Madison&Mayberry

A Tale of Two Shrimp Recipes

This is what I've discovered about Mark Bittman -- his recipes tend to be hit or miss. The ones that are good -- are really quite good, like his Creamy Peanut Chicken Stew, which makes my mouth water. But there are countless others that I've snipped out of the Times with high hopes, only to discard due to so-so results. And you don't really know until you try because the way he words his descriptions make me so excited to try all of them. But, in my experience, the more simple ones (five ingredients or less) tend to disappoint more.

Such is the case with the shrimp. First, I tried his Shrimp-Deviled Eggs (cut from the Times), which Michelle sampled and gave a rave review. They're really rather excellent and we couldn't stop popping them into our mouths. I love deviled eggs period. But the addition of shrimp and olives -- it just kicks the flavor up and is unexpected. My mom made these (to excellent reviews as well) and thought the olive oil, mayo combination made the yolk mixture creamier.

Onto the second Bittman shrimp recipe. My friend Destiny came over last week and I made Mark Bittman's "Shrimp, My Way" from his book, "How to Cook Everything." On the stovetop, I sauteed garlic in a layer of olive oil. Then, I sprinkled paprika and chili powder into the mix and added two pounds of shrimp in the pan. The pan goes straight into the broiler for 5 or so minutes. I was convinced the garlic slivers would burn in the broiler but Mark was right and it didn't. The shrimp were okay but not mind-blowing. Chalk this into the "Don't Try a New Recipe When Guests Come Over" category. But the shrimp deviled egg recipe is safe. Call the guests over and you can guarantee they'll adore them.

Mark Bittman's Shrimp Deviled Eggs

Time: 20 minutes (My mom takes issue with this time assessment, which she found incorrect. It took her much longer. But, she did triple the recipe.)

1/4 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 eggs
2 or 3 tablespoons chopped good olives
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves, more for garnish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons mayonnaise.

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon. Let cool a bit, then chop.

2. Add eggs to pot, adding water, if necessary, to cover. Bring water just to a boil, then shut off heat. Cover pot and let eggs rest for 9 minutes, 10 minutes if eggs are large. Plunge eggs into a bowl of ice water. When cool enough to handle, peel.

3. Halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Mash yolks of 3 eggs in a medium bowl. Add chopped shrimp and remaining ingredients and mix well.

4. Mound this mixture into egg whites. Crumble remaining yolk on top and garnish with parsley. Serve, or cover with plastic and refrigerate for up to a day; bring back to room temperature before serving.

Yield: 4 servings.

Taming my Troubles with Tomato Sandwiches

Have you ever felt a gasp away from true hysterics?

Granted, this doesn't mean much as I am prone to over-thinking, which leads right into hysterics. In short, a worrier I am and a worrier I will always be. So what does a worrier do when her boyfriend decides his life can not be complete without a jaunt to Peru and a Manchu Picchu hike? Well, she worries, of course.

I lacked both the vacation time and, quite frankly, the interest to come along and the timing wasn't right for his friends. So Ryan was going by himself. This was cause for concern to me. But in front of Ryan, I kept the worrying to a limit in a please-don't-realize-how-neurotic-I-really-am-and-break-up-with-me way with tame questions like "Did you get the shots you need? and "Have you booked your hotels?"

I had one break in normality when I demanded he not visit Pisco, as his Peru guidebook warned of gunpoint muggings for people by themselves at night. "Fine, fine," Ryan said, grabbing the book back so  I couldn't make more demands. I worried about muggings and diseases and elevation sickness. The thought of an earthquake never entered my mind.

Leave it to Ryan to be in a country less than 24 hours and it be hit by an earthquake. Ryan soon texted that his area hadn't been hit -- although the proximity he was to the earthquake was still too close for comfort for me. The whole experience made me feel a stone's throw from a breakdown. Maybe not that I was about to have one but rather its aftermath of exhaustion. 

It's funny that during times like these you crave the food comforts of childhood. And in the summer, we would pick tomatoes in the garden and make them into tomato sandwiches. So today was filled with numerous tomato sandwiches to soak up the remnants of last night's stress.

It's nothing more than thick, juicy slices of tomato on white bread with gobs of mayo. But there are rules to follow:

-- The tomatoes have to be garden-fresh. No grocery store tomatoes. Farmer's market tomatoes are acceptable, although I have to say they still miss that familiar tomatoness of the garden variety, or that could just be in my head. You can also do as I do and beg tomatoes from coworkers with gardens.

-- Spread kosher salt and freshly ground pepper liberally over the tomato slices.

-- This sandwich is for the mayo lover. As with a BLT, the more mayo, the better. I have to give a shout-out to Hellman's here.

-- Use the cheapest white bread possible (Wonder bread is recommended) so it almost fuses with the mayo and tomato. (Disclaimer: I realize this step is not for everyone. Feel free to substitute with the bread of your choice.)

   

I feel the need to add that you can spruce up your tomato sandwich with parsley, scallions and the like. But the beauty in it is the flavor of the tomato. I'm a tomato sandwich purist so no herbs on mine -- just tomatoes, mayo and bread eaten over the sink to catch the escaping drops of juice. It's enough to make someone forget about the scare of the earthquake.

Good Southerners Eat Homemade Pimento Cheese

Today, I was branded a bad Southerner by the New York Times' Florence Fabricant via an article about homemade pimento cheese hitting the aisles of Murray's Cheese: "In some parts of the country, pride is taken in homemade pimento cheese; self-respecting Southerners would never buy the commercial kind to fill a sandwich or to top a canapé. "

Oh, dear. We wouldn't? In my house, we boiled our peanuts, baconed our collard greens and fried our green tomatoes. But never did we make homemade pimento cheese. And thus I've been branded a bad Southerner?

For those of you not in the know (you'd apparently make very bad Southerners), pimento cheese is a concoction of cheddar cheese (and other types of cheese if necessary), mayo, cream cheese and pimentos. And in the South, it's available in your grocer's aisle right by the deli meats. As a child, my mom liked to pack up my lunches full of creative sandwiches on whole wheat bread no less. But children never appreciate best intentions. What did I want? Bologna on white bread with mayo or pimento cheese on white bread. These were reserved for special occasions -- code: when my mom ran out of nutritious lunches and was in a hurry.

I was 24 when I discovered pimento cheese came in other forms than a plastic container. (Please don't tell the Times.) I worked in the lifestyle department of a suburban Atlantan newspaper and was writing an article on tailgating foods. I was interviewing a die-hard UGA football fan, who told me about her famous pimento cheese recipe. "You can make pimento cheese?" slipped out of my mouth before I knew it. There was a pause. I had offended her delicate Southern roots. "Why, yes," she said, cautiously, "You've never had it homemade?"

You think I would have learned my lesson. But it actually took this picture of a pimento burger the other week to bring back my pimento cheese memories. So who do I turn to in my time of need but Ms. Paula Deen, whipping up some homemade  pimento cheese this weekend. (Take that, Times.) Ryan's friend, Bryan, hosted a cookout (or "bbq," as I've found Northerners refer to them, despite there not being any bbq present). Ryan and I -- and a few other brave souls -- slathered our burger with the pimento cheese while they were still on the grill, to melt the cheese just a bit. Then we placed them on their buns and dug in. It was really, really good. Like better-than-a-cheeseburger good. So good we had wolfed them down before I remembered to snap a picture. (Oh, I'm a bad blogger and a bad Southerner!)

Since this weekend I've put my pimento cheese on anything I could think of -- smeared on celery sticks, tossed into scrambled eggs, placed atop a hot dog and wedged between two pieces of cornbread. I'm a (homemade!) pimento cheese lovin' fool. Whether you've experienced homemade pimento cheese or not, it's worth a shot to try during a cookout for a pimento cheese burger.

Bobby's Pimento Cheese by Paula Deen

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
1 teaspoon grated onion
Cracked black pepper, salt and garlic powder to taste

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. It can be used as a dip for crudite or as a sandwich filling.

A Buttery Peach Cobbler Wonderland, Courtesy of Paula Deen

I was curious to learn more about Paula Deen's cooking, but to do this, I had to get through her almost agonizing auto-biography, "It Ain't All About the Cookin'." Don't get me wrong -- her poverty-to-food-goddess story is inspirational. But it's written exactly how she talks. It's too much, too over the top.

Anyway, one of the funniest passages in the book retells comedian Sara  Schaefer's joke on Paula Deen's love of butter:

Now, I’m no stranger to Paula Deen’s cooking. The woman’s recipes often look like this:

2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups butter oil
1/4 cup butter juice
3 cups all-purpose butter
1 teaspoon baking butter
3 cups peeled and finely chopped butter
1 cup shredded butter
1 pinch of butter, for taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.

For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the butter, butter oil, butter juice, and baking butter; and mix well. Fold butter, butter, and butter into batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bathe in it until you go into cardiac arrest.

Case in point -- Paula's Peach Cobbler, which has a stick of butter in it. Ryan, the butter-hater that he is, nearly had a heart attack upon finding this out. But let me tell you... if you're going to gorge on butter, this is the recipe to do it with!

The most time-consuming part of the recipe is cutting the peaches. Then into the pan goes melted butter, batter (without stirring) and the fruit. So what enters the oven is a gooey mess with globs of butter -- not so attractive. See below.

But when you take it out of the oven after 45 minutes, the cobbler has been transformed.  I'm going to talk like Paula Deen now -- "Honeychild, this is the most finger-licking good peach cobbler you'll ever put in your mouth." Honestly though, this is so easy and so amazingly good. The bottom crust is crisped yet chewy and contrasts with the spongy buttery nature of the rest of cobbler. I halved the recipe and then was instantly sorry I did. I wanted the whole portion. And why stop with peaches? Think of all the other fruits that could be used here. Serve it warm with a dollop of ice cream and you'll fall to the ground in worship of dear Paula.

The Lady and Sons Peach Cobbler, courtesy of Paula Deen

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 (28-ounce) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, un-drained (use fresh peaches if available; see note*)
Cinnamon, for sprinkling, optional
Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, for serving

*If they are available, by all means use fresh peaches. In a saucepan, mix 2 cups fresh peach slices with one cup sugar and one cup water. (NOTE: I bypassed the sugar water step. I only tossed my fresh peaches with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.)

Cook's Note: The most important part of this dish is not stirring the mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Put butter in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and place in the oven to melt. Stir sugar and flour together and mix well. Slowly add milk and continue stirring to prevent the batter from lumping.

Being careful not to burn yourself, remove hot baking dish containing melted butter from oven; pour batter directly over butter in baking dish. Do not stir.

Spoon fruit on top of batter, then gently pour syrup on top. Do not stir. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of batter, if using. The most important part of this dish is not stirring the mixture.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Your batter will rise above your fruit, producing the most wonderful of crusts. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Egg Salad, Paula Deen Style

If the thought of crumbled Saltine crackers and mayo together in a salad don't completely repulse you, then Paula Deen has a recipe for you. In last week's New York Times, Ms. Dean was profiled on her rise to fame, as well as conquering her agoraphobia. Along with the profile came a few downhome recipe.

I was a little wary of the "Georgia Cracker Salad" but -- having all the ingredients on hand -- decided to give it a try. The salad is a mixture of hard-boiled eggs (I doubled the amount), tomatoes, scallions, mayo and crackers. I'm a big egg salad eater and it's never occurred to me to add tomatoes to it. I loved it! The crackers gave a nice crunch but I think I prefer to leave that to some celery. I don't know why I couldn't shake the fact I was eating crackers drenched in mayo. I mean, I would eat the egg salad atop a cracker. So why is it any different to eat it with it?

Paula does recommend serving the cracker salad with shrimp, which I think would work nicely and am up for trying. Until then, I may substitute the crackers for celery.

Georgia Cracker Salad

Adapted from "The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook," by Paula H. Deen (Random House, 1998)

Time: 10 minutes

4 ounces saltine crackers

1 large tomato or 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Just before serving, place saltines in a medium-size bowl. Use your hands to crush crackers into big pieces. Add remaining ingredients, mix gently but thoroughly, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately as a side dish or top with shrimp to serve as an entree.

Yield: About 2 cups, or 6 servings.

Bringing in the New Year Black-Eyed Pea Style

Nothin' says New Year's Day in the South like a heaping plate of black-eyed peas and greens. Tradition says the peas will bring good luck and the greens will keep you financially stable. I adhere to this mainly because I'm scared to find out what may happen if I don't... And I do love greens and black-eyed peas.

Due to the fact I can't even find my brush, let alone cooking essentials (see earlier post), I went the can route this year. I was a bit unsure of what I would find. Do New York supermarkets even stock such items? But I found Sylvia's Restaurant black-eyed peas and mustard greens by way of Food Emporium. I vaguely remember a conversation with a cab driver who raved about Sylvia's black eyed peas. I must agree. They are probably the best I've ever had out of a can. Before I even added ham, both the peas and the greens were perfectly seasoned with a nice smoky flavor. The greens are a little sweet -- I'm use to my greens spicy, as opposed to sweet. But I know some Southern states sweeten them up. All in all, they were a great find. My good luck must already be starting..

Paula Deen's Finest

Double servings of Paula Deen's Gorilla Bread

It's quite easy to assign blame to your mom, especially when she introduces you to a recipe that will clearly become your downfall. It's everything Paula Deen stands for -- dough, butter, sugar and fat. And oh my gosh, is it good. I could devour the entire thing. I'd be ill for a bit, but it  would be quite worth the pain.

Monkey Bread is a Southern treat of pull-apart bread sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar, butter and pecans. But Ms. Paula takes it one step further -- by adding a slab of cream cheese smack in the middle of the biscuit dough. I can't describe the fattening goodness of this concoction.

So when Anne at A Good American Wife had a party Saturday night to the theme of  bringing something you shamefully love to eat, this came to mind. (In a close second was green bean casserole. What is it about green bean casserole that I can't get enough of? The canned green beans? The Campbell's soup? The canned fried onions? Oh, yeah.. It's the whole spectacular combination of it all.)

Back to the Gorilla Bread -- it was a hit, if I do say so myself. (Just read Anne's review of it.) A lot of it is the warm cream cheese oozing from the dough. Some would recommend eating this for breakfast but I'm just not a huge sweets-in-the-morning person, so I save it for other occasions. Prepare to be addicted. But don't say I didn't warn ya.

Paula Deen's Gorilla Bread (adapted)

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or 3/4 cup chopped walnuts + 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray (I found success with a regular round pan). Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. (Add a few splashes of rum and cook an additional minute or two. Or use a different flavored liqueur or flavored extract.)

Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese. (I found it worked best to make these into balls and then squashing them back into biscuit size to fully enclose the cream cheese.)

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts.

Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.