Some Tasty Collard Greens...

   Collard greens are a staple southern vegetable and often grow wild in that region.  Slave culture in the southern states used these as a food source because of their rich vitamin content and their abundance and ability to enhance meals.

  Collard greens, often cooked or eaten with black eyed peas, are rich in key nutrients and are most often cooked in the south with some type of smoked meat, most commonly, pork.  As part of the cabbage family, they can be used in a mixture of other greens such as kale, spinach and turnip greens.  They are very easy to prepare. 

  To prepare my collard greens, I most often use chopped bacon, as it is one of the easiest smoked meats to find and to work with.    To begin, select a good bundle of greens, some bacon, onion, chicken stock and vinegar.  While this sounds like an odd combination, it turns out well.

  Put on a stew pot put a few tablespoons of olive oil and bring to about 300 degrees (medium heat). Chop a whole onion, about half a pound of bacon and a couple of cloves of minced garlic.  First add the bacon and onion.  Once the onion is soft, put in your garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.  Then, add your greens, frying them until they start to wilt.  Once that happens, add your chicken stock, vinegar, a table spoon of salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like them spicy, and cover, reducing the heat.  Simmer this for 45 minutes to an hour until your greens are tender.  

   This dish pairs well with cornbread, black-eyed peas, fried chicken or catfish.  I love to serve these with fried catfish, cornbread and fried okra.  It is probably my all-time favorite southern meal. 

Ingredients:

1 bundle of greens, cut in two

1 onion, chopped

½ pound bacon, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

A pinch of red pepper flakes

3 cups chicken broth

½ cup vinegar

Red Beans and Rice...

Served as either a side dish or a main course, Red Beans and Rice is a Southern food that has its roots in the pre-colonization of the Americas.  Spread by the Native Americans, the Red Bean, or kidney bean, was then cultivated in the colonies and plated by Spanish settlers in Louisiana. 

   Hattian immigrants to New Orleans brought the spicy red bean and rice dish with them and enslaved Africans we known to have this dish as a part of their diet as well.  Thus, many variations can be experienced throughout the deep south.

   Tradition has it that women would cook this dish on Mondays with the left-over meat from Sunday dinner as they could let it simmer all day while they were doing the laundry.

  Whatever the tradition, red beans and rice is a tasty southern dish that can be a whole meal or part of a meal.  I typically cook the New Orleans style using a spicy Cajun sausage called Andouille.  There are also recipes with pork chops, ham, ham bones and other varieties of pork. 

Cooking red beans and rice is not a short process.  Typically, it is started the night before by soaking the beans.   When you are ready to put them on to cook, you will chop the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic and soften them by cooking them up in the pot with some oil and the sausage.  Once those are ready remove the sausage and cut them diagonally (about a 45 degree angle  and then add them back to the mix,  Then, dump the beans in, add about six cups of water, the bay leaves, and other spices and let it simmer until you are ready to eat or until the beans are soft.   You can also use chicken stock here if you have it or want to use it.  * A word of caution;  when adding cayenne pepper, keep in mind it will intensify with cooking. 

  To thicken, smash about a cups worth of beans against the side of the pot or by separating and smashing in a separate container.  I prefer to take mine out and mash them and then add them back into the pot. It adds another step, but I want to them mix in well with the rest of the pot.

  At dinner time, cook up your rice.  Add rice and beans to a bowl and enjoy. 
This isn’t a hard dish to make, but it does require time and preparation. 

 Ingredients

1 lbs. red beans

1lbs Andouille Sausage

1 chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

2 TBS minced garlic

2 stalks celery chopped

4 tbsp. oil

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp rubbed sage

1 tbsp. dried parley

1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

A Little Piece of Heaven

In this edition of Southern Home Cooking, I’m going to show you the traditional Southern way to cook catfish!
  Found throughout the world, catfish account for more than 3,000 different species, making them one of the larger food sources worldwide. The three-main species in North America are the Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish and the Flathead Catfish. These are generally found in the rivers and tributaries throughout North America. The catfish is one of the most sought-after game fish in North America and there are numerous ways to prepare them.
  The most common method of preparation in the South is to roll them in corn meal and fry them. This tradition started in the south with the advent of slavery and beyond. In the deep South you can find catfish cooked in this method, usually using a batter or an egg wash or buttermilk bath. I tend to just roll mine in the corn meal as it gives a lighter breading and less greasy texture and you can taste the fish and not just the batter.
  If you choose to use a batter, there are several good ones that I have found, all involving buttermilk, corn meal and a variety of spices. For the ones I cooked today, I used my simple method of wetting the fish and then rolling them in the corn meal.
In the cornmeal, I put garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and bit of sugar. I then put them in a tub and shook it up until the fish was well coated and then put the chunks in the hot oil. I used Canola Oil, as it tends not to burn, and it has less saturated fat.
  To begin, heat your oil to about 350 degrees. While that is heating up go ahead and prep your corn meal mixture and your catfish fillets. I will chunk mine as larger pieces tend to get tough on the ends where it is cut thin.
  Once your fish and oil are ready, put the catfish in the corn meal mix, shake it up, making sure it is coated well and then drop it in the oil. Generally, the catfish will let you know when it is done as it will usually float to the top of the fryer. When that happens, it should be ready to come out and be drained and plated.

Ingredients:
1 bottle oil
2-3 cups of corn meal

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Salt

Pepper

Simple Southern Pecan Pie

 With Thanksgiving right around the corner and my family all set to come in to my place for the holiday, I thought it might well be time to start thinking about my favorite part of Thanksgiving; PIE!  I love pie.  Fruit pies of every kind make me stop and take notice.  I love peach pie, blueberry pie and cherry pie.   And, lemon is a particular favorite.  But, the one that sets my heart to thumping and makes my mouth water at the mere though is without a doubt, pecan pie.    That rich dark flavors of roasted pecans and sticky sweet filling was enough to cause mild pandemonium when desert was set out at out thanksgiving feasts growing up. 

  I always thought that pecan pie was so much work until I learned how to make one.  I was like, “is that it?”   And, hopefully after this week’s blog post you will be saying the same thing.

To start, you will need a pie crust.  Momma always made her from scratch, but I like to cheat and get the frozen ones at the grocery; much easier and faster.  Then it is just a matter of mixing your ingredients and pouring it into the shell and baking for about an hour.  Yes, it really is that easy.   This is like the easiest pie you can make, and it tastes like you slaved all day.

In a medium bowl, combine 3 eggs, 1 cup of sugar (brown or white), a cup of syrup (Karo dark works best but the light is good, too. I have also used maple syrup for a nice twist), a couple tablespoons of melted butter, some pecans (chopped) and a bit of vanilla, mix it up and pour it into the pie crust. (This is for a 9” crust.)  Don’t chop all the nuts, you will want a handful or so to layer the top of the pie. This is what gives it that nice pecan pie look. 

   Oh!  You thought it was harder than that?  It will likely take you longer to wash the dishes you mixed this in than it does to make this easy southern classic pie. 

Recipe:

1 cup sugar (brown or white)

1 cup syrup (Your choice but look at the above recommendation)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 table spoon pure vanilla extract
1 – ½ cups (about 6 ounces) chopped pecans
3 eggs
 One 9” pie crust

   Bake at 350 for 60 t0 70 minutes.  Let the pie cool for about 2 hours before serving.

Keep an eye on the crust edges.  With this much bake time, they can have a tendency to burn.  If you see them getting dark around the edges, take the pie out of the oven and line the crust edge with aluminum foil.  This will keep that crust from burning. 

Super Smoked Ribs...

Ok.  I’m just gonna put this out there…. I ain’t fat cause I’m lazy.  If you ever had my smoked ribs, you would definitely understand.  Once you get started, you can’t stop eating until you are too full to move!  Yea, l knows it sounds like bragging but it’s the truth!    And, this week I am going to teach you how to do them.

  First, you must get a good cut of meat.  I generally buy the baby back ribs when they are on sale and stock up.  I’ll throw them in the freezer and take them out when I’m ready to cook.

   Once you have acquired your ribs, you can’t just rub them down with spices and call it good.  You must pull the membrane on the back.  If you don’t the smoke won’t penetrate the meat well.  Also, it leaves a tough, chewy strip on the back that really isn’t good.   To pull the membrane, find a loose edge or create one and just pull it off.  It sounds gross, but it is a crucial step to making good ribs.

   Then, choose the rub you want to use.  Sometimes I make my own, sometimes I buy one.  It just depends on how much time I have to spend playing in the kitchen.  Choose one that is to your liking, there are all kinds so feel free to experiment to see which ones you like best.

  To put the rub on your ribs, first rub the ribs with either olive oil or mustard.  This helps the rub to stick better. If you choose to use oil, do not use anything than olive oil as they can burn and leave a really bad taste on your ribs.  If you like a bit more crust on your rib, use mustard.  It gives a little zip too.  It’s all a taste preference.  Once you have rubbed down your ribs, coat the ribs with the rub and let them rest before you put them on the smoker. 

   When it comes to smokers, I have used many.  I prefer the off-set smoker style but a strait smoker works too.  You can do them in the over, but you miss that smokiness.  They will still be good, but not smoked. 

   Smoked meats have been around probably as long as man has been using fire.  Smoked ribs are a Southern essential and the key is low and slow.  Let’s all say it together:  Low and Slow.  Low and Slow. 

  You should never cook your ribs hotter than 250 degrees.  I generally smoke my ribs at 215 – 220 for about four to five hours.  Any higher than that and you risk burning the ends.  Plus, too much heat makes them tough and chewy as well as dry.  No more than 250, ever.

   I could probably write you a dissertation on how to use a smoker, but if you have one you know.  If you don’t have one it doesn’t matter.

   Once the ribs have been smoked, I like to roll my ribs in foil and put them in the oven.  I put about a tablespoon of liquid on them before I roll them up.  This keeps them from drying out.  I usually will let them stay in there until we are about an hour out from eating.  If you make them beforehand, definitely put them in foil and put them in the fridge.  Then, about an hour or so before you eat, put them in the oven at the smoking temperature and let them warm up and sweat a little.  Then serve them hot. 

  If you want them wet (with sauce) you can do this in the oven or on the grill.  Just mop some sauce on them and put them in until the sauce is caramelized and then serve.

Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy!

In my little southern fried mind, there is nothing better than a good chicken fried steak!  It is so versatile and so yummy.   I have them for breakfast with fried eggs and sausage gravy and biscuits, on a slider with mustard and pickles for lunch and the traditional meal of chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes and a green vegetable for dinner.  I love them.  I could eat them almost every day and for every meal! 

  In this edition of Southern Home Cooking, I am going to show you how to make a nice chicken fry and the gravy that goes with it.  Let’s face the facts…it isn’t a really good chicken fried steak without the gravy!  And, when you add scrambled sausage, it is the same gravy for biscuits and gravy or to have with our morning edition of steak, hash browns and eggs.

   Start with selecting a good cube steak at the grocery store.  I get these pre-packaged and tenderized.  You’ll see them sometimes called minute steaks or cube steak or even top round or top sirloin.  It is all the same piece of meat.  It comes from the flank of the cow and is generally a tough piece of meat if it isn’t pounded (hence the cube, from the cube like indentions left from tenderizing with a meat mallet). 

  No one is really sure where this delectable dish originates although, Texas claims it; Texas even has a day set aside just for the chicken fried steak.  However, this dish does bear a striking resemblance to the German schnitzel.  But, what sets it apart from the schnitzel is that it is dredged in flour, then an egg wash and then flour again.  This gives it the signature “chicken fried” coating.   Once you are coated, just fry it up.   It really is that easy.  It doesn’t take long and with a little bit of multi-tasking, you can have a full meal within about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

 Dash of salt

2 eggs

½ cup milk

Peanut oil

Tenderized cube steak

Heat your oil in a pan to about 350 degrees.  While that is heating up, mix up your egg wash add the milk.  Then mix up your flour and spices.  I would suggest adding more if you like more spice as only a tsp can be kind of bland but for purposes of this recipe, I leave it bland and allow for adding to taste.

Once the oil is to temperature, dredge your cube steak in flour, then in egg wash and then back into the flour and place in the frying pan, frying until golden brown.

Making the Gravy  

When all of your steaks are cooked, drain your oil off and then put about two table spoons of oil back into the warm pan.  You will then add flour and stir until you have a nice thick rue.  Once your rue is like paste, add a splash of chicken stock (optional) and then about two cups of milk and pepper to taste.  Simmer, stirring constantly, until your gravy is the consistency you like.  Pour it off into a bowl and serve!

Gravy ingredients:

Flour – maybe a couple of table spoons but enough to make a nice rue the consistency of paste

Oil (or bacon fat)

Milk – 2 cups

Chicken stock (optional) – splash to a 1/3 of a cup.

 

A Southern Delacacy as Old as Time

Fried Chicken seems as quintessentially American as apple pie, Mom and the 4^th of July and is a Southern delicacy.   Of course, we know that Southern Fried chicken is “finger licking good” and should come with a biscuit.  In today’s fast paced world, it isn’t something we often make at home, but it should be. 

  Pan fried chicken like I am going to show you in this iteration of Southern Home Cooking conjures up many fond memories of Grandma’s kitchen.  I learned by watching and eventually helping her make chicken for Sunday dinner when all my aunts, uncles and cousins would flock to her tiny yellow house after church.  There, two electric skillets and several skillets on the stove, were all laden with lard, heated to just the right temperature and then filled with piece after piece of that dipped and floured fowl.

   Trust me when I tell you, Grandma Miriam didn’t invent the dish, but she sure perfected it!  No, this dish is almost as old as time.  People have been frying yard bird since the middle ages.  It came to the Americas with Irish immigrants, was perfected by slaves a hundred years later, who added spices to the mix, and is something that continues to evolve.   And, isn’t that what great cooks do?  They tweak it here, add something there and put their signature on it making it uniquely their own. 

To begin with, you need chicken.  It can be precut or my preference, whole.  I always buy the whole bird.  It is cheaper.  Grandma taught me how to cut it up, which doesn’t take much time and isn’t difficult.  If that isn’t something you can stomach, I understand.  But, if it is and you just don’t know how, it’s worth the time to look it up and learn. I want meat from a single bird, not several, so I still do mine the old-fashioned way.   

   We need oil, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, eggs and buttermilk and the afore mentioned chicken.

   Put your oil in whatever pan you plan to fry your chick in.  I recommend a large skillet or electric skillet.  You will fill it with about an inch of oil and bring it up to around 350 degrees.   I have taken to using peanut oil instead of lard.  Peanut oil doesn’t burn, which can be a hazard of lard or vegetable oil.

  While you have that going on, get your egg wash ready.  Crack you eggs (2-3) in a large enough bowl to accommodate your chicken, add buttermilk and mix.   Then put flour in a container and season it with the spices.  I generally recommend a paper bag for this part.  I will mix my flour and spices in a bowl and then put it in a large paper bag.   

  Once that is done, check your oil.  Then, put your chicken in the egg wash and drop it all into the bag.  Close the bag at the top (like roll it down a few times) and then shake it vigorously.  This coats all your chicken evenly and you can cook all that will fit into your pan or pans at the same time.   Let your chicken rest after shaking.   Then, do it again.  WE DO NOT WANT WET CHICKEN!!  Wet chicken makes your oil pop and makes a mess at best; at worse, it can and will burn you.  When that is done, start cooking your chicken.

  Cook your chicken, turning it occasionally until it is golden brown and crisp on the outside and reaches an internal temperature of about 165 degrees.   

  It wouldn’t be a chicken dinner without mashed potatoes and gravy!  For that, boil potatoes until tender, add butter and a bit of milk, then smash-em up.   I mix mine up with a hand mixer to get them nice and smooth.

 For the gravy…. we’ll look at that next time when we cook up some Southern Chicken Fried Steak

           

Peanut oil            2-3 cups
Flour                      2-3 Cups
Salt                         1 tsp
Pepper                 1tsp
Garlic powder   1tsp
Onion powder   1tsp
Paprika                 1tsp
eggs                       2-3
buttermilk           1 cup

For a spicy version, add about a tsp of cayenne pepper to your flour