Texas Home Cooking
Page 36
½ cup chopped roasted green chile, preferably New Mexican or poblano, fresh or frozen
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt to taste
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese
Paprika
Serves 6
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a baking dish.
In a bowl, stir together the rice, sour cream, chile, coriander, and salt. Spoon half the mixture into the baking dish and top with half the cheese. Spoon the remaining rice over the cheese and bake the rice, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover the rice, and top it with the remaining cheese and a liberal dusting of paprika. Continue baking for 5 more minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve the rice hot.
* * *
In recent decades two national groups competed for the honor of promoting black-eyed peas. Elmore Torn of Taylor, Texas, father of the actor Rip Torn, founded and led the National Black-Eyed Pea Association. James J. Kilpatrick, the syndicated Washington columnist, headed the Black-Eyed Pea Society of America.
* * *
Texas Pilaf
A new strain developed for its rich aroma and flavor long-grain Texmati rice grows in southeast Texas. It's the first choice for this pilaf, in which pecans heighten the rice's natural nuttiness.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown rice, preferably Texmati
2¼ cups unsalted stock (choose the stock to match whatever you're pairing the dish with)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
6 green onions, sliced thin
Serves 4
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the pecans, and sauté them 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, coating the grains with butter, and sauté another minute or two. Pour in the stock, Worcestershire sauce, and salt, and bring the rice to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the rice, and cook it 45 to 50 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Open the pan just long enough to sprinkle in the onions. Allow the rice to steam, covered, for a few more minutes. Serve the rice hot.
* * *
Japanese immigrants at the turn of the last century helped make rice a major Texas crop. They moved to the state at the urging of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, which was eager to boost the local economy. With their first harvest in 1904, Kiyoaki Saibara and other Japanese farmers nearly doubled previous rice yields.
* * *
* * *
American Indians taught Virginia colonists how to make hominy out of the native corn, using ashes and water to remove the skin of dried kernels. Right away the British newcomers began grinding the hominy into grits, which they carried with them as far as Texas in the next stages of western migration.
* * *
Farm-Fresh Vegetables
Nothing but a damn vegetarian.
Sam Houston, dismissing a political rival
Sam Houston meant his comment as a curse, but you could interpret it as a compliment. Being a vegetarian in early Texas would have required more courage and resourcefulness than winning any battle Houston ever fought. Few people grew any vegetables other than corn and sweet potatoes, and some settlers held green vegetables in such disdain that they swore you risked your life by eating two in the same meal.
A little of the old attitude lingers in the state, but it's a lot easier to be a vegetable lover today. Texas farmers grow an abundance of fresh produce, and many are now selling it direct to consumers at an increasing number of farmers' markets. Just as important, over the years Texas cooks have developed, adapted, or adopted a variety of hearty garden dishes that appeal to meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. Houston would still feel at home in his old republic, but he would have to update his rhetoric.
Jalapeño Spinach Casserole
When vegetables finally took root in Texas, casserole dishes led the way to acceptance and success. Still a sure-fire winner on a Texas table, they often contain processed cheese and canned soup, which we replace with lighter and tastier ingredients that are almost as simple. This is a personal favorite, first discovered in the 1976 Dallas Junior League Cookbook but with fresher ingredients this time around.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 celery ribs, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeño, plus jalapeño pickling liquid to taste
1 pound fresh spinach, chopped
1 recipe Not-Cream-of-Mushroom Soup ([>])
1 cup (4 ounces) grated mild cheddar cheese
Salt to taste
⅓ cup saltine cracker crumbs
Serves 4 to 6
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a medium baking dish.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, celery, onion, and jalapeño, and sauté the vegetables briefly, until they are softened. Top the sautéed vegetables with the spinach. Cover the pan, and continue cooking for several more minutes to wilt the spinach.
Stir the soup substitute into the spinach, add the cheese, and stir well. Taste, and add salt or a little jalapeño pickling liquid to give the spinach more tang.
Spoon the spinach mixture into the baking dish, and top it with the cracker crumbs. Bake the casserole 25 minutes, or until it is heated through and bubbly. Serve the casserole warm.
* * *
If you're driving around Texas, you won't find more local flavor than at a farmers' market. The Texas Department of Agriculture publishes a list of places and times, available free by calling 512-463-7593 in Austin.
* * *
Not-Cream-of-Mushroom Soup
Many vegetable casseroles call for canned cream of mushroom soup. We've come up with a more flavorful substitute that takes less than ten minutes to prepare. You can even make soup out of it, by adding stock or milk to thin the blend.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup minced mushrooms
¼ cup minced onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces evaporated milk (skimmed evaporated milk works fine), or 1 5-ounce can of evaporated milk plus 2 tablespoons milk
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste, optional
Makes about 1 ⅓ cups, enough to replace 1 can of cream of mushroom soup in other recipes
Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the mushrooms and onion, and cook them over moderate heat until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture, and cook for another minute or two, stirring continuously. Mix in the milk and white pepper, and remove the skillet from the heat. We don't normally add salt here, preferring to add it instead to the finished dish, but it can be sprinkled in now if you wish.
Use this preparation as a substitute for canned cream of mushroom soup concentrate. Refrigerate it, covered, until it is needed. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, and it can be frozen.
* * *
The Campbell Soup folks estimate that 80 percent of the cream of mushroom soup they sell goes into other dishes.
* * *
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Despite his much-publicized aversion to broccoli, even George Bush would probably like this casserole, a perennial potluck dish in the ex-president's adopted state.
2 cups cooked rice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1¼ pounds fresh broccoli, chopped
½ cup chopped onion
¾ cup (3 ounces) grated mild cheddar cheese
1 recipe Not-Cream-of-Mushroom Soup ([>])
¼ teaspoon or more salt
Serves 4 to 6
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a medium baking dish.
Place the cooked rice in a medium bowl.
Boil or steam the broccoli and onion until both are tender. Drain them, and add them to the rice. Mix in the cheese and soup substitute, and add salt to taste. The mixture should be moist but not drippy. Spoon it into the baking
dish. Cover the casserole, and bake it 25 to 30 minutes, until it is heated through and slightly bubbly. Serve the casserole hot.
* * *
George Bush's presidential library is housed at Texas A&M, the university that helps keep the state second only to California in broccoli production.
* * *
Eggplant Casserole
The sage in this casserole complements the eggplant delightfully. If you're a fan of the herb, use the larger amount recommended.
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, chopped
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs, preferably cornbread
1 cup (4 ounces) grated mild cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1
to
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried
¼ teaspoon or more salt
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
Serves 6
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a medium baking dish.
Place the eggplant and onion in a medium saucepan, and add salted water to cover. Bring the vegetables to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Drain the liquid from the eggplant and onion, and purée them together in a food processor or blender, or mash them until they are smooth with a fork or potato masher. Mix in ¾ cup of the bread crumbs and ¾ cup of the cheese, reserving the rest of both. Add the milk, butter, sage, salt, and pepper. When the seasonings are adjusted to your taste, mix in the egg.
Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Top it with the reserved bread crumbs and cheese. Bake the casserole, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve it immediately.
Yellow Squash and Hominy Casserole
The original El Paso recipe for this casserole had the vegetables drowning in a sea of butter, cheese, and sour cream. We like it much better when you can taste the squash and hominy, which go well together.
2 tablespoons corn oil, preferably unrefined
½ medium onion
1 pound yellow squash, chopped in bite-size cubes
2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper or pimiento
1 pickled jalapeño, minced, plus 1 teaspoon pickling liquid
¼ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2 tablespoons milk
1¾ cups (1 can) hominy
3 tablespoons sour cream
½ cup (2 ounces) grated sharp cheddar or jalapeño jack cheese
3
to
4 tablespoons crushed tostadas or other corn chips
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease a baking dish.
In a skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook it until it is well softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Mix in the squash, bell pepper or pimiento, jalapeño and pickling liquid, and oregano, and continue cooking until the vegetables are limp. Add the milk, reduce the heat slightly, and cover the pan. Simmer the mixture 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squash is very soft. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the hominy and sour cream.
Layer half the vegetable mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle it with half the cheese. Top with the remaining mixture and cheese. Sprinkle the crushed tostadas over the top. Bake the casserole 30 to 35 minutes, and serve it immediately.
* * *
A New World vegetable, squash was one of the staples of the American Indian diet, along with corn and beans. It remains popular in Texas, especially the yellow crookneck variety. Urban cafeterias, from Lubbock's Furr's chain to Dallas's upscale Highland Park Cafeteria, count baked squash casseroles among their best-loved dishes.
* * *
Calabacitas
A common preparation of summer squash in West Texas, calabacitas came originally from Mew Mexico.
2 tablespoons corn oil, preferably unrefined
3 medium zucchini or yellow squash (or a combination of the two), halved lengthwise and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups corn kernels, preferably fresh
½ cup chopped roasted green chile, preferably New Mexican or poblano, fresh or frozen
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint, optional
Crumbled mild fresh goat cheese or grated cheddar cheese, optional
Serves 6
In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the squash and onion, and sauté the vegetables over medium heat until they begin to wilt. Add the corn, green chile, milk, oregano, and salt. Cook, covered, over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. If you like, mix in the mint and cheese, and serve immediately.
* * *
Much of Texas's fresh produce comes from the Lower Rio Grande Valley, one of the most productive corners of the United States. Commercial cultivation began as soon as the railroad reached the area, in 1904, and accelerated after 1914, when growers developed grapefruit and orange trees especially adapted to the local soil and climate.
* * *
Grilled Squashalitos
These baby squash are a succulent summer accompaniment to other grilled dishes.
12
to
16 whole baby squash, preferably a combination of round or oval green and yellow varieties
Garlic oil or other flavored oil
Serves 4
Fire up enough charcoal to form a single layer of coals beneath the squash.
Rub each squash generously with oil. Skewer the squash.
When the charcoals are covered with gray ash, place the skewers over the coals. Cook the squash 10 to 15 minutes, basting occasionally with oil, until they are tender. Serve the squash hot.
* * *
Fresh produce was often rare and expensive in Texas in the early years. In 1838 one devoted Galveston husband sold a town lot to buy his wife several boxes of fresh cherries.
* * *
* * *
The Travis County Farmers' Market in Austin is one of the state's liveliest. Market Master Hill Rylander promotes Texas as the "Capsicum Capital of the World," and has erected a monument on the grounds to reinforce the claim. The vendors sell plenty of hot peppers, but just about everything else as well.
* * *
Baked Acorn Squash
This is a variation on the cinnamon-scented squash served at Gennie's Bishop Grill in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.
1 acorn squash
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground canela (Mexican cinnamon) or cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of salt
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a baking sheet and a baking dish.
Halve the squash lengthwise. Transfer the squash, cut side down, to the baking sheet, and bake the squash until it is tender, about 45 minutes. Don't turn off the oven.
While the squash cooks, melt the butter in a small pan, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Keep the mixture warm until it is needed.
Cut each squash section in half. Arrange the squash, cut sides up, in the baking dish. Spoon the butter and seasonings equally over the sections. Bake the squash another 15 minutes, until it is very soft. Serve the squash hot.
* * *
Maybe it's $15 instead of 15 minutes: The sign in Gennie's Bishop Grill one-ups Andy Warhol—"If our prices were higher, we'd be famous."
* * *
East Texas Honeyed Collard Greens
A touch of sweetening is common in Texas and Southern vegetable dishes. Collard greens pair nicely with honey, as Bobby Seale showed us in his Barbeque'n with Bobby.
3
to
3½ pounds collard greens or kale, tough st
ems removed, coarsely chopped
1 smoked ham hock (about 1 pound)
4 medium onions, chopped
2 green or red bell peppers, chopped
¾ cup cider vinegar, preferably unrefined
¼ cup pure liquid hickory smoke
4 fresh jalapeños, minced
2 tablespoons honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
2½ teaspoons coarse-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons celery seeds
8 cups water
Serves 8
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, and bring them to a boil. Simmer the pot, covered, about 2 hours. Remove the ham hock; when it is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from it in small chunks or shreds, and return the meat to the pot. Reheat the greens briefly, if necessary. The greens can be kept over very low heat another hour. Serve them warm with some of the liquid, the pot likker. Leftovers keep for several days.