Authors: Allison Vines-Rushing

Southern Comfort (12 page)

BOOK: Southern Comfort

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D
RESSING

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons honey

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons champagne vinegar

¼ cup light olive oil

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

V
EGETABLE
S
ALAD

1 bunch green asparagus

1 medium head broccoli

½ cup shelled fresh green peas

1 head Bibb lettuce (preferably hydroponic)

4 red radishes

4-ounce wedge Parmesan cheese, for shaving

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake well. Chill until needed.

To prepare the vegetables, bring a large saucepan filled with 4 quarts water and ¼ cup kosher salt to a boil.

Meanwhile, for the asparagus, trim off the lower third of the stems and discard. Halve the asparagus diagonally. For the broccoli, using a small knife, cut off the florets from the stem (halve the florets, if necessary, so they are all in bite-size pieces).

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and have ready. Set a colander in a bowl of ice water and have ready. Once the water is boiling, blanch each green vegetable separately, transferring each with a slotted or wire mesh spoon to the colander in the ice water bath after blanching, and letting the water in the pot return to a boil between each one. Blanch in this order: the peas, boiling for 1 minute; then the broccoli, boiling for 1½ minutes; then the asparagus, cooking until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks. Remove the blanched vegetables from the ice water and let them dry on the prepared baking sheet.

Separate the leaves of Bibb lettuce, discarding the large, tough outer leaves. Wash and dry completely. Shave the radishes into paper-thin slices with a mandoline.

To assemble the salad, dress all of the vegetables and lettuce lightly with the vinaigrette and place in a bowl. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave the Parmesan over the salad to garnish.

GREEN BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD WITH
CORNBREAD CROUTONS

S
ERVES
4

You can prepare this summer salad ahead of time, making it perfect for picnics or barbecues. It is a great side dish for grilled meats or fried chicken, but could certainly stand on its own as a light lunch. Our farmer, Luther, brings us an assortment of green beans in the summer—such as Chinese long beans, romano beans, and rattlesnack beans—all of which add different colors and textures to the salad.

D
RESSING

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup light olive oil

S
ALAD

2 cups
Shallot Cornbread
, cut in ½-inch dice

1 pound fresh green beans (any variety or an assortment), ends trimmed

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, shallots, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Drizzle in the oil in a slow and steady stream while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette. Reserve.

To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the diced cornbread in an even layer on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To cook the green beans, bring a large saucepan filled with 4 quarts water and ¼ cup kosher salt to a boil. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and have ready. Set a colander in a bowl of ice water and have ready.

Once the water has reached a boil, cook the green beans until they are bright green and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted or wire-mesh spoon, transfer the beans to the colander in the ice water bath to cool. Once cool, drain on the prepared baking sheet.

To finish the salad, toss the green beans, tomatoes, croutons, and parsley with the vinaigrette. Season with the salt and pepper and serve.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH ASIAN PEAR AND SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE

S
ERVES
4

At the restaurant, fall menus are among our favorites to create. After a hot, brutal New Orleans summer, we start to see the people of the city smile a little easier as the weather cools down. Another welcome sight is the abundance of produce from our farmer, Luther. One of our most coveted ingredients is his arugula. Tender, spicy, sweet, and vibrant green, it is everything arugula should be. This salad presents the perfect stage for this star ingredient. With the crunch of pecans, sweetness of the pear, and the creamy, funky richness of the cheese, your friends will think you are a star, too.

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon canola oil or light olive oil

8 ounces baby arugula

1 Asian pear, peeled and very thinly sliced

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

4 ounces sheep’s milk cheese (we use Thomasville Tomme), sliced paper thin

½ cup
Candied Pecans

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, mustard, and vinegar. Add the oil in a small, steady stream while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette.

In a separate mixing bowl, toss the arugula, pear, and salt with the dressing until everything is nicely coated.

To serve, place the dressed salad on a plate and top with the sheep cheese and candied pecans.

CANDIED PECANS

1 large egg white

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 cups pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg white until it is frothy. Add the cayenne, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar and whisk until combined. Add the honey and the pecans and toss all together until well coated.

Spread the pecans evenly on a baking sheet and bake until they have a frosted look and are dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. Stored in an airtight container, the pecans will keep for up to 2 weeks.

CABBAGE AND DRIED FIG SALAD WITH GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

S
ERVES
4

This sturdy salad is prepared like a winter version of coleslaw. You must season your cabbage and allow the water to seep out, tenderizing it before you combine it with the other ingredients. But the most important thing for the success of this dish is to make sure your pine nuts are not Chinese! Both Slade and I came down with a terrible affliction where everything we put in our mouth tasted bitter for weeks. It took us quite some time to figure out the cause was Chinese pine nuts. Thankfully it did not permanently alter our palates, but it did give us a renewed appreciation for those other tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and umami; all of which are found in this recipe.

1 head savoy cabbage

1½ teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 head garlic,
roasted (see
sidebar
)

½ teaspoon chopped garlic

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup light olive oil

1 head radicchio

8 ounces dried figs (or dried prunes or dates)

½ cup pine nuts, toasted

Halve and core the cabbage and slice each half into thin ribbons (julienne). In a small bowl, toss the julienned cabbage with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the sugar, coating it evenly. Place the cabbage in a colander placed over a bowl and let it sit for at least 1 hour.

Remove the garlic cloves from the head of roasted garlic by gently squeezing the base of the garlic head. Smash the cloves of garlic with a bottom of a spoon to make a smooth paste. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic paste with the chopped garlic, mustard, honey, vinegar, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper until well mixed. Drizzle all of the oil into the bowl in a slow, steady stream while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette. Reserve.

Halve the radicchio and slice each half into thin ribbons (julienne) like the cabbage. Once the cabbage has softened, place it in a mixing bowl with the radicchio, dried figs, and the dressing.

Toss the salad to coat it evenly with dressing and place in a serving dish. Top with the toasted pine nuts and serve.

R
OASTED
G
ARLIC

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a sharp knife, trim the top off a head of garlic. Set the garlic in the middle of a piece of foil and pour 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour.