I promised 7 days of exotic cooking with ingredients that you can find in our very own Beaumont. We are on day 3, and although when we think of exotic we might think of heavily spiced dishes, people in strange clothing and chopsticks without cheater rubber bands, something that I consider to be exotic and foreign to this area is real Southern cooking. We have a couple little country joints like Country Junction on 6th street here in Beaumont or Gramma's Country Kitchen in Banning, but as far as I am concerned these aren't the down home meals I am looking for. These places never claimed to be "Southern" food, only "country", but I have run into many people around here who seem to think it is one in the same. Southern cooking is so much more than buttermilk pancakes and country fried steak.
Southern cooking can be anything from the Cajun and Creole flavors of New Orleans to the soul foods we all see on Paula Deen every morning. There may be a false rumor going around that real southern food will make you fat, but that does not have to be true. Southern food highlights lean proteins such as chicken and seafood, uses a lot of vegetables, sweet potatoes are exceptionally popular, and rice is a common side dish. None of these things will make you fat on their own.
You will be delighted to find that Southern food is very easy to make in your own home and I have never had a problem finding any ingredients save for some of the fresh seafood. You might read Southern recipes and think, "ham hocks? Creole seasoning? Where am I suppose to find these things?!" As it turns out, ham hocks are right in the meat section of any grocery store here in the area for very cheap. You will spend a little over $2 for 2 ham hocks at Stater Bros. And as for the seasoning, you could buy an already prepared blend, or you can make it yourself using this simple recipe.
If you struggle to get more veggies on your plates at dinner time or are getting bored of the same old steamed frozen green beans, you might try some braised collards for a fun Southern twist. Braising collard greens is fantastically easy. You can add other flavors to the following recipe, but I will share with you a basic method for delicious collards:
Braised Collard Greens
2 bunches collard greens
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 strips of bacon
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups any beer
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
a few dashes of hot sauce
In a large stock pot heat the bacon on low to render out the fat. Remove the bacon once it is cooked and set aside. Add in the onion and garlic and saut for a few minutes until soft. Tear the collards off of the tough woody stalks and into pieces. Place it directly into the pot. Stir it around a little then pour in the stock, vinegar, and enough beer so that the collards are just under covered. Add in salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer with the lid halfway on for 1 hour. The liquid should be greatly reduced. Serve immediately.
If you like this recipe and would like to explore Southern cooking a little more (fried chicken and macaroni and cheese anyone?) then might I suggest checking out the cookbook The African American Heritage Cookbook from the Beaumont library? I checked it out so many times my fianc finally just bought it for me. It is a fantastic book with authentic recipes that are very easy to follow.
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