Tag Archives: Southern

Recipe: Improved Fried Okra

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Burnt My Fingers

For such a versatile vegetable, fried okra generates a lot of controversy. Soak in buttermilk for tenderness, or coat with beaten egg so batter will stick? Dredge in flour for a uniform crust, or cornmeal for a pleasing crunch? How … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Southern-Style Collard Greens

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Burnt My Fingers

If you ordered collard greens (or mustard greens or turnip greens) at the now-defunct Highland Park Cafeteria in Dallas, the server would ladle them into a little bowl and add several spoonfuls of the pan liquid. This is the beloved … Continue reading →

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Making ham juice with Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Burnt My Fingers

A gift of collards from a friend’s garden made me realize I was out of the odds and ends of a smoked ham needed to make rich, flavorful southern-style greens. Time for an order of Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham. I … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Spicy Cajun Shrimp

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Spicy Cajun Shrimp is a light modification of a recipe called Barbecue Shrimp in the wonderful Jubilee cookbook. It’s a great way to use the one-pound bags of frozen shrimp which have been deveined but still have the shells on. … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Pan Fried Buttermilk Chicken

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Pan Fried Buttermilk Chicken is based on the recipe in the wonderful new Jubilee cookbook, with modest tweaks. Pan fried chicken tends to be moister than deep fried since each piece spends half its cooking time outside the oil where … Continue reading →

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Food for Thought: Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook is delightful in multiple ways. Toni Tipton-Martin is a fine descriptive writer who documented her 300 African American cookbooks in The Jemima Code, which won a James Beard Award. Now, … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Stewed Okra with Tomatoes

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Stewed Okra with Tomatoes is a universal preparation down south; households from Key West to Deep Ellum are making it right now as you read this recipe. This is comfort food, filling and mildly spiced, to be eaten alongside more … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Soft Shell Crab with Caper Butter

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Soft shell crabs are blue crabs harvested during molting season. They have a mild crabby flavor and a pleasant crunch; it’s nice to just chomp into a crab instead of fighting the shell to get the flesh out. Here is … Continue reading →

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How to win your crawfish boil

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Live crawfish season runs from roughly March through June, putting the Memorial Day weekend at its epicenter. This makes the holiday an ideal time for a crawfish boil in which the mudbugs are cooked in a salty, peppery broth along … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Crispy Cornmeal Pork Chops

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Burnt My Fingers

Crispy Cornmeal Pork Chops is our simplification of a recipe in Sean Brock’s Heritage cookbook. The acid and bacteria in the buttermilk help to tenderize the pork and its fat binds the cornmeal coating to the meat. Use a good … Continue reading →

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