GAZPACHO

GAZPACHO 

Makes 12 cups

Seed and Dice:

3 1/2 cups tomatoes

Pulse separately in food processor:

2 cups cubed cucumber, seeded

2 cups cubed celery, trimmed

2 cups yellow bell peppers, cored and seeded

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

Grate and add:

1/2 cup carrots, peeled

Chop in food processor and add:

1/2 cup pumpernickel bread

2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley leaves-Italian

Strain, the add:

2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Add:

1 46 oz can V-8 juice

1/3 cup tarragon vinegar

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Tabasco

Salt to taste

That's it!

GREEN BEAN and ROASTED RED PEPPER SALAD

Green Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad 

Makes 6-8 servings

1 pound fresh green beans, cleaned and stemmed

5 red bell peppers, seeded and peeled

1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove, minced to a paste

Dressing:

1 teaspoon minced celery

1/4 cup wine vinegar

3/4 cup salad oil

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Blanche green beans in boiling, salted water. Cook until done but still crisp. Remove from water and let cool.

Roast whole peppers by holding over a flame on the stove, or place under the broiler, turning, until blackened. When peppers cool, peel off blackened skin and cut peppers into strips. Mix green beans, garlic, onion and bell pepper thoroughly.

Whip all ingredients of dressing together until thoroughly incorporated. (The recipe can be made ahead to this point the day before.) Pour dressing over salad mixture and marinate for one hour, tossing occasionally. Check seasoning for salt and pepper. Serve. 

SUCCOTASH SALAD with BUTTERMILK DRESSING

If you can find fresh, small lima beans (as small as a baby's earlobe), then by all means use them, but frozen ones will do just fine. Ditto for the corn. You can dress the salad with your favorite vinaigrette using white or dark balsamic vinegar, or you might enjoy a buttermilk dressing that I like.

Succotash Salad
Makes 6 servings

6 medium-size tomatoes, cut into small chunks
3/4 cup cooked baby lima beans
2 cups cooked whole kernel corn
6 bacon slices, fried crisp, crumbled
Salad greens of your choice for lining salad plates

BUTTERMILK DRESSING
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk
5 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently toss together the tomatoes, lima beans, corn and bacon. Line salad plates with greens.

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients and whisk to blend. Toss the tomato mixture with dressing to taste. You will probably not use all of the dressing so any leftover can be stored in an airtight container for several days in the refrigerator.

SOUTHERN SUCCOTASH SALAD

Southern Succotash Salad 

Makes 4 servings

SALAD

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or pinch dried thyme leaves)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked just until crisp tender

2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans or butter beans, cooked just until tender

2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved)

2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk vinegar with sugar and salt until dissolved; whisk in thyme, black pepper and oil until well blended. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Add the corn, lima beans, tomatoes and green onions. Set aside to allow flavors to mellow while frying the okra. Taste and adjust seasonings again just before serving. Top each serving of salad with a mound of fried okra.

MARINATED LENTIL SALAD

Marinated Lentil Salad

Makes 9 servings

1/2 pound lentils, cooked

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped

2 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Cook dried lentils with bay leaf until tender according to package directions. Pour into strainer and rinse under hot water. Put drained lentils in a bowl. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper and toss. Mix in red onion, garlic, mint, basil and cumin. Toss all ingredients in bowl. Marinate for at least one hour.

Serve with sliced tomatoes, flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil.

GAZPACHO SHOOTERS

Gazacho Shooters
12 servings

2½ cups tomato juice, divided
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno chile
1 cup peeled and finely chopped English cucumber
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
Handful of cilantro leaves

Using a food processor, puree 1 cup tomato juice, garlic and jalapeno chile.

Transfer to a large bowl; add remaining tomato juice, cucumber, pepper and a handful of cilantro leaves. Serve chilled in twelve 2-ounce shot glasses, topped with additional cilantro leaves.

FIESTA DIP

Fiesta Dip

1 can black eyed peas
1 red pepper diced 
1 green pepper diced
1 red onion diced
Rinse and drain peas corn 
Add: 2 tbs Tiger Sauce
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 veg oil

Mix and let stand overnight.

Drain liquid before serving with tostito scoops This also works great as a salad topper/dressing.
 
1 can shoe peg corn, can be any corn, or use 2

 c. frozen corn

LENTIL SLOPPY JOES

Lentil Sloppy Joes
A meatless meal and pretty festive for a Lenten supper.

1 cup brown lentils

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup pure maple syrup, (in a pinch pancake syrup will work)

1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard (French’s)

1 Tbsp. Apple cider vinegar

1/8 tsp. Ground ginger

Crystal hot sauce to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Sort through lentils, picking out rocks or debris. Rinse, then put into a pot and cover the lentils with about 2 ½ cups of water. Cook over medium heat until tender, but not mushy, 30-35 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside.

Saute onion in oil until soft, 8 minutes.

Add garlic and saute until fragrant. 1 minute.

Add ketchup, syrup, mustard, vinegar, ginger, Crystal, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thick and darker in color, 8-10 minutes. Stir in lentils and simmer 2-3 minutes to warm through. Serve Sloppy Joes on buns with pickles, lettuce and onions.

　

SMOTHERED OKRA

SMOTHERED OKRA

3 pounds fresh or 3 bags frozen, (not breaded) okra

Salt, red and black pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 bell pepper, minced

2 onions, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. butter

Fresh hot pepper (optional)

If fresh okra is used wash and dry each piece and slice very thin.  If okra is frozen, be sure to defrost the okra thoroughly, until all is separated, as though it was just cut.  Season okra well with salt, red and black pepper.  Into a heavy Dutch oven or heavy skillet, put in the oil and heat.  Add okra and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until it is no longer "ropey".  Then add tomatoes, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Let all simmer well, partly covered, stirring often so as not to stick or burn.  Continue cooking until all looks cooked and oil comes to the top and okra shrinks from sides of the pot.  Add the butter to the top of the okra.  Hot fresh peppers can be minced and added to okra before taking it up.  This can be put in a Pyrex dish and kept warm in the oven at 200°.  Serves 6-8.

RED, WHITE AND GREEN SALAD

RED, WHITE AND GREEN SALAD

Salad:

5 cups broccoli flowerettes, 2 bunches

2 1/2 cups cauliflower flowerettes, 1 head

1 red onion, cut into quarters and the quarters then sliced paper thin latitudinally,p.1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp. vinegar

2 Tbsp. sugar

Mix all salad ingredients together except tomatoes.  Mix together dressing ingredients, pour over the salad and mix together.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix in the tomatoes just before serving.  Serves 8.

GREEN PEA GUACAMOLE

GREEN PEA GUACAMOLE


1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen green peas, thawed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
4 green onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons lime juice

Set aside 1 tablespoon cilantro, and then transfer remaining to a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and purée until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with reserved cilantro and serve.

CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN

CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN

1 large or 2 small to medium heads of cauliflower 

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 pinch each thyme, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

21/2 cups of milk

4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs 

Prepare bechamel by melting the butter in a saucepan and adding the flour off the heat and stirring until butter absorbs flour.  Add a pinch of thyme. nutmeg and cayenne pepper to taste.  Return to heat and add Milk and bay leaf.  Stir over medium heat until the sauce boils.  Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer for 45 minutes, or until it is reduced by about one-half.  Remove bay leaf and strain through a fine-mesh strainer.  Prepare the cauliflower by cutting into flowerettes and boiling in salted water for 8-9 minutes.  Drain in a colander and rinse under cold, running water.  Place the finished bechamel sauce, the cooked cauliflower and the cheeses in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Place the mixture in a buttered casserole, sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs. Dot with butter and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.  Serves 6.

RUBY BEETS

RUBY BEETS

4 Tbsp. cornstarch 

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

11/3 cups cranberry juice

1 Can sliced beets, drained

Mix first three ingredients together over medium heat.  Add cranberry juice and cook until thickened.  Pour over drained beets and marinate overnight.  Serve warm or cool.  Serves 4.

CAULIFLOWER IN MUSTARD SAUCE (salad)

CAULIFLOWER IN MUSTARD SAUCE
(Salad)

3 large heads cauliflower
Salted water
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Cook cauliflower in salted eater until tender. Cool in refrigerator. Combine remaining ingredients. When cauliflower is cool, pour sauce over and refrigerate until serving time.

Its way too white. Add some chopped red pepper and chopped green onion and anything for color. Serves 10-12.

WILLIAMSBURG PEANUT SOUP

WILLIAMSBURG PEANUT SOUP

3 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 small onion chopped fine

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Parsley for garnish

Combine stock and next four ingredients and cook 2-3 hours on low fire.  Add milk,flour and water, mixed together and peanut butter to above ingredients and cook on high for 15 minutes.  Stir constantly with wire whisk until smooth.  Serve in bowls and sprinkle with chopped peanuts and parsley.  Serves 4.

CREOLE EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Creole Eggplant Casserole

1 large or 2 medium eggplants 
1 red bell pepper, 
½ cup celery, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
2 Tbsp garlic, chopped or crushed
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup chicken stock
1 pound shrimp, peeled
1 cup tasso seasoning ham, diced (or plain ham if you are Tasso- Challenged)
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
Creole seasoning to taste
black pepper to taste
cayenne to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Peel the eggplants and slice them into 1" cubes. Saute your onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic over medium heat. As the onion becomes translucent, add the tasso or ham and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggplant, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat. Stir in the bread crumbs slowly, allowing them to absorb the stock. If the overall mixture becomes too dry, carefully add a bit more stock to moisten it. Spread the mixture in a glass pie plate or 9" glass casserole. Bake 20 minutes in the 350 degree oven.

SMOKED VEGETABLES

How to Smoke Vegetables
　
Preheat charcoal or electric smoker.
Cut vegetables into slices or chunks. You can use just about any vegetables, such as mushrooms, squash, corn or asparagus. If you can grill a vegetable, you can smoke it and they'll take on a richer, more flavorful quality when you smoke them.
Lightly brush the vegetables with oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Place vegetables on a baking pan or a perforated grill pan made especially for small items.
Place the veggies on the smoker and reduce the heat to low.
Check the veggies frequently to make sure you don't overcook them.
Remove the vegetables when they are tender.