Comments on Shrimp and Grits

I made Shrimp and Grits last night and confess that I didn't follow the recipe to the letter. After all, it's my recipe, right? I should feel free to veer from the tested method and get adventurous. Well, not so much. It turned out great but here are a few notes that I'd recommend you consider when you're making shrimp and grits, even by the book.

1. Be careful in your cheese selection. I picked the absolute sharpest, high quality white cheddar I could find. I also used an extra 2 ounces, because the package was 10 ounces rather than 8. Use 6-8 ounces of a cheese that you really like, because the grits are cheesy!
2. Pay close attention to the heat. Don't let any of the proscuitto blacken on the bottom of the pan. This will taint your sauce and make it less pretty, although it didn't make the sauce taste burned.
3. Don't substitute bacon for proscuitto. We used smaller shrimp, 21-30 count, so we ran out of proscuitto. We use a little leftover bacon to wrap the remaining 3 or 4 shrimp, just to experiment. It didn't work well.
4. Enjoy! Even minor mistakes are easy to overlook. It's delicious, even if it doesn't always turn out perfect. Apologies if anyone's shrimp and grits turned out errant.

Original post - Shrimp and Grits

Grilled Flank Steak

This weekend's warm weather inspired our neighbors to join us in a small cookout on our great back porch. They have a grill and we don't, so we agreed to provide the main course and a few sides and they brought beer and allowed us to use their propane device. I would normally not post a recipe I haven't made at least three times, I have decided to share this really excellent version of marinated flank steak on the grill. It's really worth a try!

Grilled Flank Steak
Serves 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

• 1 flank steak, 2-3 lbs.
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

With a fork, poke the meat all over on both sides.
Stir together the marinade ingredients in a large dish, such as a bowl or a glass baking dish. Marinate the meat for 4 hours in the refrigerator, turning every half hour or so.
Pre-heat the grill on medium high heat.
Remove the meat from the marinade and make sure to pull off any stray pieces of garlic. Grill for 6-8 minutes per side until desired temperature, making sure not to burn the meat. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice on a bias and drizzle with a little extra balsamic vinegar. 

Boiled Peanuts

Boiled peanuts are without a doubt my favorite Southern snack. There is no substitute for the salty, soft, wonderful experience that only a boiled peanut can provide. I grew up eating boiled peanuts purchased from stands on the side of the road, never knowing the source of the treats, but enjoying every little pod. The important thing to remember about boiled peanuts is that they are seasonal, so only use fresh, raw, green peanuts. You can adjust the flavors at your leisure, but there are a few tried and true favorites that include cajun and ham. This is a version of the "ham" technique, but please try it and adapt it to your tastes.

Boiled Peanuts
Serves Many, or Few...
Prep Time: None
Cook Time: 2-3 hours

• 5 lbs raw, green peanuts
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 ham hock or smoked turkey wing
• 2 gallons, give or take, of water (depends on size and shape of cooking pot)

In a large stock pot, add the peanuts and ham hock / turkey wing. Season salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 hours, until the peanuts are tender and delicious. Strain out the water and remove the meat. Serve piping hot at first and then store in a refrigerator. Be careful not to overcook, as the peanuts will stick inside their shells.

Fried Oysters

A friend posted a facebook cry for help in her status a few months ago and I was so happy to oblige. There's more than one way to fry an oyster, hundreds of different dressings, and tons of things you can do with them. I actually ordered fried oysters last night as an appetizer at a pretty well-known Southern themed restaurant in Washington. They were good, but try these!

Fried Oysters
Serves 6 as an entree, 8-12 as a heavy appetizer
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3-5 minutes per batch

• 2 lbs fresh oysters, shucked
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 tbsp old bay or other seasoning mix of your choice (there are hundreds)
• 2 quarts vegetable oil (for frying, you can use less or more, depending on the size of your vessel)
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce. Pre-heat the oil to 350-375 degrees, but don't overheat. Soak the oysters in the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients. Dredge the oysters 1 by 1 in the seasoned flour / cornmeal mixture. Fry in batches, carefully draining on a rack over paper towels.
Taste the first one for seasoning and adjust before frying the rest of the batches.

Charoset for Passover

The spellings and pronunciations for charoset, the mixture of apples, nuts, and wine eaten during Passover, vary widely. The correct Hebrew pronunciation is ha-RO-set, but you'll hear "harosets," "haroseth," and "haroses," pretty frequently. It's often a favorite at the seder, for sure. Charoset is also a key ingredient in the (in)famous Hillel sandwich, which is a uniquely Jewish concoction of matzah, horseradish, and the aforementioned apple salad. I think it's delicious but it's not for everyone. Everybody has a different recipe, but this is what I use.

Charoset
Serves Many
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive: Overnight
Cook Time: None

• 3 cups apples, cored, peeled, and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sweet red wine, such as Manischewitz
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor 5-10 times until combined and the apples are chopped more finely. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Greek Inspired Pork Loin

I buy pork loin whenever it goes on sale. It's easy to roast, slice into chops, grill, or even braise. This roasted version is inspired by the many Greek lamb dishes I have tried. While lamb is delicious, it's not always in the budget. Pork is really good at adopting whatever flavors you introduce to it, so here's what works for me.

Greek Inspired Pork Loin
Serves 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

• 1 pork loin roast, roughly 3 lbs.
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients except the pork in a bowl. Smear all over the pork loin until it's evenly coated.
Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until an instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Fried Okra

With spring fast approaching and summer soon to follow, I can't begin to express how excited I am about the fresh vegetables and bounty of the warmer months. One of my favorite "soul foods" from childhood in the South is fried okra. It's more popular at some restaurants in the Lowcountry than French fries and onion rings. Here's how I make mine.

Fried Okra
Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minute batches, depending on size of cooking vessel

• 3 lbs fresh okra, sliced
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 4 quarts vegetable oil

Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce.
Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
Soak the sliced okra for 30 minutes in  the buttermilk.
Pre-heat oil in a fryer or frying pan to 350-375 degrees.
Drain the okra and toss in batches in the seasoned flour, making sure each piece is coated in flour.
Fry the okra in batches, and drain on paper towels or a cooling rack, and dust again with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm in a low oven until serving hot, with some other equally wonderful soul food.

Bourbon Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

When I was in college, I was responsible each week for a Friday evening dinner for the Jewish Student Union. I had lots of friends who would help, but I was generally in charge of making sure the food was good and there was plenty of it. This is a recipe I developed then, with a bottled glaze. I have created my own tastier glaze in the time since, but the basic idea is the same. I've tried to make it a simple, weeknight meal. I hope you enjoy it.

Bourbon Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

• 4 filets of salmon, 6-8 oz. each
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup bourbon (recommended: Maker's Mark)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 knob ginger, about 1 inch, peeled but left whole

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a small saucepan, melt together the sugar, water, bourbon, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Bring to a low simmer. Add the ginger and reduce for 10-15 minutes, just until it is starting to thicken.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Brush or spoon the glaze over the salmon filets (on a parchment lined sheet pan) and roast for 15 minutes, until the salmon is medium. If the salmon doesn't brown properly (all ovens vary), turn on the broiler for the last 1 or 2 minutes of cooking.

  

Asian Marinated Skirt Steak with Broccoli Stir Fry

Every year or so I get it in my head that I should learn a new international cuisine. After all, despite the fact that I could study French food until they day I die (likely of heart disease due to all the rich food), it's nice to know how to use some other techniques and ingredients. This is a result of my experimenting with Thai and Japanese techniques, but reflects neither authentically. It is, however, delicious, for what it's worth.

Asian Marinated Skirt Steak with Broccoli
Serves 2
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours to overnight
Cook Time: 30 minutes

For the Steak

• 1 lb skirt steak, trimmed of fat and connective tissue
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp curshed red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp siracha chili sauce
• 3-5 thin slices of ginger
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the Broccoli

• 1 stalk of broccoli with florets, cut up
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp siracha chili sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a gallon-sized plastic zip top bag. Add the beef. Refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight.
Remove the steak from the bag and pat dry. Be careful to remove garlic and ginger, as these will burn. Pre-heat a grill pan and add the vegetable oil. Sear the steak on each side for 3-5 minutes, depending on your desired temperature.
Set aside to rest.

Blanch the broccoli for 3 minutes inboiling water and shock in a bowl of ice water immediately. In a large, non-stick skillet or wok, add the broccoli, oyster and siracha sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Stir fry until coated and heated through.

Slice the steak and toss with the broccoli off the heat. Serve over steamed white or brown rice.

Garlic Braised Chicken

It is hard to recall when I first had a version of this dish. I think I ordered it at a now-defunct French restaurant in downtown Charleston called Marianne. The restaurant that currently occupies the location is a barbecue chain called Sticky Fingers. It's also decent, but nothing compared to the restaurant that first kindled my interest in French food.
It was 1991 and I had taken a year of French in elementary school. My second grade ego thought I could order in French, as I had been taught. I was disappointed to discover that the waiter did not speak French, so they brought me the French-speaking manager to appease me. She rattled off what I can only imagine to be the most basic greeting. I, of course, went sheepish. Anyway, that's a cute story about your author as a pretentious second grader. Let's move on to the food.

Garlic Braised Chicken
Serves 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

• 2 chickens, cut up with the bones in and skin on
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 20-30 cloves garlic, whole & peeled
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour.
Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Brown the chicken in the oil in batches and set aside.
Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and butter. Saute for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the wine. Reduce almost completely, until syrupy. Add the stock and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Add the browned chicken and cover.
Place in the hot oven and braise for roughly 2 hours.
Remove the chciken and bay leaves and reduce the sauce. Strain into a bowl and serve with the chicken. Mashing in the cloves of garlic is optional, but they can also be served with toast points and are quite delicious.

Foil Steamed Snapper

In my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, there is this decidedly low-brow, but still tasty group of restaurants called Gilligan's. There was just one when I was a kid, and we'd eat there once a month or so on a Friday night. I was really young so I just ordered basic fried or steamed seafood, but my father ordered something that I never quite understood. It was a filet of grouper served steamed in a paper bag. It looked strange to me and not very appetizing. I had no idea what I was missing.
I think the paper bag actually does have a tad off flavor, so I have replaced the paper bag with foil or parchment paper, but here is a variation on that dish that I never ordered years ago but now understand to be an excellent way to prepare fish.

Foil Steamed Snapper
Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

• 4 filets of snapper, 6-8 oz each
• Cod, grouper, or even tilapia also work well
• 2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 2 cups snow peas
• 1 zucchini squash, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 1 cup white wine, divided
• 4 tbsp soy sauce, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or grated with a microplane) and divided
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut four pieces of foil or parchment paper into 1 foot square and set aside.
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Place an equal amount of vegetables in the center of each square of foil. Top with the fish and fold up the sides.
Add the wine, soy sauce, and oil. Crip carefully closed.
Bake for 10-15 minutes on baking sheets.
I serve this hot in the foil, but you can plate it more elegantly if you desire, using the liquid as a thin, delicious sauce.

Broccoli Rabe with Pasta

We eat a lot of pasta in our house. I love that it's quick and filling but never lacking in flavor. It is always fun to toy around with the ingredients, add flavors and sauces, and even adjust cooking techniques. This particular recipe is a fabulous vegetarian option, and can even be made vegan by the elimination of the butter and cheese. Some people find broccoli rabe to be too bitter. To them, I say substitute broccoli or spinach, or even kale or swiss chard. There, you suddenly have 5 recipes in one post. I'm getting the hang of this!

Broccoli Rabe with Pasta
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

• 1 lb thin spaghetti pasta
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch, roughly 1 lb or so, broccoli rabe, cleaned and ends trimmed
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and half of the butter over medium high heat. Add the shallots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes, until the leaves have wilted.
Add the garlic and pepper flakes. Toss together and cook for another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Toss the remaining butter with cooked pasta and broccoli rabe until the butter is melted and vegetables evenly distributed through the pasta. Add the lemon zest, juice, and parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Garlic Studded Leg of Lamb

One of my closest friends and I used to through an annual holiday dinner party and I always made roasted chicken and this lamb recipe. It's really popular and couldn't be any easier. I encourage you to fiddle with the herb rub and even try it with eye of round roast or pork loin. I am making this recipe for one of my Passover seders this year. Stay tuned for some Passover posts in the coming weeks!

Garlic Studded Leg of Lamb
Serves 8-10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes

• 1 leg of lamb, recommend boneless
• 2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 10-15 large cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.
With a long, narrow knife (such a a boning knife), stab holes all over the lamb. Insert cloves of garlic in each hole as you stab the meat.
Mix the salt, pepper, and herbs with the oil. Rub all over the lamb, evenly distributing the seasoning.
Place on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet, for ease of clean-up. I don't usually use the jus from this recipe, but if you wanted to make a pan sauce, ignore this instruction.
Roast at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast for another hour or so, until desired temperature. I like medium rare. Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Herb Roasted Potatoes

This is my hands-down favorite side-dish. It's easier than mashed potatoes and can stay in the oven for an hour, or even be pre-heated. Leftovers make great home fries and no one's ever disappointed.

Herb Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

• 5 large red or Yukon gold potatoes, 1inch dice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme
• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. If you're making along with a chicken, they can roast at the temperature of the chicken or other roast, it will just change the cooking time. Toss the potatoes with the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Spread the potatoes evenly on the baking sheet and roast until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, roughly 30-45 minutes.

A Few Ways to Roast a Chicken

One of my favorite meals is a properly roasted chicken with a few wholesome sides and lots of good friends. Our local grocery store, Harris Teeter, is known for putting whole chickens on sale every few months for $0.47 /lb, which inspires me to purchase a freezer full. They usually come out to just over $2.00 a piece, so you can't really beat it. I usually make 1 chicken for 2-4 people, any more than 4 people I'd make 2 chickens. Everyone likes leftovers. I carve it in the kitchen and arrange it nicely on a platter with herb roasted potatoes and some kind of roasted green vegetable. During the summer, it's sometimes fun to make some kind of fresh squash something, too. That's another post. A few ways to roast a chicken, after the jump!

Marinated Pork Chops - Courtesy Adam Lewis

Adam introduced this easy recipe at a casual dinner one night and I've made it a dozen times since. I did add a few things but it's almost identical to the flavorful meal we enjoyed over a year ago.

Red Wine Marinated Pork Chops
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 24 hours
 

• 4 six-eight ounce center cut pork chops, trimmed. Score any remaining fat.
• 1 cup red wine, such as Pinot Noir of Syrah
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 sliced onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Pound the chops to 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
In a 1-gallon sized plastic storage bag, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Add the pork chops and make sure to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for 2-24 hours.
Remove chops from the marinade and pat dry, removing all specs of garlic or onion, as these will burn.
Over medium-high heat, add 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil and heat until shimmering.
Add the chops, searing 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Steak au Poivre

This is a simple take on traditional steak au poivre. It can be prepared with most tender cuts of meat appropriate for quick cooking, but I prefer a New York strip or filet / tournedos, depending on if the latter can be found on sale. I love to serve this for a special former dinner with pommes frites or even as a casual midnight supper after coming in from the bar. It's quick and delicious but still very special. 

The cooking time depends on the thickness of the steaks and how you prefer your steak to be cooked. I am a rare to medium rare enthusiast so you'll find my recipe recommendation comes out just shy of medium rare on a filet.

Steak au Poivre for Two
Serves 2, obviously
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

• 2 steaks, recommend New York strip or filet
• 1/4 cup very coarsely ground black pepper
• crush with the bottom of a pan in a sheet pan if your pepper mill will not grind it coarsely enough
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cognac
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Rub the steaks with vegetable oil and coat on both sides with peppercorns. Make sure they adhere well.
Melt the butter in a heavy bottom skillet until foaming. Do not use non-stick.
Sear the steaks on both sides until desired temperature is achieved. Roughly 3-5 minutes on per side should do. Set aside.
In the pan, add the shallots and garlic and saute until softened. Pour in the cognac and light over the flame for a really dramatic show. 
Reduce until the consistency is almost syrupy and then add the beef stock. Allow to come to a simmer. Whisk in 1 tbsp of butter and serve immediately over the steak.