Red-Eye Gravy and the Introduction of “Cooking for Martians”

January 21, 2011 4 Comments

As you may have noticed (and I’ve pointed this out before) we are having a sort of culinary Renaissance right now.  Exotic foods are becoming more and more available to us and foods from different cultures are now becoming a mainstay in the everyday diet.  Television channels centered around food are extremely popular and food blogs are numbering in the millions.  Most people are embracing this Renaissance and are more than happy to try new foods.

Most people.

There are people who are not all that impressed with this surge of interest in food and new tastes.  These people like a few recipes and a few types of food and are not really all that interested in trying foods from other cultures.  They don’t want to try any food that they view as “weird.”

These people run the gamut of all walks of life, age, and gender.  However, I have noticed quite a few more of these types of people are men.  It is only for this slightly larger number that I call these people Martians (because Men are from Mars!)

My main inspirations for the Cooking for Martians idea are my father, my brother and my brother in-law*.  These are guys’ guys.  They like steak, beer, sports and hunting.  When I think of rigid unadventurous eaters, their faces float in my head.  I used to be a little annoyed with them for not even wanting to be adventurous eaters, but as I get older and my own stubbornness has become my greatest virtue, I smile when I think about it.

I know what these guys like to eat.  I know what foods make them happy.  Down home rib-sticking food.  The kind of food they were fed as children.  Simple.

There are many foods already on this site that are Martian-friendly.  Some my own recipes, some not.  Because I come from a place where Martians are quite prevalent, I am most comfortable coming up with recipes that are Martian-friendly.  That is something I have noticed about the recipes that are my own creation.  I may not be gourmet, but I sure as heck am Martian-friendly!

I’d like to now dazzle you with a simple but very wonderful down-home dish that’s sure to please most Martians.  Ham and Grits with Red-Eye Gravy.

Red-eye gravy is a thin gravy that is made with black coffee.  It goes perfectly with fried up ham steaks and is a Southern must-have.

Red-Eye Gravy

My Recipe

4 Tblsp. butter

3 Tblsp. flour

4 cups black coffee

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. black pepper

Melt butter in skillet.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add in coffee and soy sauce.  Add black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until gravy thickens slightly.  Serve.

Not all red-eye gravy recipes call for a thickener, but I rather like mine to have just a little bit of thickness to it.  Otherwise it’s just salted coffee and while that is good for some, I don’t like it.

I serve cheese grits as a side.  Grits are super easy to make are are very similar to Italian polenta.  You can make it cheesy, herbed or just creamy.  Very simply to make, just like the gravy.

Cheese Grits

My Recipe

3 cups chicken stock

1-1/2 cups white self-rising cornmeal

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated aged cheddar cheese

1/2 cup milk or half and half to finish

Heat chicken stock to almost boiling in saucepan.  Slowly whisk in cornmeal and whisk until thick.  Add in salt and pepper.  Whisk in cheese.  Finish with milk and serve.  EASY!

This is really good and since I used chicken stock, it’s very rich.  The richness goes nicely with the salty gravy and the ham steaks.

Also, remember that the red-eye gravy, while delicious, it is strong and needs to be taken lightly.  Just a dab will do on your ham.  Just a dab.

I hope this is enjoyed by not only the Martians out there, but by all.

*Look, I know that not every “martian” is a man’s man like my inspirations.  They are just my personal best example.  No offense need be taken with this.

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Filed Under Side Dishes Tagged With cheese grits, cooking, cooking for martians, food, gravy, grits, ham, recipe, red eye gravy

Creamy Quickie Pasta

May 28, 2009 Leave a Comment

I think that it’s important to stress the creative aspect of cooking.  Once you have the hang of the art and you are familiar with what combinations work best, a cook will find that a cookbook and recipes are not always necessary when throwing together a week night meal.  Sometimes a cook will use the knowledge that they have accumulated and make a quick and savory meal simply from throwing a bunch of stuff together.  It’s something all cooks should strive for when the decision is made to become prolific in the art of cooking.

Tonight I needed something quick and something made from accessible ingredients available in my pantry and freezer.   I had penne pasta, ham, and the usual staples.  I decided to make a ham-y pasta with a savory bechamél sauce.  Obviously a pancetta or prosciutto would have been better, but the ham did quite well.

Cubed Ham

Just cube up some ham.  I made two servings so I only used about 1 cup of cubed ham.  Throw the ham in a dry skillet (i.e. no oil) and sauté until the ham starts to brown slightly.  It will look like this:

Caramelized Ham

Remove the ham from the skillet and prepare to make your bechamél sauce.  Don’t be intimidated, it’s an easy sauce that you can use all the time.

Bechamel

Simply use equal parts of butter and flour (I used 2 Tblsp. of each) and cook the two for about two minutes.  This is to cook the raw flour taste out and it makes a slightly nutty taste.  Now you add milk or cream.  Milk is perfectly fine.  I used about 2 cups of milk and stirred vigorously until the sauce started to get thick.  At this point, turn the heat down and start adding seasoning.  A very traditional spice for a bechamél is nutmeg.  It adds a warm and spicey taste to the sauce and I highly recommend it.  You only need a tiny bit (1/4 tsp.).  There was no need to add any additional salt since ham was going to be a part of the dish but I added black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder (1 tsp. each).   About 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese went in last for a little zing (and more salt).   I then added the pasta and stirred to coat.  Then I tossed in the ham and served warm.  I served it with a side of green vegetables (green beans, but spinach would have been delicious too).  This was a quick, and lovely dish that I just kind of threw together.  And you know what?  It was awesome.

Creamy Pasta

Don’t be afraid to experiment.  Not every delicious meal made in your kitchen needs to be a big event right out of a cookbook.  Give yourself a little bit of credit and allow your skills to grow by playing around with food and flavors.    Enjoy!

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Filed Under Main Dishes Tagged With bechamel sauce, creative, easy, food, ham, how to, pasta, quick, recipe

Red Beans and Rice

May 20, 2009 2 Comments

Something that is a major factor in my cooking and menu is cost.  I live on a budget and am always having to find new ways to feed my family.  In the grocery store, one of the cheapest meals you can find are those bags of dried beans and lentils.  My pantry always has these little bags.  One of those tiny bags will easily turn into one HUGE meal or several regular-sized meals.  Beans are also super super healthy for you…until that is you turn them into Beans and Rice My Way.  That’s okay, though.  It’s really tasty and that means a whole lot sometimes.

With these, of course you will use red kidney beans.  Use the dried kind in the bag!  I mean it!  Do not use canned beans or you will end up with mushy, gritty crud.  Do you want to eat mushy, gritty crud?  I didn’t think so.

Take your lovely bagged red kidney beans and soak them over night in water.  If you don’t have time for that, cover the beans (after you’ve rinsed them.  They come covered in dust and other ickies you don’t want in your dish) with boiling water and let them soak for two hours before using them.  Here’s my recipe:

1 bag of red kidney beans, soaked and drained

6-7 cups chicken stock

1 plop of bacon grease (3 Tblsp)

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

2 bay leaves

1 package of ham hocks

2 cups water

garlic, onion, and chipotle peppers

Melt 1 plop (3 Tblsp.) of bacon grease in a Dutch oven.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add chipotle peppers and cook for one more minute.

Chicken Stock

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Ham Neck Bones

Add ham hocks.  (I can’t seem to find ham hocks out here so I used smoked pork neck bones.  They have the same smokey flavor and there is a good deal of meat attached to the bone.)

Bring back to a boil and add beans to the mix.  Add the 2 cups of water and cover.  When back to a full boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for at least 3 hours.

You have to serve these beans with long grain white rice.  You can choose to use quick cooking rice, but you’ve invested so much time already in the beans and we’re talking about economical dishes….well you should try getting those really economical bags of dried, uncooked rice.  It’s very easy to cook.  Use a 2-to-1 ratio when cooking your rice (i.e. for every cup of rice use 2 cups of water).

Bring your water to a full boil before adding the rice.  After adding the rice, put a tight lid on your pot and bring the water back to a full boil.  Then turn off the heat and walk away.  The rice will steam and become fluffy in about 10-15 minutes and if you lift the lid, you’re going to ruin any progress.  If there is still a little bit of water, simple turn the heat back on to high and boil it off.  You’ll have perfect rice.

Another really neat way to serve this dish is to get some lovely smoked sausage, split it down the middle, and give it a nice golden sear.  Serve it with the beans and rice and welcome yourself to pork-y bean-y heaven.

Red Beans and Rice

Although I now reside in the Pacific Northwest and will soon be relocating to the Philadelphia area, my stomach does (and always will) belong to Dixie.  This is a VERY Southern dish and it is almost a religious experience enjoying a properly prepared plate.  Enjoy!

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Filed Under Main Dishes Tagged With beans, economical recipe, food, ham, how to, pork, recipe, rice, Southern food

My Favorite Easter Ham

April 12, 2009 Leave a Comment

Ham is the preferred meat for Easter dinner for a lot of families.  There are so many different ways to make ham that I find it crazy.  Pineapple, cloves, cola, glazes, and mustard are all popular flavorings for a nice festive ham.  Personally, I am not a huge fan of ham (that’s horrible, I know).  I don’t hate it, I just don’t love it either.  For me, there’s only one way to prepare ham so that it is palatable and tasty.  It’s the way my mom always made it….the only way I can eat it without puckering from crazy saltiness.  NOTE:  Ham is a salty meat.  There is not need to add additional salt to ham unless you have plans to kill someone from salt overdose.  Seriously.

Ham Glaze Ingredients

Start with an undrained can of crushed pineapple, 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard, and 1/3 cup of (dark) brown sugar.  Basically just dump all of these ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended.  That’s your glaze and your sauce.  If you find this combination weird, just try it.  The pineapple is a classic ham accompaniment as is the brown sugar.  By adding a nice Dijon mustard to the mix you prevent things from getting overly sweet while adding a wonderful under-taste.

Glaze

This is what it should look like all mixed together.  Depending on the size of your ham, you need to reserve at least 1 cup of this for heating as a sauce to serve with the ham.  For right now, just spoon the mixture onto your ham.

Glazed Ham

Make sure you coat all of the ham before putting it in the oven.  Set your oven to a low heat (I use 275 degrees F).  With the high sugar content of this glaze, it will burn.  That is not a good taste.  Low and slow is the way to go.

As for the piddly little ham I had to make (as pictured above), there are two adults and an 18-month old toddler in my house.  We didn’t need a big ham so I bought one of those tiny football sized chunks of ham.  It worked out great.  Since my ham was so small, I left it in the oven for two and a half hours.  It was cooked perfectly.  The packaging on your ham should always say how long the meat should be cooked according to weight.

Once the ham is pulled from the oven, put the reserved glaze in a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer for 15 minutes.  The sauce will get a little thicker and resemble a chutney.  Just spoon it over the ham as you serve it.  It’s delicious.

Easter Dinner

I served my ham with very simple side dishes.  Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and simply done green beans.  The tastes on this ham are going to need to be very prominent and simple side dishes are best.  I also like to serve a special dinner like this Family Style, i.e. on a big platter where people serve themselves from the middle of the table. If you take the time to make the platter look attractive, it makes the eating experience that much better.  We eat with our eyes first.

For dessert, I went simple.  I have a toddler and my husband and I are a couple of big kids so the dessert that makes sense for us right now in our lives was cupcakes.

Cupcakes

I made simple white cupcakes and frosted them with simple vanilla frosting tinted pastelle with festive sprinkles.  I also have to say that I adore this cupcake stand.  It might seem a bit hokey, but I think it’s precious and can’t wait to make chocolate ganache cupcakes with fresh flowers on top and stack them on this thing.  Cupcakes are fun.  Everybody enjoys a good cupcake.

I hope everybody enjoyed their day and perhaps someone will try this glaze and love it as much as my family and I do.

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Filed Under Main Dishes Tagged With brown sugar, Easter dinner, glaze, ham, mustard, pineapple