Real Deal Slow Cooker Eastern North Carolina BBQ from Start to Finish

I absolutely love a good tangy, zesty Eastern NC style pulled pork.  While I don't have the patience for smoking it over wood or coals, I do have plenty of patience for going to sleep while it cooks for me in a crock pot.  I'm pretty good at that ;).  

After much researching, I have combined a few things to come up with my personal favorite Eastern NC BBQ.  For those who are unfamiliar, this is a vinegar-based sauce.  There's no ketchup, no tomato at all present here.  If you think that sounds crazy, get ready to change the way you think about barbecue!  It's so delicious!  It's tangy, not sour, and oh-so-irresistible.  No, you don't top it with tomato-based BBQ when it's done, you just slap it on a bun, add more vinegar sauce if you like, and maybe a few splashed of Texas Pete hot sauce.  This is the easiest thing you'll ever do and probably one of the best tasting too.  

If you have to eat gluten-free like me, eat yours like a BBQ plate with the slaw on the side and a good hunk of buttery, sweet cornbread, mmm!!   A bit more along the lines of the less-than-traditional, I actually serve my with kale cole slaw.  It's too good!  I may post that recipe later, although it's stupid simple.  So, if you don't know what to contribute at the next potluck or cookout, well, here you go!  Labor day festivities, here we COME!  You can thank me later ;). 

Let me know how this BBQ recipe turns out for you, how you change it up, and how you serve it to your family and friends!  Enjoy!

Real Deal Eastern NC BBQ

Eastern NC Mop Sauce (cooking sauce for crock pot)

Cook on high for about 8 hours in crock pot, until fork tender.  Check the meat at 6 hours

Rub meat with seasoning below.  It’s ok if you can’t marinate it.  You can add it straight to the cooker.

The Piggy

1 pork shoulder, doesn't too much matter the size, but don't you dare trim the fat!

I like to prick mine with a fork or knife to get the seasoning in well, but it's not required.  Also, I have an oblong crock pot, so I actually doubled the dry rub, left all else the same, and stuffed two into one pot with a cast iron trivet to weigh the lid down.  You can freeze any leftovers in two or three portion sizes per bag.

STEP 1

Evenly rub your meat down with the delicious concoction below.  Just stir it and slap it on!  Sit the piggy in his cozy crock pot home when you're done.

Dry Rub

2 TB brown sugar

2-1/2 TB salt – maybe adjust to only 2 TB

1 TB paprika

1 -1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 rounded tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp or so dry mustard

½ TB Hungarian hot paprika

½ TB garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

STEP 2

This little piggy isn't going to the market, he's going to the crock pot!  This is what we're going to bathe him in so that he gets nice and tasty!  Just stir everything together and dump it over your meat.  It's just that simple!  

Piggy Bath Water

Ingredients

1-1/2 c cider vinegar

½ c distilled (or all cider)

1 TB salt

1 TB red pepper flakes

1-2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 TB Texas Pete

1 TB brown sugar

1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

*1 vidalia onion, sliced and spread on top of the meat.  Don’t toss these after cooking.  Mix them into the pulled pork for extra yum yum!

STEP 3

Set your crock pot to high and let it cook for 6 - 8 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.  It will pretty much fall off of the bone at this point too.  Set it and forget it!

STEP 4

Pull your meat out of the crock pot and off of the bone.  Grab two forks and pull or shred the meat by either pulling the forks in opposite directions or using one fork to steady the meat and one to hold it.  Shred until desired texture is achieved.  Be sure to shred in some of the fat, at least half, but you don't have to use it all if you don't want too.  Don't forget to include all of those onions from the bottom of the pot!

STEP 5

Piggy Perfume

Make the finishing sauce below by combining all ingredients, aside from the liquid smoke.  Toss in the finishing sauce, along with a tsp or two of liquid smoke, over the shredded meat until desired flavor is achieved.  Serve as desired between a sandwich bun or as part of a BBQ plate with cornbread and sides of your choice.

Eastern NC Finishing Sauce

1 c cider vinegar

1 c distilled vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

1 TB red pepper flakes

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 rounded TB brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 TB Texas Pete

liquid smoke **Add in a tsp or two of liquid smoke into you meat when you add in the finishing sauce and toss the pulled pork with it.  Do not put it in your finishing sauce for serving on the side.

Procedure:

Blend all ingredients and use to toss in with your finished pulled pork until desired flavor is achieved.  Serve the rest bottled for those who may want to add extra spice to their individual plates.

References

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-carolina-bbq/

http://www.food.com/recipe/eastern-nc-pulled-pork-bbq-in-a-crock-pot-494551         

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eastern-north-carolina-bbq-sauce/

Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings with Rotisserie Chicken (Gluten-free and Traditional Recipes)

Chicken and dumplings is, hands down, my favorite dish of all time!  It's simple, warm, comforting, and hearty.  Having a bowl of chicken and dumplings is like a warm hug from grandma.  It just melts away the troubles of the day.

When I was younger, my mother would make chicken and dumplings, and it was delicious!  Whenever she didn't make it, I would ask my grandma, and she would always cook up a pot of her yummy chicken and dumplings.  I loved both versions, but my mom tended to make the soupier version, while my grandmother would make the thicker soup with more flour in it.  I was always partial to the thicker version and it's comforting creaminess, although there is actually no cream or milk in it.  If I am not mistaken, they both used cream of celery or cream of chicken for their base.  I know for sure that my mom does.  However, in the interest of cutting sodium and preservatives, I say try making the thick soup base yourself.  It takes no time, and you know exactly what's in it.  

Due to having to be on a gluten-free diet, I went without this dish for two years.  After much trial and error, my mom finally came up with  this trick for getting cornstarch to create results much like those of a flour roux.  It works great, and I was finally able to have chicken and dumplings just like my mom and grandmother used to make again!

While both my mom and my grandma used a fresh whole chicken, this version uses a rotisserie chicken to save time.  With this small adjustment, you can have chicken and dumplings for an easy weeknight meal, and it will be ready in a flash!  To adapt this recipe for a fresh chicken, just cut the chicken into pieces (I would also remove the skin) and cook until it is falling off the bone.  I hope you fall in love with this delicious classic soup, just like I did.

Ingredients

Soup

All dark meat of a medium rotisserie chicken, pulled in medium chunks (by hand, simple and rustic, remove skin)

6 c homemade chicken or turkey stock

½ onion, diced

2-3 stalks celery, cubed

Two carrots, sliced into 1/4" rounds

1/3c – 1/2c frozen green peas, thawed

1 stalk fresh thyme

Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute to taste

Salt to tastes

Generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper (fresh is ideal)

1 TB butter (for finishing)

Slurry

2 cups water

about 3 TB cornstarch (can skip this and simply whisk 2 TB flour into a cup of soup broth and whisk in before adding back to soup for traditional recipe)

Dumplings

2 c flour (sub with gluten-free AP flour mix for gluten-free)

1 TB baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 TB butter

1 c milk

Procedure

1.       1. Add chicken chunks, celery, thyme, and onion to stock, cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Allow to continue cooking.

2.        

2. Meanwhile, begin the slurry by whisking cornstarch into water and bringing to medium heat in a small pot.  Season with salt and pepper and whisk constantly, until thickened.

3. Once thick enough, stir in a few ladles of broth until homogeneous and add to soup.

4. Prepare dumplings by stirring together all dry ingredients and cutting in butter with a pastry blender to form a coarse sand. 

5. Form a well, pour in milk, and gradually blend in flour until well blended.  On a floured surfaced, knead until smooth, uniform dough forms.  Will be slightly sticky.

6. Roll dough out to about ¼” thickness and slice into strips about 1.5” – 2” wide and 2-3” long.

7. Add carrots to soup and stir in dumplings.  Adjust salt and pepper.

8. Cook covered for about 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

9. Stir in thawed peas and cook for 5 minutes more. 

10. Stir in butter, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Creamed Corn Custard Bread or Nicaraguan Torta de Elote--Revised

I absolutely love this recipe.  It's actually a Nicaraguan recipe, but it reminds me so much of a few old soul favorites.  I am a Southern girl, and I love my cornbread and spoon bread too!  Spoon bread evokes memories of sitting in the kitchen chatting with my family with my grandmother standing over the stove.  She was not always the best cook until the past few years, but she was always the expert on the most traditional of  Southern fare--think hoe cakes, chicken and dumplings, spoon bread, fried squash, collard greens, ham, etc.  This dish reminds me of warm, comforting spoon bread.  It's almost like the result of combining a fresh corn corn bread with spoon bread.  It really is the best of both worlds!  My family absolutely loves it!  It's such a special treat, but it's one of the easiest things you'll ever make.  If you're concerned about fat, you can cut the eggs back a bit, but you can't touch the butter.  It will wreck the dish.

This wonderful dish bakes up fluffy and tender with a rich, butter, deep corn taste.  It's far better than the cornbread with fresh corn kernels that can be a bit off-putting to some, since the corn often dries up and creates an unpleasant textural contrast.  The corn in this dish remains moist, tender, and plump.  Most of it, in fact, just becomes one with the batter.  Oh my!  I think I'll have to make this tonight!!

If you have picky eaters in your family, don't call this cornbread, or it will mess their little heads all up.  This dish is quite far from regular cornbread.  It's not dry or gritty in the least bit, and there's no corn flour.  This bread is moist and custardy, so be sure not to lose your own battle for yourself with picky eaters by calling this cornbread.  Their expectations will be all messed up, and they won't be open-minded to it at all.

Creamed Corn Custard Bread or Nicaraguan Torta de Elote

Ingredients
1 c fresh corn kernels or frozen corn
1 stick butter, melted
1 can condensed milk
5 TB sweet rice flour*
2 TB potato starch*
1 TB baking powder
5 eggs

*These ingredients can be subbed for all white all purpose flour, if you are not on a gluten-free diet.

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Blend all ingredients together in blender until blended just until combined.

3. Bake in a greased loaf pan or square pan.

Reference: https://es-es.facebook.com/notes/cocina-nicaraguense/receta-de-torta-de-elote-o-pudin-de-maiz-contribucion-de-gloria-corea/10150236798180076

Hearty Ground Beef and Veggie Chili

Hearty Ground Beef and Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1 handful baby carrots and 1 stalk celery, sautéed until softened and pureed with a couple TB water

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

 3 red serrano peppers, thinly sliced

3-4 cloves garlic, smashed

3 fresh tomatoes, chopped                         

2 heaping TB tomato paste

½ TB cumin

½ tsp cinnamon

1 pinch oregano

1 tsp chilli pepper

¼ tsp Mexican style hot chili powder

A few dashed Hungarian hot paprika

2tsp cocoa powder

2  maggi chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in ½-1c water

2 TB maseca

1 cup chopped portabello mushroom

Lots of salt

Few Dashes of pepper

Procedure:

1. In a small pan, sautee the onions, bell pepper, and serrano peppers in a TB lard or vegetable oil until translucent.  Stir in garlic and sautee until fragrant.

2. Meanwhile, over medium heat, sautee ground beef, being sure to break up the beef with a spatula, until it begins to brown.  Strain oil off.  Stir in onion mixture, tomato paste, and carrot mixture.  Sautee for a few minutes.

3. Stir in dry seasoning and continue cooking.  

4. Once beef is almost done, taste for salt and stir in chicken bouillon and maseca.

5. Once beef is done, stir in portabello and chopped tomatoes.  Continue cooking until veggies have softened a bit, but still have bite, and the beef is fully cooked.

Fried Green Tomatoes *Gluten-Free and Standard Versions*

Ingredients
3 green tomatoes
1c stone ground yellow corn meal
1/8c potato starch*
1/8c pre-cooked cornmeal (such as harina PAN)*   **
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 pinch dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 dash garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp salt

1 egg
1/2c milk

oil for frying
*If you are not on a restricted diet, I recommend subbing these ingredients with unseasoned breadcrumbs for the ultimate crunch, yum!
**Found in the Latin aisle at most supermarkets or at your local Latin market

Procedure
1. Preheat oil to 375F.  You can deep fry or shallow fry for this recipe
2. Wash tomatoes, trim them, and slice them into thick rounds (about 1/4").
3. In a shallow bowl, blend together all dry ingredients until evenly combined.
4. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well blended.
5. Place tomatoes in milk mixture, dredge them in flour mixture and shake off excess.  Take a second dip into both bowls and to the fryer we go!
6. Fry until golden brown, drain on a paper-towel-lined tray and enjoy :).

Bonus:  If you're a dipper, blend together your favorite mayo and a TB or two of prepared deli mustard with some of your favorite spices and there you have it.  If you have no idea what your favorite spices are, give some of the ones used above a try  ;).  Now you've got yourself a little remoulade!  Sounds fancy, no?  and to think, you didn't even know what your favorite spices were.

References: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/07/fried-green-tomatoes.html

Rice Pudding from Leftover Rice

Ingredients

2c cooked rice, crumbled with your hand or a fork to remove clumps
3-1/2c milk
4 egg yolks, lightly whisked

zest of 1 lime

zest of 3/4 of an orange

1-1/2c turbinado sugar

1 cup dried fruit (raisins or whatever other dried fruits your heart desires, just chop larger fruit)

1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp salt

1TB dark rum

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp butter, cut into cubes

Mix it Up!
Sub. in cranberries or mix them with raisins.

Sub. lime with the zest of half a lemon plus 1\2 tsp lemon extract

Add a couple dashes of nutmeg.

Sub. cooked rice with 2\3 c raw rice, add an extra egg yolk, and use a total of 5 cups  milk

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, blend all ingredients, except butter, together thoroughly, being sure to incorporate the sugar and egg yolks well.

4. Place rice, milk, egg yolks, zest, sugar, dried fruit, cinnamon stick, and salt into a tempered glass or ceramic cooking vessel and blend well.

5. Place the glass or ceramic cooking vessel into a large pan (a rectangular cake pan works well).  Make a bain marie by pouring the boiling water into the outer pan, being sure to avoid any of the water getting into the rice pudding.

6. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to avoid curdling.  Cook at 300 F for 2-1\2 hours,stirring every 15 minutes in the first 30 - 45 minutes.

7. Stir in rum and vanilla and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes for a total cook time of 50 minutes to one hour.  The custard should still look a little loose.  Remove it as this point, as the carryover cooking will allow it to set completely without curdling.  Stir in butter and serve or allow to cool to room temperature.  Enjoy cold, heated, or at room temperature, but be sure to store under refrigeration.

*Your rice pudding will not brown with this method, but it also will not curdle and will be perfectly creamy.

Mmm, mmm Delicious Creamed Corn

I absolute love old Southern food.  It makes me feel so comforted.  I feel in touch with my past by cooking the foods of my ancestors.  I can almost see my great grandmother standing over the stove cooking the same dishes for her family.  There is something so intimate about sharing your history through food.  

Creamed corn is an old-fashioned Southern favorite in every sense.  It uses ingredients easily found locally with simple flavors that pack a huge punch.  It's a amazing what a little bacon grease can do.  I added in the bite of cayenne, and it makes all the difference!  This is not intended to be a sweet creamed corn, although those versions exist too.  This is a smoky creamed corn with a spicy bite in the background, and just enough sugar to enhance the corn flavor, not mask it.

Ingredients

6 ears of corn*

2 TB bacon grease (no subs!)

1/2c  of water **

1/2 - 3/4c milk

1 rounded tsp sugar

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

generous amount of salt and pepper to taste

2 TB flour

*or about 3 cups or less of frozen corn.  No canned!

**If using frozen corn, use water reserved from briefly boiling corn to thaw.

Procedure

1. Scrape off corn kernels, if using fresh corn.  If using frozen corn, cover corn with water in  a pan and bring to a boil, uncovered.  Boil for 3 minutes to thaw.

2. Heat a pan over medium heat.  Meanwhile, blend together milk, water, flour, sugar, cayenne, salt, and pepper.  Stir in corn.

3. Once pan is hot, add oil.  Once oil is hot, pour in corn mixture.

4. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring very frequently to prevent sticking or clumping.  If the mixture becomes too thick, simply add additional milk or water.

5. Towards the end of the cooking time, taste and adjust seasoning as appropriate.

6. Serve with another old-fashioned Southern favorite, such as pork chops, fried chicken, pork neck bones, navy bean soup, or anything else your heart may desire.  Yum, yum, yum!

Unforgettable Southern Shrimp and Grits!

I started making shrimp and grits after trying them at Richmond's undisputed soul food restaurant king, Croakers Spot.   After trying my new favorite version at Lunch, Richmond's new restauarant serving up Southern homestyle food with a twist, I figured that it was time to bring the old summer favorite.  Since Croakers Spot, I have made shrimp and grits at home a number of different ways--with gravy, with beer sauce, with tomato sauce, etc.  This particular version has a great summer twist from the incorporation of deliciously tangy green garden tomatoes.  If you don't have green tomatoes, just use red, but just know that the green makes it even more special with its delicious sweet yet tangy flavor.  My shrimp and grits has a  flavorful sauce with chunks of beautiful bright green and red, juicy, fresh tomatoes along with diced onion.  The light freshness of the shrimp and veggies combined with the creaminess of the grits, without the gross, heavy feeling of some restaurant grits.  This dish is fresh, nutritious, and bursting with flavor.  It's sure to be your next family favorite!

Ingredients
*If you like leftovers or have a larger, double this recipe.  It is just enough for 3 or 4 people.

1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 c coarsely chopped onion
4 large tomatoes, in 1-1.5" chunks, preferably half green or mostly green
4 cloves of garlic + 2 cloves for marinating the shrimp
1 green onion, sliced
1/2 a light-colored beer (Corona, Coors, etc)
1 TB chopped fresh parsley
a small pinch of thyme

1c of grits (old fashioned, NOT quick cooking or instant)
2c of chicken broth (I didn't have any, so I used water and 1 pack of Goya bouillon)
1-1/2c milk (skim is just fine, that is what I used)
1-1/2c water + about 1/2c or so extra in case the grits thicken too much during cooking
1 TB secret ingrdient (don't worry, it's still great without it, but I'll keep this one a secret)
*Bear in mind that I don't actually measure the dry seasonings, add it until it's good :P*
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste (salt generously because grits tend to suck up flavor)
1/2c shredded cheddar cheese

Procedure 
1. Place peeled, deveined, and rinsed shrimp into a medium size bowl.  Sprinkle a generous amount of salt (much more than you would season them with) over all over shrimp.  Toss the shrimp in the salt with your hands in a slight rubbing motion until they begin to foam slightly.  Once you begin seeing small foaming or bubbles, this takes 2-3 minutes, rinse the shrimp again.

2. Once rinsed, allow the shrimp to marinade in a little salt, two cloves of minced garlic and the sliced green onion.  Be sure to wipe off the marinade before cooking to avoid burning the seasoning.  Simply add the remaining marinade when it is time to add the green onion.

3. Prepare the grits according to the instructions, except be sure to remove the lid and whisk the grits for a minute about 3 or 4 times during the process to create creamier, smoother grits.  Be sure to add in the seasoning after initially whisking the grits into the boiling liquid.  If the grits get thick, add a little water here and there.  I probably added an extra half a cup of liquid by the end.

4. Once the grits are done, stir in the cheddar and continue cooking 1-2 minutes to incorporate the cheese.

5..Saute the onions in a pan over medium low heat in a generous amount of oil, about 2TB or so.

6.. Once the onions are transparent, but not yet softened, add in the green tomatoes, if you are using them.  If you have red, do not add them yet.  Add garlic and stir occasionally.

7. Meanwhile, in a pan over high heat that has been lightly oiled, saute shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook!  Once cooked, set aside.

8. Once the onions are almost completely softened, add in the red tomatoes and thyme. Sautee for one minute or so.  Add the green onion.

9. Increase the heat to medium and add in the beer.  Continue sauteing until the beer has cooked off.  Be sure to adjust salt and pepper as needed at this point.

10. Add the shrimp to the sauce and sautee for a minute or two.

Eastern-North-Carolina-Inspired Vinegar BBQ Sauce

Who doesn't love a good Eastern NC style vinegar-based BBQ sauce?  We had tons of pulled pork from huge pork butt around the house that I'd done tons of things with--arepas,pupusas, sopes--and I was starting to get a bit tired of it.  Finally, I decided to go ahead and make a nice sauce and make a sandwich the old fashioned way.

This NC-inspired sauce is sure to be a favorite. It's tangy, spicy, and a little sweet.  More than anything, let's not forget that you can make it in a flash!  The two secrets to my version are a touch of ketchup, which is anything but traditional, Worcestershire, and molasses, another twist I brought in.  The ketchup creates an additional layer of sweet tangy-ness, while the Worcestershire and molasses provide some added depth of flavor.  A tinge of garlic flavor rounds out the great flavor of my Carolina vinegar BBQ sauce.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup cider vinegar
1 generous TB red pepper flakes
2 TB brown sugar
1 tsp ketchup
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp molasses
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, split (remove this once enough garlic flavor infuses into the sauce

Procedure
Place all ingredients in a non-reactive sauce pot over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, to allow sugar to dissolve and flavors to blend.

Remove from heat Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature and enjoy.  It's as simple as that!  Since this sauce is vinegar-based it will keep well too.  What more could you ask for?

*This sauce is best when stored at room temperature*

Southern Browned Flour Gravy

My grandmother would always make a quick browned flour gravy to go along with our hoe cakes.  This is a very simple gravy that does not require meat broth and tastes great with fresh, fluffy hoe cakes.

Ingredients 
flour
a few TB butter
milk to reach desired texture
desired seasoning (salt, pepper, Lawry's seasoned salt, sage, rosemary, garlic cloves, onion, etc)

Procedure
1. Brown flour in an ungreased pan over medium-low heat until it reaches a color very similar to cocoa powder, a light reddish brown.

2. Once flour is browned, add in any butter that you will be using for flavoring and stir until homogeneous.  Incorporate any spices at this point as well.  If you are adding onion, cook until soft.

3. Gradually stir in milk until desired consistency is reached, bearing in mind that the gravy will thicken.

4.  Bring the gravy to a boil for about 1-2 minutes, until thickened.  If too thick, add additional milk and stir until homogeneous.  Serve.

Hoe Cakes and Gravy

Growing up in a Southern family from Central Virginia, there are certain dishes that define my childhood, many of which you don't often see outside of the south--spoonbread; grits; chicken and dumplings; and my favorite, hoe cakes.  My grandmother would make the family hoe cakes when we would all visit her together around dinner time on Friday nights.  They were so simple and humble but to us, having never been able to get them anywhere else, they were very special.  Hoe cakes were a special treat that came only from Big Mama.  We'd all clamor near the stove and eat them fresh and hot, no forks or plates needed, grunting and moaning a wordless praise to this delicious taste of the old south. It was quite ironic, considering that my grandmother knew hoe cakes as undoubtedly poor man's food.

I never knew were the hoe cakes originated,but after some Googling I found that they became so named because they were originally cooked on hoes over a fire.  Back then, hoes were much wider and longer.  People would just clean them and cook away.  I should mention, also, that hoe cakes are different things to different people.  For me, hoe cakes are only the white flour, biscuit-like breads cooked on the stove top.  However, I found out a few years ago that there are also corn flour hoe cakes.  It appears that most people use the term to refer to the yellow corn flour cakes that are made the size of pancakes and are topped with maple syrup in the morning.  I made these last month and they were amazing, especially in a cast iron pan.  Some people may even know hoe cakes by other names-- (Indian) fry bread, skillet bread, or biscuit bread.

To make a long story short, I have no idea how or why this recipe died out.  To be honest, I am the only person under 65, that I know of, who makes this dish.  It is definitely a "foods of our grandmothers" type of thing.  Just the same, it's amazing!  In fact, my friend tried it today, along with my sausage gravy, and went absolutely crazy over it!  I eat hoe cakes with just about anything with a gravy or meat sauce to be sopped up, but my grandmother loves making them with leftover dumpling dough when she makes chicken and dumplings.  It's tons of starch, but that is her paradise.

Here is my favorite recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup of white flour
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 TB lard (or shortening)
1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with 1 TB of white vinegar)

1 scant TB of butter and vegetable oil for frying

Procedure
1. Blend dry ingredients until well incorporated, 1 minute or less.

2. Cut lard into flour until fat is pea-sized.  Preferable, do this with a biscuit cutter or with 2 knives
                 This will keep the fact cooler and more solid for optimum flaky tenderness.

3. Gradually stir in buttermilk until a soft dough is formed.  If dough is wet, add extra flour.

4. Heat a pan with a mixture of vegetable oil and butter to high heat.  Add just enough oil to prevent butter from burning.

5. Dust a flat surface with flour.  Flatten out dough with hands into a circle that is about 1/4" in thickness.  Do not leave the dough too thick as it will rise quite a bit.

6. Once pan is sizzling hot, add in dough and cover until browned and crispy.  It is ok if some of the browning spots are dark.  Reduce heat to medium, if necessary, bringing heat up again before next step.

7. Flip the hoe cake over.  Re-oil pan before cooking other side and re-cover.  This dish is not good when done on a dry pan.

8. Once browned on the outside and cooked throughout, enjoy!  This dish is best when eaten fresh and hot on the same day.  If you have leftovers, do not refrigerate them as they will remain more tender at room temperature.

My grandmother always makes a quick browned flour gravy to serve with our hoe cakes.

Recipe inspired by: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2012/02/old-fashioned-biscuit-bread.html (see photo here), http://www.cheap-bastid-cooks.com/homemade-biscuits/

Mini Pecan Peach Cobblers

I love summertime!  One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh produce from right here in the US.  It's May and delicious peaches are starting to fill displays in local supermarkets.  I picked up just 3 peaches today because I wasn't liking the produce at the particular grocery store that I stopped at after a doctor's visit.  I wanted peaches to eat, but they were super small and I was doubtful that they'd be the sweet, juicy peaches that I love.  What to do, what do, right?

Well, I'll be moving soon so I am trying to use up everything in my cabinet, but I was not up to having a full size dessert around--ta-da individual peach cobblers : D!  This recipe is perfect for a quick and easy little sweet bite after a busy day at work.  This recipe makes just enough for 4 ramekins of little cobblers. This particular version of peach cobbler highlights the tangy freshness of the peaches so it  has just a touch of cinnamon with a nice brightness from lemon zest.  The crust is an amazing rich, buttery, mile-high crust that's almost like a super tender, airy, yet dense cake with amazing crispy edges.  I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

Ingredients

crust

1 cup flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 TB lard (or shortening or very cold butter or a mix)

1/2 c sugar (I used all Florida Crystals turbinado sugar for a nice, rich crust flavor)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Zest of half a lemon 

1heaping TB chopped pecans

filling

4 medium peaches

zest of 1/2 lemon

about 2 TB white sugar

a light dash of cinnamon

pinch of salt (optional)

Procedure

1. Blanch peaches for 30 seconds to 1 minute to facilitate peeling.  Peel peaches once cool enough to handle and slice to desired size.  I chopped my slices in half lengthwise for a nice bite size.

2. Meanwhile, blend the flour with salt, sugar, baking powder, zest, and pecans.  Once blended, cut the lard into the dough using a pastry blender until the fat is pea-sized.  Gradually and gently stir in milk until all ingredients are moistened completely.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

4. In a pot over medium heat, place all filling ingredients and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until peaches are softened but still have a nice bite left.

5. Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray and divide filling among the ramekins.  Top the filling with an equal amount of topping and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly and dough springs back when touched. If you like more crunch, you can sprinkle extra sugar on top.

This recipe was inspired by:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/skinny-apple-cobbler.html and http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2011/09/crazy-basil-peach-black-pepper.html

Mmm, Mmm Zesty Sausage Gravy

Although I'm not much of a breakfast meat person, I'm such a sucker for a good sausage gravy.  There's just something about that warm, delicious, comforting gravy on fluffy biscuits in the morning.  Mmmm, mmm!  There's nothing like it!

Traditionally, sausage gravy is seasoned with simply salt and pepper, but this is my zestier, more flavorful recipe that has a great mildly herby flavor and the perfect spicy bite.


Ingredients
3 breakfast sausage rounds (broken into bits) or the equivalent of ground sausage
1 TB minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 TB butter (if your sausage does not make enough fat)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup of milk, more if you want a thinner gravy
1/8 tsp sage
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
a few dashes of smoked paprika if your sausage isn't smoky enough (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure
1. Saute the onions over medium low heat until soft and translucent.  At this point, add in the garlic until fragrant.

2. Raise the heat to medium high and add in the sausage and brown it, breaking it up into bits.  Meanwhile, season it with all of the spices.

3. Once the sausage is browned and thoroughly cooked, add in the butter and allow it to melt.  After the butter melts, gradually stir in flour until you achieve a homogeneous meat paste.

4.  At this point, gradually add in the milk until you achieve a homogeneous gravy.  Bring the gravy up to a boil and cook until it thickens, about a minute or so after it boils.

5. Enjoy over split hot biscuits or incorporate into a baked breakfast casserole.

Southern Sweet Fruit Tea

This delicious sweet tea is the perfect refreshing tea for a hot summer day.  It has a beautiful fruity tang that contrasts with its sweetness.

Ingredients:
4.5 cups of water
6 tea bags
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 2 navel oranges
juice of 1 red pear (peel, puree, and strain)
Ice cubes

simple syrup
1-1/4 c sugar
1 cup water

Procedure:

1. Steep the tea bags in boiling water until all of it's strength is released--7-10 min.  Be careful not to over-steep and burn the tea leaves.
2. Boil the sugar and water for the simple syrup
3. Meanwhile, juice and strain the citrus
4. Peel and chop the red pear and puree it in the blender
5. Strain the juices into a pitcher along with the cooled sugar syrup
6. Press the tea bags against the side of the pot to strain out any remaining liquid before removing the bags.
7. Allow the tea to cool (this avoids breaking the pitcher).
8.  Add the tea bags and a cup of ice to the pitcher, chill, and enjoy!

Inspired by: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2012/05/fresh-peach-sweet-iced-tea.html#more, http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2011/02/southern-fruit-iced-tea-recipe.html

Mommy's Southern Style Greens

Sauteed the pork jowl and onions after adding seasoning. I later found out that no one sautees the onions.  They just cook with the greens. 

Stuff, stuff, stuff the greens into the pot!

Just after compressing the greens down and turning on the heat

After 15 minutes of cooking 

All done :).

Everyone who knows me always says that I'm a great cook, but that I never make American food. The thing is, I know the American food like the back of my hand.  I could make it in my sleep. Although it's fun to get creative and put new twists on the traditional dishes, it's more challenging to venture out into new culinary realms.  Just the same, soul food is very dear to my heart.  Growing up, my mom and I would cook together while swapping tips and talking some good old fashioned trash over the stove.  When I was in my early teenage years and going through that stage of distancing myself from my parents, my mom would make me come downstairs to watch her make certain dishes so that I wouldn't lose our family traditions. 

Although I like to make foods from all over the world, the smell of candied yams in the oven and greens or cabbage on the stove still brings back memories of my childhood.  So for those who are always asking my why I don't make more American food, and for all of the wonderful mothers out there who so lovingly pass their recipes down to their children, keeping strong the ties to our past, this recipe is for you.

Ingredients:
1 2lb bag of greens (collards are the most common or kale, but turnip greens are also very good)

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced (traditionally ~ 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

2-4 slices of jowl bacon, chopped coarsely ( I ran out of ham hocks.  Traditionally you use 1 smoked pork neck bone or ham hock or even a smoked turkey leg--for these large cuts of meat, score the meat with a knife. )

1/2-1 tsp (or to taste) of hot pepper flakes

1-2 TB of sugar (likely 2)

salt to taste (may 1 TB or two)

water in a large stock pot (about 2" of water)

Procedure:
Wash the greens well.  Drain them and set aside.

Fry the jowl bacon over medium low to medium heat in a large stock pot.  If you are using smoked turkey or ham hock or neck bones, you do not need to do this step.  *Just be sure to score those larger cuts of meat.

Once the meat is browned, fill the pot with 2" of water. Add the seasoning and the greens.

You will likely have to compress the greens to stuff them into the pot.  Don't worry, they will cook down in 15 minutes.  If all of your greens do not fit in the pot, just add in more after the greens cook down to make enough room.

Cook for about an hour and a half until tender.  Depending on the time of year, it may take up to as much as two hours or so.

*This process can also be done the crock pot.

Low Country Goodness!!

I was watching Anthony Bourdain's visit to South Carolina on his show No Reservations. He went to some of the best of the best restaurants in Low Country and the food had me practically drooling! I wanted to do shrimp and grits, but of course Virginia, the confused "southern" state doesn't have the real grits. Only instant and quick-cooking and that's just not what you use for real shrimp and grits. I was amazed at how close the food was to a lot of West African dishes! I had no idea how different South Carolina's cuisine was and how varied it was even within that very state. SO, I was really into the Gullah food, too, of course. They made this one dish called Frogmore Stew, also known as Beaufort Stew, that looked delicious!! No frogs, all flavor! It has shrimp, crabs, red potatoes, sausage (I used regular smoked turkey sausage), and corn on the cob, celery, onions, garlic, and a can of beer. It was sooo tasty!! The crab boil seasoning was absorbed into the sausage and made it nice and spicy! Everything blended well and was so flavorful!

Here's the recipe
Frogmore Stew
4.5 quarts of water
1 12 oz bottle of beer
2 lbs of sausage (cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces)
6 ears of fresh corn (cut into thirds or quarters)
4 lbs red potatoes scrubbed then quartered
3 lbs unpeeled shrimp (I prefer jumbo or extra jumbo for the sweeter flavor but we had mixed sizes in ours (extra jumbo, jumbo, and medium), mostly jumbo)
generous 1/4 of Old Bay seasoning
1 head of celery chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 onion diced into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic smashed

Cover pot filled with water and Old Bay, garlic, onions, and celery until it reaches a rapid boil. Once it reaches a rapid boil, leave uncovered for remainder of time and start by cooking the potatoes for 10 minutes. Then cook the corn and sausage together for 10 minutes. Next, take 2 or 3 minutes to cook shrimp (don't add shrimp until potatoes reach desired tenderness). To eat this boil, simply use a slotted spoon to serve yourself the meat and veggies without the water. Serve with yellow mustard for dipping the sausage and potatoes in (I like my shrimp in it, too). ENJOY!!