Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2012 i Taste of the South

YOU WON’T FIND MANY SOUTHERN kitchens without a cast-iron skillet. It’s a thread that ties us Southerners together, regardless of where we live and what we cook in it. I grew up watching my Aunt Ree fry apple pies in her skillet, and my Poppie made slightly burnt cornbread—just the way he liked it—in his every day for lunch. Today, I use a collection of small skillets passed down to me, but not the skillet. My mother still has the skillet, one that belonged to my greatgrandmother, and she keeps a watchful eye on it when I visit her in South Alabama. But she did let me borrow it for this photo. It’s perfectly seasoned, and the inside feels like silk. When we finished the photo shoot, I tucked the…

Hutzler Lemon and Lime Saver Set Retail: Set of 2, $7.99 Why we love it: Keeps cut lemons and limes moist in the fridge. Where to buy: gourmac.com BeaterBlade ZestNest Retail: $14.95 Why we love it: Zests and stores citrus rind without any mess. Where to buy: amazon.com Pampered Chef Citrus Press Retail: $18.50 Why we love it: Makes it easy to squeeze every last drop of juice from lemons and limes. Where to buy: pamperedchef.com Oxo Citrus Juicer Retail: $14 Why we love it: Two reamer sizes and a measuring cup to catch the juice Where to buy: oxo.com Rösle Citrus Reamer Retail: $22 Why we love it: Updated version of a kitchen classic; nicely weighted Where to buy: williams-sonoma.com Microplane Ultimate Citrus Tool Retail: $12.95 Why we love it: Three-in-one tool zests, scores,…

SPARKLING AND VIBRANT, CHATTANOOGA CELEBRATES THE arts, music, and food. The city is enjoying a great time of urban revival and a delicious mix of new and long-lived restaurants, farmers’ markets, and artisan food shops, making it the perfect place for a day trip from cities like Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville, or Knoxville or a destination for a long weekend from anywhere else. Plus, it is home to childhood wonders like Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, Incline Railway, and Rock City. Eat, drink, play, and explore, but don’t forget to See Rock City! COOKING WITHOUT RULES A goodly café in a converted bungalow in a 1930s-ish neighborhood can set off some serious geographic jealousy. Aretha Frankensteins is the epitome of such a café. The funky little spot has an outdoor seating area…

LLYNN MULLIS-TIMMONS’S RECIPE for Mexican Cornbread Pie is one of those happy accidents in cooking that often turn out well. About a year ago, she recalls, she was browning ground beef to make chili. “I ended up with more meat than I needed,” she says. Instead of freezing it, Lynn decided to make cornbread. “I started layering a little bit of this and a little bit of that in the cast-iron skillet, and this is what I came up with. It’s almost a meal in itself.” The recipe was a big hit with her husband, Doug, whose favorite foods are pinto beans and Mexican cornbread. “The first time he tasted it, he said, ‘Well, where are the beans?’” Cooking for Lynn’s blended family of four is sometimes a challenge. She…

Picture-Perfect Cakes The layer cakes in Taste of the South always look gorgeous. Do you have any tips for icing them? —Suzanne Shannon Huntsville, Alabama There are a few simple steps you can take to make icing a layer cake easier. First, let the layers cool completely before you start. If they are uneven, trim them with a bread knife to make them level. Wrap the layers tightly in plastic wrap, and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour to tighten their crumb. Place the first layer on a cake plate, flat side down, and the second or third layers flat side up. Frost between the layers and on the top first, then around the sides. Using an offset spatula will make this easier. What readers…

home fries with caramelized red onions Yield: 6 to 8 servings 3 large russet potatoes,quartered 3 tablespoons peanut oil 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided 2 tablespoons butter, softened and divided Garnish: fresh thyme 1. In a large stockpot, place potatoes. Cover with cold water, and bring water to a boil. Cook potatoes until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and let cool. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. 2. Cut potatoes into 1⁄2-inch cubes. 3. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat peanut oil over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. 4. Add half of potatoes to skillet, spreading…

chocolate and pistachio cream pie Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie Crust: 24 chocolate wafers, such as Famous Chocolate Wafers 1⁄3 cup salted roasted pistachios, shelled 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons butter, softened Filling: 3⁄4 cup sugar 21⁄2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder 11⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch 1⁄8 teaspoon salt 11⁄2 cups half-and-half 3 egg yolks 3⁄4 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Garnish: 2⁄3 cup chopped, roasted salted pistachios 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray 2. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine wafers and pistachios for crust; pulse until finely ground, approximately 10 times. Add sugar and butter; pulse until blended, approximately 4 to 5 times. Using the back of a measuring cup, press wafer…

My sons are growing up understanding who they are by what they eat and understanding a little bit about their culture. —JOHN BESH J JOHN BESH IS A JAMES BEARD AWARD–WINNING CHEF WHOSE NINE restaurants (August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, American Sector, Domenica, Lüke San Antonio, The Soda Shop, and Borgne) celebrate the culinary riches of his native Louisiana. His first cookbook, My New Orleans, published in 2009, is a tribute to his hometown, the Crescent City. In his latest book, My Family Table, A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking, he reminds us of the importance of coming together at the family dinner table and offers tips for home cooks from his two decades of professional cooking knowledge. In your new book, My Family Table, you talk about applying…

using cast-iron cookware Before you use your preseasoned cast-iron skillet, rinse it with hot water and dry thoroughly. Never use soap on a cast-iron skillet. Before cooking, apply vegetable oil to the cooking surface, and preheat the pan slowly. Start on low heat, increasing the temperature gradually. Once the skillet is preheated, you’re ready to cook. To avoid sticking, let cold foods come to room temperature before you begin. Remember that cast-iron handles will become hot. Always use an oven mitt or an oven sleeve to avoid serious burns. cleaning cast-iron cookware When you’ve finished cooking, clean the skillet with a stiff nylon brush and hot water. Never use soap. Don’t put a hot skillet in cold water; it could crack. If you’re having trouble removing stuck-on food, boil some…

fast fix curried tomato bisque Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped carrot 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes (see note) 2 (28-ounce) cans fire-roasted tomatoes 2 cups half-and-half 1 lime, zested and juiced 1⁄4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt Garnish: plain yogurt, chopped cilantro, lime wedges 1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook until onion becomes translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes to onion mixture. Cover, and cook until carrots are tender, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. 2. Working in batches, place tomato mixture…

iIT’S A FEW MINUTES AFTER 6:00 ON A MONDAY evening—any Monday, really—and my early-week suppertime ritual is well underway. I’ve already browned thin-cut coins of smoky pork sausage, used the rendered fat to caramelize a couple of minced onions, and loaded presoaked kidney beans into a trusty pressure cooker. The aromas swirling around the house (caramelized onions, garlic, well-browned pork) have become a familiar sensory signpost for the week, as regular as Sunday morning church bells or hump-day happy hour. The pressure cooker’s rhythmic steam release—the measured, pneumatic soundtrack to The Little Engine That Could—means that in about 30 minutes, I’ll have a table full of folks (2 to 10) over for a simple Monday night supper. While the cooker chugs along, I whip up the other half of my…

Fresh Finds Page 12 Eau Minérale glass available at mothology.com. Cast-Iron Classics Pages 20-33 Silver-handled cast-iron skillet and mini oval cast-iron bakers by Lodge Manufacturing, 423-837-7181, lodgemfg.com; woven place mat (page 21) available at Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, anthropologie.com; small wooden bowl available at World Market, 877-967-5362, worldmarket.com. Valentine Sweets Pages 44-51 Purple plate and mug (used as cake stand) by Vietri, 919-245- 4180, vietri.com; plates (page 46) available at Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, anthropologie.com. Souper Delicious Pages 52-59 Pottery soup bowls (pages 52, 54, 55, and 58) available at The Cook Store, 205-879-5277; thecookstoremtnbrook.com; small wooden bowl available at World Market, 877-967-5362, worldmarket.com. Taste of Tradition: Red Beans & Rice Pages 76-80 Gray linen available at At Home Furnishings, 205-879-3510, athome-furnishings.com; red-handled Dutch oven by Staub, 800-777-4308, staubusa.com; gray porcelain bowl available at…