Recipes from the November 13 class

Sweet Tea Class Number 2

Southern Sides

Bourbon-Bacon Spinach Salad with Poached Green Apples, Roasted Walnuts, and Candied Bacon

Vinaigrette
1 pound bacon cut into ½” strips
1 medium Vidalia onion cut into ½” dice
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 cup bourbon
¼ box brown sugar
½ cup balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 cups canola oil

In a medium-sized saucepan, sauté bacon strips on medium heat until all the fat is rendered and bacon starts to crisp. Remove from heat and strain bacon from fat. Reserve bacon for the following recipe.
Return pan to medium heat and add the onion, shallot, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add bourbon and cook mixture until all the alcohol has burned off. Remove from heat, add brown sugar till it dissolves, and allow to cool to room temperature. Add vinegar and mustard to the mixture. Slowly whisk in the oil until the entire mixture is emulsified.

Candied Bacon
Reserved bacon from the prior recipe
1/8 cup honey
½ box brown sugar
1 cup bourbon

In a large sauté pan, on medium heat, combine all ingredients until sugar is dissolved and alcohol is burned off, being careful not to expose the top or side of the pan to the open flame and causing it to flambé. When mixture starts to slowly bubble, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.


Poached Apples
3 Granny Smith apples cut into “half moons”
2 ½ cups apple cider
1 cup cider vinegar

Combine vinegar and cider in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Place cut apples in a heat-resistant container and pour mixture on top, allowing the apples to steep. Let cool to room temperature and place in the refrigerator, uncovered, until fully cooled.


Roasted Walnuts
1 half-pound bag of walnuts
3 tablespoons canola oil

Coat walnuts in oil and place on a sheet pan or cookie sheet. Roast at 350 degrees for about five minutes to toast.

Skillet Cream Corn with Fresh Tomatoes

8 ears white sweet corn
1 small sweet onion cut into small dice
1 small red bell pepper cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 ½ cups white wine
¼ pound unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced

Shuck ears of corn, cut lengthwise with a knife and scrape ears fully with the backside of a large spoon. This will take some time, but is worth the effort. In a large sauté pan or skillet, on medium heat, add butter and allow to melt. Add onion, pepper, and garlic, sautéing until onions are translucent. Add corn mixture and then add white wine, ½ cup at a time, until corn starts to soften—about 20 minutes. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and fold in heavy cream until fully incorporated. Spread tomato slices on top.

Bread Puddings

Savory Mushroom/Fontina Bread Pudding

Pudding
Large loaf of French bread cut into large cubes
8 eggs
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 sprig rosemary, finely minced

Allow cubed French bread to fully dry out overnight or roast on a sheet pan at 200 degrees until dry, but not browned. Place in a well-greased, deep casserole dish or baking pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, heavy cream, milk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and rosemary until fully incorporated. Pour mixture on top of dried bread and allow the bread to fully absorb the mixture.

Topping
3 tablespoons butter
1 small red onion, julienne
1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
1 small shallot, julienned
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 sprig rosemary, stemmed and minced
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ pound fontina cheese, shredded

In a large sauté pan, on medium-high heat, melt butter and sauté onions, garlic, shallots, mushrooms, rosemary, salt, and pepper until onions are translucent and mushrooms are softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Gently push down on the bread pudding to make sure all the bread has absorbed as much liquid as possible. Top evenly with sauté mixture and grated cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook uncovered for at least another 10 minutes—until pudding has no more liquid and cheese is a light golden brown.   

Eggnog/White Chocolate Bread Pudding 

with Bourbon Caramel Peaches

(I recommend doubling this recipe so not to waste the white chocolate and the fact that it is just that good.)

Pudding
1 large loaf of French bread, cut into large cube
2 cups milk
4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup white sugar
½ cup Jack Daniel’s
1 vanilla beans, split and internally scraped
2 ounces white chocolate baking bar
1 6-ounce pack of white chocolate chips
8 eggs

Fully dry out French bread overnight or roast on a sheet pan at 200 degrees until dry, but not browned. Place in well-greased baking pan or casserole dish and set aside. In a large saucepan, on medium heat, bring milk, heavy cream, sugar, bourbon, and vanilla to a strong simmer, stirring constantly so you won’t scorch and burn the mixture. Remove from heat and add chocolates until fully melted. Whisk eggs separately in a large bowl and slowly whisk in ¼ of the heated mixture to the eggs in the bowl. This will temper the eggs and keep them from cooking too fast. Fully incorporate both mixtures and pour on top of bread. Gently push down on the bread mix to make sure the bread absorbs as much liquid as possible. Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook uncovered for at least another 10 minutes—until pudding has no more liquid and starts to “fluff up.”

Peaches
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 16-ounce packs of frozen peaches, fully thawed
¾ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 orange, cut in half
¾ cup Jack Daniel’s
½ cup heavy cream

In a large saucepan, on medium-high heat, melt butter and add peaches, brown sugar, and white sugar. Stirring constantly, add the bourbon and juice of the orange, being careful not to expose the top or side of the pan to the open flame and causing it to flambé. When mixture starts to thicken and slowly bubble, remove from heat and fold in heavy cream.  

Potatoes Montgomery

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 large white russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
3 cups heavy cream
2 eggs
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 6-ounce pack chopped pecans

In a well-greased casserole or baking pan, stack layers of potatoes in opposing directions (6 layers in all), like lasagna. Whisk together heavy cream, eggs, salt, and pepper and pour mixture on top of potatoes. Cover with chopped pecans, cover with aluminum foil, and roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your oven and the softness of the potatoes. After cooking, the potatoes will appear to be runny. If you allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature and reheat for service, the potatoes will bind together better and will easily be cut into squares.

Oyster Cornbread Stuffing/Dressing

Grandma’s Corn Bread
1 ¼ cups yellow or white cornmeal
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ½ tablespoons sugar (optional, depending on Grandma’s preference)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons bacon grease or melted butter
2 strips smoked bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and sift thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and add buttermilk, sour cream, and bacon grease until fully incorporated. Slowly add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk into a smooth batter. In a 10” cast iron skillet, render two strips of bacon on the stovetop at high heat. Remove bacon, and carefully add batter. Place in oven and cook for approximately 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Use a skewer or toothpick to make sure the corn bread is cooked all the way through. Let the corn bread cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. After it’s fully cooled, cut into 1” squares and toast in oven at 140 degrees until fully dry, but not browned.


Dressing
Grandma’s cornbread, dried and cubed
5 strips bacon, cut into ½” strips
3 tablespoons butter
2 stalks celery cut into small dice
1 small red onion cut into small dice
1 small red bell pepper cut into small dice
¾ cup shredded carrots
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried sage or 3 large sage leaves
1 sprig rosemary, finely minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
½ tablespoon black pepper
5 eggs
1¼ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups strained fresh oysters, roughly chopped

In a large sauté pan, on medium-high heat, render bacon and melt butter. Sauté celery, red onion, pepper, and carrots with bay leaves until vegetables are softened. Add sage, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, rosemary, and black pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, add cornbread pieces, eggs, chicken stock, sautéed vegetable mixture, and oysters, and knead with your hands until fully mixed. If using as a stuffing, add breadcrumbs until mixture is thick enough to stuff in your favorite Thanksgiving bird. If using as a dressing, place the above mixture in a well-greased casserole dish or baking pan. Cover with foil and roast at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and roast uncovered for 15-25 minutes—until all the liquid is absorbed and dressing is golden brown.