Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes With Southern Charm Hardcover – July 5, 2011 (8 page)

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Authors: Whitney Miller

BOOK: Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes With Southern Charm Hardcover – July 5, 2011

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Petite Shrimp Rolls

Living so close to the Gulf Coast has its advantages—and buying shrimp fresh off the boat is one of them. I don’t like to add too much mayo to my shrimp rolls—I prefer to let the flavor of the shrimp shine through, enhanced with a little lemon juice and zest. These petite rolls are perfect for an afternoon tea or luncheon and are a lot less messy to eat than most traditional seafood “rolls.”

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh chives

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pinch of ground black pepper

1 cup mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, etc.)

8 petite rolls, split lengthwise

Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until opaque throughout, about 7 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool for 5 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, chop the shrimp into small pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the mayonnaise, scallions, lemon zest, chives, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

To assemble, place some greens on the bottom of each roll. Top with ¼ cup shrimp mixture and the top of the other half of the roll.

Serves 8

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

My dad grew up in Memphis, Tennessee-a.k.a., barbecue country. Every time we make a family trip to Tennessee, we make it a mission to find the best pulled pork BBQ sandwich in the state. I wanted to re-create for my dad the taste of real Memphis BBQ, but with a special twist. I use my own blend of seasoning rub to roast the pork, then top it off with a traditional BBQ sauce at the end. Roasting the pork at a low temperature definitely takes time . . . but the end result is so tender and delicious, it’s worth it.

RUB

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1½ tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

½ tablespoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon black pepper blend

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

PORK

10 pounds boneless Boston butt or pork shoulder

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 large jar (18 ounces) of your favorite BBQ sauce

15 sandwich buns

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To make the rub: Combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl.

To make the pork: Rub the pork all over with the rub. Place fat-side up on a rack in a roasting pan (The rack allows the pork fat to drip to the bottom of the pan.) Place the onion slices on top of the pork. Fill the bottom of the roasting pan with 2 inches of water.

Roast the pork for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 250°F and roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 160°F, about 10 hours, adding more water to the pan as it evaporates. When pork is cooked through, remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Cut any visible fat away from the pork and discard. Place the pork in a 4-quart baking dish. Using two forks, pull the pork meat into shreds.

Heat the BBQ sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the sauce is warm, pour it over the pulled pork. Stir the meat and sauce together until the meat is coated in sauce.

Warm the buns on a baking sheet in the turned-off but still-warm oven for about 3 minutes.

Serve the pulled pork BBQ with warmed buns.

Makes 15 sandwiches

Mississippi Cheesesteak

Food has always played a major part in the planning of our family vacations. We all enjoy seeking out new restaurants and embrace the challenge of finding the country’s best versions of our favorite foods. My older sister, Leslie, was on a mission to find America’s best cheesesteak. But after sampling what many states have to offer, this Mississippi Cheesesteak is still her favorite!

1 loaf crusty French bread

About 1 pound sliced leftover Grandma’s Sunday Roast (page
110
)

Sautéed onions, peppers, and/or mushrooms (optional)

½ cup spicy Pimiento Cheese (page
163
)

Preheat the broiler.

Cut bread crosswise into 4 lengths and split each one lengthwise. Place both halves of the bread cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top one side of each sandwich with beef, vegetables (if using), and 2 tablespoons Pimiento Cheese. Broil until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is toasted. Top the sandwiches with other half of the bread and serve.

Serves 4

Stuffed Muffuletta Po’ Boys

The muffuletta sandwich originated in the early 1900s at Central Grocery in New Orleans. Traditional muffulettas contain salami, ham, cheese, and the absolutely essential ingredient of olive salad. Though you can buy jarred olive salad in the South, I prefer to make my own (see page
162
). I like to make these sandwiches with pistolettes (another regional specialty), but if they’re not available where you live, you can substitute unsliced mini-baguettes.

8 pistolettes (small football-shaped rolls)

4 tablespoons chopped pepperoni

4 tablespoons chopped Genoa salami

8 tablespoons Olive Salad (page
162
)

8 tablespoons chopped cooked ham

16 cubes (½ inch) part-skim mozzarella cheese

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cut a 1-inch hole at both ends of each pistolette. Using your fingers, hollow out the center of the pistolette. (Save the pistolette stuffing for fresh breadcrumbs or another use.)

Toss the pepperoni and salami together in a small bowl. Into each pistolette, spoon ½ tablespoon olive salad, ½ tablespoon ham, ½ tablespoon pepperoni-salami mixture, and 1 cube cheese. Repeat the layering 3 more times.

Place the stuffed pistolettes on a baking sheet. Brush the melted butter over all sides of the pistolettes. Bake until rolls are hot and slightly toasted, 8 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 4

Off-the-Griddle Cheeseburger

Your quest for the perfect burger ends here! My Miracle Marinade (page
159
) enhances the natural flavors of the ground meat and makes this burger moist and juicy. Top it off with spicy Pimento Cheese (page
163
) and a little Sun-Dried Tomato and Cranberry Ketchup (page
161
), and I dare you to find a more mouthwatering burger east or west of the Mississippi.

1 cup beef stock

¼ cup beef broth

¼ cup Miracle Marinade (page
159
)

1½ pounds ground beef, preferably chuck

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup spicy Pimiento Cheese (page
163
)

6 hamburger buns

Sun-Dried Tomato and Cranberry Ketchup (optional; page
161
)

Lettuce and tomato slices (optional)

Combine the beef stock, beef broth, and marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gently simmer the mixture for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes to reduce. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Combine the ground beef, salt, and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the cooled marinade mixture. Mix the ingredients until well combined. Form meat into 6 patties.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Cook the patties to desired doneness, or 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium-well. Top the burgers with equal amounts (1 scant tablespoon) of the Pimiento Cheese during the final 2 minutes of cooking.

Assemble the burgers on the buns and top with the cranberry ketchup and/or lettuce and tomato, if desired.

Serves 6

SIDES AND
GRAINS

TINY GREEN PLANTS are enticingly displayed in the garden center, and before I know it, my shopping cart is filled with the promise of homegrown squash, zucchini, and tomatoes roasting succulently in my oven. Once my dad tills our small garden patch, I delicately place the plants in rows. Then I’m back in my kitchen, happily planning menus and creating recipes for my favorite sides, such as peas and okra.