The Lady and Sons (9 page)
Authors: Paula Deen
SERVES 4
| 1 round steak (approximately 1½ pounds) (see Note) 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste Flour for dusting ⅓ cup vegetable oil | 2 cloves garlic, crushed One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 medium onion, cut into strips 1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips |
Cut steak into serving-size pieces. Season to taste with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Dutch oven. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer until meat is tender. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Hint: This is good to cook in Crock-Pot on low for a most fabulous dinner.
NOTE: To ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber.
SERVES 8
| 8 medium potatoes ½ medium onion Salt and pepper to taste White sauce (see recipe below; you may also use your own) 1 cup all-purpose flour | 2 tablespoons Lawry's Seasoned Salt 8 center-cut pork chops, about ½ inch thick ⅓ cup vegetable oil |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes; slice ¼ inch thick and cover with cold water. Slice onion into very thin slices. Cut slices in half. Drain potatoes; layer half the potatoes in a well-greased 15 × 10-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter half
of onion slices on top of potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and onions. Cover potatoes with white sauce. Cover casserole dish with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes on high or bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Mix together flour and seasoned salt and dredge pork chops in flour mixture. Lightly brown chops in vegetable oil.
Do not cook them completely.
As chops are removed from frying pan, lay them on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. The juices from the pork chops will drip down into the potatoes. Delicious!
WHITE SAUCE
| 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 to 2 teaspoons salt ½ to ¾ teaspoon pepper | 4 cups milk ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or chives (optional) |
Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour; add salt and pepper. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Add milk, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, then let stand at least 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in parsley or chives, if desired.
SERVES 6
For the best flavor, you must use at least three types of greens—turnip, collard, mustard, and spinach are all good. When you brown the flour, you should stir it about five minutes. (I always keep a batch in the fridge.)
| 1½ pounds beef flank or round steak, sliced thin 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups chopped onion 12 to 15 cups greens, washed and chopped | 6 cups beef stock 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, browned in hot, dry skillet |
SEASONING MIX
| tablespoon paprika teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1½ teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried thyme | ¾ teaspoon white pepper ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground ginger |
Mix together seasoning mix. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons on sliced steak, tossing to insure the meat is covered. (Set aside remaining seasoning for later use.) Heat heavy 5-quart pot; add oil. Brown seasoned meat 2 or 3 minutes, turning once. Add onion, rest of seasoning mix, and ½ cup of each type of greens. Cook, scraping bottom of pot to clear all brown bits, for 5 to 10 minutes. Add 1 cup stock, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add browned flour and mix until completely absorbed and no longer visible. Add remaining stock and greens; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until greens and meat are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve over creamy grits, rice, or with boiled new potatoes. Additional broth would make it a great soup. However served, it needs a good, crusty bread. This is a sopping dish.
SERVES 6
| One 5-pound slab pork ribs 4 teaspoons liquid smoke (available in a bottle at grocery store) | 2 teaspoons House Seasoning (see page 160) 2 teaspoons seasoned salt |
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wash ribs and drain. Rub each side with liquid smoke, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours. Roast uncovered for
1
½ hours.
The Lady & Sons
SERVES 10
| 1 cup uncooked grits 1 pound ground sausage 1 onion, chopped Two 4½-ounce cans green chilies, chopped 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter | 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese 10 dashes Tabasco 1 teaspoon paprika ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley |
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook grits in 4 cups salted water until thick. Sauté sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Sauté onion in sausage fat; drain. Add onion and chilies to sausage. Add butter, eggs, cheese, and Tabasco to grits. Combine grits mixture with sausage mixture. Pour into a 13 × 9-inch casserole dish and garnish with additional small amounts of cheese, chilies, paprika, and parsley. Bake for 1 hour. Can be refrigerated up to 2 days before baking. Freezes well.
SERVES 4 TO 5
This is a great no-fuss recipe—wonderful for a brunch or Sunday-night supper.
| 16 link pork sausages 4 to 5 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced | One 7½-ounce package corn bread mix (prepare batter according to directions on package) |
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook sausages until done, piercing with fork to let out fat. Drain, then arrange in a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer sliced apples on top. Pour corn bread batter over all and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until corn bread is done. Serve with warm maple syrup.
SERVES 4
My Grandmother Paul always said to season chicken and return it to the refrigerator and let it sit as long as time permits, at least 2 to 3 hours. At the restaurant, we season ours with House Seasoning and Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Always use small chickens. I find that a Dutch oven works best for frying chicken.
| 3 eggs ⅓ cup water 2 cup self-rising flour 1 teaspoon pepper | One 1- to 2½-pound chicken, cut into pieces Crisco shortening for frying |
Beat eggs with water. To just enough self-rising flour to coat all the chicken, add black pepper. Dip seasoned chicken in egg; coat well in flour mixture. Fry in moderately hot shortening (350°) until brown and crisp. Remember that dark meat requires longer cooking time (about 13 to 14 minutes, compared to 8 to 10 minutes for white meat).
The Lady & Sons
SERVES 6 TO 8
| One 10¾-ounce can condensed Cheddar cheese soup One 10¾-ounce can condensed cream of celery soup ½ cup milk 1 chicken, skinned, cooked, boned, and cubed 1 medium onion, diced One 10-ounce package frozen green peas (or one 8-ounce can, drained) | 3 carrots, sliced, cooked, and drained Salt and pepper to taste 1 pastry for top and bottom (see next page) Butter to dot pastry |
In a large saucepan, heat soups and milk. Stir in chicken, onion, peas, carrots, and salt and pepper. Cook until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour into a pastry-lined 13×9×2-inch pan. Cut pastry for top into strips. Lay over pie filling in a lattice style. Dot with butter. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.
PASTRY
| 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder | ¾ cup Crisco shortening Ice water |
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water over part of mixture. Gently toss with fork; push to side of bowl. Repeat until all is moistened. Form into 2 balls. Flatten each on a lightly floured surface by pressing with edge of hand three times across in both directions. With a floured rolling pin, roll out on floured surface. Roll from center to edge until ⅛ inch thick.
The Lady & Sons
SERVES 6 TO 8
| One 2Y2-pound fryer One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, sweetened with ⅓ cup sugar One 16-ounce can creamed corn 1 cup ketchup ½ cup prepared barbecue sauce 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (available in a bottle at grocery store) | 1 onion, chopped 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste Celery salt to taste |
In a large pot, boil chicken until meat falls off bone, approximately 45 minutes; drain (reserve 1 to 2 cups of stock). Remove skin and bones;
chop meat. In a separate pot, mix chicken and remaining ingredients. Simmer slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. (Add a little bit of stock if stew gets too thick.) Serve over steamed rice.
The Lady & Sons