An Ode To Cheap Steaks, Black-Eyed Pea Salad and Grilled Cheese Cornbread

Here it is, deep Summertime in Mississippi. Hurricanes stirring everywhere. One day the weather is hot humid and muggy here in August, then boom, you go to sleep and you wake up and the streets and your yard is swollen with water. No wonder I slept so good, it rained all night.And then it rained all day for 2 days, but the temperature  was in the mid -upper 70’s. That was so nice,and on the 2nd day, the rain was mostly a drizzle.

 This was a Monday and a Tuesday of this week. On Wednesday,The sun popped out again that morning to say he’s back, and I said, “Time to grill me some cheap steaks, make some blackeye-pea salad and some grilled-cheese cornbread…This is my Summer soul food fix for the day. I’ll make enough to last the weekend ’cause the weather report is for another hurricane in a couple of days.

I went to my local market and the farmers market to see what I could get. I got me some London Broil” ’cause I wanted a cheap steak and wanted to be able to slice it thin all week , when I get a steak jones. I went to the Farmers market and got some fresh jalapenos and some muscadines (Southern grapes), some limes and some Vidalias and cilantro. I had everything else I needed already in the kitchen.

I remembered that I had to salt the meat for at least 3 hours so that was where I planned preparing everything around. I would make the Salad first so it would be nice and cold, ’cause the meat was gonna be hot off the smoky grill, and so was the cornbread, but I had to cook it in the oven first and then let it cool.

I  heavily salted 2 pounds of the London broil with kosher salt, on both sides first, adding fresh ground Black pepper and sticking it with a fork so all the flavors go through it, some minced garlic and olive oil afterwards.

After 3-4 hours I will have to wipe off the salt,(the salt acts as a tenderizer, but will not leave a too salty taste ) or you can rinse it off , you just have to pat the meat dry aafterwards.

Just let the meat set at room temperature in a plate while getting that grill ready.

I always use my trusty cast iron deer hunter “pocket grill” as I call it.

I got my grill going and I put some pecan wood in my smoke box( We got pecan trees so I use free pecan wood). I then grilled it for about 15-20 minutes(8 each side) and let it set for anuther 10 or so minutes so the juices could settle. I cut it thin and at a 45 degree angle so it will taste tender. For those who like it well done…Be Careful, the meat will be rubbery. I usually make me some kind of sauce from one of my cookbooks to go with that “cheap steak”.

 Here’s the recipes for the rest of the stuff I had.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

2 cans 15.5 oz. blackeyed peas, (rinsed and drained)
1 11 oz. can white shoepeg corn
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 bell pepper chopped
bunch green onions, chopped
zest of 1 lime
3 fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 cup organic italian dressing
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 clove grated garlic
1/8 tea. chipotle powder (just a dash)
dash of freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and let chill for a few hours for flavors to marry. You can check seasonings if you’d like and make adjustments but this should taste great.

For the Cornbread:

2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup ,sour cream
1 cup self-rising cornmeal, white or yellow
1 cup plain flour or corn flour
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure cane sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted and clarified (seperate water from fat)
 2 tablespoons bacon grease or veg. oil for coating the skillet
 Sharp or mild Cheddar cheese slices ( I use New York Hoop, that red rinded cheese)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put 2 tablespoons oil in skillet and have preheating in oven
In a small bowl combine the eggs buttermilk,sourcream and 2 tablespoons melted butter.
In another bowl, blend the cornmeal,flour,salt and sugar and then add to wet ingredients.
Pour mix into skillet and cook for 10-12 minutes until golden .
 Remove cornbread from oven and let cool completely.
Slice cornbread into triangles and split through the middle. You don’t have to split it all the way.
Coat outside of cornbread with melted butter ( I chop jalapenos fine,add lime zest to butter and put it back in frig after combining it and put a pat on top of the cheese and close it and place it directly on grill, or in some foil) The flavor is sensational.
Place sheese slice inside and put on medium heat grill for a 1 or 2 minutes to get grill marks and flavor.

Enjoy with a cheap cut of steak and you got a Summertime Southern Steakhouse Meal.

 

                                                                   ©2008 oldschoozchef

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25 Essential Tools Every Cook Should Have In Their Kitchen

25 Essential Tools Every Cook Needs In Their Kitchen

By Oldschoozchef

 

     I always am being asked to come to someone’s house and cook for  them.  Sometimes they are simple meals and sometimes they are elaborate ones.   It always amazes me when I go into a house with a gorgeous kitchen and appliances that would make any restaurant kitchen  burn with envy.  I always try to research the prospective client’s inventory with a checklist of essentials that I will need to make my job easier and timely.  Of course, a really great cook or chef is always going to be resourceful enough to complete the task at hand but sometimes, so much trouble and time could have been spent on much more important tasks.

     This is a list of the essential tools that are practical to outfitting a kitchen.  If you’re moving into your first new home or apartment, you need this guide. If you need a checklist of things you should have in your kitchen, you will need to read this.

     There are many retailers out there trying to sell you gadgets that you only use once and then it sits in the kitchen, hidden away in some cabinet, cluttering it up uselessly. These are tools that you will be reaching for every time you decide to cook something.

I am passionate about cooking and the tools I use to cook with. Save yourself the trouble of trial and error and go ahead and get the things on this list. I am not trying to sell you any of these items. I just want you to have them in your kitchen to make your cooking experience much easier. How about some cookbooks?

The Kitchen Essentials:

1.       A Standing Mixer

2.       A Blender

3.       Tongs

4.       A Vegetable Peeler

5.       A Bench Scraper

6.       A Grater/Zester

7.       A Pepper Mill

8.       A Fine-Mesh Strainer

9.       A Rubber Spatula

10.   A Whisk

11.   A Salad Spinner

12.   Some Measuring Utensils

13.   A Digital Scale

14.   An Instant Thermometer

15.   An Oven Thermometer

16.   A Digital Timer

17.   A Food Processor

18.   A Roasting Pan

19.   A 12” Skillet (Cast Iron)

20.   A Dutch Oven

21.    An 8” Chef’s Knife

22.   A Paring Knife

23.   A Serrated Knife

24.   A Cutting Board

25.   A 12” non-stick Skillet

 

These are the essentials but I have a few things that I like to use in my kitchen because I am a food purist.  On my mixer I have an attachment that grinds meat because I like to make my own sausages and freshly ground burgers and I do have a french fry cutter so I can make those fresh french fries when I have a craving. Cook’s Illustrated has a list of the best  and reasonably priced items on this checklist at: http://www.cooksillustrated.com

 

 

Most of these items are available online at:

http://www.surlatable.com

http://www.cookwares.com

http://www.williams-sonoma.com

http://www.bridgekitchenware.com

http://www.kitchenect.com

http://www.kingarthurflour.com

http://www.professionalcutlerydirect.com

How To Enjoy Living Southern

How To Enjoy Living Southern

10 Reasons Why I Like Living  In  The South

I live in the South. I live in the Deep South. I live in Dixieland. I live in Mississippi. This state to me is the core of Southern living. Historically,  it is a defiant place among our 50 United States. For all of its richness, it still has pockets of poverty that it should be ashamed of. It still lets racism hang around its beautiful countrysides and vilas. It still hasn’t raised it’s head up and targeted itself toward living to its full potential, thus benefiting all of its residents.  With all that being said, “I still love the South, especially Mississippi.”

My intentions in writing this blog are simple. I just want to promote Southern dishes to everyone in the USA and beyond. Why?, You may ask. Well,  it’s because of its simplicity, in most cases. Beyond that is the fact that Southerners enjoy bringing the family and friends together to the table to enjoy meals of splendor that people probaly wouldn’t connect with the South. Meals of Splendor…Whaaaat?  Yes folks, there are pockets of people in the South who enjoy meals that require time and pride and most of all, integrity and authenticity. Take Southern Fried chicken for example, it’s best when it has marinated for at least 8 hours and there is no shame in it marinating for up to 24 hours.

The South is a fusion of foods and until recently, cuisine in the Deep South, was mainly influenced by only African-Americans and Southern Anglos…in other words it was basically black and white, with a few dishes bought in by Chinese and Mexican immigrants, that won the approval of the discriminating southern palate.

Here’s 10 reasons that I came up with about why I like living in the South:

1. More open spaces with trees and things for children to enjoy.

2. Its freshwater creeks and rivers abundant with great fishing.

3. Its wild plums and wild blackberries.

4. Its country roads that hide the next gem to be sold on ebay.

5. Its overall friendly people who value a sense of community.

6.Its restaurants and clubs that look like shacks but have great food and music.

7. The winters here are really mild making it enjoyable year-round.

8. The availability of oldschool R&B and Blues and jazz can be heard any time.

9. The Gulf Coast and it’s abundance of fresh seafood.

10. Authentic Southern cuisine.
                                                           ©2008 oldschoozchef
At this time, I would like to share a recipe with you that is truly Southern and comes from a book called, “The

Carolina Rice Kitchen: The African Connection” (1992) by Karen Hess

Chicken Bog

Makes 8 servings

In The Carolina Rice Kitchen: The African Connection (1992), food historian Karen Hess suggests that chicken bog may have descended from la soupe courte of Provence, “an ancient festival dish, calling for mutton, petit sale or other cured pork, onions, aromatics, saffron, and rice.” It is, she continues, “not a soup but a very thick stew or a rather wet pilau.” Her theory is that with the deletion of saffron and substitution of chicken for mutton, a new dish emerged.

As for the recipe’s unusual name, some say that “bog” comes from the fact that rice is grown in bogs, others that the chicken is “bogged down” in the rice, and still others that the dish is just a “soggy, boggy mess.”

Note: Some modern cooks shortcut chicken bog by using chicken parts and canned broth. The recipe here is fairly classic.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound spicy country sausage links or chorizo, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups converted rice
6 cups rich chicken stock or broth
5 cups large-ish chunks of cooked chicken plus the coarsely chopped giblets
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste.
1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes or until nicely browned. Using a slotted spoon, lift the browned sausage to a plate and reserve.

2. Add the onion and bell pepper to the sausage drippings and stir-fry for 8 to 10 minutes or until limp and lightly browned.

3. Add the rice and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, chicken, giblets, reserved sausage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, or just until the rice is tender. If the bog seems soupy, cook, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes more. It should be about the consistency of a soft risotto. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.

4. Ladle into big soup bowls, and serve with butter beans, and red-ripe tomatoes.

Now if you enjoyed this recipe let me introduce you to some more:

Southern Cookbooks

 

African-American Cookbooks

 

Cathead Biscuite & Garlic Fried Chicken

 

Recipes and Food Facts