Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2021 i Taste of the South

AS MUCH AS I LOVE visiting farmers’ markets throughout the high summer months, September is a bit of a relief. I find myself missing the peaches and corn, but I welcome the squashes and apples with open arms. September helps me to look forward to the cooler months and encourages me to cook with abandon (without the fear of overheating my house). When we lived in New Orleans, my wife and I delighted in the area’s bounty of local seafood joints and helped ourselves to untold numbers of cold oysters on the half shell at fancy restaurants and seaside shacks alike. Georgia Clarke’s trip through the Mississippi Gulf Coast (page 39) reminds me of how special that region is and how I can hardly wait to spend more time there,…

WILLA’S | Tampa, Florida A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant and bar in North Hyde Park, Willa’s has a crew that prides itself on being a fully from-scratch kitchen. Everything is made fresh daily by their talented kitchen team to make sure each plate guarantees unforgettable quality. When it comes to quality, the restaurant’s signature dish, its rotisserie chicken, is in a league all its own. It sets the tone for other memorable dishes found on the restaurant’s diverse menu. willastampa.com LENOIR Charleston, South Carolina A meal in Lenoir’s bright, homey dining room reminds you of the diversity within the South’s foodways. Dishes like Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish and Fried Collards honor the region’s famous cuisine while also freshening it up for the modern foodie. They pair it all with another well-known commodity in…

Oven-Fried Catfish and Celery Slaw MAKES 4 SERVINGS Skip the deep-fry and let your oven do the work for this crispy catfish. 2 cups whole buttermilk1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon hot sauce1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided2 teaspoons ground blackpepper, divided3 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided4 (3- to 4-ounce) catfish fillets2 cups fine yellow cornmeal½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)¼ cup rice flour2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges Celery Slaw (recipe follows)Lemon wedges, to serve 1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine buttermilk, cornstarch, hot sauce, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika, mixing until combined. 2. Add catfish to buttermilk mixture, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place…

Deviled Eggs with Sweet Pickle Relish MAKES 12 Classic deviled eggs are made even better with the addition of homemade relish. ¼ cup mayonnaise2 teaspoons yellow mustard¼ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper3 tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish (recipe on page 48)6 large hard-cooked eggs, cooled completelyGarnish: smoked paprika, Sweet Pickle Relish 1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and Sweet Pickle Relish. 2. Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Gently scoop yolks into mayonnaise mixture and stir until well combined. Place egg whites on a serving plate, and chill until ready to serve. 3. Just before serving, place egg yolk mixture into a small piping bag. Cut ½-inch opening in tip of bag. Pipe yolk mixture evenly into whites. Garnish with paprika and additional Sweet Pickle Relish,…

MOST OF US CAN’T RECALL THE EXACT TIME AND PLACE WHEN WE FELL IN LOVE WITH VEGETABLES, but Germaine Jenkins sure can. It was an autumn day in Cleveland, Ohio, when Germaine, then a bright-eyed and curious 4- or 5-year-old girl, first visited the community garden across the street from her daycare. She and her brothers harvested lettuces and radishes and who knows what other cool-weather crops with the glee that only a child can express. They came home that evening, their tiny hands filled with vegetables and their faces with pride as they raced through the door to wash and enjoy their harvest. It was a day Germaine never forgot. Whether it was that fall day in Ohio that sparked something in her or it was a flame that…

Apple Butter Pork Chops MAKES 4 SERVINGS Sweet and savory is a dinnertime combo that’s hard to beat, and the balance is just right in this apple-infused supper. 4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in, center-cut pork chops2 teaspoons olive oil1½ teaspoons kosher salt1 teaspoon ground black pepper4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 Gala apple, cored and chopped1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped½ cup thinly sliced sweet onion2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary½ teaspoon ginger paste1 (12-ounce) jar apple butterGarnish: fresh rosemary sprigs 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. In a large bowl, combine pork chops, oil, salt, and pepper. Rub each pork chop to evenly coat with oil mixture. Let rest for 5 minutes. 3. In a 12-inch enamel-coated cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium-low heat until crispy, stirring occasionally, 3…

MY MEMORIES IN THE KITCHEN begin at age five or six, though I know my mom, who is still to this day one of the best cooks that I know, had me in there stirring and taste-testing and learning well before then. I grew up in New Orleans where food was a big part of our everyday lives, especially during the holidays. Every year, my mother and I would gather in the kitchen and spend hours together baking sweet potato pies for family, friends, and our church. As a child, I would get to mix the filling and taste it to determine if it needed more sugar. Knowing my lifelong sweet tooth, it’s likely there was always an addition or two. As I grew older, my mom handed off even…

DESSERTS Apple Butter Caramel Cake 83 Apple Butter Whoopie Pies 84 Chocolate-Coconut Hand Pies 63 Key Lime Hand Pies 67 Sweet Potato Hand Pies 65 Sweet Potato-Poblano Cake 88 DRINKS Sweet Iced Tea 55 MAINS Adrian’s Chunky Chili 72 Alabama Chicken BBQ Galettes 68 Apple Butter Pork Chops 80 Apple Butter Waffles 84 Cast Iron Grilled Kabobs 86 Chicken Mull 74 Corn and Tasso Maque Choux 37 Fried Chicken with White Gravy 55 Fried Shrimp with Pickled Cauliflower and Green Beans 49 Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Apple Butter Barbecue Sauce 83 Grilled Sausages with Cabbage Chowchow 52 Natchitoches Hand Pies 67 Oven-Fried Catfish and Celery Slaw 29 Pressure Cooker Pickle-Brined BBQ Brisket 48 Red Beans and Rice 76 Roasted Red Pepper, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Flatbread 24 Shrimp, Okra, and…

MANY FOLKS know of the Kentucky bourbon ball; fewer have heard of the caramel-covered marshmallow treat called a Modjeska, and an even smaller population has tried the vanilla-kissed, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth confection known as Kentucky pulled cream candy. No one’s quite sure who first made Kentucky pulled cream candy, but its rise in popularity is attributed to several entrepreneurial Kentucky women. The first to sell it were two friends and substitute schoolteachers named Ruth Hanly and Rebecca Gooch. In 1919, they cofounded Rebecca Ruth Candy in Frankfort with the goal of being able to support themselves financially—a novel idea for the time. The confection-making duo also went on to invent another Kentucky icon—the bourbon ball—which their company is widely known for today at its Frankfort shop. Ruth Hunt in Mt. Sterling…

GEORGE AND I MARRIED IN 1968. Soon after, George took his duty station with the Marines, and I, a young schoolteacher, stayed home with my parents. When George came home, we finally settled into married life on our own. Truth is, neither of us knew much about the world, and while we had a “plan,” looking back, I am not sure it was a good one. We were both naïve, and we were dirt poor. In fact, as television became all the rage for home entertainment, our budget forced us to settle for watching two goldfish swim around in an aquarium. And when you are poor, cooking on a budget becomes a must. My Great-Aunt Lucile gave us a cast-iron skillet. It wasn’t the prettiest nor was it the fanciest.…

Fried Chicken with White Gravy MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS This is Southern comfort food at its finest. CHICKEN 5 cups self-rising flour3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided2 tablespoons ground black pepper, divided2 cups whole buttermilk2 large eggs, lightly beaten2 pounds chicken cutletsVegetable oil, for frying GRAVY ¼ cup reserved hot cooking oil¼ cup reserved flour mixture2 cups whole milk½ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper⅛ teaspoon onion powder⅛ teaspoon garlic powder 1. For chicken: In a large rimmed baking sheet, combine flour, 3 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pepper. Reserve ¼ cup flour mixture for gravy. In a shallow dish, combine buttermilk, eggs, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper. 2. Dredge cutlets in buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess. Dredge in flour mixture,…

SOME LIKE IT WITH A SWEET HEAT. Some like it with an acidic tang. Some like it with nothing but pure fire. No matter how you like it, there’s bound to be a hot sauce to satisfy, and the many makers out there are vying for your taste buds’ attention. Some have been in the business for generations and are known nationwide. Others may not have crossed your path yet but deserve a taste. Either way, every true Southerner knows their go-to sauce and won’t miss the opportunity to bring you into their camp. It’s like Cajun seasonings and barbecue sauces—everyone has their favorite recipe or blend, but most folks don’t know the stories behind the bottles they know and love. A variety of chile peppers and hot spices originally…

Cast Iron-Seared Okra MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS Use up a bumper crop of okra for this simple and easy side. ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal1 teaspoon kosher salt¾ teaspoon ground black pepper¼ teaspoon onion powder¼ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon smoked paprika¼ cup olive oil, divided2 pounds medium fresh okra, stems trimmed and halved lengthwiseGarlic-Pepper Sauce (recipe follows) 1. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. 2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add one-fourth of okra, cut side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn okra, and reduce heat to low; cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat with remaining…

A LONGTIME DESTINATION FOR SUNSEEKERS and water sportsmen, Coastal Mississippi’s 62 scenic miles of shoreline—including 26 miles of tranquil man-made sand beaches—are marked by a patchwork of charming and resilient beach towns where the salty Gulf waters fuel the tight-knit communities. Plump oysters; pink, brown, white, and Royal Red shrimp; blue crab; red snapper; drum; and the list goes on—the Gulf of Mexico is home to thousands of species of finfish, shellfish, and bivalves that feed the appetites and livelihoods of coast dwellers. Before there were the flashy casinos and stilted seafood shacks a stone’s throw away from the water, present-day Mississippi’s coastal position attracted Native Americans—specifically the Acolapissa, Biloxi, and Pascagoula tribes—who relied on the abundance of Gulf seafood as a food source. Then in 1699, the French arrived,…

Chocolate-Coconut Hand Pies MAKES 8 Coconut fans, rejoice! These glazed chocolaty, coconutty goodies are a delight. 1 cup whole milk¼ cup granulated sugar2 large egg yolks2 tablespoons cornstarch2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder½ teaspoon kosher salt2 tablespoons unsalted butter½ cup sweetened flaked coconut1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon coconut extract1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts1 large egg1 tablespoon water½ cup confectioners’ sugar2½ to 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 1. In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until steaming (do not boil). Remove from heat. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Gradually add ½ cup hot milk to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, whisking to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until boiling. Let cook for 1…