Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes

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Photographer Greg DuPree, Food Styling Torie Cox, Prop Styling Mindi Shapiro

          While most days I want something quick, easy and delicious to make, there are also times when I love to spend an afternoon cooking and when I do, I often turn to a cookbook I haven’t used before. This weekend it was Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes by Todd Richards which won the IACP award for Best Cookbook in America of 2019. It is indeed a soul food cookbook, but the recipes are sophisticated, taking this type of cooking in a different direction than is traditional. Richard’s recipes are organized by ingredients such as corn, tomatoes, melons, stone fruit, berries and roots (as well as other categories such as eggs and poultry, pork and beef) make it easy to pair them with what’s in season.

          If you’re trying to save time in making any of the recipes below, go with pre-made pie crust for the Blueberry Fried Pies. I guess you can also cheat and buy some great fried chicken already made for the Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffles, it avoids the mess of frying though you’ll miss out on Richard’s great tasting version. Or you can skip the fried chicken and just make sweet potato waffles which are delicious all by themselves. Though these recipes seem long, once you start cooking, I think you’ll find they really aren’t difficult, just a little more time consuming than throwing hamburgers and un-shucked corn on the grill.

Photographer Greg DuPree, Food Styling Anna Hampton, Prop Styling Thom Driver

          Richards, who was nominated twice for the James Beard Award as the Best Chef of the Southeast, competed on Iron Chef, is originally from Chicago. His culinary heritage stems from classic soul cooking.

“It then progressed forward,” he says.

His mom loved Chinese food and typically ordered yakamein—noodles, broth and pork bell with a soft-boiled egg and scallions. Because his dad was frugal, when they ordered take-out any leftovers in the kitchen had to be used as well. His recipe for Collard Green Ramen which is in the cookbook harkens back to when there were collard greens on the table along with the yakamein.

“It/s a dish I was eating when I was 5, 6 years old,” says. Richards. “The way that I interpreted it is a little bit different because of my background in cooking, but it’s the exact same dish I was eating as a kid.”

His Blueberry Fried Pie has similar roots. Chicago had a Hostess factory and what Richards describes as a “whole Hostess culture.”  He has a vivid memory of tearing the paper off their fried pies and so his recipe is, for him, like being a kid in Chicago again.

‘I interpret this recipe a little bit differently: Instead of cooking the blueberries to mush, you make the liquid and then you put the blueberries inside of it,” says Richards, who is the owner/chef of Richard’s Southern Fried in Atlanta, Georgia. “That way when you bite into the fried pie you get all this fresh blueberry flavor, one that’s not overly sweet. What I’ve done is taken my childhood memories and progressing them to fine-dining dishes.”

Photographer Greg DuPree, Prop Stylist Claire Spollen, Food Stylist Torie Cox

The following recipes are courtesy of Soul by Todd Richards (Oxmoor House, $35).

Blueberry Fried Pies with Meyer Lemon Glaze

Chef’s note: Leftover filling is great on pancakes, waffles, or ice cream. 

Makes about 20 pies

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3⁄4 cup (6 ounces) water

1⁄4 cup (2 ounces) dark rum

1 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 orange)

1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Pinch of kosher salt

1 thyme sprig

4 cups fresh blueberries (about 1 1⁄4 pounds)

Erika Council’s Piecrust (recipe below)

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 large egg

4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable oil        

Meyer Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)

Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add 1⁄2 cup of the water, and whisk until combined. Whisk in the rum, orange zest, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Add the thyme sprig. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat, and fold in the blueberries. Let stand for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprig.

Cut the piecrust in half. Refrigerate 1 portion until ready to use. Roll out remaining portion to 1⁄8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 10 circles with a 4 1⁄2-inch round cookie cutter, re-rolling scraps once. Repeat with remaining dough half.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each dough circle. Whisk together the egg and remaining 1⁄4 cup water. Brush the edges of the pies, and fold over so the edges meet. Press the edges together with a fork to seal. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, filling, and egg wash.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium to 375°F. Fry the pies until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook about 2 more minutes. Drain on paper towels, and let cool  20 minutes. Drizzle with Meyer Lemon Glaze.

Serve with: Ice cream, lemon sorbet

Meyer Lemon Glaze

1 cup (about 4 ounces) powdered sugar

2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

1 to 3 teaspoons heavy cream

Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk in the heavy cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Makes 1⁄2 cup

Erika Council’s Piecrust

This basic piecrust is by Erika Council, a talented baker in Atlanta and founder of the blog Southern Soufflé, where she shares Southern Soul food recipes and her family’s legacy. Her grandmother is the legendary Mildred Council, owner of Mama Dip’s, a 40-year-old restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This piecrust recipe can be used for both sweet and savory pies.

Makes enough for 2 (9-inch) piecrusts

3 cups (about 12 3⁄4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 ounces (3⁄4 cup) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces

1⁄3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse a few times until combined. Add the butter and shortening, and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas, 8 to 12 times.

With the processor running, drizzle 6 tablespoons of the ice water through the food chute, and process until the dough begins to form a ball. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, to reach desired consistency.)

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface, and shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

To use: Cut the dough in half. Roll each half into 1 1⁄8-inch-thick round on a well-floured surface.

Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffles

This recipe is as American as apple pie. Yet most every culture has a version of it. I prefer to brine all birds before cooking for best flavor and texture. 

Serves 4

4 cups (32 ounces) water

1 cup (8 ounces) whole buttermilk

6 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons hot sauce

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1⁄2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces

5 cups (40 ounces) vegetable oil

Seasoned Flour (recipe below)

Sweet Potato Waffles (recipe follows)

Maple syrup

Stir together 4 cups water, buttermilk, and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; add the chicken pieces to the brine. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 28 hours.

Heat the oil in a deep cast-iron skillet over medium. Remove chicken from the brine, and let any excess liquid drip off; discard the brine.

Dredge chicken in Seasoned Flour to coat; add to the hot oil, 1 piece at a time. Cook, turning every few minutes, until golden and a meat thermometer registers 165°F. Drain on paper towels. Serve chicken on Sweet Potato Waffles with maple syrup.

Sweet Potato Waffles

Makes 4 (8-inch) round waffles.

1 medium-size sweet potato

1⁄4 teaspoon blended olive oil   

2 cups (about 8 1⁄2 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk

1⁄2 cup (4 ounces) whole buttermilk

3 ounces (about 1⁄3 cup) butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄2 teaspoon maple extract

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub the potato with the oil. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool for 20 minutes.

Preheat a Belgian waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions. Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

Peel and mash the sweet potato and stir into the milk mixture. Stir milk mixture into the flour mixture. Pour about 1⁄2 cup of batter onto hot waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions until golden brown.

Serve with: Egg dishes, green salads, braised vegetables   

Seasoned Flour

Every Soul and Southern kitchen has a good all-purpose seasoned flour to use for frying. This will keep for months in a cool, dry place or even longer in the freezer.

Makes about 2 1⁄4 cups

2 cups (about 8 1⁄2 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 1⁄2 tablespoons granulated onion

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, and store in an airtight container.

A Century of Garlic

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More than two decades ago, Penny Murphy, owner of Ma’s Organic in Benton Township in southwest Michigan made a commitment to a 90-year-old woman, the aunt of an acquaintance who had immigrated to America from the Ukraine 75 years earlier.

               “She wanted me to continue growing the Ukraine rose garlic she’d brought with her,” Penny told me when I visited her farm six years ago for an article about garlic.

               Last week I received an email from Penny saying that though her crop was about two weeks late, she had harvested and was curing this year’s garlic. It all comes from the six bulbs of Ukrainian rose garlic she’d been given all those years ago and that it would be ready to buy around August 10th. This is always a big deal for her customers who are garlic aficionados. Once Penny puts out the word that her garlic is available—she typically raises over 1000 heads—it sells out quickly. I know the when I stopped by a few years ago to pick some up, there were lots of cars in front of her old farmhouse there to buy it.

Garlic has been around for a long time—the Chinese domesticated it about seven thousand years ago and now grow 80% of the world’s garlic. That’s often the garlic we find in grocery stores. Penny told me that once people tried the Ukrainian Rose variety they never wanted to go back because of its rich flavor.

Penny also gave me a recipe for the garlic paste she makes. Since it’s been six years since I last ran it, I thought I’d share it again.

Ma’s Garlic Paste

1 Ukrainian rose garlic bulb

1 tablespoon olive oil

Dash lemon juice

Salt

Preheat oven to 350° F degrees.

Nip off the top of the garlic bulb (the part attached to the stem). Wrap in foil, cook in oven for one hour. Let cool down, bringing it to a warm – not cool – temperature. Twist the garlic head at the root end, squeezing out the warm garlic into a blender or a food processor. Add olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Mix until smooth. Store in refrigerator until needed.

Ma’s Organics is at 476 North Benton Center Road, Benton Harbor. Call 944-0240; masorganicgarden@gmail.com

The Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook: Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes from the State’s Best Creameries

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“Some people say that the French have the best cheese but I think Wisconsin cheese is the best and I can say that because I wrote the book on cheese” says Kristine Hansen, who actually did write The Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook: Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes from the State’s Best Creameries (Globe Pequot Press 2019; $24.95). “Wisconsin is not just about cheddar; we have a large variety of cheeses which consistently win awards.”

With over a million cows, the state turns out more than 2.8 billion pounds of cheese per year. Hansen focused on the growing artisanal cheese producers in the state and though her cookbook has 60 recipes (as well as beautiful, lush photos), it’s as much of a travel guide—call it a cheesy road trip if you can excuse our pun–to 28 of the state’s creameries.

“A lot of my friends, when they come to visit, want to know the best cheese places I’ve discovered and ask for directions,” says Hansen, a Milwaukee-based journalist covering food/drink, art/design and travel whose articles have appeared in many magazines and websites including Midwest Living, Vogue and on Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.

Writing the book meant lots of time on the road, visiting corners of the state where she’d never been and learning the intricacies of cheese making.

So, what makes Wisconsin cheese so great? After all, there are cows throughout the Midwest, but Indiana, Illinois and Michigan don’t have nearly the same amount of small batch hand crafted cheesemakers as the Badger State.

               “A lot of Swiss immigrants settled here, particularly in Green county,” says Hansen about the home of Green County Cheese Days, the oldest and largest food fest in the Midwest. The festival honors the area’s Swiss heritage (their Swiss credentials are such that there’s also Wilhelm Tell and Heidi festivals) cheesemaking tradition. The later includes a dozen creameries producing over 50 varieties of award-winning cheeses as well as the only domestic maker of Limburger and the only U.S. factory making 180-pound wheels of Old World Emmenthale.  

               Other creameries mentioned in Hansen’s book include the Door County Creamery in Sister Bay in scenic Door County, where visitors where visitors can not only sample cheese and take a farm tour but also participate in a 40-minute goat yoga session.

 “ClockShadow is one of only two urban creameries in the country,” says Hansen about this Milwaukee cheeserie which offers tours. “One of the reasons they opened is they wanted people in Milwaukee to be able to get fresh cheese curds without having to drive very far.”

As an added plus, adults can also combine the experience by taking a tour of the Milwaukee Brewing Company which is just across the street.

“People think the best Gouda comes out of Holland, but Marieke Gouda is wonderful,” says Hansen.

Located in Thorp, Marieke Gouda has a product store, newly opened Café DUTCHess and features tours. Across the street, Penterman Farm where the milk for Marieke Gouda is provided by Brown Swiss and Holstein cows, there’s a viewing room and tours as well.

Bleu Mont in Blue Mounds is one of several cheeseries in the state with a cheese cave.  

Asked what’s the most unique Wisconsin cheese she’s sampled—and she’s tried a lot, Hansen mentions Carr Valley’s Cocoa Cardona, a mild, sweet, caramel flavored cheese balanced by a slight nuttiness that’s dusted with chocolate.

“There are about 500 varieties of cheese of so in Wisconsin, so there’s a lot to choose from” says Hansen. “And the cheeses here are not just for those who live in Wisconsin. Uplands Pleasant Ridge cheese costs $26 a pound and sells in New York City. That says a lot about the state’s cheeses.”

Emmi Roth’s Sweet & Spicy Siracha Pizza

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup sweet onion slices, sliced thin

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 12-ounce ball prepared pizza dough

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup pizza sauce

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped chicken

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Roth® Sriracha Gouda Cheese

Green onion slices for garnish, optional

Sriracha hot sauce for garnish, optional

Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish, optional

Place pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Place butter and onion in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pizza dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter or rounded rectangle about 13 inches in length. Transfer dough to hot pizza stone; brush with olive oil and sprinkle garlic over. Spread pizza and BBQ sauces over, and top pizza evenly with broccoli, chicken, reserved onion slices, and Sriracha Gouda Cheese.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven, let sit 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with green onions, Sriracha hot sauce or crushed red pepper for more heat, if desired.

Note: If you do not have a pizza stone, you can preheat the oven, then assemble the pizza on an upside-down baking sheet. It will need about 20 to 22 minutes of baking time. Using a baking sheet will result in a less crispy crust.

Hansen shared some recipes from her book. You can mail order these cheeses from the individual cheeseries if you can’t find them in the supermarket. You can also substitute similar cheeses if unable to locate them.

Burnett Dairy Cooperative’s Corn-Meal Crusted Fish Tacos

1 pound white-fleshed fish (such as cod, haddock, tilapia or halibut), cut into 2- x 1-inch pieces

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest

1 tbsp lime juice

1/4 tsp ground cumin

8 corn tortillas (7 inch), warmed

2 cups shredded Bibb lettuce

1/2 cup prepared tomatillo salsa

1 cup shredded Alpha’s Morning Sun with Mango Habanero

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

Season fish with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; dredge in cornmeal. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook fish, in batches if needed, for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until lightly golden and fish is cooked through. Transfer to plate lined with paper towel.

Stir together sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, cumin and remaining salt and pepper. Assemble fish in tortillas with lettuce, salsa, cheese and red onion; drizzle with sour cream mixture.

Tip: For fully loaded tacos, add avocado, cucumber and fresh cilantro when assembling them.

Tip: Use corn or flour tortillas.

Tip: Substitute shredded red cabbage for lettuce if desired.

Yellow Door Creamery’s Tuscan Mac and Cheese

1 store-bought prepared macaroni & cheese of your choice

1/2 cup shredded Tuscan-rubbed Fontina

4 –6 roasted garlic cloves

Handful of baby spinach

Prepare the macaroni and cheese according to package directions.

For the roasted garlic: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut top 1/4 inch off heads of garlic. Place garlic cut side up in small baking dish. Drizzle a few teaspoons of olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 30–35 minutes, or until cloves feel soft.

When the macaroni and cheese is done and bubbly, top with roasted garlic, baby spinach, shredded cheese and baked until cheese melts.

Emmi Roth’s Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Havarti

3 tablespoons butter

6 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1/2 cup sliced shallots

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Generous pinch of salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Roth® Horseradish Havarti Cheese  

Parsley, for garnish (optional)

Place top oven rack underneath broiler and preheat oven to low broil. If you do not have this setting, move the rack further away (down) from broil heat source.

Place a medium or large oven-safe skillet over medium-high and heat on the stove top. Add butter, Brussels sprouts and shallots; stir vegetables until coated. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, flipping vegetables every few minutes until sides are browned.

Remove the skillet from heat; let sit 2 minutes. Add heavy cream, tossing vegetables to coat, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle Roth Horseradish Havarti Cheese over the top; place skillet under hot broiler. Broil about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and begins to bubble. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

32 Years of Celebrating Cherries in Southwest Michigan

Akashi Sake Brewery, Benton Harbor

The results—and the recipes are in—from this year’s 32nd Cherry Baking Contest at the Eau Claire Cherry Festival held in Eau Claire, Michigan.  Contestants could enter one or more of the six categories: Cake, Bread, Pie, Dessert, Miscellaneous and Quick and Easy Mixes, a category where entrants can use cake mixes, pie fillings and other store-bought ingredients, none of which can be used in the other five categories. After three place winners are chosen by the judges for each category, a Grand Prize and Most Eye Appealing winner are then selected from the first place winners in each categories.

This year, Debra Lollar’s Cherry Pastry Puffs took both First Place in the Miscellaneous Category and won the Grand Prize. Celena Cantrell’s won First Place and Most Eye-Appealing for her Dark Sweet Cherry Cheesecake Pie.

            Here are the results and first place winning recipes:

In the Cake category, Barb Adams took First Place for her 4th of July Cherry Cake; Debra Lollar took Second Place for her Luscious Cherry Cake and Stephenie Kuhl for her Fresh Cherry Cake.

First Place in the Pie category went to Celena Cantrell for her Dark Sweet Cherry Cheesecake Pie; Second went to Sara Disterhelf for her Sweet Cherry Pie and Third Place to Barb Adams for her Cherry Pie.

In the Bread Category, Celena Cantrell, First Place for her Sweet Cherry Pizza; Stephenie Kuhl, Second Place for her Cherry Bread and Jessica Ratter, Third Place for her Cherry Sweet Rolls.

Winners in the Desserts Category are Kelly Blankenship in First Place for her Chocolate Cherry Tart; Joyel Timmreck in Second Place for her Cherry White Chocolate Mousse Tart and Carol Skibbe in Third Place for her Cherry Brownie Delight.

Debra Lollar’s Cherry Pastry Puffs took First Place in the Miscellaneous Category; Aiye Akhiab’s Cherub Jam took Second Place and Stephenie Kuhl took Third for her Cherry Almond Cinnamon Rolls.

Joyel Timmreck’s Cherry Chewables took First Place in the Quick and Easy Mixes; Debra Lollar’s Easy Pineapple Cherry Crisp took Second Place and Stephenie Kuhl’s Chocolate Cherry Cake took Third Place.

A big thanks to Betty Timmreck, one of the organizers of the baking contest, who sent in the First Place winning recipes and the accompanying photos.

Debra Lollar’s Cherry Pastry Puffs

1 package pastry puffs

2 cups milk

1 box instant vanilla pudding

1 tub Cool Whip

Maraschino cherry juice

1 ½ cups cherries

1 ¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup water

Whisk together milk and pudding. Fold in Cool Whip. Unfold pastry puffs on lined baking sheet. Cut on lines into squares. Brush on cherry juice. Bake at 400° F for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a saucepan on low heat, cook pitted cherries, sugar, lemon juice and ¼ cup water. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup water. Then add to cherry mixture. Cook until thick. Cut open pastry puffs, spread pudding mixture on bottom. Spoon on cherry mixture. Put top layer on.

Celina Cantrell’s Sweet Cherry Pizza

Dough

3 ½ to 4 cups flour                             

1 tablespoon sugar

1 envelope instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups hot water

2 tablespoons olive oil plus oil for rising bowl

Combine flour sugar, yeast and salt in stand mixer bowl. While mixer is running add water and the 2 tablespoons oil. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Add spoon one at a time. Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size. about one hour

Sweet Cherry Pizza Filling

1 pound pitted sweet cherries

1/2 cup sugar

¼ cup water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon almond extract

In a saucepan over medium heat stir cherries, sugar and extract until heated and sugars melted. In a separate bowl combine water and corn starch until smooth. Add to cherry mixture. Remove from heat.

Make crumble topping

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons soft butter

Pinch of salt

Mix together with a fork to make crumbles. Spread cherry mixture over pizza like the sauce. Top with the crumbles.

Baked 400° for 25 minutes.

Let cool completely.

Icing drizzle

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Mix together with a fork and drizzle over cold pizza.

4th of July Cherry Cake

1 cherry chip cake mix

1/2 box white cake mix

20 ounces cherry pie filling

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup fresh almond, chopped

24 ounces can cream cheese frosting

Toppings: Sweet cherries, blueberries and coconut

Grease 3 8-inch cake pans. Set aside. Mix first five ingredients.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool and frost. Then top with sweet cherries, blueberries and coconut.

Celena Cantrell’s Dark Sweet Cherry Cheesecake Pie

2 cans dark sweet cherries

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat in saucepan and let cool.

Crumble 30 Golden Oreo Cookies in a food processor. Melt 1/3 cup butter. Stir into cookie crumbs and press into a pie pan. Place in freezer.

8-ounce package cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip together until smooth.

In separate bowl whip 2 cups heavy cream. Fold into the cream cheese. Fill cookie crumb pie crust. Top with the cooled cherries. Top with remaining cream cheese filling.

Kelly Blankenship’s Chocolate Cherry Tort

For the Shell:

3 large egg yolks

½ cup unsalted butter room temperature

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

¾ cup milk

¾ cup heavy cream

4 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ tablespoons flour

2 ounces dark chocolate, good quality

Cherries:

3 cups cherries cut in half and pitted

For the Pastry:

Whisk flour and salt in a small bowl.

Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until light and fluffy.

Add sugar then egg yolks one at a time while the mixer is running.

Dump the flour in and run mixer just until dough forms a ball.

Shape into a disk and chill for about 30 minutes in the fridge.

Roll to a thickness of about ¼ inch and press into tort pan. Pierce bottom with fork to prevent puffing during the bake.

Bake at 400°F for about 5 minutes then reduce to 350° f and bake an additional 15. Allow to cool.

For the filling:

Melt chocolate and allow to cool. Scald the milk and cream in a small pot and set aside to cool to warm.

Whisk together the yolks, sugar, flour and vanilla then set on low heat and begin whisking.

Slowly pour in the warm milk mixture and continue whisking.

Whisk on low heat until mixture thickens.

Transfer to glass bowl and whisk in the melted chocolate.

Cover with plastic wrap pressing down onto the surface and allow to chill for a few hours in the fridge.

Fill tart shell with chocolate pastry cream and arrange cherries.

If not serving immediately, brush with a strained and diluted jam to preserve the surface.

Joyel Timmreck’s Cherry Chewables

Crust:

1 ¼ cups flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup shortening

¼ cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup flaked coconut

Filling:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

21 ounces cherry pie filling

In a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in shortening and butter until fine crumbs form. Stir ½ cup nuts and coconut. Reserve ½ cup crumb mixture for topping and press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, for filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and almond in mixing bowl until smooth. Spread over the hot crust. Bake 15 minutes. Spread cherries on top.

Combine remaining nuts and reserved crumbs and sprinkle over the cherries. Bake 15 minutes more. Cool.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. You may want to make more crumbs to put on top.

Jane Ammeson can be contacted via email at janeammeson@gmail.com

The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Nisha Vora Chicago Book Signing

Plant Powered, Read It and Eat, Regional & Ethnic, Uncategorized, Vegetarian
Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Jackfruit Tacos (recipe from the Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook)

In her debut cookbook The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes, Nisha Vora, the popular food blogger, photographer and content creator at Rainbow Plant Life, shows how to quickly put together delicious and nutritious dinners in an instant pot pressure cooker. A proponent of exciting, beautiful and tasty vegan cuisine, Vora, a graduate of Harvard Law School, left her law career behind and created Rainbow Plant Life, a vegan Instagram account, blog, and YouTube channel. Her colorful and easy-to-use cookbook features 90+ vegan and wholesome recipes made in the Instant Pot. Vora also includes:

  • Plenty of gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and refined-sugar-free recipes (80-85% of recipes are gluten-free) 
  • An in-depth guide to using your Instant Pot, including troubleshooting tips and cook time charts
  • My vegan pantry staples and essential cooking tips 
  • Full color design with my signature vibrant food photography
  • A little wit and humor peppered in between detailed, step-by-step recipes

Here are a few recipes from the book.

Instant Pot Vegan Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

Serves 4

Vegan, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

12 ounces dried rice noodles, dried rice sticks, or banh pho*

Broth

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral, high-heat cooking oil

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved

4-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced

3 cardamom pods, lightly smashed with the back of a knife

3 whole star anise pods

4 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1⁄2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 Fuji apple, peeled and cut into large chunks

1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (5 to 6 ounces)

8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (you can substitute water for up to 4 cups)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Toppings

1 (6- or 8-ounce) block baked tofu, cut into cubes (I used a five-spice flavor, which went really well with the other flavors)

3 scallions, sliced on the diagonal

1 cup Thai basil leaves, torn up

1 cup cilantro leaves, torn up

2 limes, cut into wedges

2 cups bean sprouts

Thinly sliced hot chile peppers or Sriracha

*You can find pho noodles in well-stocked grocery stores or any Asian market. They come in various thickness, ranging from 1⁄16 inch (narrow) to 1⁄4 inch (wide).

Place the dried rice noodles in a large bowl, cover with warm water, and soak until the noodles are pliable and opaque, 30 to 45 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them to remove excess starch. (Alternatively, cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package.)

Meanwhile, prepare the Broth: Select the Sauté́ setting on the Instant Pot and, after a few minutes, add the oil. Once the display reads “HOT,” add the onions and ginger slices, cut side down. Do not toss and allow to cook until charred and deeply browned, about 4 minutes.

Add the whole spices (cardamom pods through black peppercorns) and cook for 1 minute, stirring the mixture frequently. Add the apple, cilantro, tamari, coconut sugar, and shiitakes. Pour the vegetable broth and/or water on top and stir to combine.

Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 15 minutes.

Once the 15-minute timer has completed and beeps, allow a natural pressure release for

10 minutes and then switch the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting to release any remaining steam.

Open the pot and, using oven mitts, remove the inner pot. Carefully strain the broth into a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl (discard the solids). Season the broth with 1 teaspoon salt, stir, and taste. Add more salt as needed.

Place the cooked rice noodles in individual bowls. Pour over the strained broth and add the baked tofu cubes. Top the pho with the scallions, basil, cilantro, lime wedges, bean sprouts, and chiles or Sriracha.

Chinese Takeout-Style Tofu and Broccoli

Marinated Tofu

1 (14-ounce) block extra-firm tofu

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce

2 teaspoons Sriracha or similar chili-garlic sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons rice vinegar (also known as rice wine vinegar)

Ginger-Chili Sauce

1⁄4 cup reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1⁄4 cup agave nectar or coconut nectar (or maple syrup, but that will have a more robust, less neutral flavor)

2 tablespoons water

1 1⁄2 tablespoons Sriracha or similar chili-garlic sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 1⁄2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or finely minced

For Finishing:

1 1⁄2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral, high-heat cooking oil

2 medium heads broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

White rice or brown rice (for serving)

Marinate the tofu: Drain the tofu and cut into 4 slabs. Place the tofu on a cutting board lined with paper towels. Place more paper towels on top of the tofu and weight them down with a few heavy cookbooks or a heavy skillet filled with a few cans of beans. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or ideally 1 hour, changing the paper towels in between to drain all the moisture. Cut the tofu into 3⁄4-inch cubes.

Place the tofu in a gallon-size zip-top bag and add the tamari, Sriracha, sesame oil, and vinegar. Toss to combine and let the tofu rest in the marinade for 5 minutes, massaging occasionally.

Meanwhile, make the ginger-chili sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, agave nectar, water, the Sriracha, sesame oil, vinegar, and ginger until well combined.

Finish the dish: Select the Sauté́ setting on the Instant Pot and let the pot heat up for a few minutes before adding the grapeseed oil. Once the display reads “HOT,” use a slotted spoon or fork to carefully transfer the marinated tofu to the pot. Cook the tofu for 1 1⁄2 minutes undisturbed. Use a spatula to flip and cook the tofu until it starts to brown on all sides, 3 to

 4 minutes total. Add the ginger-chili sauce and stir to combine. Select the Cancel setting.

Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 3 minutes.

Once the 3-minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully switching the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting.

Open the pot. Add the broccoli florets to the tofu and stir with the sauce to combine. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting to low pressure and set the cook time to 1 minute. Once the 1-minute timer has completed and beeps, carefully perform another quick pressure release.

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch with 1⁄4 cup water, whisking until combined without any lumps. Select the Sauté́ setting and press the Sauté́ button again until you reach Less heat. Add the cornstarch slurry to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Cook, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the tofu and broccoli over rice.

Ifyougo:

What: Nisha Vora A Talk & Demo with Nisha Vora

When: Sunday, July 21 at 2 to 4 p.m.

Where: Read It and Eat, 2142 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL

Cost: 1 Ticket + 1 Book $44.26; 2 Tickets + 1 Book $64.26; Book Only

$24.26

FYI: (773) 661-6158; readitandeatstore.com

#TheVeganInstantPotCookbook

Summer Fun: Round Barn Artisan Market

Farm-to-Table, Uncategorized
Round Barn Artisan Market on July 20--music, food, wine, beer and spirits and local artisan vendors displaying their wares.

Looking to fill your Saturday with shopping, wine, and music? Toast to local artisans from Northwest Indiana to Southwest Michigan!

Round Barn Estate is hosting The Round Barn Artisan Market on July 20, 2019 from 11:00AM to 7:00PM. Enjoy al fresco shopping, sipping, and live music by Steely James and Red Deluxe Brand at one of Michigan’s most beautiful vineyards.

ROUND BARN ARTISAN MARKET

Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 11:00AM to 7:00PM

ROUND BARN ESTATE
10983 Hills Rd.
Baroda, MI 49101

The Round Barn Artisan Market isn’t just a market, it’s an experience. Toast to the best local artisans from Northwest Indiana to Southwest Michigan! Enjoy a relaxing afternoon of al fresco shopping, sipping, and music beside one of the area’s most beautiful vineyards!

LIVE MUSIC

1:00-2:30pmSteely James
3:00-6:30pmRed Deluxe Band

$5 admission per person. All times are Eastern Standard Time. No outside food or beverages permitted. For last minute updates, please follow us on Facebook.

Admission is $5 per person. Please let me know if you’re interested in covering the event.

TripleXXX: A Lafayette Favorite For Nine Decades

Historic Restaurants, Uncategorized

Not to be missed next time you’re in Lafayette is a stop at Triple XXX Family Restaurant. Opening in 1929, Triple XXX was the state’s first as well as its oldest drive-in.

Their root beer dates back even further to 1895 when the Galveston Brewing Company first started making beer and then later added soft drinks to the list of products.

The popularity of their root beer led to an expansion of Triple XXX root beer stands in the U.S.  but with the acquisition and merging of brands in the U.S. to the point that only three major brands – Coca Cola, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper/Seven-Up control the market, Triple XXX is difficult to find. But well worth the search.

Besides the great root beer, the family owned restaurant grinds their own sirloin daily for all their burgers including The Duane Purvis All-American, a 1/4 pounder topped with melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, Spanish onion and peanut butter (yes, peanut butter).  

2 N. Salisbury St. West Lafayette. 765-743-5373; triplexxxfamilyrestaurant.com

On a High Plateau: Cameron Trading Post

Uncategorized

              The words “historic restaurant” almost always pulls me to a stop and that was true last week when I was driving down US-89 about an hour north of Flagstone and saw the sign for the Cameron Trading Post in Cameron, Arizona, a small town seemingly consisting of a gas station, Burger King and laundromat.

              Everyone with me always groans when I start reading the long details about the history of a place and I have to admit that old doesn’t always mean good but this time I lucked out.

              The trading post, located on a high plateau at an elevation of over 4000-feet, opened in 1916, five years after a suspension bridge, at the time the longest bridge west of the Mississippi and now the oldest in the state, was built spanning the Little Colorado River where it streams into the Grand Canyon.

This is Navajo land (indeed, the Navajo name for Cameron is Naʼníʼá Hasání) and the elegant restaurant reflects that. The menu features not only American and Mexican dishes but also Navajo cuisine, some with a fancy twist including prickly pear French toast and milk shakes as well as staples like green chile stew, Navajo tacos, Navajo beef stew and Yah-Ahtay chile (ground sirloin, pinto beans, red chile and spices) to name just a few.

The spacious restaurant has quality Native American art and rugs on the walls, antique tin ceilings, rich wood cabinetry and a fireplace large enough to cook on. The large windows overlook a sandstone garden brimming with honeysuckle, hollyhocks, chrysanthemums, roses and daisies and views of the gorge.

Our waiter tells us it was truly a trading post back in the early 1900s when the Navajo and Hopi who lived on the surrounding land arrived on horse-drawn wagons to barter their wool, blankets and farm animals in exchange for dry goods. Later, as roads improved and tourism travel took hold, its location close to the entrance of the Grand Canyon brought more visitors who stayed in post’s hotel.

              There is, of course, a gift shop but it doesn’t just sell trinkets. Instead there’s high quality Navajo and Hopi arts and crafts including hand woven Navajo rugs, Indian baskets, Hopi kachinas, Pueblo pottery, paintings, jewelry and ceramics as well.  I was particularly intrigued by a cow’s skull inlaid with pieces of a type of turquois once mined in Arizona but now almost impossible to find. But I figured, it was one of those things that just wouldn’t fit in with my condo’s décor.

If you enjoyed the prickly pear dishes served at the restaurant, you can pick up jars of the jelly, syrup and tea to take home. If you love fry bread (and I certainly do like the puffy discs of fried dough that for the tacos is topped with meat, beans and cheese), you can buy up to 20-pound bags of Blue Bird Flour which Navajos use to make fry bread.

Navajo Tacos

1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 (8 ounce) can chili sauce

3/4 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds or ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (approx.15 oz) cans pinto beans, drained

6 pieces Navajo fry bread

2-3 cups shredded lettuce

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 large tomatoes cut into wedges

1 large green chile, diced

In a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil until golden brown.

Add beef and brown. Add chili sauce, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and salt.

Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

When done, gently stir beans into meat mixture to and heat. Spread mixture over top of fry bread. Top with lettuce, cheese, tomato wedges and green chiles.

Ingredients for Fry Bread:

6 cups un-sifted flour

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 cup instant non-fat dry milk

2 3/4 cups lukewarm water

Lard or shortening for frying

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and dry milk in a bowl.  Add enough lukewarm water to make a soft dough.

Knead thoroughly. Pinch off a ball of dough about the size of a large egg. Shape it round and flat with a small hole in the middle. Work it back and forth from one hand to the other to make it thinner and thinner. Stretch gradually to a diameter of about nine inches.

Heat fat at least an inch deep in a heavy iron skillet. Drop thin rounds of dough into hot fat and fry to a light brown on one side. Then turn and fry other side. As it fries, the bread puffs up and becomes light. Drain each piece on paper to

Makes about 18 to 24 pieces, about nine inches across.

For more information, visit camerontradingpost.com

Every Day Is Saturday: Recipes + Strategies for Easy Cooking, Every Day of the Week

Book signings, Chroncile Books

Short on time? Sarah Copeland has a recipe for you.

              Want a dinner that tastes like Saturday night when you’ve had all day to putter around in the kitchen on a Wednesday? Don’t despair. Sarah Copeland, author Feast, has a new cookbook out that’s just right for you.

              In Every Day Is Saturday: Recipes + Strategies for Easy Cooking, Every Day of the Week (Chronicle, $29.95), Copeland, a former food director of Real Simple magazine, restaurant chef and mother of two young children as well as a New York Times contributor, zeroes in time management, maintaining a well-stocked pantry, and cooking dishes that do double duty. She also emphasizes healthy.

              Her recipes with prep time and total cooking time help you decide what fits in with your busy day.

              Reprinted from Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland with permission by Chronicle Books, 2019

MIGHTY YOGURT BOWLS WITH CURRANTS AND PEACHES

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES or overnight

SERVES 4

Quick-to-make chia pudding, with the right touch, can turn an everyday yogurt bowl into something beautiful and irresistibly creamy.

The secret is to keep the chia mixture loose, and treat it like a condiment, rather than the main event. (Chia thickens as it sets in liquid, so you’ll need to add fewer seeds if you plan to let it sit overnight.) Serve this creamy, coconut-milk goodness with loads of fresh fruit, as a quick morning breakfast bowl that’s nearly ready to go when you wake up.

¾ cup whole milk, or almond, coconut, or hazelnut milk

2 to 3 tsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 Tbsp chia seeds

Plain yogurt, for serving

Currants, peaches, berries, honey, or maple syrup, for topping

Combine the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons chia seeds in a mason jar or any glass container with a tight-fitting lid. Give it a shake or a stir and refrigerate up to overnight, or stir in the remaining chia to thicken if you plan to use right away. Spoon the chia mixture over yogurt, and top with fresh fruit and honey or maple syrup.

Sarah Copeland will be in conversation with Jeanine Donofrio of Love & Lemons at Read It & Eat in Chicago on Saturday, June 29, 2019 from 2 to 4 p.m. (773) 661-6158. 2142 N Halsted Street 
Chicago, IL