Brunswick Stew

 Early autumn brings an abundance of vegetables to the East Tennessee table. This variation on the Southern favorite, Brunswick Stew, makes use of that abundance. If you cannot find fresh green lima beans, frozen is fine. 

You can add any proteins you like, along with an appropriate broth, and make this dish anything from vegan to wild-game-centric. The original recipe almost certainly involved squirrel and rabbit, and modern versions feature both chicken and pork. You can add green beans or other legumes to increase the protein for a vegan version.

John's Brunswick Stew

4 servings

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 large scallions, chopped, white and light green parts reserved separately from greens
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups sliced okra, divided
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 4 cups broth
• 1 carrot, chopped
• The kernels from one ear of sweet corn
• 1 baking potato, cubed
• 1 cup green lima beans, fresh or frozen, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium low heat. Add the white and light green parts of the scallions, cover, reduce heat and sweat until tender. Add the celery. Cook 2 minutes. Add the bay, leaf, a big pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper and 1 cup of the sliced okra. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato sauce and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated. Add the broth, carrot, corn and the remaining okra. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the potato and lima beans. Cook, covered, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fully cooked. Stir in the scallion greens, the chopped parsley and the Worcestershire sauce. Check and adjust the seasoning.

Serve hot with cornbread.

If you wish to add green beans or other legumes, add them along with the lima beans. Use drained canned beans, or freshly cooked. 

If you wish to add meat, cut it into bite-size chunks and brown in oil at the beginning. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve, pour off most of the fat, and proceed with the recipe. Add the browned meat(s) back to the stew with the potato and lima beans. Increase the cooking time, if necessary, to insure the meat is tender.

The Peaches of August

When one of my friends outside the South asks me how we can endure the heat and humidity of August, I reply that the reward is August peaches. You can get them earlier, but those varieties are not nearly as good, in my view, as the ones that arrive in August. 

When I was a kid, we lived on a gravel road in the country, and every year around my birthday, a man came through the neighborhood in a pickup truck laden with baskets of fresh, luscious peaches. There were two varieties. Georgia Belles were yellow-fleshed, red-skinned fruits that my grandmother preferred for canning. Grandpa usually bought a bushel of them. The others were Alberta, a white-fleshed freestone that could be as big as a softball. The flavor was perfectly peachy, sweet and aromatic with notes of cinnamon and vanilla. We would eat the Alberta peaches out of hand, sitting on the front porch, juice dripping from our chins, wasps buzzing down to feed from the little puddles of juice at our feet. Peaches that escaped being eaten this way were soon made into cobbler by Grandma. Here is a scaled-down version of a recipe that tastes like the one I remember.

Peach Cobbler

Makes one 8-inch square pan

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup whole milk

2 cups slices of peeled, fresh peaches (3-4 fruits)

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Ground cinnamon

Place the butter in an 8-inch square baking pan and set on a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Watch carefully and remove the baking pan when the butter has melted. Leave the oven on.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the milk and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the melted butter in the baking pan. DO NOT STIR

Place the remaining sugar, the peaches and the lemon juice in a saucepan set over medium-low heat and bring just to a boil. Spoon the hot fruit mixture over the batter in the baking pan. DO NOT STIR. Sprinkle the surface of the cobbler with ground cinnamon to your liking.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top crust has formed and is golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and cool. The crust will not completely cover the top of the cobbler. (See photo.)

Serve the cobbler at room temperature, or refrigerate and serve cold. A dollop of vanilla ice cream goes very well with this dish.

You can double the recipe and use a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Increase the baking time by 5 minutes.

The end result of this recipe depends entirely upon the quality of the peaches. Buy local ones, if possible. The exact variety does not matter. The ones I mentioned are "old-fashioned" now, and newer varieties like Garnet Beauty and White Rose have replaced them. Peaches at the produce market should be firm and fragrant. Leave them on the counter for 2 to 3 days, and they should ripen to perfection.

 

An Easy Spring Pasta Dish

Fresh peas are perhaps the best thing about early June. I created this pasta dish to showcase our pea harvest, along with the first tender zucchini and carrots from our garden. My preferred variety of shelling peas is Green Arrow. This cultivar produces abundant pods, born 2 to a stem, each with up to 12 peas inside. The flavor is exceptional.

Spaghetti with Chicken, Vegetables, and Ricotta Sauce
2 servings

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast filet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh carrots
1 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup freshly shelled green peas
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 pound thin spaghetti

Cut the chicken into chunks, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to complete the dish.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the chicken and carrots and stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and peas, reduce the heat and cook, stirring now and then, for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover the pan and allow to steam for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and allow the liquids in the pan to reduce to a couple of tablespoons. Add the ricotta and stir until it melts and forms a sauce. Add a dribble of chicken stock if you want it thinner. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Return to a boil, adjust the heat and boil gently for 9 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and add to the skillet with the other ingredients. Stir to coat the pasta with sauce and serve immediately.

Crusty bread, a green salad, and a glass of wine are all that you need for a complete meal.

Home Cooking Returns

The coronavirus pandemic has been an unmitigated disaster for the restaurant business. So much so that pundits predict dining out will never be the same, even after the virus is no longer a significant threat.

As a result, more people are cooking at home, and the approximately 50 percent of our food dollars that once went to restaurant fare is now being redirected to grocery purchases and other expenses. We are cooking at home as people used to do in the 1950s, before there was a restaurant on every corner.

Home cooking for the entire family calls for casseroles and crock pot recipes, as well as the revival of old standards like spaghetti and meatballs. Here are two recipes that came to me via church cookbooks and family recipe swaps.


Pork Cabbage Rolls


4 Servings

4  outer leaves of cabbage

1 scallion, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

6 ounces ground pork

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

2 ounces rice, cooked and cooled

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil


Blanch the cabbage leaves individually in boiling water. Shock in cold water, drain and set aside. Reserve the liquid in the pot.

Saute the scallions in oil. Set aside to cool to room temperature.


Combine the scallions with the remaining ingredients, adding as much salt and pepper as you deem appropriate.

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Fill the cabbage leaves, beginning at the stem end. Fold the end up over the filling. Fold the edges toward the center to enclose the filling, then roll up.  Place in an ovenproof dish, seam side down, and drizzle with the other two teaspoons of oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully add 2 cups of the reserved liquid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.


Vegetarian Chili for Park Overall


I wrote this recipe for my hometown friend, Park Overall. As I mentioned to her, you can substitute or add other vegetables, depending upon what you may have on hand.


1. Put a large pot over medium-low heat and add a tablespoon of any type of vegetable oil.

2. Chop up a medium onion, add it to the pot, cover and cook slowly while you continue with the recipe.

3. Add 1 teaspoon each of sweet paprika, garlic granules, onion granules, salt, and ground cumin.  Add ½ teaspoon each of ground coriander seed and black pepper. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of any commercial chili powder. (If you can find pure ground Ancho chili powder, use that in preference to any other.)

4. Stir and cook the spices with the onions for a minute or two, then add one 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes and two 15-ounce cans of beans (pinto, kidney, black, or any combination you like).

5. If it seems too thick at this point, add a little water or vegetable broth or tomato juice to thin it out to your satisfaction.

6. Bring to a slow boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for a half hour to blend the flavors. Keep warm until ready to serve, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.

7. Top with chopped green onions, sour cream, cheese, or anything you like on chili. Add hot sauce if you want more heat.


Eat well, stay safe, and wash your hands!

Use What You Have Gumbo

With everyone cooking from the pantry, I thought I'd share this recipe for a vegan take on gumbo. It is based on traditional recipes that are eaten during Lent. Because it can be made from odds and ends and lots of substitutions are possible, I present it not as a "recipe" so much as a "template" for your own ideas. No two cooks make this the same way, so feel free to experiment all you wish.

As written, the recipe is vegan. You can add meat, such as bacon, andouille sausage or ham, if you prefer. If you do that, saute the meat first in the oil, remove it with a slotted spoon, and add it back at the end of the cooking time. You can also use any type of stock available. Otherwise, proceed with the recipe as written.

You can also add protein to the soup in the form of tofu, beans, or nuts. Cook beans separately before adding them to the soup at the end. Cut tofu in cubes and add with the broth. Toast nuts and use them to garnish the dish at the end.

I like to make this when I have a variety of spring greens in the garden. You can harvest a little of this and a little of that, and it will all taste great when you are done. Don’t forget to pick a few dandelion greens out of your backyard!  While the traditional recipes call for nine different types of greens, there is no reason to adhere to that rule. Use what you have on hand. This year, for example, I made the mistake of planting my radishes in too much shade. They only produced leaves, but that does not mean the crop failed. I just add them to this recipe.

Try not to use all thin-leafed greens such as arugula and lettuce. If that is all you have, reduce the cook time to 10-15 minutes total. Tougher greens like turnips or cabbage require the longer cooking time to tenderize. That being said, taste and stop cooking whenever your choice of greens reaches your preferred tenderness. You could eat the soup without it being cooked at all, as it is really a fancy way to eat a big salad.

The recipe incorporates the "holy trinity" of Cajun and Creole cooking, onions, celery and peppers. If necessary, increase the amount of onions and omit the other two. I keep sweet peppers in the freezer, but you can also use any type of pickled pepper. Just rinse, chop and use like fresh. If your choice of pickled peppers is hot, you may want to cut down on the amount of hot sauce—or maybe not.

Gumbo Z’herbes

4 servings



1 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup chopped onions

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped peppers


9 cups, in all, of nine different greens, such as mustards, cabbage, Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, scallions, beet tops, carrot tops, radish tops, parsley, collards, turnip greens, corn salad, arugula, or dandelions or other foraged greens, washed and chopped or torn into bite -size pieces


1 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon hot sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper



Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent. Add the celery and peppers and cook 2-3 minutes or until they are softened slightly. Add the greens to the pot and cook, stirring, until they have begun to wilt. Add the broth, the bay leaf, and the thyme, and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, and hot sauces to the pot, stirring to combine. Taste carefully and adjust the seasoning, if needed, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the gumbo with steamed rice, passing additional hot sauce.

Gardening When It Matters

With closures of all sorts of events and venues across the country, a lot of people are going to have time on their hands this spring. What better way to spend it than by growing some fresh vegetables?

Even a relatively tiny space can produce a good yield, if you plan well. There is still time to grow some spring crops, mostly fast-maturing greens like arugula and heat-tolerant lettuces such as various romaine cultivars and the ever-popular Black Seeded Simpson. This pale green heirloom has been a favorite in East Tennessee for generations. If you want to try growing it like my grandfather did, thinly scatter the seeds over a suitable plot of good soil, or in a container filled with commercial growing mix. In about 6 weeks the pale green, loose-leaf plants will be big enough to harvest by cutting them near the soil line with scissors. If you grow this lettuce in the ground or in a raised bed, try scattering some green onion seeds at the same time you sow the lettuce. The combination of the two at harvest time is the classic mix for Killed Lettuce Salad. (Recipe below.)

You can also add healthy greens to your diet by growing sprouts and microgreens indoors. Alfalfa sprouts seem made for the emergency pantry, as the seeds take up little space. A tablespoon of seeds makes about a quart of sprouts. Microgreens are a bit more trouble to grow, but nevertheless are suited to windowsill production. You can find directions for growing specific types of sprouts and microgreens online. Most vegetables and herbs that are eaten as leafy greens also make good microgreens and sprouts.

I always recommend purchasing seeds intended for growing sprouts or microgreens, rather than doing this with leftover garden seeds. Even though many seeds have a long lifespan if properly stored, the germination rate may be reduced. Some popular vegetables have poor germination to begin with. Seeds produced for sprouts and microgreens have been selected for high and uniform germination rates, and are tested for potential contamination. Locally, Three Rivers Market on Central Street has a rack of sprouting seeds. In addition, several garden centers have seed racks from Botanical Interests, and the larger racks from this supplier include seeds for sprouts and microgreens.

Seeds can also be ordered online.

Killed Lettuce Salad
The traditional recipe calls for bacon, and if you can get your hands on some Benton's bacon, you will come close to duplicating the dish my grandmother made with home-cured and smoked bacon. If you want to avoid meat, use olive oil and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to kick up the umami. The dressing should be a little on the vinegary side.

You can vary the amounts to suit any size crowd. For two people, you need about a gallon of loosely packed Black Seeded Simpson lettuce leaves and 3 green onions. You could really take this recipe to the next level with ramps instead of all or part of the onions.

Wash lettuce leaves and green onions thoroughly and cut the onions into bite size pieces. Drain or spin-dry the greens and place them and the onions in a large metal or Pyrex bowl. This step can be completed hours ahead. Refrigerate the vegetables, covered.

Just before serving, make the dressing. The amounts given are for two people, but are easily multiplied.

3 slices smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon water
pinch of brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a heavy skillet, cook the bacon pieces slowly over medium-low heat to release as much of their fat as possible. While the bacon cooks, combine the other ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Remove the crisp bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and reserve them. Pour the dressing ingredients into the hot skillet. Stir rapidly to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Pour the liquid boiling hot over the reserved greens, and toss to coat them thoroughly as they wilt. Divide the mixture between two plates, sprinkle the bacon pieces on top, and serve warm.

White Bean Soup With Country Ham

This recipe is the result of my attempt to duplicate the famous United States Senate bean soup, which has been served in the Senate dining room every day since 1903. The original was flavored with Smithfield ham hocks. I have substituted a small amount of country ham, in order to reduce the number of servings to 2. The recipe is easily multiplied, if you are feeding a crowd. Good bread, or cornbread, and a green salad would make a complete meal. You can buy country ham scraps in vacuum packs wherever country ham is available. Canned beans are a great convenience food. You can also start with dried beans, about a half cup, soaked overnight and cooked until tender.

White Bean Soup with Country Ham

2 Servings

2-3 ounces country ham scraps
2 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
A big pinch of saffron
1/2 cup diced peeled potatoes
1 can (15.4 ounces) Great Northern beans
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Carefully remove all the visible fat from the ham pieces and reserve it. Chop the ham into 1/2-inch pieces and reserve separately. Place 1 teaspoon of the oil in a small skillet and set it over medium heat. When the oil ripples, add the reserved ham fat and cook, turning now and then, until all the fat is rendered and the pieces are brown and crisp. Remove the ham cracklings with a slotted spoon and discard. Add the chopped ham and cook, turning once or twice, until the color has darkened and there are bits of brown on the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat, pour in the water, and stir to deglaze the skillet. Set the skillet aside and allow the contents to cool.

In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven heat the remaining oil  over medium low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook an additional minute or two. Pour the reserved contents of the skillet into the pan and adjust the heat to bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the saffron and potatoes, stir to combine, and cook, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the beans with their liquid, stir and heat through. Serve garnished with the parsley.

Comfort Food From the Past

The holidays are over and winter seems determined to keep the gardens dormant, despite a recent spate of record-setting warmth. Now is the season for comfort food. I have re-envisioned a recipe from the 1970s, when vegetarian diets were all the rage among counter-culture types. I have also scaled it down to four servings.

The original recipe calls for a crust made with butter and cream cheese. It was never the easiest pastry to handle, and it was seldom possible to make the pie turn out picture-perfect. That problem is circumvented by using any good commercial piecrust.

Note: it has been my experience that this recipe gets rave reviews from even those who claim not to enjoy cooked cabbage.

Russian Vegetable Galette

4 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup sliced onion

3 cups shredded cabbage (approximately)

Dried basil, marjoram, and tarragon

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

Salt and pepper

1 rolled piecrust
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 hard boiled eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until the onion begins to soften. Add the cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is wilted and bright green and the onion is translucent. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl to cool.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and all the mushrooms are darkened and tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the piecrust on the parchment. Spread the cream cheese in a circle in the center of the crust, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Slice the eggs into rounds and arrange them on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the chopped dill over the eggs.

Place the cooled cabbage and onion mixture over the eggs. Sprinkle with a pinch of each of the dried herbs. Arrange the mushrooms on top, again sprinkling with a pinch of herbs. Season the galette with another pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Fold the edges of the crust in toward the center, crimping and pleating as necessary. The finished galette will be about 8 inches in diameter. A 4-inch circle of filling will be exposed in the center.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until the pie is fragrant and the crust is nicely browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Leftovers should be cooled to room temperature and then stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. The galette reheats perfectly in a warm oven or in the microwave.

Dessert of Christmas Past

Nostalgia always seems fashionable at Christmastime. Here is a dessert that I first had in the 1950s. It was a specialty of my Aunt Juanita Tullock. She often made it for us to enjoy after dinner on Christmas Eve. Simple, light, and delicious, this dish would make a fine ending for any holiday meal. Because chilling is required, it can be done hours in advance, ideal when you are having guests and a million things to do to get ready.

The key to success lies in the double boiler technique. You want the bowl with the eggs sitting over, but not in, simmering water. If the water touches the bottom of the bowl, the eggs will curdle before the custard thickens. Apart from that, the recipe is foolproof. It can also be doubled successfully, if you have a crowd.

Aunt Juanita's Fluffy Boiled Custard

4 servings

6 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In the top of a double boiler or other suitable heatproof bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add the sugar and milk and mix well to combine. Place the egg mixture over simmering water and cook, stirring constantly, until it coats the spoon. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla extract, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. While the custard cools, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the custard. Refrigerate until chilled, and serve cold.

Three Rivers Is Back

After more than a decade off the grocery shelves, Three Rivers Cornbread Mix has returned, and cooks all over East Tennessee are celebrating. Folks of a certain age remember Three Rivers as the cornbread mix their mothers and grandmothers used.

Three Rivers was originally a product of White Lily Foods, a milling company that J. Allen Smith brought to Knoxville in 1873. The "three rivers" epithet refers to Knoxville's location near the confluence of the Holston and French Broad, which forms the Tennessee River.

In 2008, White Lily was purchased by Smucker's. They closed the Knoxville plant, but continued to produce the White Lily brand in two other mills in the Southeast. White Lily is made only from Southern soft summer wheat. This wheat has less protein and more starch than other varieties, and consequently has the ability to absorb more liquid or fat when used in a recipe. It therefore makes the flakiest biscuits and pie crusts imaginable.

The Three Rivers brand did not survive the transition to Smucker's initially. White Lily started making its own brand of cornbread mix. The mix was passable, but not at all like Three Rivers. Three Rivers has a higher proportion of cornmeal to wheat flour, and the cornmeal is more finely ground than in White Lily. The taste is different, also, with Three Rivers having a richer "corn" flavor.

Recently, the Three Rivers brand returned, making its way to Food City stores from a White Lily Foods distribution center in Jackson, Tennessee. A little searching revealed that Ingle's, a regional chain from Asheville, NC, has also begun carrying Three Rivers.

If you want to experience what cornbread is supposed to taste like, pick up a bag of Three Rivers, and use the following recipe:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet with oil or bacon drippings and place it in the oven. It needs to be smoking hot when you pour in the cornbread batter.

Put 2 cups of Three Rivers in a large bowl. In a second bowl, combine one egg, 1/4 cup oil, and 1 cup of whole milk. Make a well in the meal, and pour in the liquids all at once. Stir until combined, adding a little more milk if needed to make a thick, pourable batter.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Pour in the batter; it should sizzle. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sides have pulled away from the skillet. Cut into wedges and serve at once with plenty of butter.

The Relish Tray

I see that charcuterie and cheese boards are all the rage this season, and I am reminded of the old Southern tradition of serving a "relish tray" as part of a special occasion meal. Along with deviled eggs, a glass plate with a variety of colorful, crunchy homemade pickles was a regular feature of family holiday dinners when I was growing up.

You can always purchase pickles at the grocery store, but making your own is pretty simple. You can make homemade pickles now, and keep them in the refrigerator until Christmas or New Year's Eve. If you make a batch today, they will even be ready in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

Always select the prettiest, most nearly perfect produce for making pickles. Carefully wash and trim the vegetables and cut them into bite size pieces. Good choices include cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, celery, asparagus, turnips, squash (summer and winter), beets, parsnips, bell peppers and tomatoes. You can also make pickles out of berries and other fruits, although the procedure is a little different than the one for vegetables.

Wash and rinse a canning jar and place it in a warm oven to stay hot. Combine a cup of water and a cup of white vinegar with a tablespoon of salt in a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat, adding your choice of whole spices. Use any combination of mustard seeds, coriander, cloves, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, bay leaves and peppercorns. You need a teaspoon of spices for each pint of pickling liquid. You can also add garlic, hot peppers, and/or dill seeds or a dill head to a jar of pickles. Add them with the vegetables, rather than steeping them in the pickling liquid.

Bring the liquid to a simmer and allow it to bubble gently for 10 minutes while you pack the vegetables and flavorings into the hot jar. Pour the hot liquid over the contents of the jar. Allow it to sit for a moment to release air bubbles, or use a bamboo skewer to free air bubbles from the sides of the jar. Apply and lid and allow the jar to cool to room temperature. Place the jar in the refrigerator and wait a week before enjoying the pickles.

To pickle fruits or tomatoes, allow the pickling liquid to cool before pouring it over the contents of a room temperature jar. This works with whole berries, peeled and seeded tomato quarters, cherries, and stone fruits. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the pickling liquid for added sweetness, if you prefer.

Use an assortment of homemade pickles to create a colorful, traditional relish tray for your holiday table.

Shrimp and Grits

Here is a recipe that you can multiply at will for holiday entertaining. Like many good restaurant dishes, the secret to this one is advance preparation. Everything can be made ahead and kept warm, with the shrimp being grilled at the last minute.

I have shamelessly stolen the idea for this dish from one of Knoxville’s best restaurants, JC Holdway, located on Union Avenue.

If you are accustomed to the shrimp and grits, often featuring a heavy cheese sauce, that are offered up by chain restaurants, you are in for a treat. Adding cheese is anathema in the South Carolina Low Country where shrimp and grits likely originated. While this version differs from the traditional recipe, it nevertheless captures the richness of the original. The recipe seems complicated, but with a little prep, it comes together quickly.


2 servings, easily multiplied


6 large shrimp, unpeeled


For the shrimp stock reduction:

1 tablespoon chopped onion

¼ cup chopped celery with leaves


Seasoning mix:

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt


For the grits:

1 cup yellow corn grits (I used Yelton’s)

1 ½ cups water

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter


For the seafood hollandaise sauce:

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons shrimp stock reduction

¼ cup butter, in pats

1 teaspoon basil vinegar or lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper



                Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail segment intact and reserving the shells. Place the peeled shrimp on a plate and keep refrigerated.



                In a small saucepan combine the reserved shrimp shells, the onion and the celery. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently 1 hour. Strain the shrimp stock through a fine sieve, discarding the solids, and return it to the pan. Over gentle heat, reduce the stock to 2 tablespoons. Watch carefully as it reduces to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Measure the cooled reduction carefully. If you have less than two tablespoons, add water.



                Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve.



                Bring 1 ½ cups water and ½ teaspoon of salt to boil in a large saucepan. Add the grits, stirring well. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter. Remove from the heat and keep warm.



                In the top of a double boiler, place the egg yolks and shrimp stock reduction. Set the top over the bottom half, which should have 2-3 inches of water. Water should not touch the top half, or the eggs will curdle. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil, whisking. Adjust the heat so the water just simmers, and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Add the butter, one pat at a time, whisking to incorporate before adding another pat. Remove the top half of the boiler and whisk in the vinegar (or lemon juice) and white pepper. Keep the sauce warm.



                To finish the dish, spray a grill pan with cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat. Take the shrimp out of the refrigerator, sprinkle them with the seasoning mix, using as much or as little as you prefer, and place them on the hot pan. When the bottom side begins to turn opaque, flip the shrimp with tongs and cook them on the other side. Three or four minutes should be sufficient, depending upon the size of the shrimp.



                Place a dollop of grits on a heated plate. Set three of the grilled shrimp on top of the grits. Surround the grits with hollandaise sauce.



Notes: Chef Joseph Lenn at JC Holdway garnishes this dish with pickled tomatoes and microgreens. I happened to have pickled tomatoes I made last summer, but you could also use a dollop of salsa, or some canned tomatoes spiked up with a little vinegar and spices. Garnish with any fresh herb you happen to have. I used parsley, but tarragon or chives, both in season here in autumn, would also be good. Look for "stone ground" yellow corn grits. Several small suppliers in North Carolina make excellent products. Yelton's is my favorite, but use whatever good quality grits you have available.

Here in Tennessee, frozen seafood is usually better than "fresh" which is typically frozen seafood thawed by the store. I buy raw, unpeeled wild harvested North Carolina shrimp. It comes individually frozen in bags. I divide up a bag among smaller containers so I have shrimp in the freezer whenever I want it.

Fall Means Pear Season

As East Tennessee begins to feel some relief from summer heat, and the trees start to take on their autumn colors, produce bins fill with pears. Early arrivals are Bartlett, Red Bartlett, and Bosc (my favorite). Later, we will see Comice, and perhaps a few others.

In search of a good, easy recipe for pears, I found this one. I have tested it and made a few tweaks. If you want to read the original recipe, I have posted a link at the end.

This crust-less custard pie could not be simpler. Most of the prep time involves peeling and slicing the pears. You can use any suitable baking dish or pan for this pie, but you will need to adjust the baking time. I made the recipe in a 9-inch, well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

I always choose slightly under-ripe pears, as they tolerate shipping best. Place them in a basket on your kitchen counter and add a banana or two to help them ripen. They are perfect for this recipe when the "neck" yields slightly to gentle pressure.

Crust-less Pear Custard Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie.

Cooking spray
4 pears, firm ripe, any variety
3/4 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray.

Peel, core and slice the pears lengthwise, arranging the slices in the prepared skillet as you go.

Combine the remaining ingredients, in the order given, in the jar of a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the machine and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Pour the batter over the pears.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

Garnish with flavored sugar, powdered sugar, chopped fresh mint, or bits of candied or dried pear.

The original recipe and blog post can be found here.

Easy Late Summer Fish Provencal

Late summer brings new growth from tarragon and basil plants that were sheared earlier in the season. Here, I combine them with other summer flavors to create Fish Provencal. Feel free to tinker with the amounts of herbs and other flavorings as you see fit. I purchase frozen fish, which must be thawed before cooking. To thaw, remove all packaging and place fish in a zipper bag. Immerse the bag in a bowl of cold tap water in the sink. Turn on the tap and let it drizzle into the bowl, overflowing to the sink. Fish should thaw completely in 30 minutes.

Fish Provencal

2 Servings

vegetable oil or cooking spray
2 wild flounder filets
1 medium ripe tomato, cored
1 shallot, peeled
1 lemon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the inside of a foil-lined baking pan with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Place the flounder filets in the pan. Slice the tomato and arrange the slices on the fish. Slice the shallots crosswise and scatter the slices over the tomatoes. Slice four slices from the center of the lemon and remove all seeds. Place two slices on each fish filet. Squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon over the fish. Cut the other half of the lemon into two pieces and reserve to garnish the finished dish. Scatter the tarragon, basil, and half the parsley over the fish. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Take care not to overcook.

Transfer the fish to heated serving plates, sprinkle the remaining fresh parsley over, and garnish with a lemon wedge. Serve immediately.

A green salad, a glass of wine and good bread make this a complete meal.

August Abundance

My most recent book, Succulents At Home, will begin shipping on October 8. Reserve your copy here.

August brings an abundance of not only tomatoes, but of peaches, sweet corn, squash and cucumbers. Unfortunately, hot weather in some places drastically reduces the cucurbit crops, as pollen dies when the temperature soars above 90 degrees. Fruit and vine borers are also more abundant this time of year. Therefore, head to the farmer's market for the best the season has to offer.

Asian pears are in season in Tennessee during August, and the recipe I am sharing makes good use of them, along with arugula. You could substitute any other salad green for the arugula, but it does play very well with peanuts.

Consider this recipe a sneak preview of my newest book, Grow Food At Home, which is coming out in 2020.


Arugula Salad with Thai-Inspired Dressing

                The fat-free dressing makes this salad extra-light, ideal as the prelude to a summer supper. Another pear can be substituted, or try this recipe with fresh peaches.



Serves 2, easily doubled

2 cups loosely packed arugula leaves, rinsed and spun dry

1 small Asian pear

Juice of 2 limes

2 cloves garlic

1 cube of crystallized ginger, about ½ inch on a side

8 fresh mint leaves

1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

                Arrange half of the arugula on each of two chilled serving plates. Core the pear, slice it in half top to bottom, and cut each half into wedges, arranging them on the arugula. Combine the lime juice, garlic, ginger, mint, sugar and soy sauce in the jar of a blender and liquefy. Pour the dressing over the arugula and pear, using about half of it, and garnish the plate with the chopped peanuts. Serve at once.


My most recent book, Succulents At Home, will begin shipping on October 8. Reserve your copy here.

Tomato Season Has Arrived!

Most gardeners around here grow tomatoes, and now is the time when the avalanche begins. While some of the heirlooms may not begin bearing until August, depending upon when they were planted, virtually all of the cherry tomatoes and hybrid varieties that were transplanted in May are laden with ripe, juicy fruits.

Here are some ideas for using them in the kitchen. Don't forget, if you run out of ideas, just drop whole or quartered tomatoes into freezer containers and freeze them. After thawing later, the skins will slip off and you can use the tomatoes in soup, stew or sauce.

For a fresh summer pizza, brush dough with olive oil, spread lightly with ricotta, and top with thinly sliced tomatoes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and bake. You can add any other toppings of your choice. Also try fresh thyme sprigs in addition to, or in place of, the basil leaves.

Treat company or your family to my stuffed summer squash with white beans and tomatoes.

Another great way to enjoy tomatoes is in an old-fashioned tomato pie. You can find numerous recipes online, but all you really need is the basic concept, some fresh tomatoes, and staples found in most pantries. Line a tart pan, pie dish or springform pan with your favorite pastry dough. Brush the dough with olive oil, prick it in several places, and cover the bottom with parchment. Add pie weights or dry beans to keep the dough from puffing up, then blind bake in a 375-400 degree oven until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove weights and parchment.

Depending upon the baking container you have chosen, you will need varying amounts of tomato slices, cheese and custard. A good rule of thumb is to use 1/4 cup of half and half for each egg.

When the crust is ready sprinkle the bottom with grated cheese, such as parmesan or Gruyere, and then place a layer of tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with bits of fresh basil. Repeat until you have filled the crust, allowing about half an inch at the top for the filling to expand. Combine beaten eggs with half and half, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the tomato and cheese layers. Bake at 350 degrees until the custard is set and has a few brown spots on top. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is basically a quiche with tomatoes, and you can add other ingredients, such as capers, olives, toasted nuts, or bits of cooked ham or bacon, as you see fit. If your tomatoes are juicy, salt the slices lightly and allow them to drain thoroughly on paper towels before assembling the pie.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Try This Summertime Combination

Ah, summertime! Among the many pleasures of the summer months is the arrival of peaches, which are just now making their debut from South Carolina. Local peaches will arrive in late July.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh peaches is to grill them and then serve them with vanilla ice cream and basil syrup. Yes, basil syrup. The flavors of sweet summer herbs like basil, lemon balm, lemon verbena, mint and lavender pair beautifully with summer stone fruits.

To flavor a syrup with any fresh herb, collect a packed cup of the leaves of your herb of choice. Combine one cup of water and one cup of sugar with a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and allow to sit one minute. Stir in the herb leaves. Allow the syrup and leaves to cool to room temperature, then puree in a blender. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve and store it covered in the refrigerator.

That's all there is to it. Serve your herb syrup with any fresh fruit or a combination.

Pea Picking Time

Green Arrow makes huge pods.

Early June peas provide some good eating, even if they arrive early because of a warmer-then-usual month of May. I planted my favorite variety, Green Arrow, in the main raised garden bed last February. You may notice seed packets tell you to plant peas 2 inches deep. This is to protect them from severe cold while they decide when would be a good time to germinate. Seems they always manage to be up in time to mature by late May or early June.

Instead of installing a trellis, I plant pea seeds in a circle about one foot in diameter at the base of a large galvanized wire tomato cage. (The inverted cone type from the big-box store.) Training the plants on the cages is easy, and two such plantings will provide plenty of peas for fresh use and some to freeze.

Freshly shelled peas freeze perfectly if blanched for 3 minutes. Refresh them under cold tap water, drain well, pack into boxes or bags, label and freeze. I have not had good luck freezing either snow or snap peas, and we actually prefer the flavor of the old fashioned, English shelling peas. The extra effort to shell them is worth it.

When visiting friends in Colorado a while back, we had dinner at the Bentfork Grill in Ft. Collins. As an appetizer, we were served house-made sourdough bread, grilled, with house-made ricotta, fresh peas, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The peas had barely been cooked, and the dish was as good as it gets. When our homegrown peas, we find the same dish just as tasty with purchased ricotta.

Another good way to use fresh peas is to make soup. Cook peas and chopped onions in chicken broth, season to taste and puree in a blender. You can add cream to the puree to make a richer soup. Either way, garnish with cooked fresh peas, and the herb of your choice. Mint and tarragon are traditional, but feel free to experiment. This soup can be served hot or cold. The puree keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week.

Asparagus Quiche

We are almost at the end of the asparagus season in East Tennessee. Now is a good time to make asparagus quiche. It is great for a Sunday brunch, perfect for a spring picnic, and freezes perfectly, so you can take advantage of the current abundance, and enjoy the quiche later.

John’s Asparagus Quiche

                If you do not have a rectangular tart pan with removable bottom, you can make this in a 9-inch pie pan. You may need additional filling. The ratio is two tablespoons of cream for each egg.

4 servings

12 spears fresh asparagus

Crust for a 9-inch pie, homemade or store bought

Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated, about a half cup, more if you wish

3 eggs

6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

                Break off the lower end of the asparagus spears. Trim the spears to fit the width of the tart pan, about 4 inches per piece. (If using a round pie pan, leave the spears whole.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the asparagus, and cook for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and refresh the asparagus under cold running water, then drain well. Transfer the asparagus to a paper towel-lined tray and blot dry. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

                Line a 5 x 14-inch rectangular tart pan with removable bottom with the pie crust. If using a purchased crust, you may need to piece it together to fit the rectangle, as most of them are round. As long as you press firmly to seal any seams, this will work fine. Scatter the cheese in the bottom of the crust, covering it evenly.

                In a medium bowl, mix the eggs and cream until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper, and pour into the crust. Arrange the asparagus spears on the surface of the custard. (If using a round pan, place them like the spokes of a wheel.) Sprinkle the tarragon evenly over the top. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove the rim from the tart pan, and cut the quiche crossways into four serving pieces. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and warm slightly before serving.

                Quiche is better warm, rather than piping hot.

Bon appetit!

Asparagus Season

The first asparagus spears always seem to appear around Tax Day here in the Valley. This year has been no exception, and we are harvesting some top quality spears on a daily basis. Our asparagus is in a raised bed only 3 by 6 feet, and was started with 5 Jersey Giant plants about 10 years ago. Now having matured, the bed produces all the asparagus we care to eat for about 10 weeks.

Here are three of my favorite ways to prepare freshly harvested asparagus. For each recipe, I snap the spears by hand, allowing them to break at a natural point. The tough bottom ends of the stems can be used to make a delicious stock for the soup. Save up the stems from two or three pickings of asparagus, storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and you will have enough for about three cups of the delicious stock.

Asparagus Milanese
Poach the asparagus in simmering salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just tender. Transfer to a warmed plate, then top with a poached egg, grated parmesan, and a few sprinkles of salt and pepper.

Variation: Instead of poaching the eggs, scramble them in butter with some chopped fresh tarragon, or another fresh herb. Top each serving with a dollop of eggs and some additional fresh herb for garnish.

Pappardelle with Ricotta, Asparagus and Peas
Cut off the tips of the asparagus and cut the stalks into one-inch pieces. Drop the stalks into rapidly boiling salted water and cook for two minutes, add the tips and 1/2 cup of peas, fresh or frozen. Cook for one minute. Drain, then refresh in cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer the vegetables to a large heatproof bowl. Cook pappardelle in rapidly boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Combine the hot cooked pasta with the vegetables, and add 1/2 cup of ricotta. Stir to combine and create a creamy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve at once on heated plates.

Variation: Feel free to add garlic, green onions, herbs or any combination to this versatile dish.

Cream of Asparagus
Prepare asparagus stock by simmering the stalk ends from about one pound of spears in one quart of water, adding half a white onion, some parsley stems and a sprig of fresh tarragon. Simmer until reduced to 3 cups, about 45 minutes to one hour. Strain, discarding the solids. Keep warm. Meanwhile, cut the tips from the spears and reserve them. Chop the remainder of the spears into bite size pieces and reserve them separately from the tips. Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and melt a tablespoon of butter. Add some chopped onion and saute until it is translucent. Add the chopped asparagus spears and stir briefly to coat with the butter. Add the three cups of stock and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, add the tips of the spears, and cook one minute longer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of warmed heavy cream. Serve immediately, garnished with minced fresh tarragon or parsley.

Variation: Poach the asparagus tips separately in a little butter and reserve them to garnish the soup. After cooking the asparagus spears in the stock, puree the mixture in a blender before combining the puree with the cream and reheating to serving temperature.

Bon appetit!