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Soul food sides - -
Corn Fritters 1 :
Sift 1 ½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt into a mixing bowl. Make a hollow in the center and pour into this a mixture of 3 well-beaten eggs, ½ cup of milk, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter (cooled). Stir and then beat until smooth. Set aside for 1 hour.
After one hour of setting time, stir in ¾ cup freshly cut corn.
Fill a deep, heavy pot to within 3 inches of the rim with vegetable oil. Heat to 350 degrees on a deep fat thermometer (or until a small cube of soft white bread dropped into the hot fat will brown in 30 seconds.). Drop batter by the spoonful into the hot fat and fry until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted apoon, drain briefly on paper toweling before serving.
This makes 4 servings.
Corn Fritters 2 :
Place 2 eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add ¾ cup of flour and beat this until its smooth. Stir in 1 #2 can creamed corn and ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon sugar. Fill a heavy frying pan with vegetable oil to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat almost to the smoking point. Drop batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry until browned on underside. Turn with spatula and fry until second side is lightly browned. Drain briefly on paper toweling and serve at once.
This recipe makes 6 servings.
Mashed Turnips
Peel and cut 8 – 10 medium turnips into small dice. Place in saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.
Cover and cook over low heat until very tender. Remove from heat and mash until smooth.
This makes 4 servings.
Collards
Strip 4 pounds fresh collard greens down from the center stalks (discard the thick centers). Wash in large pot of cold water. Drain under cold running water: then was a second time. This is very important.
Place 1 ham hock or ½ lbs salt pork in a large pot (with a tight fitting lid). Add 1 ½ quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the greens, cover pot, and cook over very low heat for 2 hours. Add ½ cup of vegetable oil and cook for a final 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Taste before adding salt, since the ham or salt pork usually flavor it sufficiently.
This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
Corn Pudding
Preheat oven to 375. Select 6 ears of fresh corn which you will shuck just prior to cooking. Scrap the kernels off all the rinsed and shucked corn ears, trying to catch them by the row as you are able. Put these into a large mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup melted butter, 1 ¼ Tbsp flour, 3 well-beaten eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ tsp pepper, pinch of nutmeg, and ½ cup of scalded, hot milk. Blend well and pour into a well-greased 8-inch cassarole dish. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until firm.
This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
Fried Green Apple rings
Core and slice 4 large green apples, getting 3 thick slices from each. Discard end pieces. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet over low flame. Add apple slices in single layer and cook, turning once, until tender but still firm (about 8-10 minutes). Sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg, cover and cook until sugar has melted. This is recommended with fried ham, bacon or sausage.
This recipe makes 4 servings.
Fried Sweet Potato Cakes
Place 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl. Add 1 lightly beaten egg , and blend well. Stir in ½ cup of chopped peanuts. Shape into small flat cakes and dredge with flour. Heat a small amount of bacon drippings in a heavy frying pan and fry the cakes, turning once, until lightly browned.
This recipe makes 4 servings.
Limpin’ Suzan
Place 1 pound dried red kidney beans in a large, nonmetalic bowl, cover with water, and let soak overnight. Later, drain and place in a large heavy pot. Add 1 large onion (chopped), ½ tsp salt, and ½ pound diced salt pork or ham. Add enough water to cover. Cook over low heat until tender.
Remove about ½ cup of the beans with 1-2 tablespoons of liquid and mash into a smooth paste. Add about ½ cup more of the liquid, blend, and then stir this back into the pot. Add pepper to taste. Add 3-4 cups of cooked rice and blend it gently with the beans. Continue to cook until all is steamy hot.
This recipe makes 6-8 servings.
Hoppin’ John
Soak 1 pound of blackeye peas in water overnight (or 6-8 hours). Place bacon diced from 8 thick slices into a large pot and fry over low heat until the fat is rendered. Add 1 cup of chopped onion and cook until the onion is limp. Pour in 2 ½ quarts water, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/8 tsp thyme, 1/8 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp hot pepper sauce, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper and bring this to a boil. Drain the peas and add to the boiling mixture. Lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer gently for 1-1 ½ hours. Add 2 cups uncooked rice and cook a final 30-40 minutes, or when the peas or tender and liquid has reduced to a thick sauce. This is recommended to be served as a meal in and of itself, with biscuits spread with butter and molasses.
This recipe makes 6-8 servings.
Cracklin Bread
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a heavy 10-inch cast iron skillet generously with vegetable oil (about 1 teaspoon). Place in oven. Place 2 cups cornmeal in mixing bowl, add ½ cup boiling water, mix lightly, add 2 Tbsp room temperature butter and stir until it has melted. Beat 3 eggs, 1 cup milk, ½ tsp salt and pour over cornmeal mixture; blend. Stir in 3 tsp baking powder and 1 cup of cracklins*(see below). Pour batter quickly into heated skillet and place immediately in the hot oven.
Bake 23-30 minutes, or until the surface is firm to the touch. Slice into wedges in the pan.
*Cracklins are small pieces of salt pork that have been slowly fried until crisp and dry.
Hush Puppies
Fill a deep and heavy frying pan to within 2 inches of rim with vegetable oil. Place over moderate heat while preparing batter. Heat should reach 375 on a deep fat thermometer by the time you are ready to fry your puppies. (lacking a thermometer, test by dropping aout ¼ tsp of batter into the oil. It should brown in about 30 seconds.) Place 2 cups flour, 1 ½ cups cornmeal, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir until blended. Combine 2 well-beaten eggs, ¾ cup milk, 1 small grated onion and then turn into the dry mixture and beat it until you have a smooth batter.
Drop by teaspoonful into the hot fat and fry until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon, drain briefly on paper toweling. Fry only a few at a time so that you do not lower the temperature of the oil.
Economy “Marmalade”
Put 14-18 young carrots, 4 seeded lemons through coarse blade of food chopped. Place in a heavy saucepan and add sufficient water to barely cover them. Bring to boil, then stir in 6 cups sugar, 1 tsp salt. Simmer over medium heat until thick as, well as “marmalade.”
Pour immediately into sterilized jars. Seal and stor in cool place. Sufficient to fill 3-4 pint jars.
Butterscotch bars
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8-inch sqaure pans. Melt 1 stick butter, let sizzle but do not allow to brown. Add this to 2 cups of firmly packed light brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir until blended, then add 2 well-beaten eggs and beat this until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups flour at ¼ at a time, and then stir in 2 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans.
Pour into the prepared pans, bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm to touch. Cut into bars before removing from pan.
Soul Food Main dishes
Paper-bag BBQ Chix
Open a large and heavy paper bag (be sure there are no holes in it)!! Hello?
Place it on its side on a large baking pan. With pastry brush, brush melted shortening over the inside of the bag, covering well. Place one 3-lbs chicken cut up into pieces in bag, skin-side up in a single later. Spoon BBQ sauce evenly over the chicken; fold the open end of bag over twice and secure with paper clips.
Place pan in a COLD oven, then set the temperature control at 350, baking for 1 ¾ hours. Do not open the bag during the cooking time. Remove pan, slit bag, put on serving platter. Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.
BBQ sauce option:Soul-style - Combine 3 No.2 cans tomatoes, ½ cup sugar, 2 cups cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper, 2 cups chili sauce*(see below if you don’t wish to use ‘bottled’), 1 large chopped onion, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 Tbsp dry mustard. Cook in a large heavy pot over low heat 3 ½ -4 hours, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon. Add 2 cups tomato paste and cook final 30 minutes. Keep heat low and stir often to prevent burning.
This recipe makes about 6 cups.
*To make a quart of soul-style chili sauce: combine 24 large ripe chopped tomatoes, 12 medium chopped onions, 3 large chopped green peppers, 1 large chopped hot red pepper, 1 cup of sugar, 1/3 tsp salt, ½ cup cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp ground allspice, 1 Tbsp ground cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon in a large enamel-lined, nonmetallic pot. Place over medium heat and bring to boil. Lower heat and let simmer gently for 2-3 hours. Sauce should be reduced to about half. Stir frequently. Pout into sterilized bottles or jars. Seal immediately and store in cool place. This goes real well with fried seafood/shrimp.
This makes about one quart.
Almost like Grandma's Chicken Pie
Place 1 dressed fowl (c. 5 lbs.), 6 cups of water, 1 medium onion (cut up), and 2 stalks of celery (with leaves and cut up)and 2 sliced medium-to-large carrots into a hevy kettle, cover and simmer for about an hour, then add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and continue simmering for 2 hours more, or until the meat is ready to fall off the bone. Remove chicken and cool; strain the brother and skim off the fat. Cool ½ cup of the broth*(see below).
Take 1 ½ cups of sifted flour, ¾ teaspoon of salt and rub in 2/3 cup of shortening(see note below). Mix with just enough water to allow the pastry to be handled. Roll out on a floured bloard to about 10 inches in diameter – the crust should be a little thicker than for fruit pies.
NOTE: At this point, you may want to save the skimmed fat for future pies; using it in the place of some of the shortening called for when making the crust.
Separate the meat from the bone and skin, leaving meat in rather large pieces as you are able. Heat 3 cups of broth to boiling; blend ½ cup of flour with the ½ cup of cool broth*(see above) until it is smooth. Stir this into the boiling broth, beating it well to prevent it from lumping. Add remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Add 2 cups fresh green peas(or thawed frozen-peas if you cannot get fresh; you'll be disappointed if you use canned peas, don't cha know).
Combine the gravy with the meat and turn into a round 9x3 baking dish. Cover with crust and turn the edges under; crimp. Slit the top several times to allow steam to escape. Bake in an oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes; or until brown and flaky. While the pie is baking, thicken the remaining broth to serve with the pie.
Serves eight
Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze - -
Place 1 tenderized ham (c. 10 lbs.) fat side up on a rack in the roasting pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 2 ½ hours – internal temperature needs to reach 160. Take the ham from oven, and turn up to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, remove the rind carefully and cut the fatty layer in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut down into the meat. Brush 2 tablespoons of prepared spiced mustard lightly over the ham and place a clove in the center of each diamond.
Mix ¾ cup light brown sugar to 1/3 cup of undrained crushed pineapple and spread this all over the ham. Return it to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the pineapple glaze is brown and crusty. Remove from oven, and let stand for 20 minutes.
As a sidedish, try this recipe to accompany the mashed potatoes and vegetables - -
Anne Eaton's: Agapedome Escalloped Pineapple
Drain two 20oz cans of crushed pineapple.
Mix 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of butter and 3 eggs together until smooth.
Add 4 cups of bread cubes and then the previously-drained pineapple.
Put in baking pan and moisten (only) with a little milk.
Bake 1 to 1 ¼ hours @ 350 degrees in your oven.
This is extremely delightful. It is one of the dishes we like to serve with Roasted Turkey dinner; go figure. It's wonderful though, you ought to try it with poultry; and it's great with pork roast or ham. Let us know what you think.
