"Soul Food - Classic Cuisine From the Deep South" by Sheila Ferguson - Cheese and Sausage Grits Casserole for Black History Month

Date I made this recipe:  February 25, 2017 – Black History Month

Soul Food – Classic Cuisine From the Deep South by Sheila Ferguson

Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson

ISBN: 1-55584-420-0; copyright 1989

Purchased at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, NYC

Recipe:  Cheese and Sausage Grits Casserole – p. 61

So February was Black History Month and even though I had the entire month to make a recipe from a related cookbook, please note that I snuck this one in under the wire.  Of course, getting it posted in the month of February was another matter all together.

While I don't necessarily keep a list of cookbooks to purchase, I was on the lookout for this after reading about the book and its author a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away) and finally found it two years ago at one of my favorite cookbook bookstores, Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks in NYC.  As per usual, when I shop at Bonnie's, I find the coolest books and this was one of them.

This cookbook, written in 1989, is full of yummy recipes and great stories submitted by Sheila and her relatives. And sure, there were a fair amount of "no-go" recipes like "Pig's Feet," "Chit'lins," and lordy, lordy, "Braised Squirrel," but I was prepared to overlook that because of the breadth of her other offerings.

As a "for instance," "Roland's Home Fries" (p. 41) was in the running for a long time but when I realized that my recent breakfasts out with friends were heavy on the home fries, I passed.  Still, I would love to make it sometime because it sounded easy and fabulous.

On pages 60 and 61 you'll find four recipes for all kinds of grits including one for a "Sweet Grits Soufflé."  Today's recipe, Cheese and Sausage Grits Casserole, was found on page 61.  I like a book that has four grit offerings for every flavor palate out there.

Also in the running was "Aunt Odessa's Macaroni and Tuna Bake Casserole," (p. 122) and I also pondered that long and hard before going back to the grits.  I love mac and cheese, and I love tuna casserole so this likely would have been a hit even though it was missing my favorite tuna casserole ingredients – peas.

And then I considered two salads, one, a classic macaroni salad, the other, a potato salad, (both on p. 132) but these are more summer than winter dishes and Black History Month waited for no one!

See what I mean?  And those were just a few of the options from this cookbook a cookbook that covers soul food recipes from A-Z, as evidenced by the following categories:

• The High and Mighty Breakfast
• Down-Home Breads
• Grits, Grits, Grits
• Fine Feathered Fowl
• Critters That Swim  ("Critters?"  that "Swim?"  Happily, she mostly means fish.  Mostly.)
• The Almighty Pig
• If You See It, Shoot It (I almost spit my coffee just now!)
• Beans 'n' Rice
• Kissin' Cousins (a variety of recipes from people who are not kin but should be)
• Soulful Salads
• God's Green Acres
• That Glorious Sweet Potato
• Sweet Thangs
• Cakes and Cookies
• Pickles and Drinks (Huh.  I don't know as I'd ever put these two together in one chapter, but I suppose she was getting to the end of things and had to wrap it all up. )

Also included in this book is a chapter called "So What Is Soul Food," "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing! The Black Way of Talking," and a "Future Reading" page.  Books in the "Future Reading" section aren't necessarily African-American but most have to do with southern cooking or southern specialties.

Now although it's not necessarily a requirement that a cookbook author have some cooking cred, I was surprised to see that author Sheila Ferguson is a singer first, cook, second.  Her dust jacket bio says she was lead singer of the legendary pop group The Three Degrees ("When Will I See You Again?"); these days, it looks like she is enjoying a solo career.  So the fact that she pulled together a really good cookbook is amazing – kudos!

Before I head on to the easy and tasty recipe, I have to tell you that my friend, Ann, will likely not touch a drop of this recipe and that's a damned shame.  Years ago, she spent some time at Florida State University and our northern gal of Scandinavian descent did not cotton to grits at all.  Can't say as I blame her as the few times I had grits while down south during childhood family vacations were not fond food memories for me, either. I n fact, I thought they were awful.  But over the years, I've really taken to them which is a good thing as I am able to leave my horrible grit-eating past behind me and embrace the suckers.  That said, it should be noted that there are "grit" grits which I like, and that are a lot like polenta, and then there are hominy grits which I loathe.  I make it a point never, ever to order the latter.

Although this is an easy dish, there is one adjustment that I made and that is to the sausage.  The recipe directs you to use a ready-made (read:  already-seasoned) product like Jimmy Dean sausage but I just could not, not only because of the preservatives and other additives, but because a roll of that stuff was way more than I needed.  So I Googled to see what sausage seasonings closely approximated Jimmy Dean's and added them to the ground sausage I purchased (in the quantity I needed, no more, no less). I'm including the sausage spices below.

This was a very good dish and a great way to close out Black History Month.  As an FYI, about a year ago, I purchased a fabulous and fascinating book called The Jemima Code by Toni Tipton-Martin.  This book (not a cookbook per se) explores two centuries of African-American cookbooks and Soul Food – Classic Cuisine From the Deep South is one of the included books.  I am currently going through my collection list to see which cookbooks from The Jemima Code I already own and which ones I need to acquire.  It's a process to be sure but meanwhile, enjoy this casserole!

Cheese and Sausage Grits Casserole – p. 61

1 lb ready-made sausage meat (Ann's Note:  I suggest you skip that and add the spice mix below to make your own sausage.)

1 cup uncooked grits

4 cups lightly salted water

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup butter

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

1 small clove garlic, minced

Ann's home-made sausage spice (*These are for a half pound of sausage; double the ingredients for a full pound).  Add the following mixture to your ground sausage:

¼ teaspoon parsley

1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon sage

1/8 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon salt

*If you want it hot, add some red pepper

Form the sausage meat into patties and fry it up crisp and golden brown.  Be sure you pour off all the excess fat as you're frying. Drain your patties on paper towels, then crumble them up in a bowl.  Preheat your oven to 350.

While you're doing all this your grits can be cooking.  You've got to boil them up in the salted water for about 5 minutes, exactly as it states on the box.  When they thicken up to the consistency of porridge, remove them from the heat and stir in grated cheese. Cover and let them stand for a couple of minutes.  Now stir in your butter, eggs, milk, and garlic until well blended.  Stir in your sausage meat.  Taste and adjust your seasonings.

Pour into a well-buttered 1 ½ quart baking dish and bake in your oven for 1 hour or until lightly browned and bubbling.

"Cooking for the Champ - Muhammad Ali's Favorite Recipes" by Lana Shabazz - "The Greatest's" passing (June 3, 2016)

Date I made this recipe:  June 3, 2016 – boxing legend Muhammad Ali passed away

Cooking for the Champ – Muhammad Ali's Favorite Recipes  by Lana Shabazz

Published by Jones-McMillon

©1979

Purchased at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks – NYC – July 2013

Recipe:  Banana Pudding – p. 100

"...Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" this is a recipe for Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali passed away today and that makes me very sad.  What a legend!  What a boxer!  What a trash talker!  I loved him.

When I was a kid (when dinosaurs roamed the earth), we watched sports, including boxing, in our family, all day, every day.  And one of the greatest boxers of my time, if not all time, was Muhammad Ali. I loved watching the fights. 

And if you were watching Muhammad Ali, then chances are good that you were also watching ABC's sports commentator, Howard Cosell, or, as he said it, How-ard Co-sel-l in that very funny and clipped way he had.  Those two together were pure gold—as gold as the ABC jacket Howard wore while on the air.

These two men could not be more different and yet they struck up a friendship that lasted until Cosell died.  I think Howard didn't know what to make of Ali (formerly known as Cassius Clay).  Ali was not a shrinking violet and took to interviews the way he took to the ring:  with gusto.  When Ali said "I am the greatest" he was speaking truth and I think Cosell was just enamored with a guy who said such things with no apologies given.

Mind you though, as a kid, I was rather put off by Ali because I thought he was overconfident to the point of being rude.  But when you are 11 or 12 or 13, you think these things.  Still, when Ali fought Joe Frazier in 1971 (a fight dubbed "The Fight of the Century"), I was all about Joe.  And unbelievably, Frazier won.  I don't remember much of that event itself but do remember Ali.  Regardless of the decision that night, he was a force.

Some of you "youngsters" might recall when Ali lit the torch at the 2012 Olympics in London.  It was a moving moment to be sure.

And so ends another era and sheesh people, the list of people passing away who I grew up watching on TV, whether in sports or TV shows or also in films is getting longer and longer.  It makes me sad.  But it also makes me happy that I can honor some of these folks by cooking, the activity that helps center me and calm me when life just takes a detour.  And this cookbook, one I purchased several years ago, helped make things right.

After Andy and I each went through this cookbook, we had a long list of potential recipes – "Baked Stuffed Summer Squash" – p. 20; "Lana's Meat Loaf
 – p. 20 as well as "Lana's Meatloaf for Ali's Gang" – p. 21; "Asparagus Pie (With Meat)" – p. 23 and so on and we had barely left the Meat section.  Dessert was even more overwhelming but for whatever reason, that day we settled on Banana Pudding and was it ever delicious!  Neither one of our moms made it growing up but we wish they had.  Rich custard + bananas + vanilla wafers + meringue = our kind of dish!

And here's the thing:  I seem to recall that when I first purchased this cookbook at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks in NYC (a rare find that I snapped up), I didn't see much of anything in this cookbook to float my boat.  Was I nuts?  This book was great and this banana pudding sealed the deal.

Muhammad Ali had many riches in his life and his cook, Lana Shabazz, was one of them.

Fare the well to The Greatest.

Banana Pudding – Yield:  8 to 10 servings

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups sugar

5 eggs

 2 ½ cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon banana extract (Ann's Note:  I substituted almond extract)

1 box vanilla wafers

6 medium-size ripe bananas, sliced

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Ann's Note:  I made half a recipe and it turned out great but it's best if eaten right away because the bananas will start to grow brown.  Tastes great but that can't be said for the appearance!

Heat oven to 425.

In a large sauce pan combine flour, salt, and 1 cup sugar.

Beat together 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks and add to mixture; beat until consistency is paste-like.  Add milk, stirring constantly over low flame until mixture thickens and begins to boil (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat and add vanilla and banana extracts.

Line bottom of large casserole with vanilla wafers.  Place a layer of sliced bananas over the wafers then pour portion of custard over bananas.  Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard, ending with custard on top.  In a small bowl whip remaining egg whites, add cream of tartar, remaining ¼ cup sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.  Pile on top of pudding and bake for 5 minutes or until delicately brown.  Serve warm or chilled.

Ann's Note:  If you half the recipe like I did, be sure to also divide the ingredients listed in the above steps (like eggs and sugar) accordingly.

"Food for the Soul - A Texas Expatriate Nurtures Her Culinary Roots in Paris" - Macaroni and Cheese Bake

Date I made this recipe:  January 6, 2013

Food for the Soul – A Texas Expatriate Nurtures Her Culinary Roots in Paris by Monique Y. Wells

Published by:  Elton-Wolf Publishing

ISBN:  1-58783-000-0

Recipe:  Macaroni and Cheese Bake – p. 75

I always have my reasons for selecting the cookbooks that I do and today’s might seem lame to you but was important to me:  I wanted a recipe to celebrate my Packers victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the playoff game.  That’s it.  Please understand that I am a) a major Packers’ fan and b) I am now an owner of that team having purchased a share of stock in the organization last year.  Scoff all you want, but the Packers are the only team in the NFL that allow community ownership and for that I am most grateful.  Sure, wearing your team’s colors is fine, going to the games is fine, but to say you own the joint?  Priceless!

Now I knew darned well that this cookbook had just what I needed – macaroni and (oh yes), [Wisconsin] cheese, because that is the recipe that I kept going back to every time I opened this book.  All other recipes sounded good but there is nothing like mac and cheese to cheer on the Green and Gold (despite the fact that I made it the day after the game as a victory dinner). 

Football aside, (GO PACK GO), this is one of my favorite cookbooks because it is just so beautiful.  The artwork is phenomenal, the photos are fabulous - it all works. (Illustrations are by Christiann Anderson; Photographs by Daniel Czap.) And then there’s the story…

Monique Y. Wells is an African-American woman from Texas who moved to France in 1992 and lived to tell the adventures of trying to source ingredients and to cook southern and soul food in Paris.  Right, good luck with that.  Still, she made it work and all of her recipes sounded yummy but I could only choose one so I went with my idea of food for the soul – macaroni and cheese.

This recipe was good and it was simple, two things I always appreciate, but I have to say that if you are looking for an ooey-gooey stack of macaroni coated with cheese, this is not your dish.  This dish is more sublime.  Perhaps it is for fancy Parisians?  And while the French might scoff at the Ritz Crackers on top, oh baby, I loved that added buttery flavor.

You should know that although I cannot remember how it is that I heard about this book, it was one of my “Holy Grails” for a long time and I was happy as hell to finally find it.  It sits in a place of honor on the shelf above my computer and every so often I take it down and just look at it (because again, it is such a beautiful book).  My only complaint, and it is minor, is that I wanted more prose.  Monique’s life in Paris sounds so fascinating and yet the only sense I got of her was from the dust jacket blurb.  I want more!

And I definitely want more mac and cheese; I shoulda and coulda doubled the recipe.  Next time….

Macaroni and Cheese Bake – makes 8-10 servings

12 oz elbow macaroni, prepared according to package directions

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine

4 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

3 cups milk

¼ cup chopped onion

1 lb. sharp cheese (cubed) (Of COURSE I used Wisconsin – GB Packers - Cheddar!)

3 ½ ounce Ritz crackers, crumbled (one sleeve)

Paprika (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Prepare the macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and put back in the pan.  In another saucepan, melt the butter.  Slowly add flour, stirring constantly to blend.  (Don’t hurry this step or you’ll end up with globs of flour instead of a suspension of flour in butter.)  Add salt and pepper; stir.  Add milk and continue stirring until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly.  Add the onion and the cheese to the pot and continue to stir.  Mix the cheese sauce into the macaroni, then pour the entire mixture into the baking dish.  Cover with cracker crumbs and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

"Vibration Cooking or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl" - Blackeyed Peas a la Santa Clara (for New Year's Day)

Date I made this recipe:  January 1, 2013

Vibration Cooking or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl by Vetamae Smart-Grosvenor

Published by:  Ballantine Books New York

© 1970, 1992

Recipe – Blackeyed Peas a la Santa Clara – p. 199

After a rather rough 2012, I am all about doing things that allegedly will bring me luck and so sure enough, I made blackeyed peas on New Year’s Day.  Legend has it that eating peas, particularly blackeyed peas on New Year’s Day brings luck.  This belief is particularly strong with southerners, especially African-American southerners.  I don’t think there are too many southern cookbooks on my shelf that don’t contain a recipe for black-eyed peas, also known as Hoppin’ John.

This recipe for Blackeyed Peas a la Santa Clara comes from the book, Vibration Cooking or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl by Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor.  Vertamae, an African American “Geechee Girl” – Geechee being another name for the Gullah people who hail from the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia – first published this cookbook in 1970.  Her book tells the story of her travels, her friends, her finds and even – and I love this part – poultices and home remedies to use to cure what ails you.

In 1992, Vertamae updated her highly successful book and in the introduction she talked about some of the people who influenced her in her life and how many of them had passed on.  One person she spoke of in particular is the famous African-American writer, James Baldwin.    Of his funeral, she said “His funeral was the best homegoing service, the most spectacular farewell I have ever witnessed or heard about…The funeral was so awesome.  I told my friends, ‘Listen up.  If you don’t think you can have a funeral like Jimmy’s keep your Black ass alive.’”

I almost fell off my chair laughing at that one.  After participating in a friend’s most awesome memorial service this year, I told my husband that except for a few changes here and there, this was exactly how I wanted my memorial to go.  Vertamae knows of what she speaks!

As to recipes, part of the thrill (horror?) of reading through older cookbooks is seeing recipes that tell the story of the person, a place or a philosophy about cooking.  For example, it is not atypical of a southern cookbook to include recipes for rabbit, squirrel, possum (um…no?) raccoon or even, in this case, Barbecued Gator Tails.  Right - gotta vote that one down, quite possibly because I don’t live in a gator-friendly climate…for a reason!  People made do with regional foods back then because they had to in order to feed their families while on a tight budget.  Many older cookbooks show also that once upon a time, home cooks used every part of an animal (again, it was more economical to do so) and so it was also not unusual to see recipes for brains or hooves or tripe (part of the stomach).  Now, the very thought of any of those items almost makes me gag and yet the joke is on me as all these things are now making a comeback in fancy restaurants across the country. In some countries like Italy, France and Spain, they never left the menu.  Oh well, to each his/her own.  I tend to like simple and the recipe I selected is about as simple as they come.

Blackeyed Peas a la Santa Clara is a “souped-up” version of your plain old black-eyed peas.  Over time, I have certainly seen my share of “souped-up” variations of this recipe (and by that I mean beyond simmering the beans in water), some adding more or different spices to the mix, some using a ham hock or salt pork to add flavor while others have gone whole hog and used everything but the kitchen sink.  In my household, we had a split vote:  Andy liked the recipe – a recipe that included coriander, oregano and red pepper - “as is” whereas I felt like I could have used even more spice and a few more vegetables to boot.  I also cooked a batch of rice to serve along with the beans and dumplings as some variations of Hoppin’ John also include rice.  It all depends on what you want out of the meal and the basic thing I wanted was to be the recipient of good fortune in 2013; anything after that was gravy!

Here then, is the very simple recipe for Black-Eyed Peas a La Santa Clara.  If y’all want to play with the ingredients, be my guest (I’m sure Vertamae won’t mind) but my blog rule is that I stick to the recipe no matter what.

Happy New Year and may good fortune come your way in 2013!

Black-Eyed Peas a la Santa Clara – serving size not given (but it uses a pound of beans)

1 pound black-eyed peas soaked overnight

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, mined

1 crushed dried hot red pepper (or red pepper flakes)

Salt

A touch of cumin (I used about 1 ½ teaspoons and could have used more)

A touch of oregano (I used about 1 ½ teaspoons and could have used more)

Salt (amount not given but be generous to add flavor)

1 cup flour

½ tablespoon baking powder

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup milk

¼ cup chopped cilantro (coriander)

Soak a pound of dried black-eyed peas overnight.  Discard the discolored ones.  Rinse, drain and set aside.

In a heavy pot, sauté the onion, garlic, hot red pepper, then add the salt, cumin and oregano.  Then add the peas and water and cook until tender.  Ann’s Note:  this recipe didn’t say how long to cook before I achieved “tender” so I Googled “black-eyed peas” and cooked them for an hour.

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, egg and milk.  Add about ¼ cup chopped cilantro (coriander).  Blend well and drop by rounded spoonful into the peas.  Cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

"Good Things to Eat - As Suggested by Rufus (Rufus Estes -former slave)" & "Clambakes & Fish Fries" - Corn Fritters and Oyster Pan Roast

Date I made these recipes:  August 19, 2012

Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus by Rufus Estes – Published by Rufus in 1911; edited by D. J. Frienz

Facsimile of this book Published by Howling at the Moon Press

ISBN: 9-9654333-1-5

Recipe:  Corn Fritters – p. 61-62

Clambakes & Fish Fries by Susan Herrmann Loomis

Published by:  Workman Publishing, New York

© 1994

Recipe:  Oyster Pan Roast – p. 133-134

People, I am not a procrastinator by nature but I have been putting off posting this blog forever, probably, in part, because the meal wasn’t my best effort.  Although I rarely have clunkers, this definitely landed in that category and that makes me sad.  Food should be pleasing, no?

Initially, I planned to celebrate the end of the Olympics by preparing this meal.  But if you are like me, I was too exhausted to cook anything to celebrate the end of the world’s greatest sporting event.  And besides, the closing ceremony started early in the evening and who wanted to be in the kitchen (never mind that I have a TV there) during the closing ceremonies? (That said, NBC – please don’t announce the The Kinks and The Who are “coming up” if you don’t plan to show them.  Did we really need to see the pilot to Animal Planet/Animal Practice/Animal Whatever?)

Now, I am not normally glued to my set 24-7 during the Olympics, but this time was different.  Certain events have always grabbed my attention like swimming and track and yet there I was all fist to my mouth watching the equestrian Individual Jumping competition with the horses (and riders, natch) clearing (or not) all those bars and water hazards and whatnot.  And although I can often take or leave gymnastics (I know – heresy) I often find myself watching through my fingers as the gals do the balance beam.  I’m sorry, there’s just nothing on this planet that will make me do back flips on a 4” piece of wood - nothing.

At any rate and any who, one of the bright stars of the Olympics was of course Gabriel (Gabby) Douglas, the first African-American to win gold in the All-Around (Gymnastics) Competition.  I wish I had that gal’s enthusiasm and bubbly personality.  She was just a joy to watch, and I think we can all agree, not half bad in her events, right?!

So as I was watching her tumble and flip and twirl her way to a gold medal (and let’s not forget the team gold, either), I started pondering what cookbooks I could use to celebrate her breakthrough stardom.  And then it hit me – years ago, I acquired a cookbook written by a man who was born a slave but went on to have a career as a Pullman (train) chef and thought that would be perfect – a breakthrough star doing an unheard of “professional” job  in the early 1900’s.

Rufus Estes was born a slave in Tennessee in 1857 and was given his name by his slave master, D.J. Ester.  D.J. owned Rufus’ mother’s family:  does that not give you chills?  After the Civil War ended, he did odd jobs around his grandmother’s house before finally getting a job in a Nashville restaurant at age 16.  In 1883, he started working for Pullman and remained there until 1897; during that time he waited on everyone from African explorers to two Presidents of the United States - Grover Cleveland and William Henry Harrison.  Eventually, he became a chef for one of U.S. Steel’s subsidiary companies in Chicago and shortly thereafter wrote this cookbook.  He also penned the biography found in the front of the book. In 1999, a facsimile of his original book was published and the cookbook literary world took note – a cookbook penned by a former slave?  In 1911?  What?!

Not only did he write this cookbook but in terms of recipes it’s pretty comprehensive.  There’s a recipe in this book for homemade English Muffins and yet another for candied violets.  Well color me impressed because I am!

I decided to make his recipe for corn fritters as it was fairly easy and it is sweet corn time right now so I had a hankering.  But corn fritters alone didn’t seem like much of a meal and so I decided to make a seafood dish in homage to Gabby Douglas’ home town of Virginia Beach, Virginia thus the pan-roast oysters.  I’ve been to Virginia Beach many times in the past and had some delicious oysters there and so thought “Why not?”  Now hard could that be, anyway?  Answer:  harder than you think!

Clambakes & Fish Fries, my source for the pan-roast oysters, includes fish and seafood recipes from all over and since both Rufus and Gabby traveled all over in pursuit of their dreams, I thought a recipe from this book would be good.  Plus, truth be told, I’m not sure I have a Virginia seafood cookbook – yet.

Okay, so corn fritters and pan-roast oysters it was and so a week after the Olympics (now that I had time), I set about to get ‘er done.  Well.  I don’t know what I was expecting with the fitters but they came out like pancakes and let me tell you, flipping a pancake loaded with corn kernels is challenging.  The recipe said to let them cook for 4-5 minutes on each side but had I done that, we would be having charred corn—and this is not necessarily a good thing.

But the worst disaster was the oyster pan-roast.  This recipe said to fry for 1-2 minutes on each side and this was just wrong on so many levels.  I went longer than that but still ended up with kind of a mushy, warm oyster that was neither raw nor roasted.  But if I went too long, I worried that I would end up with erasers (trust me, this happens) and didn’t fancy eating erasers for dinner. 

So, what we ended up with was a corn pancake that needed way more salt and pepper than the recipe required and some mushy, warm oysters without much flavor to recommend them.  Can I just tell you that this is why keeping microwave popcorn on hand is a good idea?

Despite the culinary “failure,” I would attempt both dishes again but this time with variations:  maybe a pinch of cayenne pepper added to the fritters? How about maple syrup on top since they resemble pancakes? Or maybe a bit of white wine or vermouth added to the oysters?  The sky is the limit.

I do not regret though, having made recipes from these books, especially Rufus’ because it gave me a chance to re-read his crowning achievement and put it in perspective next to his modern-day “breakthrough” equivalent – Gabby Douglas’ gold medal.  While I am happy and proud of Gabby’s accomplishments, doesn’t it seem a little unreal that it took until 2012 for this to happen?  And yet- world events from the Civil War to the Olympics reminds us every time that life is a constant cycle of triumph over tragedy.  For Rufus, it was breaking out of his slave beginnings to carve out a life as a chef and to publish a cookbook.  For Gabby, it was leaving home and family behind in Virginia to train in West Des Moines, Iowa and then prevail over all the other gymnastic Olympic hopefuls to win a spot on a team.  I tell you what, just to make the Olympic team is an accomplishment in and of itself and something this aspiring couch potato does not take lightly!!

As a final thought, I was thinking that in some ways the failure of these recipes mirrors the efforts that fell short by most 2012 Olympic athletes including Gabby in some of her individual events. As my father always said “Many are called, few are chosen,” and so despite making the Olympic team, most athletes walked away without a medal. Watching the “agony of defeat” (thank you ABC’s Wild World of Sports!) is heartbreaking and yet it’s something that most of us experience – painfully – in our own lives every day. The moral of that life story is classic: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”  I can assure you that I will live to cook another day!

So here’s to our breakthrough stars and their breakthrough moments. 

Corn Fritters – serving size not listed (I made half a recipe)

4 ears corn

¼ pound (sifted) flour

Two eggs

½ pint cold milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter for the pan

Prepare four ears of fresh corn by removing the outer husks and silks; boil and then drain well.  Cut the grains from the cobs and place in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, add one-fourth pound of sifted flour, two eggs and a half pint of cold milk.  Stir vigorously, but do not beat, with a wooden spoon for five minutes, when it will be sufficiently firm; butter a frying-pan, place it on a fire, and with a ladle holding one gill put the mixture on the pan in twelve parts, being careful that they do not touch each other, and fry till [until] of a good golden brown color, cooking four or five minutes on each side.  Dress them on a folded napkin and serve.

Ann’s Note:  a “gill” is one-half cup.

Oyster Pan Roast – 8 appetizer servings (4 main-course servings) – I made half the recipe

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ pounds (about 48) freshly shucked oysters

*I bought my oysters at Coastal Seafood in St. Paul

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Stir in the garlic, and cook until the butter foams and the garlic begins to turn slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.  Then add the oysters and cook, stirring constantly or shaking the pan, until they are plump and beginning to curl at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.  (Ann’s Note:  1-2 minutes does not seem like sufficient time.  After 4 to 5 minutes, I still had quite the gloppy mess on my hands.)

Turn the oysters out into a warmed serving bowl or individual bowls, and serve with plenty of crusty bread. 

*PS--I purchased this book, Clambakes & Fish Fries at Arc's Value Village in Richfield, MN for mere pennies on the dollar.  

                                                                        

"The Black Family Reunion Cookbook" & "Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook" - Yam Pork Chop Skillet and Golden Brown Macaroni and Cheese

Date I made these recipes: January 25, 2009

The Black Family Reunion Cookbook – Recipes and Food Memories from the National Council of Negro Women
Published by: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0-671-79629-1 © 1991
Recipe: Yam Pork Chop Skillet – p. 104

Sylvia’s Family Soul Food Cookbook – From Hemingway, South Carolina, to Harlem by Sylvia Woods and Family
Published by: William Morrow & Company, Inc.
ISBN: 0-688-16219-3 © 1999
Recipe: Golden Brown Macaroni and Cheese – p. 206-207

Well, this is part two of Inauguration food and today’s focus is on food from African-American kitchens.

One of the first things I think about when thinking about African-American foods is macaroni and cheese, something that until recently was almost exclusive to the African-American household. (Sorry, Kraft macaroni and cheese does not count in my book). In my household, the only time we ever had macaroni and cheese was when we made a dish called “Western Mac” that contained macaroni, cheese, ground beef, tomato paste and corn. This does not count as macaroni and cheese, either. Nope, if you’re going to have it, you need to make the real deal.

The mac and cheese recipe I used is from Sylvia’s Family Soul Food Cookbook. Sylvia Woods, the owner, runs Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem and try as I might on many and many a trip, I have never gotten up that far to try her restaurant but I am determined. Still, if you can’t get the real thing, making something from her recipe book is the way to go.

The other cookbook I used, The Black Family Reunion Cookbook had to have been sponsored by Crisco because there was hardly a recipe that didn’t call for Crisco oil or shortening. Lucky for me, I had both in my cupboards.

These dishes are easy to make and were darned good on yet another below zero day here in the heartland. The mac and cheese in particular was very tasty; what was surprising about this recipe is that it didn’t call for mustard (a typical component of macaroni and cheese) and yet the flavor didn’t suffer at all.

So happy post-inauguration, everyone and now dig in!

Yam Pork Chop Skillet – 4 servings
1 tablespoon Crisco Shortening or Crisco Oil
4 pork shoulder chops
4 medium yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into rings
¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can (14 ½ ounces) tomatoes

Heat Crisco Shortening or Crisco Oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Brown the pork chops.

Arrange the yam slices, onion slices and green pepper rings over pork chops. Sprinkle with thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes. Cover. Cook on low heat one hour or until tender.

Golden Brown Macaroni and Cheese – Makes 5 to 6 servings or more as a side dish
6 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
2 ½ cups grated mild Cheddar grated cheese, divided
2 large eggs
½ cup milk
Paprika, for the top

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan.

In a 6-quart pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return the macaroni to the pot and stir in the butter or margarine until melted. Add 2 cups of the Cheddar cheese.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs then beat in the milk. Add the milk mixture to the pot with the macaroni. Stir until combined. Spoon into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Cheddar cheese on top. Dust with paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is warm throughout.

"Grace the Table - Stories & Recipes from My Southern Revival" - Country Beef Stew

Date I made this recipe: February 18, 2007

Grace the Table – Stories & Recipes from My Southern Revival by Alexander Smalls
Published by: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 0060174870
© 1997

Recipe: Country Beef Stew – p. 219

Some of my friends like to tease me about being all “matchy matchy” with my clothing and accessories. What can I say? I just like my earrings and/or bracelets to match the color of my blouse or top if at all possible.

Similarly, I like to “match” a menu item or cookbook to what’s going on in my life. In some of my earlier blogs, I cooked from my selection of Green Bay Packer cookbooks during Packer football season and from some of my politically-oriented cookbooks during election season.

And so, when I recently attended an opera event, I wanted to find an “opera” cookbook.

For the past 54 years, the Metropolitan Opera of New York holds regional and then district auditions for opera singers who are hoping for their chance to hit the big time – a chance to sing at the Met. Every year in February, the district (all upper Midwest states) finals are held, and for the past 10 years or so, my girlfriend, Carol, and I have been front row and center. (And trust me you must come early for best seats). We do so in part to hear the voices (we’re both musicians and I am also a singer who started out being classically trained) and (shamefully) to conduct our own version of What Not To Wear (to An Opera Audition.). In my book, if you want to be a diva, you must dress like one, but trust me, not every singer gets the memo. (I always think of the song from the musical, A Chorus Line – “Dance: Ten: Looks: Three.” Let’s just say there’s some work to be done.)

Anyway, the winner of each district competition gets airfare to NY to compete in a semi-final and then the winners of that are showcased in a grand finale concert on the Met stage.

If you’re raising your eyebrows at this point at the mention of “opera,” let me just say that getting onstage to sing a) in a packed concert hall and b) before a panel of judges, one of whom is from the Met, is not for the feint of heart. Opera singers have to be in tip top upper physical strength in order to belt out those hits, day after day, night after night, in front of the bright lights. Even beginning opera singers can sing Brittney Spears or Kelly Clarkson under the table in a heartbeat (not that I listen to these ladies, but I do try to keep up on pop culture). When I first started my lessons, I learned that nothing happens with the voice that doesn’t happen from the diaphragm and as you watch these singers on stage, you can see every muscle in that region working to get those notes out.

Every one of district finalists deserves an Olympic medal but a big shout out to this year’s district winners, Joshua Kohl (tenor) and Lindsay Ammann (a fabulous mezzo-soprano—you heard it here first). Carol and I sat behind Lindsay’s family and you would have thought that Lindsay won an Academy Award as her mom and voice coach were just in tears, jumping up and down with excitement. It inspired me to find just the right opera celebration meal.

Now, you’re probably wondering what a book with the title of Grace the Table – Stories & Recipes from My Southern Revival has to do with opera. Well, children, the cookbook’s author, and former restaurateur, Alexander Smalls, is an African-American opera singer who, among other things, starred in the Houston Grand Opera Production of Porgy and Bess. The book is loaded with fun anecdotes about his life as an opera singer and his culinary adventures while touring with the opera company. Alexander says that this recipe, Country Beef Stew, was created during some down time between gigs. As he said “I still dreamed of greatness on the stage—with a pairing knife in my hand.”

You’ve gotta love a guy who can cook and sing (no doubt at the same time when home alone in the kitchen), and you’re going to love this recipe as well.

Country Beef Stew – serves 8
¼ c. flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds beef chuck, cubed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
6 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup tomato paste
6 cups beef broth
1 large green pepper, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in the seasoned flour. (Note: reserve 1 tablespoon of the flour when finished) Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and brown the beef on all sides. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook 5 minutes. Deglaze with red wine. Add herbs, brown sugar, and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the dredging flour and mix well. Add beef broth, bring to a boil, and simmer 1 ½ hours. Add vegetables, and salt and pepper to taste, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with rice or noodles. (Note: I served this without rice or noodles as this was a hearty meal in and of itself).
Notes: I just realized as I was writing this that I forgot to add the bay leaves! Oops. Well, it still tasted great without them. I also substituted a red pepper for a green pepper as (go figure this) my grocery store was out of green peppers. (Was there a green pepper cook-off I didn’t know about?). I also ended up adding a lot more broth and wine to prevent the mixture from cooking down too much. This seems to happen anytime I have a recipe that is supposed to “simmer” for a long time. I ran out of beef broth so substituted chicken broth. Nobody was the wiser.