Gus's Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon and Pecans

I tried to recreate this dish from memory.  I've been told that it isn't exactly what Gus used to make, but that it is still good.  

6-8 sweet potatoes (less if they are very large)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup water
1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped if desired

Boil the potatoes in salted water until just slightly tender.  Remove to colander, run cold water over them, and drain.  Peel and cut in half lengthwise, and then fit them as closely as possible into a buttered 3-quart baking dish.

Melt butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over low heat.  Add salt, water, and bourbon.  When mixture is simmering, add pecans.  Cook until syrup thickens, about five minutes.

Pour over potatoes and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour.  Baste with syrup occasionally.

Laura

Roast Pork with Piri-Piri

Marinade a 3 pound boneless pork loin or tenderloin for a full day for the fullest flavor.

Piri-Piri 
1/4 cup fresh hot chili peppers
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarsely chop the peppers, discarding the tops. Combine all ingredients in a glass bottle. Cap and refrigerate. Use as needed.

Marinade 
2 sweet red bell peppers, seeded and cut
8 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of salt
8 tablespoons of olive oil
6 teaspoons of Piri-Piri, or red pepper flakes to taste.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Reserve about half to use as a sauce. Place the pork loin in a baking dish, put half of the marinade on the pork, cover and refrigerate.

The next day preheat the oven to 350°F, uncover the meat and roast for 40-45 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature is 185°F. Slice for serving. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: We often use the red pepper flakes rather than making the piri-piri.

Goppie

Champagne Punch

Use a large punch bowl with an ice ring.

Pour 2 bottles of champagne and 1 quart of soda water into a bowl. Add 1 cup of peach brandy. If a more distinct peach flavor is desired, add frozen peaches.

Replenish with champagne, soda, and brandy as needed.

Goppie

Italian Sautéed Beans

1 cup roasted red pepper strips (1/4")
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cans cannelini beans, washed and drained
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 fresh basil leaves

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook until browned. Add the remaining ingredients and cook 4-5 minutes. Cut the basil leaves into thin strips, then add to the skillet, cook for 1-2 minutes. Serves 6.

Goppie

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp soda

A pastry blender is the essential tool for good biscuit making. Put the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix. Add the shortening and cut it in with the pastry blender until the flour has the appearance of small pebbles.

Pour the buttermilk into a measuring cup, add the soda water, and stir. Use a fork to stir the flour as you slowly add the buttermilk, until the dough just sticks together. Turn the dough onto a floured board or counter. Knead about a dozen times until the dough is uniform. Add flour to the board as necessary.

Pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the biscuits and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes. This will make about 15 2" biscuits.

Goppie

Veal with Paprika

2 veal scallops
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
1/2 tsp Hungarian hot paprika
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
Olive oil

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cover. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally. Add the shallots and sauté until golden. Transfer the onions and shallots to a bowl, leaving the oil in the skillet.

Pound the veal scallops if necessary, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the skillet and sauté until browned, about 1 minute per side, adding more oil if necessary. Remove the veal from the skillet and return the onion mixture to the skillet. Add the diced tomatoes, the paprikas, the marjoram, and some water. Stir while this simmers for 5 minutes, scraping the brown from the bottom of the skillet. Add more water if necessary. Return the veal and any accumulated juices to the skillet and simmer for one more minute, turning the veal to coat it. Serves 2.

Goppie

Flounder with Leeks

4 flounder fillets
Olive oil
2 leeks, sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
Salt & pepper

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet. On medium heat, sauté the sliced leeks and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, bouillon and wine and bring to a boil. Add the can of tomatoes (including the liquid) and let the sauce simmer until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly flour the skin side of the flounder fillets. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on medium to high. Fry the fillets skin side down until almost cooked through - 4 to 5 minutes. Then turn the fillets over for about a minute to finish cooking. Put each fillet on a dinner plate, cover with the sauce, and serve with rice. Serves 4.

Goppie

Fish with Carrots & Green Onions

Fish fillets: use red snapper, or other firm fleshed fish, 6- 8 oz. per person
3-4 carrots per person
4-5 green onions per person
Butter
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Paprika

Cut the carrots into 1/4" thick slices. Cut the onions into 1/2" slices, use the whole onion, including the green tops.

Heat (medium) two skillets with a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in each until the butter melts. Put the carrots into one skillet and the onions into the other turning them to coat the slices. Reduce the heat and cook until tender. the carrots may take 30-40 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices. Do not over-cook the onions, but keep the fresh green color. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put the fish fillets in a greased oven-proof dish, flavor with salt, pepper, and paprika, then bake at 400° 15-20 minutes until the flesh flakes easily.

Spread half of a dinner plate with the onions, the other half with the carrots, then put the fish on top.

This recipe can be made with chicken instead of the fish. Use boneless breasts, marinaded in lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon, salt, and pepper. I prefer using a grill to cook the chicken, about 7 minutes on each side.

Goppie

Seafood Gumbo

This recipe should be sufficient to serve 12 people. All quantities are approximate,

Preparatory Steps:

Fry 4 or more slices of bacon until crisp, drain the bacon and reserve the grease.

Wash 1 to 2 pounds of okra. Cut into slices 1/4" thick. Sauté the slices in vegetable oil until soft. Set aside.

Chop enough onions to get 4 cups.

Making the roux:

In a large heavy pot, put 2/3 cup of oil. Use a combination of vegetable oil and the reserved bacon grease. Add 2/3 cup of flour. Cook and constantly stir (I prefer a whisk) the paste over medium to low heat until it is thick and brown, about 20 minutes.

Slowly add 2 quarts of water to the roux, stirring constantly. Initially the roux will try to become a ball. Continue adding the water slowly.

Add:
4 cups chopped onion
2 large cans of diced tomatoes
Salt & pepper to taste

Simmer for 1/2 hour, then add:

The okra
2 cups diced ham
The crumbled bacon slices
1 cup chopped celery
A quantity of fish if desiredHot pepper sauce to taste
Simmer for another 1/2 hour

Add 2 pounds of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.

Simmer until the shrimp is cooked. Serve over rice or as a soup.

Goppie

Grilled Tenderloin

A Christmas Day Open House favorite. Grilled, sliced, then put on the table for family and guests to enjoy throughout the day. Also use for New Years Day.

Whole beef tenderloin, well-trimmed of fat
Salt
Whole pepper corns

Salt the beef well and cover with coarsely ground black pepper. Grill over hot coals, turning every 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers medium in the thickest part. Usually about 60-75 minutes.

Serve hot or cold, sliced thinly, with horseradish or mustard, on sliced French bread.

Goppie