CORN STOCK and CORN BROTH

The second version is called “corn broth,” but one might dub it “corn cream” because it’s almost as rich and hearty as the dairy variety. 

Corn Stock

4 corn cobs, kernels removed
water to cover

Put cobs in a stock pot and just enough water to cover them by half an inch. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer slowly until the corn flavor is extracted into the broth, about an hour.

Corn Broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 cups fresh corn kernels
½ cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups corn stock

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then add corn, onions, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until corn is tender. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a blender along with the cup corn stock. Blend until smooth. Then strain into a bowl or storage container. Use immediately or store in refrigerator up to three days.

CORN PASTA

CORN PASTA

1 pound angel hair or other thin pasta
2 cups cooked sweet corn kernels (fresh is best, but frozen will work in a pinch)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon zest
Parmesan cheese for serving
grilled shrimp or chicken, if desired 

In a medium saute pan, toast the corn over medium heat just until it starts to brown and is fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Add the corn kernels to this mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with hot pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

CORN and RED PEPPER PUDDING

Corn and Red Pepper Pudding

1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 ounce package frozen creamed corn
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sage, chopped
2 large egg whites
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300˚F. Butter a 2 quart baking dish and place it inside a roasting pan.

Separate the yolks from two eggs and set aside egg whites for later. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Add the corn (thawed), bell pepper, onion and sage. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Whip egg whites to soft peaks and fold into corn mixture. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Place the roasting pan and baking dish into the oven. Pour hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, until pudding is light golden brown.

Serve while still hot.

Note: Chopped pimientos or jarred roasted red peppers can be used instead of bell peppers. The water bath may seem like extra trouble but really creates a smoother pudding texture.

CHICKEN AND CORN FRITTERS

CHICKEN AND CORN FRITTERS

Miss Hattie’s Cafe & Saloon in San Angelo
serves these fritters as an appetizer.




Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (recipe follows)
2 c. frozen corn, thawed
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced and seeded
1/2 poblano pepper, diced and seeded
8 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
2 T. Creole seasoning (such as Zatarain’s or Tony Chachere’s)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 c. chopped fresh green chiles
2 c. waffle mix
1 1/2 c. beer
vegetable oil


Prepare Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, and keep warm. Combine corn and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. Combine waffle mix and beer, and add to corn mixture. Mix well, thickening with flour, if needed, to hold mixture together. Pour about 1/4 c. batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Turn fritters once, removing when both sides are brown. Place about 1/4 c. Roasted Red Pepper Sauce on a plate, and top with fritter. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.


Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
3 red bell peppers, roasted
1/4 yellow onion
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 T. chicken base (a concentrated-chicken-stock paste sold in large supermarkets)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 1/2 c. heavy cream
Salt

Place roasted peppers in a paper bag to steam for 10-15 minutes; remove skins when cool. Remove seeds, and purée. Remove from blender, and set aside. Place onion, garlic, chicken base, and cumin in a blender, and purée; set aside. Pour cream into a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil. Immediately stir in both reserved mixtures. Add salt to taste. Yield: Enough sauce for 8 fritters.

HOT SAUCE CHICKEN with ROASTED CORN

Hot-sauce chicken with roasted corn

 1 tablespoon ginger, grated

 1/4 cup hot sauce (we used Crystal)

 2 tablespoons honey

 1 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 teaspoon onion powder

 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimenton)

 4 chicken thighs (bone-in skin-on)

 8 chicken wings

 1/4 cup olive oil

 4 corn cobs, husks removed

 Sour cream and coriander leaves, to serve

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Combine ginger, hot sauce and honey in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Brush the chicken with 2 tbs oil, then add to the powder mixture and toss to coat. Place on a baking paper-lined baking tray and roast for 20 minutes or until light golden.

Remove chicken from oven and baste with hot-sauce mixture. Return to oven and roast, basting and turning chicken every 10 minutes, for a further 30-35 minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile, brush corn with remaining 1 tbs oil and season. Place on a baking tray and place in the oven, on the bottom shelf, for the final 30 minutes of cooking. Remove chicken and set aside, loosely covered with foil, while you slice the corn. Serve the chicken with corn and sour cream, and garnish with coriander.

MAQUE CHOUX

Maque Choux

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup seeded and chopped green bell pepper

4 cups corn kernels (canned, fresh, or frozen, thawed)

1 medium-size ripe tomato, peeled and chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon TABASCO® brand Original Red Sauce

Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the corn, tomato, salt and TABASCO® Sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the corn is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes about 4 servings

STEWED CORN and TOMATOES

Stewed Corn and Tomatoes

3/4 cup chicken stock
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped with tops
1 tsp. Salt
hot sauce to taste
3 ½ to 4 cups fresh corn
16 oz. Can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped, reserve the liquid.
1/4 cup bacon drippings

Saute green onions, onions and garlic in bacon drippings. When onions are soft (but not brown) add corn, green pepper, tomatoes, tomato liquid, stock and hot sauce. Cook over medium heat. Add salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until corn is tender. 
Serves 6.

CORN PUDDING

Ms. Alberta’s Corn Pudding

Natchez, Mississippi

12 to 13 ears fresh corn, husks removed, that’s about 6 cups of fresh, frozen or canned versions.

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 1/4 t.p. Salt

6 eggs

2 cups cream

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut kernels from cobs into a large bowl to equal about 6 cups. Scrape milk and remaining pulp from cobs, discard cobs.

Combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together eggs, whipping cream and sugar mixture. Whisking until smooth. Stir in corn. Pour mixture into lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

9 Servings

BOBBY SEALE RECIPES

HICKORY-QUED SALMON STEAKS

6 salmon steaks (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut 3/4 inch thick

4 cups Hickory Butter Lime Baste-Marinade (recipe follows)

1/2 pound hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

Lemon pepper seasoning, seasoning salt (from shakers)

TO PREPARE HICKORY BUTTER LIME BASTE-MARINADE

1/3 cup (3 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1/4 cup fresh lime juice, seeded

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon each liquid onion, liquid garlic

1 teaspoon each dry rosemary, crushed chives, lemon pepper seasoning, paprika, seasoning salt

1/2 cube butter or margarine

3 cups water

Set aside butter or margarine. Combine all other ingredients with water in a 2-quart pot on high heat. Stir and bring to a quick boil. Remove from heat. Strain and separate out 1 1/2 cups to baste-soak hickory wood chips. Add butter or margarine to remaining hot baste-marinade, stirring to melt.

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in reserved baste for 20 minutes and drain. Spread soaked chips over a close bed of 3-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out.

TO MARINATE SALMON STEAKS 

Pour buttered marinade over steaks in a rimmed container, covering both sides. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning and rearranging steaks for thorough marinating. Remove steaks from marinade and drain. (Retain used marinade for pit basting.) Place steaks on double-strength aluminum foil, turn up edges, and seal corners to make 2 or 3 shallow foil pans.

PIT BASTING

When pit fire is ready, place steaks in foil pans on grill 4 to 6 inches above pit fire. Liberally brush-baste every 3 to 5 minutes for 25 minutes. (Adjust dampers half open and close pit cover after each basting.) Steaks are done when they readily flake when poked with a fork in thickest portion. 

Makes 6 servings 

SMOKED SPICY HOT BARBEQUE CHICKEN

2 fryer broiler chickens, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds each, cut in quarters or eighths)

1 quart Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

3 cups Spicy Hot Chicken Sauce (recipe follows)

3 cups hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

TO PREPARE SPICY HOT CHICKEN SAUCE

3 cups V-8 juice

1/3 cup (3 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup hot jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

1 cup Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart pot. Stir thoroughly and boil gently for 25 minutes on medium heat, covered, stirring periodically. With a final stir remove from heat. 

Yields approximately 1 quart

TO MARINATE CHICKEN 

Place chicken pieces in sizable pot or bowl or use a plastic bag set in a rimmed container. Pour 1/2 quart of baste-marinade to submerge chicken. Cover pot or bowl or twist-tie plastic bag. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Turn occassionally for thorough marinating. 

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in 1 cup of Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade for 30 minutes and drain. Evenly spread soaked chips over a close bed of 40-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out.

PIT BASTING 

When pit fire is ready, remove chicken pieces from marinade and drain. (Retain used marinade and strain through a fine sieve for pit basting.) Place chicken pieces on lightly greased pit grill 4 to 6 inches above pit fire. Brush or spray-baste, browning and turning frequently for 50 minutes or until chicken is done the way you like it. Test to be sure the meat near bone is no longer pink when forked. Brush on Spicy Hot Hickory Chicken Sauce or tong-dip chicken pieces in sauce pot 2 or 3 times during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with remaining sauce. 

Makes 8 servings 

HICKORY-QUICK BARBEQUE BASTE-MARINADE

When you don't have a lot of leisure time but have a craving, try the following barbeque baste recipe for pit-baste smoking. It gives a hickory-smoke flavor to almost any meat or poultry entree you desire.

1 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, seeded (use rinds cut up in pot)

3/4 to 1 cup (6 to 8 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1 cup red cooking wine (optional)

1 tablespoon each liquid garlic and liquid onion (or chop

2 onions)

1 cup Worcestershire sauce or 1/2 cup of Teriyaki sauce

1 cup apple juice or cranberry juice

1 quart of water

Combine all ingredients with water in a 4 quart pot on medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil, cover and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain off lemon rinds or any cooked onions. Refrigerate if not ready to use immediately as hot marinade.

Strain and use in spray bottle for basting pit-smoked meats, especially pit grilled pork ribs, beef ribs, pork chops, pork and beef steaks, lamb chops, poultry, grilled burgers, and pork and beef roasts. The spray-basting also helps control flames in the pit-fire when not overused. For a real hickory-smoke flavor, pre-soak any amount of hickory wood chips in a cup or so of this basic marinade.

Yields 11/2 quarts

NOTE: Marinate meat in 200-degree hot marinade for 20 minutes for super-quick and tasty results.

SAUCY-QUED COUNTRY-STYLE RIBS

[Salt Free]

3 pounds country-style ribs

1 teaspoon (approximately) each: black pepper, onion powder, parsley flakes, blended seasoning (no salt, sugar, or MSG), celery seed, cayenne red pepper (from shaker)

1 1/2 quarts No salt Quick Baste-Marinade 

1 quart Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce

1/2 pound hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

TO PREPARE NO SALT QUICK BASTE-MARINADE

1 cup cider or red wine vinegar

1 cup fresh lemon juice, seeded

1/2 cup (4 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

2 tablespoons liquid garlic or 1 garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons liquid onion or 1 cup finely chopped onions 

2 bay leaves

1 quart water

Combine all ingredients in a 3-quart pot on high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Yields 1 1/2 quarts

TO MARINATE RIBS 

Place ribs in a tight-fitting container or in a sturdy plastic bas set in a rimmed pan. Pour half of baste-marinade over ribs. Cover container or twist-tie plastic bag. Marinate for 4 hours at room temperature or refrigerate over-night. Turn occasionally for thorough marinating.

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in a 2 cups baste-marinade for 30 minutes and drain. Spread soaked chips over a close bed of 40 to 50 white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into fire until flames are out. 

SEAR SEASONING 

When pit-fire is ready, remove ribs from marinade and drain. Retain and strain used marinade for pit spray-basting.) From shakers, sprinkle medium coats of blended seasoning, onion powder, celery seed, parsley flakes, black pepper, and cayenne pepper on both sides of ribs. With fingers and hands press seasonings into meat. Place ribs on lightly greased grill 4 to 6 minutes above hot pit fire. Sear and brown for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, sealing in coated seasonings.

PIT BASTING 

Turn and spray-or brush-baste browned ribs every 10 minutes for 60 minutes or until done the way you like them. Tong-dip ribs in Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce every 5 minutes during last 30 minutes of cooking time. Serve with remaining heated sauce. 

Makes 4 to 6 servings 

SAUCY HICKORY PIT-QUED CHICKEN

[SALT FREE]

2 boiler-fryer chickens, quartered

1 1/4 quart Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce

1/2 cup each: pure hickory liquid smoke, red wine vinegar, fresh seeded lemon juice

2 cups lukewarm water

6 to 8 cups hickory wood chips, water soaked

TO MARINATE CHICKEN QUARTERS 

Combine 2 cups Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce, the liquid smoke, vinegar, and lemon juice in slightly headed water and stir thoroughly. Place chicken in sizable container and pour saucy marinade over it. Marinate for 3 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Turn occasionally for thorough marinating.

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in water for 20 minutes and drain. Spread half of soaked chips over a close bed of 50-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out. Add second half of soaked chips midway through total cooking time. Adjust vents half open. 

PIT BASTING
When pit fire is ready remove chicken from saucy marinade and drain slightly. (Retain used marinade for pit basting.) Turn and baste or tong-dip in marinade every 10 minutes (closing pit cover after each basting) for 60 minutes or until meat is no longer pink near bone. Brush on Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce every 10 minutes during last 30 minutes of cooking. Serve with remaining heated sauce. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

HICKORY-HERBAL BARBEQUE SAUCE

[Salt Free, Sugarless]

This is just one of Bobby's recipes available which is salt free and sugarless. It is a special sauce used for barbeques. The recipe emphasizes the use of herbs, fruits, vegatables and certain spices to create this wonderful barbeque sauce.

Vegetables and Fruit

1/2 cup each: onions, scallions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, finely chopped

4 medium-size tomatoes, chopped

1 medium-size green cooking apple, chopped

1 each: garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup hot green chili peppers, chopped [or less to taste]

Staples

1 tablespoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, spicy dry mustard

1 tablespoon each: black pepper, ground red chili pepper, celery flakes, 

parsley flakes, crumbled or powdered bay leaves, rosemary

1 teaspoon each: ground clove, ground ginger, basil

2 tablespoons or 3 cubes beef bouillon

Liquids

1 cup [8 ounces] pure hickory liquid smoke

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup each: lemon juice and lime juice, seeded

1/4 cup salt-free prepared mustard

1/2 cup dry cooking sherry cooking

3 cups water

Blender puree all vegetables and fruit together, rinsing blender contents with the 3 cups water into a quart pot on high heat [include water]. Add staple and liquid ingredients. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Boil gently uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, and covered for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently, for a total cooking time of 1 hour. Sauce should have thickened a little by then; cook longer if needed. Remove sauce from heat until ready to use, or store in refrigerator.

Uncle Tom’s BBQ Baste-Marinade

Vegetables

1 cups chopped onions

1 cups chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup chopped scallions (green onions)

1 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped hot peppers (optional)

Rinds of 5 to 6 lemon cut up (hold seeded lemon juice for liquid ingredients)

2 cloves garlic minced

Liquids

1 cup (8 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

      (use 1 1/2 cups for stronger flavor)

1 l/2 cups red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 quart apple juice

1 cup lemon juice (5 to 6 medium-size lemons)

4 quarts water

Staples

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons seasoning salt

2 teaspoons onion parsley salt

1 teaspoon garlic parsley salt

3 bay leaves

Place water in an 8-quart pot on high heat. Add all vegetable and staple ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stew for 45 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain off all stewed ingredients from liquid, and stir in all liquid ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 7 minutes, covered. Remove from heat. Room-temperature cool is fine for marinating meat for a few hours, and a 200-degree hot marinade is excellent for a quick one hour marinating.

Yields 4 quarts plus

​NOTES: For a stronger, more pungent baste-marinade, use only 3 quarts of water. For stronger still, use only 2 quarts.

​- You can prepare baste-marinade as much as a week in advance. Put it in a covered nonmetal container and store in refrigerator.

This 4-quart plus recipe of my Uncle Tom's all-purpose baste-marinade is enough for a barbeque cookout of ribs for 10 to 15 people. Uncle Tom's Baste-Marinade can also be used to marinate and pit-baste barbequed pork shoulders, butts, pork steaks, chops, poultry, and lamb.

Uncle Tom's Hickory Smoked "Bobby-Qued" Ribs

Sear Seasonings

1 tablespoon [approximately] each:

ground black pepper

garlic parsley salt

onion powder

onion parsley salt

paprika

celery seed

TO MARINATE RIBS

    With a meat cleaver, crack thick gristle bone in 4 to 5 places on each slab of ribs. Place slabs [whole or halved] in a sizable aluminum roasting pan or use a sturdy plastic bag set in a rimmed pan. Pour in approximately 1 quart of baste-marinade to submerge ribs. Cover pan or twist-tie plastic bag, pulling twist-tie in close to submerge the ribs. Marinate for 3 hours at room temperature, turning occasionally, or refrigerate overnight. A 24-hour refrigerated marinating gives excellent results. If using an aluminum or roasting pan, a hot, 200-degree, 30-minute marinating just before barbequing is also excellent.

PIT FIRE

    Presoak hickory wood chips in 2 to 3 cups of baste-marinade for 30 minutes and let chips drain slightly before they are used. Spread half of soaked chips over a closed bed of 60 to 80 white-hot charcoal briquettes. Let wood chips burn into pit fire until flames are out. Midway through 3 hour cooking time spread second half of chips over an additional 30-odd white-ash-hot briquettes. When ribs are placed on grill close cover and adjust pit damper vents three-fourths open.

SEAR SEASONING

As pit fire gets ready remove ribs from marinade and drain. [Retain used marinade and strain through a fine sieve for spray basting over pit.] From shakers, sprinkle light coats of black pepper, garlic parsley salt, onion powder or onion parsley salt, paprika, and celery seed on both sides of ribs. With fingers and hands press and rub seasonings into meat. Place ribs on lightly greased grill 4 to 6 inches above hot pit fire. Sear and brown, seal in

coated seasonings for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. For complete searing, rearrange slabs as they brown and close pit cover after turning.

PIT BASTING

    Liberally brush or spray-baste browned ribs and turn and baste again every 10 to 15 minutes for 3 hours. Close cover after each basting. To control any pit flames lightly spray douse them with baste or water and/or adjust damper vents three-fourths closed for a couple of minutes. Constant basting over a pit fire kept at 250 to 300 degrees is necessary for juicy, tender, moist hickory-smoked spareribs.

SAUCING

    During last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time brush on sauce or tong-dip cut ribs in sauce every 10 minutes [close pit cover after each saucing], or brush sauce on whole slabs every 10 minutes, then cut into single pieces. Serve with heated sauce.

Makes 7 to 12 servings

Makes 6 servings 

SMOKED SPICY HOT BARBEQUE CHICKEN

2 fryer broiler chickens, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds each, cut in quarters or eighths)

1 quart Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

3 cups Spicy Hot Chicken Sauce (recipe follows)

3 cups hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

TO PREPARE SPICY HOT CHICKEN SAUCE

3 cups V-8 juice

1/3 cup (3 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup hot jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

1 cup Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart pot. Stir thoroughly and boil gently for 25 minutes on medium heat, covered, stirring periodically. With a final stir remove from heat. 

Yields approximately 1 quart

TO MARINATE CHICKEN 

Place chicken pieces in sizable pot or bowl or use a plastic bag set in a rimmed container. Pour 1/2 quart of baste-marinade to submerge chicken. Cover pot or bowl or twist-tie plastic bag. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Turn occassionally for thorough marinating. 

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in 1 cup of Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade for 30 minutes and drain. Evenly spread soaked chips over a close bed of 40-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out. 

PIT BASTING 

When pit fire is ready, remove chicken pieces from marinade and drain. (Retain used marinade and strain through a fine sieve for pit basting.) Place chicken pieces on lightly greased pit grill 4 to 6 inches above pit fire. Brush or spray-baste, browning and turning frequently for 50 minutes or until chicken is done the way you like it. Test to be sure the meat near bone is no longer pink when forked. Brush on Spicy Hot Hickory Chicken Sauce or tong-dip chicken pieces in sauce pot 2 or 3 times during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with remaining sauce. 

Makes 8 servings 

HICKORY-QUICK BARBEQUE BASTE-MARINADE

When you don't have a lot of leisure time but have a craving, try the following barbeque baste recipe for pit-baste smoking. It gives a hickory-smoke flavor to almost any meat or poultry entree you desire.

1 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, seeded (use rinds cut up in pot)

3/4 to 1 cup (6 to 8 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1 cup red cooking wine (optional)

1 tablespoon each liquid garlic and liquid onion (or chop

2 onions)

1 cup Worcestershire sauce or 1/2 cup of Teriyaki sauce

1 cup apple juice or cranberry juice

1 quart of water

Combine all ingredients with water in a 4 quart pot on medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil, cover and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain off lemon rinds or any cooked onions. Refrigerate if not ready to use immediately as hot marinade.

Strain and use in spray bottle for basting pit-smoked meats, especially pit grilled pork ribs, beef ribs, pork chops, pork and beef steaks, lamb chops, poultry, grilled burgers, and pork and beef roasts. The spray-basting also helps control flames in the pit-fire when not overused. For a real hickory-smoke flavor, pre-soak any amount of hickory wood chips in a cup or so of this basic marinade.

Yields 11/2 quarts

NOTE: Marinate meat in 200-degree hot marinade for 20 minutes for super-quick and tasty results.

CRANBERRYAPPLE BASTE MARINADE FOR TURKEY

2 qts cranberry juice

1 qt apple juice

3/4  cup liquid smoke

1/2 c red wine vinegar or red wine

1/2 c fresh lemon juice

4 qts water

1cup each

Chopped celery

Chopped Onions 

Chopped bell pepper

Grated carrots

1 cup lemon juice

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon each

Black pepper, parsley, granulated onion, salt

Celery salt, poultry seasoning

Chicken base

1 pound butter add to base marinade in a spray bottle for use on the grill.

Stew 30 minutes,then strain

Put in plastic bag to marinade

Overnight

Seasoning to rub into bird just before grilling/ smoking, 1 Tbsp each:

Salt, rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, black pepper, onion powder, 

 Smoke, grill 3 hrs, in the foil pan with about an inch of base marinade in the bottom to keep it moist.  Spray after the seasonings take Hold w/marinade/butter mixture.  Finish in the oven after 3 hrs on the grill if necessary until bird reaches it of 165.

HONEY SEASONED COLLARD GREENS WITH HALF EARS OF CORN

4 qts water

4 lbs collard greens

Smoked turkey parts

1/2 cup liquid smoke

2 c chopped onions

1cup each chopped bell pepper and scallions

3 or 4 bay leaves 

1 Tbsp each of parsley, black pepper, garlic, seasoning salt

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup honey

3 cups pineapple juice

8 to 10 half ears of corn

 Boil together 4 hours

Add corn last ten minutes of cooking

Potato Salad

My mother used to make some very tasty potato salad. But it was more or less a tasty quasi-mashed potato salad which came from overcooking the potatoes and over mixing. Some years ago my wife Leslie and I hunk-cut the potatoes and eggs and added various crunchy ingredients.

6 medium to large baking potatoes, unpeeled

8 large hard-boiled eggs

[6 cut in quartered hunks, 2 sliced for garnish]

1 cup chopped purple salad onions

1 cup chopped celery

l/2 cup finely chopped scallions

1 cup diced dill pickle ...

1 cup finely chopped red and/or

green bell peppers...

seasoning salt

onion powder

oregano

brown mustard

light mayonnaise

ZEA BISTRO ROASTED CORN GRITS

ZEA BISTRO ROASTED CORN GRITS

2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
¼ stick butter
1 cup golden corn
1 cup yellow grits ( not instant)
Green onions for garnish


Instructions
To grill corn, shuck off husk. Lightly butter corn cob and grill over charcoal or open fire until slightly blackened.
Cool corn and cut kernels from cob with sharp knife.
Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add heavy cream and return to boil.
Slowly whisk in the grits and then the corn.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 5 to 6 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with thinly sliced green onions.

Five Minute Polenta

Why waste time and energy when you can have luscious polenta in five minutes? Americans always called it "corn meal mush" which isn't nearly as sexy and romantic as "polenta". Use it every way you would use it's sexier Italian cousin. I like it better. The texture is velvety and the mouthfeel luxurious.

American Polenta

4 Cups Water
1 Teaspoon(s) Salt
1 Cup QUAKER® or AUNT JEMIMA® Enriched Corn Meal
2 Tbsp. butter
Optional, but highly recommended: 1 cup corn kernels, lightly sautéed in butter
or creamed corn and/or 3/4 cup cheese.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Combine the remaining 1 cup water, corn meal and salt; slowly pour into boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Cover, continue cooking over low heat 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and/or corn and use to accompany debris gravy, sausage or tomato gravy. Instead of corn you can use virtually any lightly sautéed vegetable.

SHRIMP AND CORN STEW

Shrimp and Corn Stew

6 ears fresh white corn on the cob
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large white onion, diced
2/3 cup fresh celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies (10.5 ounce size)
2 cans crushed tomatoes with liquid
1 quart concentrated seafood stock, as needed
Cajun all-purpose seasoning, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2-3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 pounds medium-size fresh Louisiana shrimp, peeled and chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs
6 cups cooked and buttered rice
Minced flat leaf Italian parsley

Before you begin the dish, take a sharp knife and cut the kernels of corn off the cob and soak then briefly in cold water (for about 15 minutes or so).
While they are soaking, melt the butter in a heavy, high-sided, 12-inch, non-stock or anodized skillet and sauté the onions, celery, garlic, and bell pepper until they soften.
Next, stir in both the Rotels and the crushed tomatoes and combine them into the veggies.
At this point, add in the seafood stock—a little at a time—blending everything as you go.

This is also the time when you sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning along with the black pepper and fold them into the mixture as well.
Now increase the fire to medium high and bring the contents in the skillet to an easy boil. When the process is done, sprinkle in the flour, stirring as you add to keep it from getting lumpy. It should thicken the tomato gravy slightly.

Here is when you add the corn and stir it around completely to create a perfect blend.
When the mix is uniform cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Complete this part of the recipe by reducing the fire to low and simmering the stew for about an hour and a half.

Then about 10 minutes before you’re ready to eat, drop in the shrimp, stir them briskly into the mixture, turn off the fire, remove the pot from the burner, cover it, and allow the residual heat to cook the shrimp until "just pink" and tender.
Do not overcook the shrimp or they will turn rubbery!
To serve, chop up the hard-cooked eggs to the same consistency you’d use to make tuna salad, drop them into the stew, and gently fold them in!
All that’s left is to spoon it all out over a mound of hot, steamed buttered rice and top with a touch of finely minced parsley.
For the coup d’ grace, a cold Romaine salad with olive salad dressing turns this recipe into a favorite Southern meal! Oh, yeah—a few hot buttered pistolettes only adds pizzazz to the presentation.
======
Chef’s Hint: If fresh corn is not available, this recipe can be prepared with frozen corn (especially shoe peg corn). If possible, try to avoid using canned corn—too much crunchy texture is lost when using canned corn.