Recipe: Brunswick Stew

I admittedly only make this recipe a few times a year because it requires the aforementioned pulled pork to make it work - something that I don't take the opportunity to make very often. Technically, you could do this recipe with an equivalent amount of pulled chicken - about the amount of chicken you'd get from 2 BBQ'ed or rotisserie whole birds. Very often in the south such substitutions are made when someone gets a hankerin' for this recipe yet doesn't have the necessary pulled pork on hand - it's just how we roll in true southern cooking :) The recipe has its origins with one of the deacons and close family friends at the Baptist church I grew up attending in the small town of Lizella, Georgia. I've taken the roots of the recipe my mother could remember and combined those up with modifications I've made over the years (mostly due to ingredients on hand being very different in California) to land on this particular recipe. I've got a few more vegetables in mine because, well, I like the vegetables. However, feel free to make whatever substitutions or additions you'd like in that department - in general, I end up putting whatever I have on hand in the freezer or canned in the pantry in it.

Brunswick Stew

Ingredients

Main

All pork from oven-roasted pulled pork recipe

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of butter beans

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of sweet corn kernels

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of sweet peas

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of cut green beans

1 16 oz. frozen package of chopped collard, mustard, or other bitter greens

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

Stew Broth

5 cups water

4 cups low salt chicken broth

1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 stalk of celery, stems removed, diced (about 2 cups)

2 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cups ketchup

1 cup Djion mustard

1/2 c. dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or similar)

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

5 tbsp. minced garlic (approx. 15 cloves)

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. liquid smoke

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1/2 tbsp ground white pepper

2 tsp cracked red pepper

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

2/3 cup brown sugar

Directions

Put all of the ingredients for the stew broth together in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes to allow flavors to combine, stirring occasionally. 

Add pulled pork. Bring back to a simmer and simmer an additional 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add all remaining frozen/canned vegetables. Bring back to a low simmer and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Because of the number and amount of ingredients, the final consistency should be that of a thick, hearty stew. If not thick enough to your liking, use a corn starch slurry (2 tsp corn starch whisked into 2 tbsp of water) to thicken up, adding additional slurry every 5 minutes or so to get to desired consistency. I do not recommend using a roux as a thickener for this stew given the amount of retained fat from the pulled pork. 

Makes enough servings to feed a small army :).

Prep Class & Recipe: Oven-roasted Pulled Pork

You honestly cannot make Brunswick Stew without a good pulled pork - it's at the core of the recipe. However, versions have been made that use pulled chicken or slow cooked shredded beef brisket - feel free to substitute those if pork is just not your thing. Because of the weather here in San Francisco, I don't get to fire up the grill with my smoker unit as often as I'd like, so I've come up with a version of pulled pork that can be done more easily in the oven. Unfortunately, the process is still a 2 day affair, but the advantage of the oven version is that almost all of that time is unattended. This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days before being used to make my stew recipe.

Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork

Ingredients

7 - 9 lb. boneless pork butt (butchers often call it "Boston Butt")

Brine

1 gallon of water

1 cup of soy sauce

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of Kosher salt

1/4 cup of hot sauce

Rub

2 tsp of liquid smoke

1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Kosher salt

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp ground mustard

2 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

Whisk together the brine ingredients until sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Using a fork, poke many deep holes all over the meat. Place the meat into the brine and cover. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Remove meat from the brine and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. Rub liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce into the meat until it is well absorbed. Mix all dry spices together thoroughly. Coat the meat completely with all of the spices ensuring all adhere to the meat. Place the meat into a deep roasting pan and place into the oven. You will need to cook approximately 1 hour per pound of meat. Every two hours, use a spoon to take the juices that have collected in the pan and pour them over the meat. Cook the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of approximately 185 degrees. Remove from oven at that point, cover with foil, and rest for an hour.

Once rested, use two forks to pull meat apart into shreds in the roasting pan, allowing the meat to soak up the juices in the pan. You can serve immediately with your favorite BBQ sauce. Or, save it for my Brunswick Stew recipe coming soon.

Recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

This is one of my favorite salads. I've both had and made many different variations on this and this is the one I've landed on as my favorite version to make. As with many recipes, I have to go by memory from restaurant versions and then spend a little effort to eventually perfect my own version.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

Ingredients

Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts - butterflied and pounded to 1/3" thick, cut into 4 filets

3 cups of water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup sriracha

3 tbsp sugar

Salad

1 pound of shredded red and green cabbage

1 cup of carrots, julienned

1 large cucumber, thin sliced

6 Thai chiles, chopped

1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 large handful of fresh mint, chopped

1 large handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of scallions, chopped
3 slices of thick slab bacon, diced
2/3 cup of minced shallot

1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Dressing

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp minced ginger

2 Thai chiles, minced

2/3 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice vinegar

Directions

Whisk together the water, soy sauce, fish sauce, sriracha, and sugar for the chicken in a medium bowl. Place chicken in the marinate, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to 6 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. Heat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat and oil the grates well. Cook chicken for about 4 - 5 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Place chicken on a plate and cover for 5 minutes. Remove cover and allow chicken to cool for an additional 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife and fork, shred the chicken into thin strips.

Cook diced bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned. Remove pieces and allow to drain on paper towels. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet and add minced shallot and cook until medium brown and the shallot starts to become crispy. Remove shallot and place on paper towels to drain.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients thoroughly until sugar is fully incorporated. Mix together all salad components including drained and cooled bacon and fried shallots. Pour dressing over salad and toss together liberally. Add chicken and toss again to incorporate. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Scalloped Tomatoes

I first discovered what became this recipe at the historic Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta about 10 years ago. At Mary Mac's, it is called "tomato pie." As I became more exploratory with food from all over the south around the same time, I picked up a copy of one of the first cookbooks I ever owned: the classic from the queen of southern cooking herself, Ms. Edna Lewis - The Taste of Country Cooking. In this cookbook, Ms. Lewis called her version "scalloped tomatoes," opining that the technique and style originated in French cooking and was brought to the US via French Creole settlers. I began with her classic recipe and have made many different versions - including one more like the "tomato pie" at Mary Mac's. I've now settled in with this version which has a more French country/Provençal flavor profile. The key is to use heirloom tomatoes, especially ones of varying colors that give this dish its rich tomato flavor profile. Unfortunately I know heirlooms are only in season in most places for about half of the year. It is possible to use good quality on-the-vine tomatoes in the recipe, just realize it won't come out quite the same. I've also added a West Coast twist by using a San Francisco sourdough baguette. However, any freshly made French baguette will work.

Scalloped Tomatoes

Ingredients

6 - 8 large heirloom tomatoes

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 large sourdough baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp. of olive oil

8 oz. of thick, uncured slab bacon, diced

4 tbsp. of butter (1/2 stick)

2 tbsp. of minced garlic

1 tsp. of black pepper

1/2 tsp. of white pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. of dried Herbs de Provence

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh chopped Italian basil

Directions

Spread baguette cubes out on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss together to fully coat, and bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or so to toast.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 7 - 8 minutes. Once the bacon has started to brown, add the onion, cover, and cook until the onion is translucent and starts to brown. Add minced garlic and cook for about 1 min more until you can smell the garlic. Remove from heat.

Reduce heat on the oven to 325 degrees. Dice the heirloom tomatoes and put into a large bowl. Add the baguette croutons, bacon mixture, and the other dry spices to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the tomato mixture into the casserole dish, cover evenly with the parmesan cheese, and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Mix in fresh basil before serving.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Recipe: Southern Corn Pudding

This is one of my favorite side dish recipes. It is put together easily like a casserole, but will come out with the consistency of a soufflé. In some parts of the south, it is made with a good bit more cornmeal and comes out a bit cakier - akin to British-style puddings. That version is commonly called "spoon bread" - more popular in the mid-Atlantic south. This version has a little more French Creole influence and is more popular in the deep south where I grew up. "Creamed corn" also derives from this dish.

Southern Corn Pudding

Ingredients

8 pieces of thick slab bacon, diced

1/2 of a large onion, diced

4 tbsp. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

1 bunch of scallions, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

8 oz. of Gruyere cheese, grated

4 oz. of Parmesan cheese, grated

1 lg. package of frozen corn kernels (16 oz.), preferably sweet white corn

2 cans (12 oz. each) of yellow corn kernels, drained

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of sugar

4 tbsp corn meal

8 large eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cracked red pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the bacon in the unsalted butter over medium heat until the bacon begins to brown. Add the onion and cook until translucent and the bacon finishes browning. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a blender or large food processor, add the frozen corn, 1 cup of whole milk, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Blend at high speed until the mixture forms a creamy paste. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl, using a spatula to scrape out all of the corn mixture into the bowl.

Add all of the other ingredients to the mixing bowl, including the bacon and onion mixture cooked earlier (make sure all pan drippings go into the mixing bowl). Use a large whisk to mix all of the ingredients thoroughly, ensuring there are no lumps from the flour. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer the mixture from the bowl to the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes until the dish has risen about half an inch, is brown on top, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 16 - 20 side dish servings.

Recipe: Cauliflower and Parsnip Gratin

This recipe is a fusion of knowledge and flavors from several southern casserole recipes that have been favorites in my family throughout my life with some classical French ingredients and technique. One of the things I've concentrated on over the past several years of cooking is technique - and that has led to great improvements in many of my recipes. This recipe is admittedly quite rich and is best served in as a side dish. As you can see, I served it recently with a grilled New York strip steak seasoned simply with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower and Parsnip Gratin

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, florets separated

3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4" chunks

1 1/2 cup of milk

2/3 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup of dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or similar)

1 cup of grated gruyere cheese

2/3 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

4 tbsp of unsalted butter

2 large shallots, minced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp Wondra flour (or well sifted all-purpose flour)

2 tsp white sugar

1 tsp of fresh lemon zest

1 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground sage

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 sleeves of Ritz crackers (or other butter crackers), crumbled (approx. 3 cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9" x 13" casserole dish with cooking spray.

Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with water and heat until boiling. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Add chopped parsnips. Simmer parsnips for 5 - 7 minutes. Add cauliflower and continue simmering for 4 - 5 minutes. Drain the vegetables in a colander and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is fully melted, add the shallots. Cook the shallots until they begin to brown and are softened, stirring frequently (approximately 5 minutes). Stir in the garlic. Using a whisk, add the Wondra flour and mix into the butter, onion, garlic mixture until fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the milk and the white wine. Whisk until any flour lumps disappear. Continue to whisk constantly for approximately 3 - 4 minutes. Add remaining milk and all of the heavy cream. Raise heat to medium high. Continue whisking fairly frequently until the mixture begins to bubble and simmer. Reduce heat to low and add all shredded cheeses, the sugar, lemon zest, and all dry spices. Continue to whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and all the cheese is melted and incorporated (approximately 6 minutes).

Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/2 of the crumbled Ritz crackers. Put vegetables into the casserole dish and spread out into an even layer. Pour cheese sauce over all of the vegetables, coating evenly. Use the back of a spatula to smooth out the mixture as much as possible. Spread the remaining crumbled Ritz crackers all over the top. Place into the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the top crust has browned and the casserole is very bubbly. Take out of the oven and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 16 - 20 servings as a side dish.

Prep Class: Béchamel Sauce (e.g. "Basic White Sauce")

Béchamel sauce is considered one of the "meres" ("mother sauces") in French cooking. It is a quite basic white sauce that can be extended to all sorts of purposes. One of those purposes, of course, is in the creation of a gratin. The history of béchamel is a bit debated, but it was most likely created by Chef Francois Pierre de la Varenne (1615-1678). He was a court chef during King Louis XIV's (1643-1715) reign, during the same time that powerful financier Marquis Louis de Béchamel was there in court. La Varenne wrote Le Cuisinier Francois ("The True French Cook"), which included Béchamel Sauce - the first known place the recipe was seen in print. It is thought that he dedicated it to Béchamel as a compliment. Before you can make a proper gratin, you should master the technique of creating béchamel sauce. The core of making a béchamel is to make a roux - which you should know how to do by now if you tried to make my gumbo :). The most basic version comes from the master herself - Ms. Julia Child. From this core sauce you can build many others - including the necessary one for building the gratin.

Prep Class: The Familiar - Gratin Dauphinois

Most of you are probably familiar with what we American's call "scalloped potatoes." The French name is "gratin dauphinois" and the origins of this dish can be traced back to French peasants in the 17th century. Original versions of the dish did not include cheese at all - as cheese was very expensive in the early part of the 17th century. As the dish evolved, the heavy cream sauce at the core of the dish evolved to include rich cheeses such as gruyere. In America, the same dish evolved further to use pasta instead of potatoes to become everyone's favorite "macaroni and cheese." And there can be some major, heated debates even within families - especially southern ones - about the right and wrong way to do this dish. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first major proponents of this dish in America - serving it at official functions as early as 1802. However, many other types of vegetable and meat fillings can be used at the core of a gratin. This is where I will focus in the first couple of recipes I share leading up to sharing my amazingly decadent "grown-up mac 'n cheese."

Recipe: The Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich

I grew up with Chick-Fil-A. As a Georgia boy born and bred, they were everywhere growing up and admittedly I often get major cravings for their chicken sandwiches. Their controversial politics aside (which is why I can't in good conscience eat at their restaurants for now), I can't deny how good their food actually is. So, I decided to try and recreate it - and I admittedly achieved a recipe that I think might be a bit better than the original. But, you're welcome to be your own judge.

Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

4 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half longways
Juice from one large container of dill pickles
1 quart chicken broth
2 tbsp Sriracha or Tabasco
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp whole cloves
1/4 cup + 2 tsp sugar
1/8 cup kosher salt
2 cups self-rising flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. celery salt
Peanut or other high smoke point oil for frying
8 potato buns
Cooking spray
Dill pickle slices (optional)

Directions

Mix chicken broth, pickle juice, Sriracha, peppercorns, cloves, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/8 cup of kosher salt into a large sealable container. Poke chicken breasts liberally with a fork on all sides to create small holes to absorb brine. Add chicken breasts, making sure they are fully submerged, and seal. Brine at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a deep dutch oven or large pot. Mix together black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ground cumin, ground mustard, and celery salt. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Mix 2 tsp of sugar into the flour in another bowl. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mixture to the flour and mix in well. Add 4 tablespoons of the egg/milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix through with fork until the batter is coarse all around. Take chicken breasts out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with the remaining spice mixture, pressing the mixture into the chicken to coat well. Working one piece at a time, coat in the milk/egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then the flour/spice mixture. Shake off excess flour then submerge slowly into the hot oil, turning frequently. When dark brown, remove from oil and place on a rack to drain off excess oil. Spray the potato buns lightly with cooking spray or brush with melted butter and place on a griddle on medium heat to toast. Place 2 dill pickle slices on the toasted bun and then a piece of cooked chicken. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.