It’s downright unnatural to eat pulled pork without coleslaw. Grilled chicken always tastes better with a good potato salad on the side, unless perhaps it’s Huli-Huli Chicken, which begs for Asian Rice Salad. Burgers often need baked beans, steaks mate perfectly with creamed spinach, and Kentucky barbecue demands burgoo. Many outdoor dinners just aren’t complete without a well selected side from inside.
The stars among these are hearty, tasty starches and robust vegetables, items that don’t usually lend themselves to outdoor preparation. The dishes generally feature inexpensive ingredients widely available year-round, which is one reason they became classic accompaniments in the first place. Our choices will help you round out any meal with extra panache. They fit with what you’re fixing and bolster the flavor of everything on the plate.
Cabbage salads and coleslaws can almost always be made ahead, part of their long-term picnic and cookout appeal. One of our favorite versions comes from the central Piedmont area of North Carolina, where traditional slaws feature a vinegar-charged barbecue sauce sometimes combined with mayonnaise. We serve this rendition as a side dish, but modify it a little, as indicated in the variations, when we add it to a pulled-pork sandwich.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
Lexington Red Sauce
¾ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup ketchup
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne or hot red pepper flakes
Slaw
1 medium head of green cabbage, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt, optional
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Toss the cabbage and mayonnaise together in a large bowl. When the mayonnaise is well distributed, pour in half of the red sauce and toss again. Add as much more of the sauce as you wish to coat the cabbage well. Sprinkle in salt if needed. Chill for about an hour or up to a full day. Serve cold.
Lexington Red Sandwich Slaw If the slaw’s going on a pork sandwich-a classic combination in the South-chop the cabbage rather finely instead of shredding it, Use about half of the mayonnaise and most or all of the sauce.
Creamy Coleslaw Eliminate the red sauce. Instead, mix the mayonnaise with ½ cup sour cream, 6 tablespoons white vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon celery seed. Mix ¼ head of shredded red cabbage with the green cabbage and toss with the dressing.
Tangy Caraway Coleslaw Eliminate the red sauce and the mayonnaise. Instead, mix together ½ cup vegetable oil with ½ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds. Toss it with the green cabbage.
Fiesta Coleslaw Eliminate the red sauce and the mayonnaise. Instead, mix together cup vegetable oil with ¼ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix into the cabbage 1 to 1½ cups bell pepper or fresh mild chile matchsticks in multiple colors. If you like, add a few sliced radishes, some matchsticks of jicama, or, at the last minute, some well-rinsed black beans.
a Pumpkin-Carving Party
Pumpkin soup
Thyme-Scented Turkey Burgers (page 153)
Cabbage, Fennel, and Apple Slaw with Poppy Seed Dressing
Grill-Roasted Caramel Apples (page 508)
Halloween cookies
Gold and Glittering Apple Cider (page 81) for the grown-ups
Apple cider For the kids
If you’re looking for something new and different on the side, try this contemporary slaw. It can dress up any special dinner but also fits in famously at a casual hot-dog chowdown.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
Poppy Seed Dressing
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons apple juice or cider
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
¾ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 large crisp tart green-skinned apple, such as Granny Smith
1 large crisp sweet red-skinned apple, such as Rome Beauty
1 small head of green cabbage, shredded
1 medium fennel bulb, about ½ pound, stalks and fronds discarded, bulb shredded
Prepare the dressing, whisking the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Shred the unpeeled apples into matchsticks and toss each as it is cut into the dressing. Mix in the cabbage and fennel. If you wish, refrigerate for up to several hours or just let sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving. If chilled, let sit at room temperature briefly before serving.
Ruby Slaw with Poppy Seed Dressing Beets replace the apples and stain the fennel with their red juices. In place of the apples, substitute 12 to 14 ounces cooked beets, shredded into matchsticks. Use red cabbage instead of green. Replace the apple juice in the dressing with orange juice.
Celery root, or celeriac, is a forlornly underused vegetable in American cooking. Underneath that fibrous brown skin lies a fragrant and tasty bulb perfect for a French-inspired riff on the slaw theme. If you have a no-show for dinner, the leftovers will keep well for several days.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced drained capers
2 tablespoons minced cornichons, plus 1 teaspoon vinegar from the jar
2 teaspoons minced fresh chives or scallion tops
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
One 1¼- to 1½-pound celery root
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, and mustard in a large bowl. Stir in the capers, cornichons, chives, dill, and tarragon.
Slice off enough of the celery root from the top and the bottom so that the creamy interior is visible and the root sets level. Peel the celery root with a sharp medium knife, starting at the top and carving down one side, following its curve. Repeat until you have eliminated all the brown fibrous skin. Cut into slices about ¼ to ⅜ inch thick, then cut across into thin batons. (You can use a mandoline for this, too.) Each time you’ve cut a few handfuls of celery root batons, toss them with the dressing so that the vegetable doesn’t brown. When all the celery root is mixed in, add a generous amount of salt and pepper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
In the Swedish-settled part of Illinois where Cheryl grew up, there were plenty of cucumber salads and potato salads, but they didn’t mingle in polite company. Less polite ourselves perhaps, we mix the cukes and spuds for this delicious side. A standard cucumber works fine in the dish, but a crunchier Armenian or Japanese cucumber is even better. Season the salad assertively, because the flavors dull a bit when chilled.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves up to 12
3 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons white or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
¼ cup minced onion
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
Boil the potatoes in enough salted water to cover them by at least an inch until quite tender when pierced by a fork.
While the potatoes cook, stir the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, and celery seeds together in a large bowl.
When the potatoes are done, drain them. When cool enough to handle, chop the potatoes into large bite-sized chunks. Add them to the bowl along with the cucumber, onion, and eggs. Season generously with salt and pepper, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to a day. Serve chilled.
Start the cleanup before the party begins. Allow enough time to run the dishwasher with whatever you have dirtied to that point, then empty it and return everything to its place before guests arrive. That way party dishes can be stashed in the dishwasher as they are returned to the kitchen. If you’re grilling, put out the brush for cleaning the cooking grate so that you can quickly scrape down the grate after removing all the food. If the gathering is casual, set up a plastic-lined wastebasket near the seating area so that people can discard remaining food and paper products. Make it as easy on yourself at the end as you can.
an Indianapolis 500 Party
Toasted Pecan and Blue Cheese Spread (page 98) with crackers
Spice-Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops (page 320) or Barbecued Brats (page 548)
Classic Midwestern Potato Salad
Fiesta Coleslaw (page 476)
Fried Oreos (page 518) and cold milk
Classic Midwestern Potato Salad Replace the cucumber with about ¾ cup chopped celery. Add another chopped hard-cooked egg and, if you like, increase the mustard to 1 tablespoon.
Sour Cream Potato Salad Eliminate the mayonnaise and double the sour cream. Make the mustard Dijon instead of yellow. Replace the celery seeds with fresh dill. Reduce the eggs to just 2 or 3.
With honey and spice, sweet potatoes become more than nice, especially in a cold salad. For a special accent to almost any casual outdoor meal, serve this in place of a regular potato salad. If you have a choice, opt for one of the deeply colored members of the sweet potato family, such as Garnet or Jewel.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium bite-sized chunks
Dressing
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons red chile honey or
3 tablespoons honey plus 1 teaspoon ground dried mild red chile
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 medium red bell pepper, diced cup diced celery
⅔ cup coarsely
½ chopped salted cashews or pistachios
Boil the sweet potatoes in enough salted water to cover them by at least an inch until quite tender when pierced with a fork.
While the sweet potatoes cook, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. When the sweet potatoes are ready, drain them, rinse in cold water, then drain again. Mix them with the dressing, then add the bell pepper, celery, and cashews. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to a full day. Serve chilled.
This homey salad, so simply scrumptious, may sound odd to the uninitiated, but it disappears from a patio table quicker than a chocolate cake. In every bite, peas pop on the tongue, bacon crunches, and cheese soothes. It has a standing invitation to all our outdoor parties.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6
½ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
¾ cup minced (really fine) onion
½ to 1 teaspoon sugar
Salt
4 cups fresh baby peas blanched, or two 10-ounce packages unthawed frozen
6 ounces medium to sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into tiny cubes
4 to 5 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, ½ teaspoon sugar, and salt to taste together in a small bowl. Stir the peas, cheese, and bacon together in a large bowl, then add the mayonnaise mixture. Add more sugar or salt if you wish. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Frozen peas will thaw while the salad sits and hold their shape much better than if thawed beforehand. The salad is best the day it’s made.
Creamier and less starchy than dried beans, black-eyed peas make a light, bright addition to many menus. Here they sparkle with a few diced veggies and a fresh herb dressing.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
2 cups chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Pinch or 2 of cayenne
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
Fresh Thyme Vinaigrette
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, to taste
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 red-ripe medium plum tomatoes, diced
½ cup diced red onion
Combine the black-eyed peas, 1 quart water, the stock, garlic, thyme, and cayenne in a large saucepan. Add salt, a little if the stock was salted, a healthier dose if it wasn’t. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Cook until the peas are tender but still hold their shape, about 1 to 1¼ hours. Add more hot water if the peas begin to look dry. Drain the peas and transfer them to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette. Puree the ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Pour the dressing over the warm peas, then cool to room temperature. Gently mix in the bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to a day. Adjust the seasonings and serve chilled.
Black Bean Salad with Fresh Thyme Vinaigrette Cook black beans instead of black-eyed peas. The cooking time will be about double for the beans, and will require more water. Start with 6 cups and be prepared to add more as needed. Rinse the beans before transferring them to the bowl to prepare the salad.
* Green beans, blanched, then sautéed with David’s Special Spices (page 27)
* Corn on the cob, hot from the pot or grill
* Tomatoes, thickly sliced, layered with onion slices, and topped with Tabasco Vinaigrette (page 64) or green goddess or ranch dressing
* Frisée and mint leaves tossed with pine nuts and a simple vinaigrette
* Asparagus tips and tiny wild mushrooms, stirred into risotto
* Tomatoes, thickly sliced, topped with avocado slices, fresh jalapeño or serrano bits, and cilantro leaves, with fresh lime squeezed over
* New potatoes, blanched or steamed, then finished on the grill and tossed with olive oil, tarragon vinegar, and fresh tarragon
* Fresh pea pods, stir-fried, then tossed with fresh mint and butter
* Tiny tomatoes, such as Sun Gold, served with flaky salt, such as Maldon or French fleur de sip
* Baby bok choy, steamed and splashed with rice vinegar
* Baked beets, peeled and sliced into wedges, drizzled with a fruity vinaigrette and topped with toasted walnuts
* Sturdy collard or mustard greens, simmered in water until tender, drained, and sautéed in olive oil and garlic
Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Tabasco Vinaigrette To turn up the heat a little, dress the peas with Tabasco Vinaigrette (page 64) instead of thyme vinaigrette.
This cool green and white salad makes a good neighbor for a range of Asian-influenced dishes, from Huli-Huli Chicken (page 272) to Yakitori Twins (page 125) to Supreme Tuna Sandwiches with Wasabi-Scallion Mayonnaise (page 174). We use regular long-grain rice for the dish rather than the more traditional short-grain rice of Asia so that the salad doesn’t clump.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
2 cups long-grain rice
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
Wasabi Dressing
½ cup vegetable or sunflower oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
Wasabi powder, paste, or oil
2 cups shelled cooked edamame (baby soy beans)
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
½ cup finely diced celery, preferably from the tender inner stalks
¼ cup thinly sliced scallion rings
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
1 ripe medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Sesame seeds; chopped fresh mint, basil, or tender lemongrass stems; or sunflower, radish, or bean sprouts, optional
Boil the rice with salt to taste in the amount of water specified on the package.
While the rice cooks, prepare the dressing. Whisk the oil, vinegar, and sugar together in a small bowl. Add enough wasabi to give the dressing a good assertive tingle. When combined with the rice, the dressing’s zing will be toned down.
When the rice is tender, mix the dressing into it, then spoon out onto an oiled baking sheet in a thin layer to cool. Spoon into a large bowl. Stir in the edamame, cucumber, celery, and scallion rings and add salt to taste if you wish. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Shortly before serving, toss with the avocado and top with sesame seeds or other ingredients if you wish. Serve chilled. The salad is best the day it’s made.
Asian Noodle Salad Use dried rice-stick vermicelli instead of rice. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add ¾ pound of the noodles to the pot, cooking until white and just soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Clean out the refrigerator before you go to the store to stock up for a big get-together. You don’t want the raw pork chops or prime rib sitting out at room temperature while you figure out where to put them. Since our fridge is half-filled with condiments all the time, we stash all the unneeded oddities away in a cooler or two with ice packs until after the event.
A seasonal toss-up, mixed and matched, depending on what’s available. We offer a number of suggestions, but use your sense of taste, sight, and smell as the most reliable guide. The only things we avoid are supertangy ingredients like grapefruit, which don’t mesh well with the fragrant passion fruit and coconut milk dressing.
COOKING’ METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
6 to 7 cups chopped mixed ripe soft-textured fruit, like strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, papaya, mango, lychees, peaches, plums, apricots, plumcots, nectarines, or kiwifruit
½ pint raspberries or blackberries or 1 additional cup any of the other fruits
1 starfruit, sliced crosswise into ⅓-inch-thick stars, or ½ cup small whole kumquats, optional
Passion Fruit-Coconut Tropical Dressing
⅓ cup passion fruit juice, from 4 to 5 passion fruits, or ⅔ cup bottled passion fruit juice
1 cup canned coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
Juice of 1 small orange or 1 large tangerine
2 tablespoons light rum or coconut rum, optional
Superfine sugar, optional
½ to ¾ cup grated fresh coconut
¼ to ⅔ cup chopped fresh mint
Fresh mint sprigs
Combine the fruit in a large bowl.
Prepare the dressing. Combine the passion fruit juice, coconut milk, orange juice, and rum if you’re using it in a small bowl. Taste, and if the mixture is too tart, add some sugar.
Toss the dressing with the fruit and let sit at room temperature up to 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to several hours. Just before serving, toss with the coconut and chopped mint. With a slotted spoon, place in bowls or parfait glasses. If starfruit is among the fruit, arrange a star toward the top of every portion. Top with mint sprigs and serve.
This is at its very finest with the summer’s freshest corn, but it also tastes great with frozen corn during the rest of the year. Laced with Chesapeake seasonings and cream, it’s a delight with barbecued chicken or pork or alongside any crab dish.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
6 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen pearl onions, optional
½ to 1 teaspoon Chesapeake-Style Seafood Rub and Boil (page 28) or commercial Old Bay seasoning
¾ cup half-and-half
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the corn and the onions if you’re using them and coat with the butter. Cover and sweat the mixture for 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the accumulated liquid has mostly evaporated, a minute or two for fresh corn, several more if you started with frozen. Stir in the dry seasoning and half-and-half, then simmer until the half-and-half is reduced and thickened and just a little standing liquid remains. Serve hot.
Creamy Corn If you prefer a more classic side dish, always comforting, substitute salt and pepper for the Chesapeake seasoning.
Anyone unfamiliar with this hearty stew would think it’s a main dish, but on its home turf it accompanies long-smoked barbecue. As the recipe suggests, it comes out best when made with some of the same Q, but you still get a tasty burgoo if you use unsmoked meat or even substitute smoked pork chops from the supermarket Though the ingredient list is long, you do little more than toss it all together in a stew pot. It can be enjoyed immediately after cooking, but it’s even better reheated the next day.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 10 to 12
One 2½- to 5-pound smoked chicken, such as Chicken on a Throne (page 270), or raw chicken, cut into 4 to 6 pieces
1½ pounds beef or veal shanks
1 pound smoked lamb or mutton, such as Barbecued Lamb, Owensboro Style (page 399), or 1½ pounds uncooked lamb shanks, in at least several chunks
1 tablespoon salt
Two 14- to 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
2½ cups shredded cabbage
3 large baking potatoes, peeled if you wish and chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
3 to 4 medium carrots, chopped
3 large celery ribs, chopped
3 plump garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon A.1. Original Steak Sauce or other simple steak sauce
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
2½ cups sliced okra, fresh or frozen
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
Place the chicken, beef shanks, and lamb in a stockpot Pour 3 quarts water over the meats, sprinkle in the salt, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 1½ hours.
Remove the chicken and meats from the pot When cool enough to handle, discard the skin, fat, and bones and shred the chicken and meats into bite-sized pieces.
Return the chicken and meats to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients except the okra and corn. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for 2 more hours, stirring occasionally. Add the okra and corn and cook for at least 1 more hour, preferably 2 hours. Add more hot water if the stew appears dry. The ingredients should be cooked completely down and no longer easily identifiable. The stew can be served immediately or cooled, covered, and refrigerated, then reheated the following day.
If serving buffet style for a large group, spread out the serving area to make it feel less like the high-school cafeteria. Have lines on two sides of the main table or make stations using multiple tables in different areas. Set up the bar away from the food tables if possible. Offering food from a larger number of smaller dishes rather than a smaller number of larger dishes helps keep people moving. Everyone can be digging into something almost simultaneously.
With almost any unfussy poultry or pork preparation, a classic dressing can be a welcome side. We’ve sampled hundreds of varieties, with loads of fancy twists, but we always come back to this rather simple but soulful style. You can use store-bought stock if you feel inclined, but making your own isn’t hard and substantially enhances the quality of the dish.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
Homemade Chicken Stock
1½ pounds miscellaneous chicken necks, backs, wings, or giblets
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
2 celery ribs, chopped
Sage Dressing
¾ pound French bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 9 cups)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 heaping cups thinly sliced leek, both white and light green parts
1 ½ cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup chopped shelled and peeled chestnuts
2 to 3 teaspoons crumbled dried sage
1½ teaspoons dried thyme, dried marjoram, or a combination
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon baking powder
Fresh sage sprigs, optional
Chop the chicken parts, with a cleaver or a heavy chefs knife, into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place them in a stockpot or large saucepan and cook over high heat until they lose their raw look and begin to brown in spots. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and sweat the mixture for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice and adding the onion and celery after about 10 minutes. Uncover, add 6 cups water, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes. Strain the stock and keep it warm. (The stock can be made a day ahead, cooled quickly, and refrigerated or frozen until needed. Reheat it before proceeding.)
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F. Toast the bread cubes on baking sheets for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly brown and crisp. Dump them into a large bowl. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Warm the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the leek, celery, and chestnuts and sauté until the leek and celery are very soft, about 7 minutes. Add the sage, thyme, salt, and pepper and scrape into the bowl of croutons. Add the hot stock a cup at a time, until the bread is very moist but not soupy. You will probably use about 3 cups of the stock. Refrigerate or freeze the rest for other dishes. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning. (The dressing can be made to this point a day ahead, covered tightly, and refrigerated.)
Turn the oven up to 425°F.
Finish preparing the dressing. Whisk the eggs and baking powder together and mix them into the dressing. Spoon the dressing into the baking dish and cover it. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and crusty on top. Serve piping hot, garnishing the dish or individual portions with fresh sage if you wish.
When we want a good, earthy dressing with more flair than classic versions, we often take this route. It’s a perfect filling for a crown roast of pork or an accompaniment to smoked or fried turkey. To speed the preparation, look for packaged precooked wild rice, one of our favorite time-savers.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 8 or more
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound bulk sage breakfast sausage
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
½ medium onion, diced
2 cups cooked wild rice
¾ cup toasted chopped pecans or hickory nuts
1 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
½ cup half-and-half
About ½ cup chicken stock
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it up with a spatula. Brown the sausage, then stir in the celery, bell pepper, and onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes more. Mix in the wild rice, nuts, and salt, followed by the half-and-half and ½ cup stock. Simmer briefly until the liquid is just absorbed into the rice. If the mixture seems at all dry, pour in more stock as needed. Serve hot.
Many grilled meats go great with buttery mashed potatoes, but you don’t want to be fixing the spuds while you’re grilling $50 worth of steaks. These potatoes can be baked up to a day ahead, then smashed, seasoned, and enriched with a dairy sampler of tangy buttermilk, light cream, butter, and cheese. Like creamed spinach, it makes a mouthwatering occasional treat. You simply pop the potato casserole back in the oven when you’re preparing the rest of the meal and it’ll be ready when you are.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
3 pounds (about 6 medium) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 cup half-and-half
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
1 cup grated medium to sharp Cheddar cheese
2 to 4 tablespoons minced rinsed pickled jalapeños or minced fresh jalapeños
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or scallion greens
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Oil a shallow baking dish, about 8 × 14 inches.
Pierce each potato in several places. Place the potatoes directly on the baking rack and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender at the centers. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, place the buttermilk, half-and-half, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat just until the butter melts. Do not boil, which would cause the buttermilk to separate. Spoon the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Peel the potatoes, discarding the skins. (If you like potato skins, discard just half of them and slice the rest into thin bite-sized strips.)
With a ricer or potato masher, smash the potatoes and add to the buttermilk mixture. Stir in three-quarters of the Cheddar, the jalapeños, 2 tablespoons of the chives, and the potato skins if you’re using them. Spoon into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface. Scatter with the remaining chives and cheese.
Our dishes that say “serves 6 to 8” will do just that, on average, presuming you’re serving some type of starter and a main dish with a couple of sides. If you make this dressing as part of a holiday dinner with the usual array of multiple sides, you can easily serve a dozen or so.
Cover and refrigerate if not planning to bake within about 45 minutes. If chilled, let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through and beginning to brown. Serve hot.
Bacon-Cheddar-Jalapeño Potato Mash We’ve always found any form of baked potatoes a great excuse to eat bacon. Finely chop 4 strips bacon and fry in a heavy skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Drain, reserving a couple tablespoons of the pan drippings to replace some of the butter if you like, and mix the bacon into the potato mixture shortly before baking.
Sage-Bacon-Cheddar Potato Mash Omit the jalapeño. Chop 4 strips bacon and fry in a heavy skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Drain, reserving a couple tablespoons of the pan drippings to replace the butter if you like. Mix the bacon and 2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage (or more to taste) into the potato mixture shortly before baking.
It’s hard to find truly new potatoes, except at farmers’ markets during some brief periods, but do use them if you see them. Otherwise opt for small red potatoes or lower-starch potatoes like Yukon Gold. They can be cooked for the first of their two-step preparation several hours ahead of when you plan to serve them, then fried closer to the party’s beginning. Unlike many fried foods, they require no last-minute preparation.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 or more
1½ pounds small potatoes without a lot of starch
Flavorful olive oil
About ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Serious Salt-and-Pepper Rub (page 22) or a combination of flaky salt, such as Maldon or French fleur de sel, and freshly cracked black pepper
Cover the potatoes with a couple of inches of salted water in a large pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce easily at the center but still completely hold their shape. The cooking time will vary with the size of the potatoes. Drain, then return to the pan and turn the heat back on to medium for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, then cover with a folded clean dish towel and the pan lid. Let sit for about 5 minutes while the towel absorbs steam from the potatoes.
Dump the potatoes out on a work surface and lightly squash each one with the heel of your hand or a meat pounder. If you have kids around, let them help with this, but don’t let them get carried away with the meat pounder. The potatoes should be split apart at both of their ends and showing cracks throughout, but mostly still holding together. The potatoes can be prepared to this point several hours in advance and left at room temperature.
For a party with kids, even fairly young kids, consult them about the menu. If you’re worried that they’ll pick Fried Oreos and potato chips as the main course, have several more acceptable but fun options in mind: perhaps rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken breasts with barbecue sauce, grilled turkey burgers or smoked turkey legs, pizza on the grill, or a pasta with smoked ingredients. Supermarket runs can be tough with kids, but farmers’ markets are fascinating for them and much less fraught with bad choices. Have the kids help with simple preparations, too. Our otherwise picky grandkids will always eat what they’ve helped plan, pick out, and create.
About 30 minutes before your guests arrive, fry the potatoes in about ¼ inch of oil in a sturdy large skillet. Cook them in batches if necessary, frying only as many at a time as will fit in one layer. Fry for about 5 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat, turning the potatoes on both more-or-less flat sides and cooking until light golden with some crisp edges. Go by appearance more than timing since the size of the potatoes can affect the cooking time. As the potatoes are done, remove them with tongs or a slotted spoon. Add more oil to the pan if needed for later batches.
Place the potatoes in a shallow bowl and immediately stir in the parsley, so that it wilts a bit and releases its fragrance. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.
This is an all-around keeper because it can be cooked in advance and reheated without suffering. If you’re making it ahead, don’t add the bread crumbs until reheating to serve.
Serves 6 to 8
Bread Crumb Topping
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¾ cup packed fresh bread crumbs
Zest of 1 orange, minced
1½ teaspoons coarse salt either kosher or sea salt or more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2½ to 2¾ pounds sweet potatoes, preferably deeply colored Garnet or Jewel, peeled and thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Make the crumbs. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Stir in the bread crumbs and sauté until just golden.
Mix the orange zest, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Combine the half-and-half, cream, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low to lukewarm heat.
Smear the butter in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Layer one-third of the sweet potatoes, one-third of the cream mixture, and one-half of the orange zest seasoning mixture in the dish. Repeat, then top with the remaining potatoes and cream.
Warm over very low heat until small bubbles begin to appear around the edges. (Skip this step if you’re not sure your dish can take the heat) Cover and bake, planning on a total cooking time of 1¼ to 1½ hours. After 30 minutes (40 minutes if you didn’t warm the dish on the stove), uncover the dish and bake for 30 minutes longer. Scatter the bread crumbs over the sweet potatoes and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender, the liquid is mostly absorbed, and the bread crumbs are brown and crunchy. Serve warm.
Keep a notebook or file folder (on your computer or in a real file in a drawer) about entertaining. Write down your menus, prep lists, guest lists, recipe sources, and any special equipment bought, borrowed, or rented. If you send out invitations, keep one for the file, too. Over time you’ll amass a load of valuable information, as well as a collection of memorabilia as interesting as photo albums and scrapbooks.
This may sound something like the ubiquitous “Spanish rice” of a generation ago, but it’s a tastier preparation from the Carolinas that works smartly with barbecued pork or grilled fish or shellfish.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
One 14- to 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice, undrained
One 8-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, undrained
3 strips bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 cup chicken stock
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
½ teaspoon dried crumbled thyme
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
Puree the tomatoes and peppers and their juices in a blender.
Fry the bacon in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat until brown and crisp. Remove the bacon from the drippings with a slotted spoon and reserve it, Add the onion to the drippings and continue cooking just until the onion becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook briefly, until it becomes translucent. Stir in the tomato mixture. Cook uncovered until the tomato mixture begins to dry out, about 5 minutes. Stir up from the bottom a couple of times to check the mixture’s progress.
Pour in 1 cup water and the chicken stock, add the salt, thyme, and hot pepper flakes, and stir again. Bring just to a boil, then cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 18 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. If a steady stream of steam is still escaping from your pan after 18 minutes, cook for an additional couple of minutes without peeking. Turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for at least 10 minutes. Fluff the rice and stir in the bacon just before serving.
Pico De Gallo Rice Leave out the thyme and hot red pepper flakes. Replace the tomatoes with 2 cups pico de gallo (chunky fresh tomato-based salsa) and don’t puree it when pureeing the peppers. Add the pico de gallo with the peppers, cooking as directed.
This isn’t new, or nuevo, to many Latino families, but it’s novel as a side dish for an American outdoor meal. Great with grilled chicken, pork, or seafood.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
3 tablespoons flavorful olive oil
1 teaspoon annatto seeds or achiote paste, or more to taste
1 small yellow onion, minced
3 plump garlic cloves, minced
a Labor Day Cookout
Melon and Italian Sausage Skewers (page 90)
Fried Clams and Fried Lemons (page 252)
Great Grilled Dogs with Homemade Mustard Relish (page 179)
Red Rice (page 491)
Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Fresh Thyme Vinaigrette (page 481)
Paletas (page 512)
Grill-Toasted Dessert Bruschetta (page 510)
1½ cups long-grain rice
1¼ teaspoons coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
One 14- to 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and drained again
One 14- to 15-ounce can small red beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, stir in the annatto seeds if you’re using them and sauté for a couple of minutes until the oil is well colored, then spoon out the seeds. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. If using the achiote paste, stir it in with the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and sauté for an additional minute or two, until translucent, then pour in 2¼ cups water and add the salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes.
Uncover the rice and quickly add the chickpeas and beans to the pan, stirring just briefly. Cover again and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cilantro, stir to combine, and season with more salt if you wish. Spoon out into a bowl or onto a platter and serve.
Nutty, toasty brown rice took longer to catch on in the United States than whole wheat bread because of its lengthy cooking time. To get around that today, if you wish, simply use the cooked brown rice sold in pouches. This toothsome dish is truly versatile, equally comfortable with an exotic Middle Eastern meal as with simple lamb chops, rotisserie chicken, or grilled chicken breasts.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
4 cups cooked brown rice (about 1½ cups uncooked), warm
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch or 2 of cayenne
¾ cup mandarin orange or tangerine sections
½ cup diced pitted plump dates (about 5 large dates)
¼ cup salted pistachio nuts, chopped
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, optional
Stir the warm rice with the oil, cumin, and cayenne in a bowl. Stir in the orange sections, dates, and pistachios and add salt if you wish. Serve right away or let cool to room temperature.
Brown Rice and Lamb Salad with Dates and Oranges Chill the rice dish for at least 30 minutes after mixing in about 1 heaping cup chopped grilled or smoked lamb. This looks wonderful served over grape leaves, brined from a jar or fresh.
Beans are always popular sides for outdoor parties for many reasons, including economy, ease of preparation, long holding power, and the ability to withstand repeated reheating. Here’s our favorite for midwestern baked beans, delectably saucy. In this case we like to start with canned beans. If you happen to have any smoked brisket or pork “burnt ends,” or even some smoked sausage, definitely toss it in. When we serve this at parties, not a single itty-bitty bean remains.
Serves 6 to 8
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
Three 16-ounce cans baked beans or one 28-ounce can plus one 16-ounce can
1 cup Genuine Kansas City Barbecue Sauce (page 50) or other sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar or molasses, or more to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow or Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Up to 1 cup chunked Beautifully Burnt Ends (Page 385), Pork Burnt Ends (page 330), or Smoky Hot Links (page 349), optional
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Sauté the bacon in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, until limp and just beginning to brown. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and continue cooking the mixture until the onion is translucent, about 5 additional minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more brown sugar if you prefer sweeter beans. Bake uncovered until bubbly throughout with a bit of browned crust at the edges, about 45 to 50 minutes. Serve hot.
Pit Smoked Beans Instead of oven baking, warm the beans (or any other favorite baked beans) in a barbecue pit or smoker if you’re using one anyway for other parts of the meal. Don’t worry about an exact cooking time, but allow about 2 hours and declare them done when they’re heated through and fragrant with smoke.
Soupy, well-seasoned pinto beans are a staple at southwestern gatherings and equally at home with many Mexican and South American meals. Forget canned beans here; the long cooking is the essence of the texture and taste. To rev up the spice, toss in a couple of serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeded and sliced into strips, when you stir in the garlic-onion mixture.
COOKING METHOD | BIG-POT BOILING OR INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
2 cups dried pinto beans
Two 12-ounce bottles or cans beer, Mexican if you have it
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
2 generous teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
Place the beans in a stockpot or large heavy saucepan. Cover them with the beer, vinegar, and 5 cups water. Plan on a total cooking time of 2 to 2½ hours. Bring the beans just to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered. After about 1 hour, stir the beans up from the bottom and check the water level. If there isn’t at least 1 inch more water than beans, add enough hot water to bring it up to that level. Check the beans after another 30 minutes, repeating the process.
Meanwhile, warm the lard in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and just lightly colored, about 5 minutes.
Check the beans after another 30 minutes, stirring up from the bottom and checking the water level. Stir the onion-garlic mixture, pepper, and salt into the beans. Continue cooking, checking the beans every 15 minutes, stirring and keeping the water level just above the beans. There should be extra liquid at the completion of the cooking time, but the beans should not be watery. If you wish, remove ½ to 1 cup of the beans, mash them, and return them to the pot for a thicker liquid. Correct the seasoning if needed. Serve warm, spooning out the beans with some of the liquid in each portion.
Serve soupy beans in little bowls or ramekins that can fit on dinner plates. If you don’t have anything that seems quite right, use coffee cups.
Pinquitos, Santa Maria Style In Santa Maria, California, this side is made with the renowned local pink beans known as pinquitos. Use them if you can find them, but otherwise substitute pintos. Eliminate the lard or oil. Instead, fry ¾ pound chopped bacon in a medium skillet. When limp, stir in 2 minced onions rather than one and decrease the garlic to 1 or 2 cloves. Leave out the pepper, but add the salt. When you stir in the onion-garlic mixture, add one 8-ounce can tomato sauce and ½ cup diced mild green chiles. If you want more zip, opt for a few shakes of Tabasco sauce.
The cooking of the Basque homeland, a delightful area straddling the French and Spanish border, is some of the most satisfying in Europe. The small white beans common in the region are more dense than pintos, so soften them up with a few hours of advance soaking. The final crisping of the bread crumb topping should be done shortly before serving, but the beans can be finished to that point a day before If you wish.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
2 cups navy or other small white beans
1 small onion, halved
1 small carrot
1 small celery rib
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons flavorful olive oil
¼ pound fully cooked Spanish or Mexican chorizo links, sliced in half lengthwise and then into thin half-moons
½ cup grated Idiazábal, manchego, or pecorino cheese
½ cup packed fresh bread crumbs
Place the beans in a stockpot or a large heavy saucepan. Cover with several inches of water. Soak for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Pour off any remaining water. Add 2 quarts fresh water to the beans, along with the onion, carrot, celery, and thyme.
Plan on a total cooking time of 2 to 2½ hours. Bring the beans just to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered. After about 1 hour, stir the beans up from the bottom and check the water level. If there isn’t at least 1 inch more water than beans, add enough hot water to bring it up to that level. Check the beans after another 30 minutes, repeating the process.
Check the beans after another 30 minutes, stirring up from the bottom and checking the water level. Stir the salt and pepper into the beans. Continue cooking, checking the beans every 15 minutes, stirring, and keeping the water level just above the beans. There should be extra liquid at the completion of the cooking time, but the beans should not be watery. Remove the onion, carrot, and celery and discard them.
Grease a shallow baking dish and spoon in the beans and cooking liquid.
Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chorizo and sauté briefly to crisp and brown the edges. Remove the chorizo from the drippings with a slotted spoon. Stir the chorizo and cheese into the beans. Stir the bread crumbs into the meat drippings. Top the beans with the bread crumb mixture.
Preheat the oven to 400°F unless you prefer to finish the beans later. Shortly before you plan to eat, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is nicely browned and crunchy, and serve.
Nothing mates as well with a thick char-crusted steak as silky smooth creamed spinach. Pureeing part of the spinach may seem like unnecessary work, but it does enhance the creaminess. If you want to make this in advance of a party, simply chill it and reheat gently.
Serves 6 to 8
Three 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup minced onion
½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
With your hands and a clean dish towel or several paper towels, squeeze the excess moisture from the spinach. You don’t have to make it bone dry, but it should no longer be sitting in liquid.
In a blender, puree one-third of the spinach with the cream.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the pureed spinach with cream, the chopped spinach, and the crème fraîche and heat through. Add the salt, nutmeg, and a generous grinding of pepper. Serve hot.
To avoid the slimy texture that many people find objectionable, fry okra covered in cornmeal until it’s completely crunchy on the outside and creamy at the center. Give it a try. We bet you’ll love it.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6
1½ pounds small perky-looking okra, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings
1¾ to 2 cups stone-ground cornmeal
1½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Peanut oil or vegetable oil for panfrying
Hot pepper sauce, such as Texas Pete or Tabasco
Cover the okra with lightly salted ice water and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain the okra. Combine the cornmeal, salt, pepper, and cayenne on a plate and dredge the okra with the cornmeal mixture.
Heat ½ inch oil in a large skillet until it ripples. Place batches of okra in a strainer and shake lightly to knock off excess cornmeal. Fry the okra in the oil in batches until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to fry it evenly. Drain the okra and serve it hot, accompanied by hot sauce.
Fried Dill Pickles Believe it or not, this is a popular side dish in parts of the South. Use thick dill pickle slices, skipping the ice water bath. Dunk and fry just like the okra. Serve with any down-home pork, chicken, or shrimp preparation.
Yes, it’s a bit spicy, even a touch devilish, but the name actually comes from a breathtaking land bridge in southern Utah’s canyon country. The recipe is courtesy of the namesake Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, where proprietors Blake Spalding and Jennifer Castle create casual meals matching the scenery in magnificence. What they call Moqui mac, loaded with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and green chiles, originally appeared in their lovely cookbook, A Measure of Grace (Provecho Press, 2004). Truly spectacular.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 8 or more
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup roasted corn kernels or 1½ cups raw fresh or thawed frozen
1 cup chopped peeled roasted poblano chiles or other mild green chiles such as New Mexican or Anaheim
1 cup chopped peeled roasted red bell peppers
1 jalapeño chile, minced, optional
2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
3 cups whipping cream or half-and-half
2 generous cups (about 9 ounces) grated pepper Jack cheese
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
One 16-ounce package elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions, warm
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese mixed with ⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn, poblanos, bell peppers, jalapeno if you’re using it, and salt and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just a little liquid remains.
Add the cream and continue cooking until small bubbles just begin to break around the edges of the pan, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the cheese, followed by the tomatoes and juice, mustard, cumin, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. Add salt if you think more is needed.
If convenient when we’re making this fabulous mac and cheese, we roast oil-brushed ears of corn, poblanos, and red bell peppers over the grill on medium-high heat until they are soft with some brown spots. Otherwise, the broiler or a very hot oven can be used, in which case we cut the corn off the cob first and lay it on a small baking sheet or square of heavy-duty foil. The chiles and peppers go on a separate sheet since they will take more time. Steam the chiles and peppers briefly before stripping away their skins.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart or larger baking dish.
Combine the warm cheese sauce with the warm macaroni and pour into the baking dish. Top with the Parmesan-bread crumb mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is crusty and the edges bubbly. Let the macaroni sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Here’s a straight-up skillet-cooked cornbread good with almost any outdoor meal. We know our southern friends will say that sugar belongs in iced tea, not cornbread, but we think a bit of it improves the flavor. If you like to be playful with your cornbread, tinker with the batter, adding a cup of raw or roasted corn kernels, a couple of crisp-cooked bacon slices, bits of fresh or pickled jalapeño or other chiles, or even a handful or two of fresh berries.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 or more
1 tablespoon bacon drippings or vegetable oil
1½ cups stone-ground yellow or white cornmeal
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch or 2 of cayenne
3 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 400°F. After all of the ingredients are assembled, place the drippings in a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and put the skillet in the oven.
Use inexpensive wicker plant baskets lined with napkins to serve cornbread, breadsticks, biscuits, or other pass-arounds. They give a little more height to the table and take up less space than more conventional baskets.
Stir the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cayenne together in a large bowl. In another, smaller bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until barely combined, with a few dry streaks remaining. Pour in the butter, then mix just to incorporate. Take the hot skillet from the oven and spoon the batter into it, You should get a good sizzle when the batter hits the skillet. Smooth the batter and return the skillet to the oven. Bake for about 18 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serve the cornbread piping hot right from the skillet. If you prefer to serve it at room temperature, let it cool in the skillet for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a baking rack, where its surface will stay crisper. Cut into wedges just before serving.
Corn Muffins Spoon the batter into greased muffins tins and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until raised and golden. Makes about a dozen muffins.
Red Chile Streusel-Topped Cornbread The late Michael McLaughlin, our grillmeister friend, created the original version of this surprising hot-and-sweet treat. Make a streusel topping in a food processor, combining ¼ cup pecans, ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon mild to medium dried ground red chile, such as New Mexican or ancho. Pulse until just combined, then add 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter and pulse again until you have a coarse meal. Scatter over the top of the cornbread batter in the skillet and bake as instructed.