Old Southern Recipes – Southern Cooking Customs

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR HOME FRIES. Sliced potatoes fried in a skillet with onions.

Home Fries

• 3 medium russet potatoes, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS bacon drippings
• 1/8 tsp seasoned salt, to taste
• 1/8 tsp pepper, to taste

1. Heat up grease in iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Add potatoes and onions; cook until well seared, stirring occasionally.
3. Add seasoned salt and pepper. Stir.
4. Reduce heat slightly, cover with tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir as needed and adjust seasonings to taste.

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR CHEESE PUFFS. Crunchy, cheese-pastry goodness.

Cheese Puffs

• 1 cup water
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt, and cayenne pepper to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in Gruyere cheese and mustard.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR SHRIMP CREOLE. A basic recipe for a dish that can be made many different ways.

Shrimp Creole

• 2 TBS butter
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 TBS cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp basil or marjoram leaves
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 28-oz can (3 1/2 cups) tomatoes, undrained
• 1 16-oz package (4 cups) uncooked shrimp

1. In a large skillet, saute green pepper and onion in butter until tender.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes or until shrimp are firm and pink, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve over rice.

Notes

1. If using cooked shrimp, decrease the cooking time to 5-10 minutes and thin with additional water if needed.

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR SHEPHERD’S PIE. A modern version of the old-fashioned meat and potato pie.

Shepherd's Pie

• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 10.74 oz can cream of celery soup
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves)
• 3 cups mashed potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place pie crust in 9-inch pie pan. Crimp or flute edge. Set aside.
2. Cook ground beef and onion in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned (9-11 minutes). Drain off fat. Stir in vegetables, soup, and thyme leaves; continue cooking until heated through (3-5 minutes).
3. Spoon meat mixture into pie crust. Spoon mashed potatoes over meat mixture. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and pie is heated through.

Comments

1. Traditionally, shepherd’s pie was an economical way to use the meat and vegetables left over from Sunday dinner.

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR CHIPOTLE CHILE PEPPER SOUP. Heart-warming chicken soup with the smoky flavor of chipotles.

Chipotle Soup

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBS olive oil or cooking oil
• 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
• 2 tsp chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1. In a Dutch oven, cook the onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat about 4 minutes or until tender. Add the chicken; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, chipotle peppers, sugar, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the tomatoes and the snipped cilantro.

Comments

1. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeno peppers. Wonderful!

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR ROASTED POTATO WEDGES. Delicious, quick, and easy.

Roasted Potato Wedges

• 2 lbs small red potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 TBS butter, melted
• 1 TBS honey
• 3 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper

1. Put potatoes in a medium-sized greased baking dish. Drizzle with butter and honey. Sprinkle with chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss to coat.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 450 for 25-30 minutes or until  potatoes are tender, stirring once.

Notes

1. When roasted like this, potato wedges can be seasoned with any type of seasonings that you wish. The seasonings above are only a suggestion. The possibilities are unlimited; use your imagination!

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR SEAFOOD GUMBO. Comfort food Cajun-style!

Seafood Gumbo

• 2 lbs fresh okra
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 2 TBS flour
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped green onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
• 3 large bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 TBS salt
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (16-oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 7 cups water
• 1 lb fresh crab meat
• 2 1/2 lbs large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

1. Wash okra, trim stem ends, and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Saute okra in 1/4 cup hot oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 40 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.
2. Combine 2 TBS oil and flour in a Dutch oven; cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add onion and celery; cook 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, green onions, and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and next 7 ingredients; stir well. Gradually add tomatoes, water, and reserved okra; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. (For thicker gumbo, simmer uncovered.)
3. Meanwhile, drain and flake crab meat, removing any bits of shell. Add crab meat and shrimp; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Discard bay leaves.
4. Serve in bowls over rice. If desired, garnish with chopped green onions.

Comments

1. The Cajun word “gumbo” is derived from an African word for “okra.” Hence, “gumbo” that doesn’t have okra in it, isn’t gumbo. It may be a good soup of some kind, but it isn’t gumbo.
2. As distinct from Creole gumbo, true Cajun gumbo never has tomatoes in it, so technically, this recipe is more Creole than Cajun — but most of us just think of gumbo as a “Cajun” kind of thing.

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR FRENCH TOAST. A breakfast treat from Sheila Ferguson, my favorite soul food cook.

French Toast

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 6 slices white bread (as thin or thick as you like)
• butter for frying

1. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and spices in a shallow bowl until nice and foamy.
2. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture, one by one, on both sides just as you are ready to fry. (Dip them very briefly, not long enough to soak up too much of the egg mixture.)
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. When hot, coat with the butter and gently fry the bread slices until golden brown on both sides. Add more butter during cooking if necessary.
4. If you like, melt a small dollop of butter on each slice  just before smothering them with maple syrup or fruit jelly.
5. Serve hot with things like crispy bacon, grits, fried or scrambled eggs, or fried apples.

Notes

1. It’s important not to soak the bread in the egg mixture — just coat it. You want French toast to be lightly coated and deliciously crisp.
2. Obviously, as shown in the photo, you can use French bread for French toast. What a thought! :)
3. For great French toast, I often like to use the thicker-sliced white bread called “Texas toast.”

Comments

1. Have you ever heard the French expression pain perdu? Wikipedia says, “In France, Belgium, New Orleans, Acadiana, Newfoundland and the Congo a similar but distinctive food is called pain perdu, or “lost bread,” since it is a way to reclaim stale (or “lost”) bread: hard bread is softened by dipping in a mixture of milk and eggs, then deep fried. The bread is sliced on a bias and dipped into a mixture of egg, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. The slices are pan-fried in butter and traditionally served dusted with powdered sugar and with jam on the side. Alternatively it may be served with syrup. New Orleans pain perdu is a local variation of French toast made from left over New Orleans-style French bread, which resembles a French baguette, but has a crunchier exterior and a lighter interior.”

Recipe from Sheila Ferguson in Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR BANANA NUT BREAD. An old standby, but as good as ever.

Banana-Nut Bread

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Make well in center for the liquid ingredients.
4. Combine egg, bananas, milk, vegetable oil and add to dry mixture.
5. Stir just until moistened. Stir in pecans.
6. Spoon batter into loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove.

SOUTHERN COOKING RECIPE FOR ANGEL CORNBREAD. A light and airy cornbread from Betty Shearer, Georgetown IN.

Angel Cornbread

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBS sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine dry ingredients. Mix eggs, milk, and oil together, then add to the dry ingredients.
3. Bake in greased iron skillet, baking pan, or muffin tins at 450 until lightly browned (about 20 minutes in a 10-inch iron skillet).

Notes

1. This recipe can be halved for smaller servings.