Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2015 i Taste of the South

This once-languishing industrial district is now a thriving hotbed of culture and cuisine, sporting a refurbished soul that thrums with energy and fun. With so much to do, it’s easy to get overwhelmed—here’s my list of what to see and where to eat in one of Atlanta’s coolest neighborhoods. JCT. Kitchen & Bar This local landmark is always buzzing with activity—it’s the perfect place to meet up with friends and begin your exploration of Atlanta’s Westside. Their menu of masterful renditions and riffs on classic Southern fare will put every diner in their happy place, but head upstairs for the real treat. The rooftop bar is the perfect place to kick back, people watch, and plan your next move. Find it: 1198 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Suite 18 jctkitchen.com Delia’s…

SKILLET STEAK AND POTATOES Yield: 4 servings Pair this dish with sautéed green beans for a simple yet elegant supper. 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 6 cloves garlic, crushed 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 11⁄2 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided 4 (2-inch-thick) beef tenderloin filets 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside. 3. Add potato to skillet; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until blistered on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Remove potato from skillet; set aside. 4. Increase heat to…

I just inherited my grandmother’s cast-iron skillet. How do I take care of it? The first commandment of cast-iron care is simple: respect the finish. Follow these rules. • Don’t leave a pan unattended on the stove. Burned foods can ruin the finish. • Don’t use harsh abrasives, avoid soap, and never place your pan in the dishwasher. • Don’t put cast-iron pans away wet; dry them thoroughly. Tip: After washing, dry your cookware immediately to ward off rust. Heat it on the stove over low heat for approximately 5 minutes. While the pan is still warm, rub or brush on a light coating of oil. Store in a cool, dry place. How do you remove rust from a cast-iron pan? Don’t let rust keep you away from your beloved…

Eating better in the New Year doesn’t mean giving up the Southern food you crave. This lighter version of classic fried chicken starts with super-thin pieces of chicken, which allows you to get a crunchy crust with much less oil. Served over skillet-charred romaine and tomatoes with a creamy dressing, it’s comfort food you can feel good about. SKILLET-FRIED CHICKEN Yield: 4 servings 4 chicken cutlets 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal 1⁄4 cup quick-cooking grits (not instant) 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1⁄8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 cup reduced-fat buttermilk 1⁄4 cup reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard 4 to 6 tablespoons canola oil, divided 1. Place chicken between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin,…

BRAISED BRISKET WITH SOUR CREAM AND HORSERADISH Yield: approximately 8 servings Tangy horseradish and sour cream give this brisket a kick of classic flavor. 1 (4- to 5-pound) flat cut beef brisket, trimmed 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 10 shallots, sliced 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio 3 cups beef broth 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 1⁄2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Sprinkle brisket with salt and pepper. 2. In a large enamel-coated cast-iron Dutch oven, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Cook brisket until browned, approximately 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan, and set aside. 3.…

LITTLE SAVANNAH BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA Situated in the small neighborhood of Forest Park in Birmingham, Alabama, Little Savannah has always promoted community, getting to know their neighbors and farmers. Their two cozy dining rooms allow guests to join them in doing just that. Among chef Clif Holt’s sophisticated yet playful takes on Southern food is his cornbread muffin, which started as a variation of his grandmother’s recipe. Lush, buttery, and slightly sweet, these cornbread muffins definitely bring people together over supper. Clif often makes seasonal changes. Sometimes he replaces the butter with duck fat, if he has some on hand, or he’ll add jalapeño peppers for a little heat, but he regularly mixes in roasted red peppers for flavor depth and vibrant color. If you make it to one of his…

atchafalaya New Orleans, Louisiana atchafalayarestaurant.com The Root Cafe Little Rock, Arkansas therootcafe.com Cast Iron Food Truck Charleston, South Carolina Track down this mobile eatery for classic Southern fare, including burgers which are—you guessed it—seared to perfection in cast-iron skillets. castiron-foodtruck.com The Cast Iron Cafe Gautier, Mississippi Everything’s prepared in cast-iron pans at this casual eatery, including every item in the Big Cast Iron Plate breakfast: four eggs, two sausage patties, two bacon strips, potatoes, grits, and a choice of two buttermilk pancakes or cathead biscuits with pepper gravy 228-215-3360 ORIGIN STORY: DUTCH OVENS Although we Southerners adore our beloved cast-iron skillets the most, Dutch ovens run a close second. Nothing beats these black-iron beauties for braising, stewing, and hearth-cooking. True to its name, the modern Dutch oven hails from the…

DEEP-DISH PIZZA WEDGES Yield: 8 servings Crescent rolls make a quick and easy crust for these mini pizzas. 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon plain yellow cornmeal 1 (8-ounce) can crescent rolls 1⁄2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup pasta sauce 8 slices pepperoni 1⁄4 cup thinly sliced red onion 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1. Preheat oven to 375°. 2. Divide oil and cornmeal evenly among wells of a 9-inch cast-iron wedge pan. Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles; press 1 triangle into bottom and up sides of each well in prepared pan. 3. Divide mozzarella, pasta sauce, pepperoni, onion, and Parmesan evenly among wells. 4. Bake until crust is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. KITCHEN TIP For a crispier bottom crust,…

Growing up surrounded by the layer cakes, pies, and pastries that spring forth from Mississippi ovens, Ben Mims has always had an eye out for ways to tweak, improve, and update the desserts that cross his placemat. Now, drawing from a lifetime of baking experience and recipe editing know-how, Mims has put together a delicious and inspired collection of recipes in his first cookbook, Sweet & Southern: Classic Desserts with a Twist. Ranging from refreshed Southern standards to internationally influenced originals, the recipes in Sweet & Southern open the door for those who are looking to lighten the saccharine richness that sometimes accompanies dessert, while still satisfying that sweet tooth. Tell us about growing up in Mississippi. I experienced the ideal Southern childhood—on Sundays after church we always went to…

Upon returning to her hometown to start a restaurant, Vivian Howard promptly put Kinston, North Carolina, on the culinary map. Vivian currently stars in A Chef’s Life on PBS, a show that follows her and her husband Ben Knight’s restaurant adventure, dedication to locally sourced ingredients, and desire to keep their food philosophy authentic to the region. Favorite dish for warming up in the North Carolina winter? I make “healthy soup” as the weather gets cold. I start by simmering a whole chicken until it’s falling apart. Then I remove the chicken (reserving the meat for something else) and build a vegetable-driven soup using Parmigiano Reggiano rinds to further flavor the broth. I finish it with greens and tomatoes I canned the previous summer. It’s soul-warming and satisfying. Most used…