Cooking with "Deep Run Roots" by Vivian Howard

[MelissaH]

@Smithy, next time you need to clean your kitchen, I think your husband should put a lot of hot water with a bit of dish soap in the blender, cover it, and turn it on.

[kayb]

13 hours ago, Smithy said:

Background: we live in a 3-floor house, with our bedroom at the top.  I sleep later than my darling.  His office is on the bottom floor, where he can read the news without disturbing me.

 

This morning as I was beginning to pry my eyes open, my darling came up to the middle floor and shouted, "You awake yet?!"  

 

I grumbled to the affirmative.  

 

"Good," he called.  "I've brought something up for you to read."

 

'Oh great - more political news,' I grumbled to myself, and pulled the covers over my head.

 

When I came downstairs later, he allowed that he'd been afraid to read the rest of it.  This is what he'd seen:

 

 

Explosions!  Oh, my! What was I contemplating??!

 

It was the second page of the recipe for the blueberry barbecue sauce, printed back-to-front as our printer does.

 

I love that stuff. Picked blueberries, made a double batch, and canned some. I simmered mine a bit too long and it actually jelled; but it thins back up nicely when warmed a bit in the microwave. Highly recommend it on baked thick pork chops.

[Okanagancook]

All this talk has got my book out and today I made the Jalapeño-Peach sauce on page 452.  I have some out to go on our chicken tonight and the rest is canned and on the shelf for later use.  Pretty easy to make and skimming the junk off the top as it boils is key to getting a nice bright and clear product.  See picture

 

I have the peaches combined with the sugar, vanilla and nutmeg for it's overnight marinate for the Soft Poppy & Peach Granola Cake on page 451.

 

My DH made 9 jars of the canned peaches on page 446 and because we now have canned peach juice we are eyeing the Bourbon drink "Ain't that a peach" on page 447...tomorrow 'cause the syrup is still hot and we have wine already.

 

I am looking at the Fried Green Tomatoes with Curried Peach Preserves and Whipped Feta on page 458....but I need a rest until tomorrow.  It was a busy afternoon.

 

[blue_dolphin]

On 7/30/2017 at 9:01 PM, Smithy said:

 This is what he'd seen:

 

 

Explosions!  Oh, my! What was I contemplating??!

 

It was the second page of the recipe for the blueberry barbecue sauce, printed back-to-front as our printer does.

 

I have to say that talk of an explosion that's prevented with a dish towel does not cause me great alarm 

 

And in relation to that sauce, should you dare to risk it,  this recipe for a Blueberry Q flatbread using that sauce plus roasted chicken, sliced jalapeños, red onion and smoked gouda sounds pretty good.

 

 

[Okanagancook]

Here's a picture of my chicken in the jalapeño peach sauce along with some scallop pots and green beans.  Done in the little CSO.  Could have been a little browner.

 

Tasted really good.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Okanagancook
typo (log)

[chromedome]

On 02/08/2017 at 0:31 PM, blue_dolphin said:

 

I have to say that talk of an explosion that's prevented with a dish towel does not cause me great alarm 

 

 

Yeah, Bourdain's version of the same warning was much pithier.

[Okanagancook]

I used the zucchini filling from the pistachio squash crumble to make some 'hand pies'.  I added a cup of apple sauce I had in the freezer along with a good dose of cinnamon.  Delicious....tastes like apple alright:  faux apple hand pies!

[blue_dolphin]

On 8/3/2017 at 3:03 PM, Shelby said:

I should have said your polenta method--I figure it will work the same for grits maybe?  I'm making the scallops with cocktail tomatoes in the next couple days and thought I'd do the grits in the IP.....

 

@Shelby, I just wanted to note that I am anxiously patiently awaiting a report on those cocktail tomatoes.  

I am interested in what sort of tomatoes you used.  The recipe calls for Roma.  I often find them hard and not so tasty.  The photo in the book looks like maybe a mix of Romas and yellow or gold cherry tomatoes. 

The recipe doesn't mention peeling the tomatoes (although the recipe for Cherry Tomatoes in Basil Vinegar on p 275 does peel.  Knowing your preferences, I assume you would peel them. AmIright?

 

No rush, of course....I know that good things come to those who wait 

[Shelby]

13 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

@Shelby, I just wanted to note that I am anxiously patiently awaiting a report on those cocktail tomatoes.  

I am interested in what sort of tomatoes you used.  The recipe calls for Roma.  I often find them hard and not so tasty.  The photo in the book looks like maybe a mix of Romas and yellow or gold cherry tomatoes. 

The recipe doesn't mention peeling the tomatoes (although the recipe for Cherry Tomatoes in Basil Vinegar on p 275 does peel.  Knowing your preferences, I assume you would peel them. AmIright?

 

No rush, of course....I know that good things come to those who wait 

I hate waiting lol.

 

I had a hard time being patient for the cocktail tomatoes to be done (which was Friday).  But then, I had an onslaught of things that needed to be eaten (lettuce etc.)  I think I'll do the dish tonight ( unless the canning of the tomatoes totally exhausts me, then it will be tomorrow night).

 

 

 

As for the tomatoes, I don't care for Roma's either, and I never plant them.  I used tomatoes off of the 4th Of July tomato plants which are smaller...not as small as like a cherry tomato, but not big like a Big Boy.  Here is a picture of them:

 

 

And, since I strayed from the recipe and didn't use Roma...I decided I better stick to it and not peel them.  I hope I like them.  The skin is a texture thing for me.   I hate eating a delicious, home grown tomato and having a wad of skin all mixed up in there.  Ugh.

 

 I will report back.

[blue_dolphin]

Well, I went ahead and set up a half-batch of the cocktail tomatoes. I used ~ 2.5 - 3 lbs of Celebrity tomatoes from a local farm stand and picked smallish specimens - between 2 and 2.5 inches in diameter.  I decided to go ahead and peel them as it's been fairly hot here and that often leads to tougher skins.  

My goodness but there are a lot of ingredients in the brine/marinade mixture that gets heated and poured over the tomatoes:  scallions, jalapenos, lemon peel, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sugar, molasses, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground celery seeds, and cayenne.  I hope the tomato flavor will still come through!

[Shelby]

I made the Cocktail Tomatoes with Brown-Butter Scallops that is located on page 280 last night.

 

The cocktail tomatoes have to rest for a week in the fridge, so plan ahead if you want to make this.

 

 

Here is a picture of the cut up tomatoes that I used.  As I said above, I chose some smaller 4th of July tomatoes and I left the skin on--which was difficult for me lol.

 

 

And, the finished tomatoes just after the brine was poured over.  Like @blue_dolphin said, there are a lot of ingredients that go into this mix.  In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't  grind up my coriander seeds because I was lazy.  I left them whole and I don't think it made a difference.

 

 

It's certainly a very pretty sauce.

 

Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I didn't use Vivian's recipe for grits.  I did mine in the IP .  Her recipe uses all milk for the liquid, the one I used calls for chicken broth and a bit of half and half.  I felt like that was ok and went the easier route for me using the IP.

 

I'm sad to report that this dish did not trip our trigger.  Someone else may love it, it just wasn't for us.  The cocktail sauce is, well, cocktail sauce--like the kind you dip shrimp in.  The tomatoes do not retain their flavor at all, if that makes sense.  So, it tasted like cocktail sauce over grits with scallops on top. 

 

I have some of the sauce left over (I only did half of the recipe and I'm glad) so I think I'll whizz it up in the food processor and use it maybe in bloody mary's or even just as cocktail sauce.

 

My plate

 

 

Ronnie's plate--he doesn't care for grits, so I thought a bit and decided that rice might be a good sub.  He decided to try a bit of both (he did kind of like the grits by themselves so maybe there is hope for him after all lol).

 

 

I actually liked the dish better with the rice--and I love grits.

 

By the time the sauce was done heating, a lot of the skins had fallen off, so I picked them out   #teamnoskin lol.  I think @blue_dolphin was smart to peel hers.

 

Anyway, I'll be interested to know what others think.  I hope I didn't discourage anyone from trying this out--like I said, others might love it.

 

Edited August 7, 2017 by Shelby (log)

[MetsFan5]

You guys did a good sell on this cookbook!  I bought it (via Amazon should be here hopefully tomorrow) and even though I may not cook from it as I am not a great or even subpar home chef, I think it will be a really great read. 

[rotuts]

this book is the most excellent read of any cookbook Ive ever seen.

[kayb]

8 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

You guys did a good sell on this cookbook!  I bought it (via Amazon should be here hopefully tomorrow) and even though I may not cook from it as I am not a great or even subpar home chef, I think it will be a really great read. 

 

The recipes are not out of reach for an average, or even subpar, home cook. Simple ingredients, simple techniques. You'll love it.

 

And it IS a great read.

 

[Smithy]

Yep.  I caved too.  Put a hold on it at our library, realized it would be 2 weeks, went to Barnes & Noble and plunked down the cash.  I've been reading it on Kindle and agree that it's a great read; soon I'll be cooking from it.

[rotuts]

@Smithy 

 

nice ,   reads much better at 2078 grams  

 

or

 

4.581206 lbs

 

just saying

 

this is the kind of book your hold and feel as you read.

Edited August 16, 2017 by rotuts (log)

[Smithy]

...and if I read it in bed, as I was wont to do with the Kindle, I'll get credit for weight-lifting, too! 

[Shelby]

I knewwwww it  I knewwwwwwww it

 

[MetsFan5]

I had to have the hard copy. I read 99% of books on my kindle or kindle app ( and I average a book a day- I read a LOT) but this book just seems to be one I need to feel and see the pictures. It was less than $35 on Amazon. 

[Shelby]

1 minute ago, MetsFan5 said:

I had to have the hard copy. I read 99% of books on my kindle or kindle app ( and I average a book a day- I read a LOT) but this book just seems to be one I need to feel and see the pictures. It was less than $35 on Amazon. 

You must be my twin.  I read like that, too.  I get lost in books.  Two hours feels like two minutes when I'm reading.

 

You will not regret buying this book.  Like @rotuts said, it's the best cookbook I've ever read.

 

 Well, besides the White Trash cookbooks.......

[Martin Fisher]

FWIW—I'm seeing $27.50 (with free shipping) for the hardcover on eBay.

 

[rotuts]

makes no diff.  where you get it.

 

save up , splurge is need be and get 

 

the 4.5 lbs edition.

 

Strong Bodies are Built in Many Ways.

 

this is the Most Important Way.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Nope, I read it, enjoyed reading it.  Saw no need to buy a copy.

 

[Shelby]

I had a revelation last night.  Long story short, I was going to make a huge batch of venison meatballs and freeze them, but yesterday got crazy and I didn't have time.  I had no idea what to make for dinner and then I remembered I had thawed out venison burger so I decided on meatloaf.  I spied the leftover cocktail tomatoes in the fridge and I thought "OMG these might be wonderful in the meatloaf"--they have brown sugar, ketchup, worchestershire sauce, all stuff that I put in my meatloaf...so I whizzed it up and added it to my panade.

 

 

Quite a lot of it, actually.  Then, I made a sauce to brush on top of the meatloaf --I added a bit of ketchup to thicken it.  OMG this is the best meatloaf I've ever made.

 

Pics on the dinner thread.

 

 

[Martin Fisher]

16 hours ago, rotuts said:

makes no diff.  where you get it.

 

It sure does if you're literally dirt poor like I am!!!