Southern Comfort (10 page)

If you decide to make your own pita chips, fill a heavy, deep saucepan with at least 6 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer.

Line a tray with paper towels and have nearby. While the oil is heating, halve each pita bread horizontally, then cut each half into eight wedges. Fry the chips in batches until brown and crispy on all sides, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chips from the oil to the prepared tray and lightly season with sea salt.

Serve the pita chips along side the lima bean puree.

Line a plate with paper towels. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the prepared plate and let cool, then chop it finely and reserve.

To prepare the spinach mixture, heat ½ cup of the butter in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Add the spinach, garlic, and shallots, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the greens are just wilted, about 1 minute, being careful not to cook too long. Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain. Remove and discard the crushed garlic and finely chop the spinach. Set aside.

To make the butter sauce, cut the remaining 1½ cups butter into 1-inch cubes. Heat the water in a small saucepan until simmering. Decrease the heat and whisk in the butter pieces, one by one, whisking constantly and emulsifying the butter into the water. Once the butter is incorporated, the result is a smooth, velvety sauce. Turn off the heat, add the lemon slices, and steep for about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. This should be kept warm on top of the stove (not on direct heat) until ready to use.

To assemble the dish, bring the butter sauce to a simmer. Rewarm the spinach mixture over low heat in a small saucepan and place it in neat piles in small serving spoons. Drop the oysters in the simmering butter and poach them until they are warm and the edges begin to curl slightly, about 30 seconds. Transfer the oysters with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Place an oyster on each pile of spinach. Spoon a small amount of butter sauce onto each oyster. Top each with chopped bacon. Finely grate licorice root on top and serve.

Note:
Instead of licorice root, you can add 1 teaspoon of licorice-flavored liqueur, such as Pernod or Herbsaint, to your butter sauce for a similar flavor.

W
HEN
I
WAS A KID,
one of the most stressful questions I faced when we went out to dinner was figuring out what kind of dressing I wanted on my salad. If it wasn’t smothered in my dressing of choice and served with Captain’s Wafers on the side, I did not want it. Having no idea what lettuce actually tasted like, I was lost for many years.

I didn’t feel any different until some years later in culinary school at Johnson and Wales in Providence, Rhode Island. In my garde manger class, I was amazed at the varieties of lettuce in the world and the techniques one used to create dressings and vinaigrettes from scratch. My family shopped at the local Piggly Wiggly, so I thought that all salads came from iceberg.

When building a great salad you absolutely must choose the freshest of lettuces. If the greens look just okay, not great, do yourself a favor and start the meal with a soup or other first course, not a salad. A great salad may look easy when it’s put in front of you, but it is actually one of the hardest dishes to prepare well. It requires a perfect balance of many things: just enough dressing, precise amounts of salt and pepper, a delicate touch of the hands, and two tools—the salad spinner and a Japanese mandoline. Also, once made, a salad should be enjoyed right away. In my opinion, no one can make them better than my Allison.