Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking

by Nathalie Dupree, Cynthia Graubart

Overview

Winner of the 2013 James Beard Award for American Cooking!

“Southern cooking is the Mother Cuisine of America.” —Nathalie Dupree

Through more than 600 recipes and hundreds of step-by-step photographs, Dupree and Graubart make it easy to learn the techniques for creating the South’s fabulous cuisine. From basics such as cleaning vegetables and scrubbing a country ham, to show-off skills like making a soufflé and turning out the perfect biscuit—all are explained and pictured with clarity and plenty of stories that entertain. Traditional Southern recipes and ingredients are also given modern twists to make them relevant for today’s healthy lifestyle.

With more than 750 recipes and 650 variations, making a perfect piecrust, a heavenly biscuit, mouthwatering vegetables, or crispy fried chicken is attainable for any home cook. The recipes and directions are easily accessible to kitchen novices as well as seasoned cooks-there is plenty here for everyone.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423602750
Publisher:	Smith, Gibbs Publisher
Publication date:	11/01/2012
Pages:	720
Product dimensions:	9.34(w) x 11.16(h) x 1.72(d)
Age Range:	16 Years

About the Author

Nathalie Dupree has written or coauthored many cookbooks, including the James Beard award winner Nathalie Dupree’s Southern Memories and Shrimp and Grits.

Cynthia Stevens Graubart is an author and former television producer who began her culinary television production career with New Southern Cooking with Nathalie Dupree in 1985. She is the author of The One-Armed Cook, called the culinary version of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Cynthia and her husband, Cliff, live in Atlanta, Georgia.

Read an Excerpt

Pecan Tassies

Tassies are tiny tarts, typically served at parties such as showers. Cream cheese dough is ideal to work with, as it is easily pushed into the tiny tins, but just about any pie dough will work for tarts. Pecans have a certain affection for bourbon, but vanilla is also a good addition. They are a busy cook's secret weapon since they freeze so well.

1 recipe Very Versatile Cream Cheese Dough (page 512)
1 large egg
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (use 3/4 cup for a sweeter filling)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon bourbon extract, bourbon, or vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans, divided

Divide the dough into 30 equal balls. Chill the balls for 30 minutes.

Move the balls to 30 tiny, lightly greased, fluted mini tart pans or miniature muffin cups placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Press the dough with fingertips or a tart tamper (a wooden dowel which comes with differentsized rounded ends) against the bottoms and sides. Place the baking sheets with the lined pans in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling. If any tassies crack after refrigeration, press a small amount of dough onto the crack to cover.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat together the egg, brown sugar, butter, extract, and salt in a mixing bowl until all the lumps are gone. Place half the pecans into the dough-lined pans and carefully spoon in the egg mixture, taking care to keep the filling below the sides of the dough, thus preventing it from slipping under the dough and caramelizing, making it difficult to remove the tassie. Dot with the remaining pecans. Bake 25 minutes, or until the filling is set. Cool 5 minutes on a rack, but be sure to remove the tassies from the pans while they are still warm.

If tassies are reluctant to come out of the pan, insert a small thin knife between the tassie and the pan and give the tassie a boost.

These will keep several days closely wrapped or 3 months in the freezer. They defrost quickly at room temperature or heat on a rimmed baking sheet while still frozen.

Variation: Chocolate Pecan Tassies Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips to the recipe, putting half into the tins with half of the pecans. Dot the filled tins with the remaining half of the chips and nuts.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Foreword, by Pat Xonroy 10

The Very Beginning 13

Starters 22

Salads 60

Stocks, Soups, Gumbos, & Stews 108

Vegetables & Sides 158

Eggs 270

Fish & Seafood 288

Poulty 338

Meats 382

Breads 450

Pastries & Pies 498

Cakes 546

Memorable Sweets 586

Condiments, Savory Sauces, & Marinades 638

Index 674

Bibliography 714