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Soulfood Sunday

Side Dishes

Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins

by Alexander Smalls

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INGREDIENTS

  • Nonstick cooking spray (optional)

  • ½ cup/70 grams fine cornmeal, preferably white (see Tip)

  • ½ cup/64 grams all-purpose flour

  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon fine salt

  • ¼ cup/60 milliliters whole milk

  • ¼ cup/60 milliliters buttermilk

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 large eggs

  • ¾ cup/90 grams fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

 

PREPARATION

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Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or coat with nonstick spray.

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In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, coriander, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk, buttermilk, and oil, then whisk in the eggs until the batter is smooth. Stir in the corn until well combined. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

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Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

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***Try to find Dixie Lily or White Lily brands of fine white cornmeal and avoid coarse or stone-ground cornmeal.***

Mixed Greens with Smoked Turkey
by Catherine Fulmer-Hogan

 

 

INGREDIENTS

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  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil

  • 2 Vidalia (Sweet) Onions - chopped

  • 3 Garlic Cloves - minced

  • 2 Bunches Collards

  • 2 Bunches Kale

  • 2 Bunches Lacinato Kale

  • 2 Bunches Turnip Greens

  • 2 Smoked Turkey Necks

  • 4 cups Chicken Stock

  • 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar

  • 1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS

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Step 1

Soak greens in cold water for 10 minutes and swish them around to remove any bugs, sand and debris.

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Step 2

Remove the spine from the greens and chop them into 3-inch pieces. Set aside.

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Step 3

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until they start to become translucent. Add the garlic and gently sauté for another 2 minutes.

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Step 4

Add the turkey necks to the pot and let them sauté with the onions and garlic for another 3 minutes, constantly moving them around the pan.

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Step 5

Add the greens to the pot a little at a time and let them wilt a bit. Keep tossing them to make certain nothing burns. If there is not enough liquid, add a bit of the chicken stock. Repeat this process until all the greens are in the pot.

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Step 6

Add the remaining stock to the pot. Place the lid on and continue to cook until the greens are tender and dark green, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Add the hot sauce and vinegar and serve.

Southern Baked Mac & Cheese

 

Preheat Oven:  350 degrees

 

INGREDIENTS

 

  • 1 - 1 lb.  box of Elbow Macaroni (you may want to use a box and ¼ to 1/2 - you be the judge)

  • 1 - package of Kerry Gold Butter

  • 1 - 8 oz. bar of Monterey Jack Cheese

  • 2 - 8oz. bars of Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Yellow - (You can use the bagged stuff but I will have no respect for you)

  • 1 - 8oz bar of Sharpo Cheddar - White

  • 1 - 8oz package of Cream Cheese

  • 1 - 16os. Package of Velveta, cubed

  • 1.- 8oz package of Mozzarella

  • ½ cup Sour Cream

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 - stick Kerry Gold Butter

  • ½ cup flour

  • 1 ½ cup whole milk plus an additional ½ cup whole milk(put to the side)

  • 1 cup half-and-half

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SEASONINGS

 

  • 1 tsp. -  Black Pepper

  • ½ TBSP. - Season Salt

  • 1 tsp. - Paprika (I liked the sweet smoked kind - get some good stuff)

  • 1 tsp. -  Creole Seasoning

  • 2 1/2 TBSP. - Sweetened Condensed Milk (don’t ask)


 

DIRECTIONS

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Prepare the macaroni per the instructions on the box and set aside. Do not rinse the noodles.

 

Melt butter. When fully melted, add flour Stir until completely combined and that floury taste is gone.

 

Then add, 1 ½ cup - whole milk, while mixing constantly. 

 

Then add 1 cup Half-and-Half. 

 

When the mixture starts to thicken, add all the cheeses, leaving out one of the 8oz. of yellow sharp cheddar, that is for the top of the dish at the end.

 

Then add in the ½ cup of Sour Cream.

 

Then add all the seasonings.

 

Then add the 2 ½  TBSP. of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

 

This will be a thick sauce so skip arm day at the gym and get a good spoon. Add the additional  ½ cup whole milk.

 

Beat three large eggs well. Add them to the resting macaroni and stir to coat well. This helps the cheese sauce adhere to the macaroni and set well.

 

Add cheese mixture little by little to the macaroni, stirring well.

 

When you have added all the cheese mixture to the macaroni, smooth it out so that your surface is even and clean up the sides of the baking dish. 

 

Add a couple of shakes of that good paprika I told you about, all over the top(easy though for the sensitive folks)

 

Add the last 8oz. of sharp cheddar to the top of the dish, making sure to cover it well and evenly.

 

Add a ½ stick Kerry gold butter cubed up, on top of the macaroni and cheese. 

 

Place in a 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Be careful not to let the top burn. 

 

Instruct the masses where to construct the altar they will no doubt build in your honor. Enjoy!

Vegan Collard Greens

by Donnetta Johnson

 

You will enjoy this modern revision of this African and African American soul food classic. With this delicious and visually stunning recipe, improvisation is key. Use whatever greens are in season and be sure to experiment with seasonings! This recipe is great as a stand-alone or paired with salmon or other meat or meatless favorites.

 

Recipe (6 - 8 servings)

Steamer pot with top

Equipment: Wok or larger cast Iron frying pan

 

INGREDIENTS

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  • 4 bunches of fresh Collard (you may add turnip greens, Swiss Chard, Kale or any green you like. Be aware that collards may require additional cooking time) 

  • 4- 6 cloves of fresh garlic

  • 1 medium red onion

  • 1 small sweet onion

  • 2 red radishes (optional)

  • 1 large reg pepper

  • 1 jalapeno pepper or other hot (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon of kosher sea salt or pink salt

  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne (optional)

  • 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

  • 1/2 teaspoon of smoky paprika (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons of non-salt seasoning blend (I prefer Kirkland Signature's Organic No-Salt Seasoning)

  • 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

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DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large covered steamer pot - steam collards for 30 minutes or until tender. You may add additional greens to the steamer later in the cooking cycle as more tender greens (like Chard) will require less cooking time.  

  2. While greens are steaming, Heat Wok or large cast iron frying pan to high heat. Add 1/2 of oil and add 2 slices of garlic to season the oil. Remove and discard the crispy garlic. 

  3. Add onions , red pepper, remaining garlic, radishes  and 1/2 of the seasoning to the pan. Saute for 10 minutes and set aside. While slight charring is desirable, be careful not to overcook. Remove the veggies and set aside.

  4. Add steamed greens to hot Wok with remaining seasonings. Saute to integrate all seasoning. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Slight charring may be desirable.

  5. Return set-aside veggies to the pot and mix together. 

New Year's Day Black-Eyed Peas
by Dr. Rosetta Treece

 

 

INGREDIENTS

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  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  • 1 large Vidalia onion

  • 3 cloves garlic chopped

  • 1 (16 oz.) bag of dried black-eyed peas

  • Smoked meat (amount to preference), ie. ham hocks or smoked turkey

  • 6-8 cups chicken broth

  • Red pepper flake

  • Black pepper (optional)

  • Clean coin for luck!

 

DIRECTIONS

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Preparation the night before:

Sort & wash the black-eyed peas. Please them in a bowl and cover with cool water. Soak overnight.

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Step 1

Place smoked meat in a pot. Add about 1 cup of water and cover with a top. Bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes to release the flavor of the meat. This dish can be made vegetarian by substituting liquid smoke to taste instead of the meat.

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Step 2

In a large pot, add in 2 Tbsp of olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until tender.

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Step 3

Add in smoked meat along with the water the meat was boiled in.

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Step 4

Add black-eyed peas and chicken broth.

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Step 5

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until black-eyed peas are tender.

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Step 6

Remove from heat and let sit covered for about 10-15 minutes.

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Step 7

Season with red pepper & black pepper if desired.

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Step 8

Place a clean coin in the pot and stir (traditionally this is a penny), optional.

 

In the African American soulfood tradition, it was customary to have a big dinner on New Year's Day. Black-eyed peas were believed to bring financial prosperity. A coin was stirred into the pot and whomever ended up with it in their serving of black-eyed peas was believed to have some sort of windfall in the New Year.                               

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