Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2024 i Southern Cast Iron

With its rich culture, Louisiana is a major player when it comes to Southern food traditions. It’ll always hold a special place in our hearts, and one of our very own team members even called New Orleans home for many years. If you love Cajun and Creole cooking as much as we do, be sure to check out our sister publication Louisiana Cookin’, but until then, get a taste of the Bayou State by dog-earing your favorite recipes in this issue. (Last year’s was so popular we couldn’t wait to bring it back.) Get your fill of savory staples like hearty red beans and rice, gumbo every which way, and six sensational blackened seafood recipes starting on pages 35, 19, and 27, respectively. Your trusty cast-iron pieces serve as the…

Like many tales regarding the origin of treasured Southern dishes, there’s often a dispute about who or what place put it on the map. When it comes to fried dill pickles, one thing that isn’t questioned is who helped popularize the dish, and in this case, it’s Bernell “Fatman” Austin. His restaurant, the Duchess Drive-In, which was once in Atkins, Arkansas—conveniently located across from the Atkins Pickle Plant—started serving these delectable bites of fried goodness back in the early 1960s. Sadly, the Duchess Drive-In is no longer around, but the allure of achieving pickle perfection certainly lives on, captivating the hearts of Southerners and more one fresh-from-the-fryer batch at a time. While some choose to devour them in their purest form and others dunk them in a creamy dipping sauce…

QUICK RED BEANS AND RICE Makes about 8 cups 1 tablespoon canola oil1 pound andouille sausage, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices½ cup chopped yellow onion½ cup chopped red bell pepper½ cup chopped celery2 cups chicken stock2 (14-ounce) cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained1 cup reserved potlikker from Simmered Mixed Greens (recipe follows)2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning2 teaspoons hot sauce1 cup long-grain white riceGarnish: chopped fresh parsley 1. In a large cast-iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add stock, beans, potlikker, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce; bring to a boil. Add rice. Cover; reduce heat, and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired. SIMMERED…

SHRIMP & GRITS CASSEROLE Makes about 8 servings 4 cups chicken broth1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided1 cup yellow grits2 cups shredded fontina cheese½ cup half-and-half2 large eggs, lightly beaten1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes with mild green chiles, drained2 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons olive oil, divided1¼ cups chopped green onion1 cup chopped yellow onion1 cup chopped green bell pepper1 cup chopped red bell pepper1 teaspoon minced garlic1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on)Garnish: chopped green onion, chopped fresh parsley, quartered grape tomatoes 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. In a large saucepan, combine broth and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in grits. Cover; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and grits…

ASK ANY SOUTHERNER AND THEY’RE LIKELY TO PUT GRITS AT THE TOP OF THEIR COMFORT FOOD LIST. When made correctly, they’re creamy, sometimes cheesy, and certainly something every home cook should know how to whip up. But what are grits exactly? While the base ingredient, dried corn kernels from dent corn (a type of corn with a higher starch content), is the same in all varieties, the way it’s processed is what differentiates it. Grits can be stone-ground or milled, typically with a grist mill or steel rollers, and range in coarseness—a smaller, less-coarse grain will cook more quickly—depending on how much they’ve been processed. Traditional Stone-Ground Grits Consider this elite variety to be grits in its purest form. The grinding process, typically done on a grist mill, keeps the…

ROASTED PORK AND TASSO GUMBO Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 (4-pound) boneless Boston butt, untrimmed3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided2 tablespoons ground black pepper, divided3 tablespoons olive oil10 ounces tasso, chopped1 cup brown Stovetop Roux (recipe follows)1 cup chopped yellow onion1 cup chopped green onion1 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper1 cup chopped green bell pepper1 cup chopped celery¼ cup chopped seeded jalapeño2 tablespoons minced garlic1 (32-ounce) carton chicken broth2 (15-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes2 dried chile peppers¼ cup prepared mole sauce3 dried bay leavesHot cooked brown jasmine rice, to serveGarnish: chopped fresh cilantro 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. Rub pork butt with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Place, fat side up, in a roasting pan; tightly cover with foil.…

The scenic Highway 30A corridor situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast—simply known as 30A to generations of visitors—has long been one of the state’s most beloved vacation destinations. Renowned for pristine white sand beaches, the more than 20-mile-long stretch separate from Highway 98 is something of a quintessential Southern experience these days, but the area wasn’t always such a bustling beachside hub. Until the 1920s, only a handful of cottages dotted the shoreline. It was then that a few well-placed newspaper advertisements ushered in the initial surge in 30A’s popularity, but it still took another 50 years for substantial community and resort developments to take shape. Today, comfortably equipped cottages surround town centers set up exclusively for shops, dining, and entertainment. This layout means everything, including the beach, is never more…

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE COBBLER Makes about 8 servings 6 cups fresh strawberries, sliced⅓ cup plus ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon cornstarch2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting2½ teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon kosher salt6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided2 tablespoons coarse sugar 1. Preheat oven to 375°. 2. In a large bowl, combine strawberries, ¼ cup granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Spoon mixture into a 9-inch enamel-coated cast-iron skillet. 3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining ⅓ cup granulated sugar. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in ¾ cup cream until dough comes together. 4. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured…

The spirit of Southern hospitality runs as deep in Andy Marshall’s home state of Tennessee as it does anywhere else in the region. His culinary journey has not only carved a niche for itself but has also become a savory tale of success in the process. The prosperous restaurateur has a passion for pleasing palates and has woven a legacy as rich and diverse as the meals he serves at his establishments. The true depth of Andy’s prowess traces its origins back to his early years, when the kitchen became both a playground and a refuge. Raised by a single mother, Andy and his siblings experimented with meals, mastering the art of tuna casseroles and other makeshift recipes with what was available in the house. At the age of 13,…

BLACKENED FISH SANDWICHES WITH ROASTED SWEET POTATO WEDGES Makes 4 servings ½ cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon Creole seasoning1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish2 teaspoons red wine vinegar1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley1 teaspoon hot sauce2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 tablespoon Blackening Rub (recipe on page 33)4 (4-ounce) skinless grouper or catfish filletsToasted French breadGreen leaf lettuceSliced tomatoRoasted Sweet Potato Wedges (recipe follows), to serve 1. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, Creole seasoning, relish, vinegar, parsley, and hot sauce until combined; cover and refrigerate. 2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. 3. Sprinkle Blackening Rub all over fish. Add fish to skillet, and cook until firm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat. 4. Spread mayonnaise mixture onto toasted bread, and top with lettuce,…

BEIGNETS WITH CHOCOLATE-ORANGE SAUCE Makes about 30 6 tablespoons warm water (105° to 110°)1½ teaspoons active dry yeast3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting2½ tablespoons granulated sugar¾ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg⅛ teaspoon baking soda¾ cup whole buttermilk, room temperature2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 large egg, lightly beaten½ teaspoon vanilla extractPeanut oil, for fryingConfectioners’ sugar, for dustingChocolate-Orange Sauce (recipe follows) 1. In a small bowl, stir together 6 tablespoons warm water and yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together flour, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda by hand. Add yeast mixture, buttermilk, butter, egg, and vanilla; using the paddle attachment, beat at low speed just until a dough forms. 3. Switch to the dough hook…

“Louisiana has an incredible diversity of outdoors to it—especially when it comes to wild pursuits like hunting and fishing—and it’s small enough for where it doesn’t take you long to get wherever you want. But my point is that the outdoors is so accessible, not just from a density of hunting and fishing but also logistically where things lie in the state; you can really find a place to hunt and fish anywhere.”—JEAN-PAUL BOURGEOIS Growing up in south Louisiana afforded me certain traditions that many folks would consider to be not just unique but a luxury. By “luxury,” I don’t mean monetarily expensive or lavish but luxury in the small, everyday moments, which, as a young man, I often overlooked and took for granted. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and foraging often…

Breads and Doughs Beignets with Chocolate-Orange Sauce 52 Cinnamon-Sugar Beignets 53 Cinnamon-Sugar Puffs 74 Classic Beignets 52 Creamy Crawfish Beignets 57 Crumble Topping 74 Praline Cream-Filled Beignets 56 Raspberry Beignets 58 Condiments, Sauces, and Toppings Blackening Rub 33 Candied Pecans 55 Caramel Sauce 56 Chocolate-Orange Sauce 52 Comeback Sauce 33 Pickled Shallots 39 Praline Cream Filling 56 Spicy Dipping Sauce 15 Stovetop Roux 22 Tomato Relish 64 Vanilla Glaze 55 Desserts Apricot-Raspberry Cobbler with Buttermilk Biscuits 74 Hummingbird Crumble 71 Peach and Whiskey Cobbler 74 S’mores Crumble 74 Strawberry Shortcake Cobbler 71 Walnut-Blackberry Jam Pies with Crumble Topping 74 Mains 4 P’s Pinwheel Skirt Steak 88 30-Minute Gumbo 25 Blackened Catfish Cakes 33 Blackened Catfish with Cauliflower Rice 33 Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges 31 Blackened Grouper…