Dixie Caviar - Part 2

Around the Web

by Nealey on May 1, 2012

I’ve been a busy little bee! Wedding planning is in full swing—location, check. florist, check. photographer, check. DJ, check. I’m trying to get the big things out of the way early so I have more energy down the road to focus on the little details. I’m really excited about how it’s all coming together, and I hope to share some of the progress with you, too.

In addition to planning, I’ve just returned from a much needed “mini-cation” in Los Angeles. I don’t have very many close girlfriends in Atlanta (although I’m always looking!) so I gathered my Cali ladies for some serious female bonding sessions. I forgot how rejuvenating “girly time” is—nothing to do but sip on bubbly at brunch, chat over afternoon lattes, and watch a marathon of bad CW television into the wee hours of the morning. I also dragged them around to some of my old haunts, like Joan’s on Third, Newsroom, Versailles, Katsuya, Gjelina, and Intelligentsia. It’s amazing that after all our eating and drinking I was actually bold enough to slip in to some fancy wedding gowns!

Needless to say, all that relaxing (and a little plane crash scare) have left me a bit exhausted. Yes, I know; it’s a tough life. Until I get my bearings again, here’s a long overdue recipe update that should whet your appetite until my next delicious post comes along. In the meantime, stay hungry my friends.

Creamy Corn Hush Puppies

Creamy Corn Hush Puppies — at Cooking Channel

I have enjoyed my fair share of hush puppies, but every time I attempted making them myself they just didn’t taste as good as at restaurants. I finally dedicated an entire day to creating my ultimate recipe, to grand success. Fresh corn, creamed corn, and beer take these from ordinary to extraordinary!

Homemade Nutty Bars

Homemade Nutty Bars — at The Kitchn

I’m on a mission to create the “ultimate snack bar” featuring from-scratch versions of all my favorite store bought treats. First up is a three ingredient take on Little Debbie Nutty Bars. These are quick, delicious, and much more nutritious!

English Muffin French Toast

English Muffin French Toast — at The Kitchn

They say the best kitchen discoveries often come about from a major mishap, as was the case with my English muffin French toast. When I discovered my challah bread was bad only after heating the oil and whisking the batter, I fried the next best (yeasty) thing. The result—a recipe that is eerily similar to funnel cake. And who doesn’t love funnel cake for breakfast, right!?

Vinegar-Glazed Chicken Sausages

Vinegar-Glazed Chicken Sausages — at The Kitchn

I’m always searching for new ways to update my weeknight dinners. Chicken sausage is an easy (if tad bit boring) go-to, so I decided to give it a little upgrade. I used my favorite Southern ingredient, cider vinegar, with a standard glazing technique to turn out what I would say is a match made in foodie heaven. I nestled the savory sausages in sauteed cabbage for a well-rounded meal. Yeah, this pairing will definitely be happening again soon.

Crispy Chicken Thighs & Warm Bread Salad

Crispy Chicken Thighs & Warm Bread Salad — at The Kitchn

Here’s a weeknight spin on Zuni Cafe’s famous roast chicken and bread salad—moist chicken thighs don’t require an overnight salting, and a sear in a piping hot cast iron skillet creates a shatteringly crisp skin. The best part, though, is my version of warm panzanella. I add butter, lots of red wine vinegar, and an ungodly amount of pan drippings to create a sinfully good side dish. What can I say, I like to lead by example.

Smashed Potato Salad

Smashed Potato Salad — at The Kitchn

A good Southern cook can never have too many potato salad recipes, but a great Southern cook should have at least one to call her very own. Here’s mine: smashed baby red potatoes for texture and a generous shake of ground mustard for heat. I’m confident this dish will be racking up plenty of frequent potluck miles this summer!

White Bean & Roasted Vegetable Salad

White Bean and Roasted Vegetable Salad — at The Kitchn

A nutrient-packed “salad” recipe may seem a bit out of character for me, but every now and then this Southern girl just needs a good dose of healthy. If you are constantly hunting for inspired weekday lunch ideas, call off the search. Go ahead and make a whole batch and eat for the week. Your body will thank you.

Country Ham Quiche

Country Ham Quiche — at The Kitchn

Here’s a great quiche for when you’re hosting a brunch crowd, inspired by Martha Stewart herself. I subbed in a savory shortbread crust (just press in the pan and bake) for simplicity’s sake. Who really wants to be rolling out a pie crust when there’s mimosas to sip and company to enjoy?!

Strawberry & Honey Sorbet

Strawberry and Honey Sorbet — at The Kitchn

I created this sweet treat for lent, during which Walt begrudgingly gave up both beer and refined sugar. It’s too bad that sacrificing these, unfortunately, did not squelch his burning desire for ice cream, so desperate times called for desperate measures. Although I had never really used honey as a sweetener before, it has since become a new favorite ingredient. I promise you’ll never miss the sugar in this just-sweet-enough strawberry sorbet.

Stirred Egg Custard

Stirred Egg Custard — at The Kitchn

Boiled egg custard is an old-school Southern recipe found in many retro community cookbooks. While usually enjoyed at Christmas, I personally think it is good enough to make any time of year. It’s technically just eating vanilla ice cream without the ice!

Blackened Chicken with Creamy Angel Hair

Blackened Chicken with Creamy Angel Hair — at The Kitchn

I’m going to be honest here—I’m bummed with how these photos turned out. I just don’t think they do the dish any justice. If you are willing to look past this minor detail, you will discover a FANTASTIC recipe. (It is so addicting that I devoured practically the entire bowl of pasta in one sitting. Then I curled into fetal position and cried.) Walt still can’t stop talking about it, which is always a very good sign.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken and Creamy Greek Sauce

Yogurt Marinated Chicken — at The Kitchn

Here’s another great lunch recipe inspired by my favorite Atlanta Greek restaurant, Grecian Gyro. The chicken—which I’ve substituted in for lamb—is soaked in a flavor-packed yogurt marinade, while a tzatziki-like sauce gets a Southern spin.

Chicken Cordon Bleu-Croque Monsieur

Chicken Cordon Bleu-Croque Monsieur — at The Kitchn

This crazy sandwich lovechild is what happens when you give a starving food blogger too much time to think. But what’s not to like about crispy fried chicken, deli-sliced ham, melted cheese, and a bubbling mornay sauce? It may be a bit extravagant but I would do it again in a heartbeat!

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Macaroni and Cheese. Or Heaven on Earth.

by Nealey on April 11, 2012

Why hello there, stranger! Let’s please not talk about my little absence here on DC and get right to the fun stuff, okay. When did April get here anyways? And spring? Holy crap, time is flying by at a rapid pace.

To make amends, I’ll just go ahead and give you the best macaroni and cheese recipe known to man and all will be forgiven. You’ve got to trust me on this one, you know I don’t throw out superlatives like that often. But seriously. It’s holy-crap-mind-blowingly-out-of-this-world-too-good-to-be-true amazing. Need proof? Here’s the text message following a cell phone snapshot to my sister (and I don’t lie to my sister):

Me: Mac and cheeeessse, please! (Photo attached)
Deanna: Oh my gawwwwdddddddddddd
Me: It’s pretty much the best thing I have ever tasted ever. E-V-E-R.

This was immediately followed by a call from her offering to fly me to Los Angeles to make it. (Dee—I’ll see you in two weeks!)

Seriously though, I don’t know how Dixie Caviar has survived this long without a recipe for mac and cheese. I’ve been searching for the holy grail of recipes for years and am happy to say my search is over. But I’ll just stop blabbering now and give you the cheesy goods.

(P.S. Thank you notes and flowers for the fabulous recipe can be sent to my home address in Atlanta.)

(BEST ON EARTH) MACARONI AND CHEESE

This recipe comes from Community Q Barbecue in Decatur, GA. The first time I ever dined there, I spent $40. On myself. I couldn’t tell if the man behind the counter wanted to marry me or call the asylum. What can I say? I have to sample ALL of the wares to fairly judge a barbecue joint. It’s safe to admit that it is now my one-and-only bbq house. (Thank goodness the 20-minute drive is just long enough to keep me out of there on a regular basis.)

Community’s beef ribs and rigatoni mac & cheese will change your life. So you might imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon their so-called recipe in the Atlanta paper for all the world to see. I had my doubts that it was THE recipe, but upon testing—multiple times—am happy to report that this is, in fact, IT. I’ve only made one big change, and that is substituting the originally called-for Monterey Jack with (uber-processed) white American. Hey, if Panera Bread can do it, so can I.

Source: slightly adapted from Community Q via Atlanta Journal Constitution
Yields 6-8 servings

1 (16-ounce) box rigatoni noodles
8 ounces (12 slices) white American cheese, torn or cut into very small pieces
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, about 12 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain in a colander without rinsing, and return the pasta to the pot.

Add the American cheese, half of the cheddar, half the Parmesan, and the heavy cream to the still-warm noodles and stir until combined and the cheese starts to melt. Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the noodle mixture into a greased cast iron skillet or casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining half of cheddar and Parmesan over the top and bake until bubbly and golden, about 30 – 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve, eat copious amounts, and then retreat for a long afternoon slumber.

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Around the Web

by Nealey on March 7, 2012

I’ve got exciting news—I discovered the ultimate buttermilk biscuit! I’m talking the fluffiest, most sinful of them all. I can’t take any credit for the recipe, though, as I have the fabulous Shirley Corriher to thank. I’m making a couple of minor tweaks and additions (think spicy chicken sandwich), and then I’ll have the recipe up for you in no time.

In the meantime, here are some of my posts at The Kitchn

Coconut Banana Fritters

Here’s a little glimpse into a typical day in my life as a recipe developer (and some pretty freaking awesome Coconut Banana Fritters, to boot)

Chicken Flautas with Lime Sour Cream

I’ve taken on a major recipe organization project (more on that soon); the Chicken Flautas with Lime Sour Cream are just one of the tasty results.

Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup

I ushered in spring with one last bowl of warm, hearty Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup. Until next year…

Creamy Crawfish Pasta

Just because I made this Creamy Crawfish Pasta for Mardi Gras doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it year ’round. Heck, crawfish season has only just begun!

Eggs Florentine with Hash Brown Nests

Sometimes freezer raiding is the best mother of invention. For instance, who knew that frozen hash browns were capable of this epic breakfast? Eggs Florentine with Hash Brown Nests may be a new personal best.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Root Vegetable Puree

I made Braised Lamb Shanks with Root Vegetable Puree as a pre-Valentine’s meal for Walt. Too bad he forgot to mention he doesn’t like lamb. Many thanks to my gal Kristen for coming over to woof these down with me!

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Homemade MoonPies

by Nealey on February 22, 2012

New Orleans is perhaps my favorite city in the country, but it’s the last place I’d want to be during Mardi Gras. I just don’t get too excited about raucous bars and dirty streets, and I’m definitely not looking to add any plastic beads to my jewelry collection. (Give me Jazz Fest any day!) But I never need an excuse to cook up some spicy Creole cuisine and Fat Tuesday is as good a day as any. Or rather, “Fat Sunday,” as we celebrated with a little family gathering over the weekend since we’d all be indisposed during the work week. I think Tina Thompson and “krewe” did Louisiana proud if I may say so myself.

Walt’s little brother whipped up a batch of Hurricanes to get the celebratory juices flowing. A vat of spicy corn dip almost ended the party before it even started (Caroline, if you are reading this: oh-my-God-that-stuff-was-mind-blowingly-amazing), but somehow we managed to keep our appetites in check for the main event. For dinner, we overindulged in two different styles of seafood gumbo—a gumbo dual, if you will—as well as creamy crawfish pasta, grilled herb-butter shrimp, and pan-fried crab cakes. I’m still full even thinking about it! Nah, we don’t mess around at the Thompson house. At least not when it comes to food and booze.

For the grand finale, I went all out and baked up some homemade MoonPies. In Mobile, MoonPies are typically thrown to parade revelers as party favors; they make a good, i.e. soft, replacement of the more dangerous boxes of Cracker Jacks pelted at the crowds of yesteryear. I grew up eating these famous Southern treats not at any wild and crazy Mardi Gras parties but in the parking lot of the Bread & Buggy, our neighborhood country store. (What can I say, I am from Alabama. You can’t even make up a name like that.) Looking back, we were a walking redneck cliché: my dad slinging back his boiled peanuts and his like-minded daughter armed with a fistful of MoonPies and a can of RC Cola. It’s crazy how much hasn’t changed. Well, except for the fact that now I’m making them from scratch…

HOMEMADE MOONPIES

Basically, a MoonPie consists of two graham cracker cookies stuffed with a creamy marshmallow filling and dunked in a bath of chocolate. Store-bought are good, homemade are great! This recipe is definitely a labor of love, but a fun one. It’s not technically difficult, it just involves a little bit of patience. I’d give yourself a relaxed weekend afternoon to pull it all off. And don’t wait for Mardi Gras to make these; Moon Pies should be enjoyed year round. (They’re especially good in banana pudding!)

Source: Nealey Dozier**
Yields approximately 18 MoonPies (will vary with size of the cookie cutter)

For the cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the marshmallow filling
2 packets unflavored gelatin powder
3/4 cup water, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate coating
8 ounces good-quality semisweet or milk chocolate, chopped
8 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream

For the cookies: Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer), cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until a thick dough has formed, about 1 minute. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour or up to one day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking pans with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out a disc of dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough and place on the baking sheet. Gather scraps of dough and re-roll to cut out additional cookies. Continue with the other disc of dough. Refrigerate the cookies for 10 minutes before baking, then bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. Leave on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the marshmallow filling: Whisk together the gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl and set aside. Fit a pastry bag with a large, round tip.

Stir together 1/4 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. As it’s coming to a boil, dip a pastry brush in water and brush down the sides of the pot to remove any sugar stuck to the sides. Once the temperature reaches 225 – 230 degrees, microwave the gelatin on high until melted, about 20 – 30 seconds. Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and set on low speed.

When the syrup reaches 240 degrees, remove from the heat and slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Add the vanilla and beat on highest speed for 1 more minute. Using a silicone spatula or greased spoon, scoop the marshmallow filling into the prepared pastry bag. Working quickly, pipe a generous mound or “kiss” onto the center of a cookie; top with another cookie, pressing firmly to disperse the marshmallow evenly.

For the chocolate coating: Combine the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Once the chocolate is melted, whisk until the mixture is glossy and completely combined. Reduce the heat to low; you want the chocolate to stay warm and malleable while coating the cookies.

Place a few sheets of parchment paper under a wire cooling rack. Using an offset spatula, drop a marshmallow-filled cookie into the chocolate and flip a few times to coat thoroughly. Tap the spatula against the bowl a couple of times to allow the excess coating to drip off, smoothing the top of the cookie with another spatula if necessary. Place the coated cookie on the wire rack. Continue coating the rest of the cookies, adjusting the temperature of the water as necessary in order to keep the chocolate a “pourable” consistency. (Here’s a helpful video about coating the cookies; skip to the 13 minute mark.)

Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature until the coating is set, preferably overnight. You can refrigerate them to speed up the process, although it may alter the texture of the coating/cookie. Store the moonpies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in a cool place, separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking.

**I created my version of homemade MoonPies after doing considerable research of other online recipes available. The cookie base is loosely adapted from The Pastry Queen Cookbook via Confections of a Foodie Bride, the marshmallow recipe is my own, and the chocolate ganache is adapted from Fine Cooking.

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Beet and Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter

by Nealey on February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all! I’m not going to lie, though. Unfortunately this day makes me a little bitter. Not because I’m not all about the love, but because I work in the restaurant biz. Of all the dreaded “dining out” holidays (New Year’s Eve, Mother’s Day), February 14 is the MOST hated. Think about it: a whole evening of uncomfortable guys who would rather be at a sports bar guzzling a beer than a bottle of red (of which they picked the cheapest, mind you), and gussied up girls too worried about fitting in that little red dress to actually eat. Oh, the delight!

But I digress. Despite the dread in my stomach as I gear up for work, it doesn’t mean I have to be totally bah humbug. I made this beet and ricotta gnocchi for my *fiancé* today; we enjoyed it as lunch on the couch, followed by an annual appearance of my favorite Kahlua Truffle Triangles. We may have even stolen a kiss, but don’t tell my fellow V-Day naysayers.

Whether or not cupid is in the air today, consider making this festive dish for someone you love. Even if that someone is you.

BEET AND RICOTTA GNOCCHI

This recipe comes from Angeli Caffe, my favorite (now closed) restaurant in Los Angeles. It was just a quick stroll away from my West Hollywood apartment, and my sister and I frequented it often. Although at the time I was a beet hater, this ricotta gnocchi made a believer out of me. It’s equally good with spinach, though, if you just can’t get past the color. (And please note: this recipe is best started a day in advance, something I didn’t realize until it was entirely too late to pull back.)

Source: Evan Kleiman, owner of Angeli Caffe
Serves 2 – 4

1 medium or two small red beets, washed
1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
1 organic or free-range egg
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the table
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dredging
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
Fresh sage leaves

Place a cheese cloth-lined colander over a bowl and drain the ricotta overnight, or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Bake until tender, approximately 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, open aluminum foil and let beets cool. Slip the skins off with your hands. Grate the beets into a mixing bowl on the large hole of a box grater. Add the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to the beets. Mix well with a whisk or wooden spoon. Add 2/3 cup flour to the ricotta mixture and whisk together to mix. Set the mixture aside for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator. Can be made up to two days ahead.

Use a spring form scoop to measure out the dough. Use your palms to form dough balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Roll the ball into a bowl of flour, carefully turning to lightly coat all sides, tapping off any excess. Lay each dumpling on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue forming the gnocchi until all the mixture is gone.

Add the dough balls into a pot of gently simmering salted water and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the water as they are done and place them on a platter. Use a paper towel to soak up any excess water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter together with the sage leaves in a skillet over medium heat. Let the butter lightly brown and the sage leaves become nice and crispy, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet and toss with the butter to warm them up a bit. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with fresh Parmesan for grating.