor and soft texture. For a great summer option, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter and dust them with powdered sugar. These are great served fresh out of the oven, yet these cookies are even better a day or two later – if they last that long.

½ ¾ 2 1 1½ 1

cup softened unsalted butter cup sugar large eggs, room temperature tsp vanilla cups all purpose flour cup self-rising flour

In bowl of mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to incorporate one before adding the second. Add vanilla and mix well. Add 2 cups of the flour ½ cup at a time, mixing well with each addition. Set aside ½ cup all purpose flour for rolling out the dough.The dough will be very soft and sticky. Turn it out onto well-floured board. Incorporate, by folding, the additional ½ cup all-purpose flour. Roll dough to approximately ¼" thickness and cut with 2" biscuit cutter. Cookies will rise some, so don’t let them touch. Bake for 10-12 minutes on parchment lined baking sheets. Makes 18-24 cookies, depending on how thick you roll or cut them. NOTE: The more flour you can incorporate into the dough when you are prepping it to roll, the better the cookies will be. Just don’t add too much or they will be dry. Dough should be soft, but still easy to handle.

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preserves & pickles

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TARRAGON AND HONEY QUICK PICKLES

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TOMATO JAM

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STRAWBERRY KIWI PRESERVES

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BLUEBERRY PEACH PRESERVES

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BOURBON BLACKBERRY POMEGRANITE PRESERVES

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OLD-FASHIONED FIG PRESERVES

CHAPTER 8

KEEPING

COMPANY

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TARRAGON AND HONEY QUICK PICKLES DARBY WEAVER // OKRA MAGAZINE // Cold, crisp cucumbers are a refreshing addition to any summer meal and Darby Weaver formerly of Timpson Creek Farm in Clayton, GA loves to make these quick refrigerator pickles with various crops grown on the farm. Instead of cucumbers, experiment with carrots, radishes, zucchini, squash, beets, okra and more. The possibilities are endless. No need to can these with the traditional method. Just store them in the refrigerator. They'll keep up to a month...if they last that long.

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large cucumbers, sliced thin tarragon sprigs medium onion, sliced thin Tbsp coriander seeds Tbsp whole black pepper corns 2 Tbsp mustard seeds 2 tsp sea salt Â˝ cup apple cider vinegar Âź cup honey

Mix sliced cucumbers, onions, and sea salt in a bowl and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Bring the apple cider vinegar to a boil in a small sauce pan and then remove from heat. Add the honey, mustard seeds, whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and tarragon and stir until the honey has dissolved and the spices have mingled. Allow to sit until cool enough to handle. Pack the salted cucumbers and onions into 2 quart sized jars. Mix the spices, vinegar, and honey once more to release flavors and then pour mixture through a sieve into the quart jars over the cucumbers and onions. Allow the jars to reach room temperature before putting on their lids. Place them in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours. Serve chilled. Pickles should remain delicious and edible for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

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TOMATO JAM WEST FULMER // MOTOR SUPPLY BISTRO // COLUMBIA, SC Motor Supply Co. Bistro has been serving fresh, local and diverse dishes in the heart of the historic Congaree Vista in Columbia since 1989. The tomato jam is a versatile savory condiment that Chef Fulmer uses with other dishes and includes on the restaurant’s charcuterie board. It was inspired by a project he and his wife took on one Christmas to create a homemade gift from their kitchen for friends and family. “I guess I was pretty optimistic to think we’d find enough tomatoes at that time of year, but we did,” he says. And while the jam takes a while to make, the recipe is simple, Fulmer says, and worth the effort. “I like to put it on biscuits. It’s a good complement to anything around.” It's particularly good on Pork Chops with Sweet Corn Spoonbread and Crispy Vietnamese Brussels Sprouts, recipe on page 178. motorsupplycobistro.com

15 tomatoes blanched and peeled 1 large Spanish or yellow onion, small dice 1 cup sugar 1 bunch finely chopped thyme 1½ cups rice wine vinegar 3 bay leaves

Core out and score the tomatoes on the bottom. In a medium stock pot bring 1 gallon of water to a boil. Place the tomatoes in and blanch until skin starts to separate from the flesh. Place tomatoes in an ice bath immediately. Peel and rough chop. Place the roughly-chopped tomatoes, onions, and thyme in a medium rondo or small stock pot on medium low heat. Add sugar, vinegar, and bay leaves and cook on low heat for about 2-3 hours until almost all liquid is gone. Spread on a half sheet tray and let cool. Enjoy as a spread for crackers or cheese, as a garnish to entrees and more.

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Photo: loooby

FRESH GEORGIA PEACHES // STRAWBERRY KIWI PRESERVES, PG. 243 // FRESH FIGS OF SUMMER, AL

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" The shelves were filled with a spectacular array of preserves and pickles as richly colored as jewels." Janet Gleeson

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FRUIT PRESERVES

Shown on page 240

BRIAN KENNINGTON // RED SKY TAPAS BAR // MARIETTA, GA

STRAWBERRY KIWI PRESERVES 3

cups peeled and diced kiwi (frozen, organic or fresh) 4 cups strawberries 2½ cups sugar 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp cornstarch ¹⁄³ cup hot water

Friends Brian Kennington and Terry Kirby began discussing the idea of opening a restaurant and bar with live entertainment way back in high school. The idea continued to grow as the years passed. Today Red Sky is a reality and they deliver an exceptional social experience through wonderful food, service, and entertainment. Chef Brian's passion for creating food that is unique, simple, and with flavors that cross the spectrum of many regions and cultures. As Chef Brian says, "My greatest satisfaction is creating food for others to enjoy." Terry's true passion lies in service. "There is nothing more rewarding or gratifying than to talk to people in the restaurant, see them smile and have fun, and know that we created an atmosphere that made it all possible." Chef Kennsington adds, "Since a lot of people are going gluten free and vegan I thought about these. And would be something fun to do with the kids at home." redskytapas.com

*Use the same directions for each of these preserves, however in the Bourbon Blackberry Pomegranite Preserves, the bourbon replaces the lemon juice. Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and mix well. Bring to boil over medium-low heat and cook to reduce by half.

BLUEBERRY PEACH PRESERVES 4

cups peeled and chopped peaches 2 cups blueberries 3 cups sugar 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp cornstarch ¹⁄³ cup hot water

BOURBON BLACKBERRY POMEGRANITE PRESERVES

Carefully pour hot mixture into a blender and pulse until desired consistency. Pour back into the stock pot and return to a light boil. Mix cornstarch into hot water and whisk into the lightly boiling jam. Continue to cook and thicken until jam will coat and hold to the back of a spoon without sliding off. Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to a month. NOTE: Consult a professional canning resource for details on water bath canning. The number of jars you will need will depend on the amount of preserves you want to make. If you don’t want to process in a water bath, you can keep the preserves in the refrigerator for 4 weeks.

3 cups pomegranate seeds 4 cups blackberries ¼ cup bourbon, your choice (would not use rye bourbon) 3 cups sugar 1½ Tbsp cornstarch ¹⁄³ cup hot water

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OLD-FASHIONED FIG PRESERVES OKRA MAGAZINE // Remember Grandma’s preserved figs? They were perfect on a hot, buttered biscuit. With this simple recipe you can enjoy them all year. It takes some time to cook the figs down and you must watch the syrup carefully, so it doesn’t burn, but once you’re done you’ll be enjoying them spread on those hot biscuits, once again. Of course, don’t stop there – they are equally good spooned over ice cream, or spread on toast with goat cheese or even mixed in with a great salad with blue cheese and toasted pecans. And yes, you can even enjoy a spoonful all by itself. We won’t tell.

12 cups whole figs, washed 4 cups water 6 cups sugar pinch of salt

Bring a pan of water to boil. Add figs and remove from heat allowing them to sit about 3 minutes. Drain. Combine sugar and water in a heavy pan and bring to a rolling boil. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and forms a clear syrup. Add whole figs to syrup mixture. Lower the heat to medium. Cook figs approximately 2½-3 hours until they seem soft. Be careful stirring the pot so as not to break the figs – you want them whole. Remove the figs from heat. Use a slotted spoon to gently fill hot jar with figs then cover with the hot syrup. After filling, wipe the mouth of each jar with a clean cloth, making sure to remove anything from rim that would prevent a solid seal. Add lids and screw on tightly. Process in a boiling water bath for 10-15 minutes or store in the refrigerator once cooled completely. NOTE: Consult a professional canning resource for details on water bath canning. The number of jars you will need will depend on the size and type of figs you use. If you don’t want to process in a water bath, you can keep the figs in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks or you can freeze them for up to 6 months. We kept the figs whole, however if you prefer a more spreadable jam, you can cut them in half so they will cook apart more readily.

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Photo: GMVozd

Photo: Stieglitz

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