Miss Kay's Duck Commander Kitchen (16 page)

No matter who comes to dinner, Phil is sure to preach a little. Over the years, Phil has given countless people, young and old, sound advice for living right.

Smoked Ham with Sweet & Sassy Glaze

A 7-pound half-ham serves around 12 • Roasting pan

2 jalapeño peppers

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cups packed brown sugar (either light or dark is okay)

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teaspoon ground ginger

1 can (15.5 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, drained, reserving the juice

Smoked ham of your choice

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.

2. Remove the stems from the jalapeños and finely chop them along with their seeds.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, ginger, jalapeños and seeds, and crushed pineapple. Cook on medium heat, stirring until sugar begins to melt. If necessary, add some of the reserved pineapple juice to thin the glaze just a bit. The consistency should be slightly thicker than syrup.

4. Put the ham in the roasting pan. Pour the glaze over it and bake for 1 hour.

Tip
  Make double the amount of glaze and reserve half to use as a table sauce for the ham.

A Note from Miss Kay

Phil thinks the photo on the previous page makes me look “sweet and sassy” like this ham. That’s the way I like it.

Alan’s Corn Chowder

Makes about 4 quarts • Small casserole dish • Large skillet • Large saucepan • Large (7- to 8-quart) cooking pot

2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

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pound smoked sausage (we prefer Savoie’s andouille)

1 bell pepper, finely chopped

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 stick (
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pound) butter

1 package (1 pound) frozen hash brown potatoes

1 pound frozen whole kernel corn

Salt and black pepper

1–2 cans (12 ounces) evaporated milk

2 cups whole milk

Grated cheese, for serving

Crackers of your choice, for serving

1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Cook the russet potatoes until just soft but not mushy; drain. Heat the oven to 250°F. Cut the sausage into small pieces and brown on a cookie sheet in the oven for 20 minutes. Drain the grease off on paper towels.

2. While the sausage is browning, in a large skillet, cook bell pepper, onion, celery, and garlic in the butter until they become very soft.

3. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in the large pot. Add the hash brown and russet potatoes, corn, softened vegetables, sausage, and salt and black pepper to taste. Bring the soup back to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour, until thickened.

4. Stir in the evaporated and whole milk and simmer until the soup is piping hot.

5. Serve topped with grated or small chunks of cheese, and crackers.

A Note from Alan

This recipe seems like a lot of ingredients and a lot of chopping, but it’s really pretty easy to make and is great for company. Lisa and I love to cook together, so she can be working on another part of the meal while I work on all the chopping.

Corn Shrimp Soup

Makes about 5 quarts • Large (7- to 8-quart) cooking pot with a lid

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cup olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

6 green onions or scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated

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to 1 teaspoon Duck Commander Cajun Seasoning (mild or zesty)

1 can (64 ounces) V8 juice (regular or spicy)

1 bottle (32 ounces) bloody Mary mix

2 pounds fresh medium shrimp

1 can (15.25 ounces) whole kernel corn

1 tube (20 ounces) frozen creamed corn (Melissa uses McKenzie’s), or 2 cans (one 14.75 ounces and one 8.5 ounces) cream-style corn

Salt and black pepper

Just Right White Rice
, for serving

1. In the pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and white part of the green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.

2. Add Cajun seasoning to taste and stir to coat. Pour in the juice and bloody Mary mix. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover with the lid, and cook on medium-low heat for 1 hour.

3. While the soup is simmering, peel and devein the shrimp. Put them on ice in a bowl in the refrigerator to keep cool. (Five or six pieces of ice will do it.)

4. Add the corn kernels and creamed corn to the soup. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. If you’re using canned creamed corn, just simmer until the soup is nice and hot again.

5. Add the shrimp with melted ice and green part of the green onions and bring back to a simmer. Cook just until the shrimp turn pink. Stir in salt and black pepper to taste.

6. Serve hot, over rice.

A Note from Miss Kay

I love this recipe from my niece Melissa Atkins. She is the daughter of Phil’s younger sister, Jan. It’s perfect for a house full of company. Thanks for sharing, Melissa.

Broiled Asparagus

Makes 4 servings • Cookie sheet

1 large bunch asparagus (about 1 pound)

Pinch of garlic powder or garlic salt

Pinch of Duck Commander Cajun Seasoning (mild or zesty) or other Cajun seasoning

Salt and black pepper

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cup olive oil

1. Wash the asparagus to remove any dirt that may be lodged in the tips or stuck to the stalks. (Remember, this is a “straight out of the ground” vegetable.) Snap off the bottoms of the asparagus stalks; that part of the stalk is not very good to eat. Just grab the bottom and bend it. It should snap at a natural breaking point. This will be the tender spot close to the end.