This is it y’all! History in the making. Me on TV!! In this episode of Statesboro Cooks, I star as a guest host.
The show will air on local cable, Channel 99 at the following times throughout the month:
Statesboro Cooks is a multimedia communications team production. My next appearance will be in September. Thank you for watching!
Here in the coastal plains of Southeast Georgia where flip-flops are perfectly acceptable in December, we don’t have many extremely cold nights during the winter season. So, over the weekend when the temperature got down to 22 degrees, dinner called for something warm and earthy. Inspired by an incredible photo in Bon Appetit magazine, I set out to make pot pie–only instead of using chicken, I served it up low country boil style with baby shrimp, roasted potatoes and canned corn, seasoned with none other than Old Bay.
Here’s what you’ll need to create my spin on the classic chicken pot pie:
It was like a Shepherd’s Pie remix. In the fridge, I had some red potatoes that I had roasted just a few days before and a few fresh green beans I needed to use up. This dish is fun because you can really use whatever you like. To start, pre-heat your cast iron skillet on medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. Saute the potatoes and chopped onions together, then throw in your remaining vegetables including the kale and cook, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Feel free to get creative.
Once the vegetables have married together (for about 5 minutes or so), add in 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour, stirring constantly. Quickly add in your liquid. I deglazed my pan with a splash of red wine for flavor, then added in 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup at a time.
Toss in your baby shrimp. They’re perfect because they’re already deveined and have no hulls. They make the perfect bite! Bring everything to a simmer. It will thicken up nicely. Almost done!
I used pie pastry. Sit the dough out on the counter for about 15 minutes before unrolling. With a rolling pin, smooth out any creases. Then, slap that puppy over that beautiful filling in your cast iron skillet, letting the dough drape over the sides. Whip one egg with about a teaspoon or so of shrimp & crab boil. Brush it all over the pastry. Just enhances the flavor! 😉
Cut four slits in the dough, so the steam can escape. Dot it with butter. Then pop that puppy in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees for another 15 minutes until the top is a rich, golden brown.
What’s not to love about pie pastry and warm, comforting vegetables with all the flavors of the coast? An added bonus is easy clean up! It’s a one pot meal that feeds an army.
A glass of red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz will compliment the dish nicely and when consumed together, they’ll leave you longing for snow.
Greetings, Some Kinda Good fans! It’s great to see you. I feel like it’s been ages since I’ve stood at a stove and really cooked. The month of December and January were filled with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cereal for dinner and multiple trips to Starbucks–because I was running on pure caffeine and adrenaline.
I had the Christmas “break” from Hades and only recently have I sat down long enough to even think about blogging. Between my dad having a heart attack, one of my dearest friends experiencing devastating tragedy and me being diagnosed with a serious case of mono and tonsillitis simultaneously, there was no time, much less energy to whip up anything worthy of being deemed Some Kinda Good. On top of all that, I was searching for a new place to live and had to move at the end of December.
I wanted y’all to know I hadn’t dropped off the planet and Some Kinda Good is still a top priority.
The dust has settled now and I’m happy to report that my dad has lost nearly 30 pounds and is recovering very well at home, I can finally swallow without bracing myself and though I still have a guest room to unpack and put together, the cardboard boxes are disappearing from my new home one by one each day.
When I stood at my brand new cooktop last night in my quaint little kitchen, searing a beautiful filet of beef with red wine and sautéed peppers and onions, I made that cast iron skillet sing. I realized just how much I’d missed cooking and sharing it with you.
I’m looking forward to reviewing some incredible restaurants on the coast this year. First stop? Beaufort, South Carolina. As for my next home cooking post, get ready for some seriously incredible Strawberry Streusel Muffins.
So, Happy Belated New Year fans! I’ve missed you. Here’s to eating well and raising our glasses to good food and good company in 2013. Cheers!
A visit to the lowcountry these days or any seafood restaurant worth its weight wouldn’t be complete without a taste of Fried Green Tomatoes. Once considered a poor man’s food, today the dish is served with fancy dipping sauces all over the South and prices range anywhere from $7 for an appetizer to $16 or more for an entrée. For me, the Fried Green Tomato symbolizes stories of days gone by and aside from their crunchy, salty exterior, it’s the farm to table concept and nostalgia factor that make them so appealing.
It’s been said that Fried Green Tomatoes came about because when there was little to nothing to eat, farmers would harvest the green tomatoes before they ripened and fry them up. I don’t have a farm, but thankfully, you can purchase green tomatoes at Farmers Markets and in most produce sections of the grocery store.
I prefer my Fried Green Tomatoes crunchy, so I like to slice them thin, but it’s personal preference. My mom prefers hers on the thicker side.
Once your tomatoes are sliced, you’ll want to lay them on a baking sheet and salt them well. I used kosher salt because the pebbles are bigger and it really brings out the flavor. The salt also will draw the moisture out of the tomatoes.
I took this tip from Paula Deen. Put your salted tomatoes in a colander in the sink and allow them to drain for about 30 minutes before cooking. There’s nothing worse than a soggy, fried…anything.
My Great Aunt had 1 brother and 2 sisters, and recently shared with me that my Great-Grandmother would fix fried green tomatoes in a cast iron skillet, using cornmeal ground from fresh corn on the family farm in the 1950s. These are the stories that make a recipe rich. I used equal parts cornmeal and self-rising flour, then seasoned the mixture with 2 tsp of Old Bay and a healthy dash of black pepper. I’ve seen many variations of the recipe, but no buttermilk is needed!
After the tomato is coated good on each side, shake off any excess before dropping it into the hot vegetable oil. Be sure to roll the sides of the tomato in the flour mixture too, for a nice, even coating.
Fry the tomatoes, flipping once during cooking, just until golden…
…then remove and drain on paper towels.
This was my first time making the lowcountry dish, and I gotta tell ya, it wasn’t hard at all. Look how pretty they turned out! Serve them hot.
My favorite way to eat a Fried Green Tomato is on a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich. Now, there’s a way to elevate a classic to the next level.
What’s your take on the Fried Green Tomato? Love it? Hate it? Tell me how you like them! Is there a certain sauce you enjoy eating with them? I asked two of my favorite chefs to recommend a sauce, and one recommends a goat cheese basil sauce and the other, a zesty citrus remoulade.
I’m looking forward to experimenting.
Ingredients
3 Large Green Tomatoes
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
2 Teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Vegetable Oil for frying
Green Onion for garnish, optional
Directions:
Slice tomatoes about ¼ of an inch thick. Place them on a flat surface and season with salt. Transfer the tomatoes to a colander and allow them to drain in the sink for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a cast iron skillet or 10-inch frying pan with vegetable oil halfway full and set over medium heat. The oil will be ready for frying when sizzling occurs after gently sprinkled with water. In a small dish, use a fork to combine the cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, salt and pepper. Dredge the tomatoes in the flour mixture on each side. Roll the sides of the tomato in the flour mixture too, to ensure an even coating. Shake off any excess before dropping the tomato slices into the hot oil. Fry the tomato slices until golden brown, turning once during cooking. Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. Garnish with green onion. Serve warm with Ranch Dressing if desired.
Watch me cook this recipe of fried green tomatoes on an episode of Statesboro Cooks!
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