Fried Okra

Fried Okra

When okra is plentiful, summer is a great time for Fried Okra! Frying okra

Two tips for crisp and delicious fried okra:

  1. Buy small okra from your local farmer.
  2. Batter and quickly fry okra in hot oil, just until it is lightly brown.Fried Okra

Fried Okra

In no time at all, a batch of fried okra is ready! Crisp and delicious on the inside and the outside.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 basket okra
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1-2 t. cajun seasoning salt
  • 1 quart Crisco®

Instructions

  1. In a large, deep cast-iron skillet set over a medium-high heat, heat the oil. Toss in a little flour. If it sizzles the oil is ready for frying!

    Place a brown paper bag on a cookie sheet, top with a wire rack. Set aside.

  2. While the oil is heating, slice the ends off of the okra and set up the bowls of dredging ingredients.

  3. The dredging bowls:

    1. buttermilk

    2. flour, cornmeal, and seasoning salt

  4. Dip 4-6 okra in the buttermilk, remove from the buttermilk, roll in the flour/cornmeal mixture until they are coated, and drop into the hot oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the wire rack.

  5. Place the fried okra on a serving plate.

    Sprinkle with a little more seasoning salt.

    Serve with ketchup.

    Enjoy!

Farmers Market Creamed Corn

Farmers Market Creamed Corn

Next to tomatoes, sweet corn is our most popular fresh, summer vegetable. Farmers Market Creamed Corn is loaded with flavor! 

Farmers Market Creamed Corn

Sweet corn + summer picnics = special memories

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 ears of corn, shucked and sliced from the cob
  • 2 T. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • 1 1/2 cups cream
  • 1 bunch green onions, diced
  • 1 red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2-3 pieces bacon, cooked and diced

Instructions

  1. Set aside the corn.

    Preheat the oven to 350º.

  2. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it is hot, add the onion and saute until translucent.

  3. In a rimmed jelly-roll pan, add 1 cup of the corn and the sauted onion. Stir to combine. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes.

  4. Add the roasted corn mixture to a pan set over medium heat, add the cream and puree with a hand-held immersion blender.

  5. Add the remainder of the corn and red pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

  6. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Add the diced bacon.

  7. Serve at once!

Egg-cellent French Omelettes

Egg-cellent French Omelettes

An egg-cellent french Omelette is tasty, elegant, and the perfect introduction to French cuisine. Julia Child details two techniques for making french omelettes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. With a little practice, it’s easy to whip up french omelettes.

 

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup is among the best of summer comfort foods! Pick up some heirloom tomatoes at your neighborhood farmers market and cook up a pot of Tomato Basil Soup . . .

Tomato Basil Soup

Five ingredients plus salt and pepper to taste. Simple. Delicious!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds ripe, juicy tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 2 cups fresh basil, cut into julienne
  • 3 T. cream (optional)
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. In a large pot of boiling water, drop the tomatoes; leave for 45 to 60 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. When cool, peel, seed and dice. Set aside.

  2. In a wide soup pot over medium-low heat, add the olive oil. When the soup pot is hot, add the diced onion, cook until translucent.

  3. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock to the pot. Reduce heat, cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    During the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, add the basil.

    At this point, you could add a few tablespoons of cream, it's optional.

  4. With an immersion blender, puree the soup.

  5. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

  6. Serve in soup bowls with freshly grated Parmesan cheese!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

For as long as I can remember, Fried Green Tomatoes have been one of my favorite summer foods. For years, I have enjoyed making them so much so that I made them for my boyfriend(now husband), Jim during his first visit to meet my parents in Louisiana!Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

A taste of the summer . . . Fried Green Tomatoes!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4" thickness
  • cajun seasonings
  • Tobasco® sauce
  • 1 cup corn starch
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow corn meal
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • cajun seasonings to taste
  • Crisco® for frying
  • Ranch dressing
  • Papou's Comeback sauce

Instructions

  1. Season the tomato slices with cajun seasonings and Tobasco® sauce. Set aside.

  2. In a deep, large cast iron skillet, add the Crisco®. Heat over a medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350º.

  3. Meanwhile, set up three bowls with the dredging ingredients:

    1. Corn starch

    2. Buttermilk

    3. Flour, corn meal, corn starch, and cajun seasoning whisked together.

  4. Dredge one tomato slice in the corn starch, buttermilk, and flour mixture. Repeat with two more tomatoes. Fry on each side for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly brown.

    Transfer to a wire rack set over a paper-lined cookie sheet.

    Repeat with the rest of the tomatoes.

  5. Serve over arugula or leafy lettuce with Ranch dressing or Papou's comeback sauce.