Southern Comfort (17 page)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss together the okra, salt, pepper, and chili oil in a bowl. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until evenly browned, about 15 minutes.

Serve hot and crispy.

In a large saucepot, bring 4 quarts water with 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat.

Fill a bowl with ice water and have nearby. Core and quarter the cabbage head. Separate the individual layers and discard any bruised outer leaves. Once the water reaches a boil, submerge all of the cabbage leaves in the water, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Blanch the leaves until tender to the tooth, but still slightly firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer all the leaves to the ice water bath to cool. Reserve ½ cup of the cabbage blanching water and discard the rest. Once the cabbage is cool, remove from the ice bath and dry thoroughly in between layers of paper towels.

Place a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and add the reserved cabbage blanching liquid to the pan. Carefully whisk in the butter, piece by piece, until a creamy butter sauce is formed. Add the cabbage to the pan and rewarm, coating completely with sauce.

Sprinkle the cabbage with the chives and serve.

Combine the celery root, garlic, and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the celery root can be mashed easily between two fingers, about 25 minutes. Drain through a sieve, reserving 1 cup of the hot milk.

Combine the cooked celery root and garlic in a blender with the reseved milk, butter, salt, and white pepper and puree until silky smooth. Before turning on the machine, be sure the lid is tightly secured and covered with a towel to prevent the hot mixture from escaping.

Serve right away.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Brown the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter, onion, garlic, and Swiss chard and sauté until the chard is completely wilted. Remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a colander set in the sink and squeeze out all excess liquid. Reserve.

Return the pan to the stove and add the cream and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium-low so the cream does not boil over. Cook the cream until it reduces to 1 cup. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl, combine the chard mixture, cooled cream, and oysters. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into a 3-quart gratin dish. Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture evenly. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle the topping evenly over the gratin.

Bake until the mixture is bubbling around the sides and the crust is lightly golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Trim off the outside leaves of the bok choy and any discolored parts on the bottom stem. Halve the bok choy and soak the halves in cold water for 5 minutes to remove any dirt. Transfer the bok choy to paper towels to dry.

Heat a large sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Once it is hot, add the oil and the garlic and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, letting it brown slightly and become fragrant. Add the bok choy and season with the salt and pepper. Add the 2 tablespoons water and quickly cover with the lid, decrease the heat to low, and steam for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.