Cat Cora's Southern Comfort Food, on a Budget
There may be no better place to go for good old-fashioned, down-home comfort food than the South - and who better to dish it out than Cat Cora?
The Jackson, Miss. native is the Food Network's first female "Iron Chef" and Bon Appetit magazine's executive chef.
And, as part of "The Early Show on Saturday Morning"'s Taste of America look at the best foods in the land, Cora accepted our "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge, attempting to make a multi-course meal on our slim, $40 budget.
Cora harkened back to her Southern roots as she whipped up a meal including Grits with Stewed Chicken, Sautéed Wild Greens, Grilled Lamb Chops with Alma's Mustard and, for dessert, Red Velvet Cupcakes. Oh, and we can't forget her Pink Grapefruit and Vodka Punch!
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She also had her chef's hat automatically entered in our "How Low Can You Go?" competition: The "Shoestring" chef with the lowest ingredients cost will be asked back to prepare the feast for our year-end holiday extravaganza!
FOOD FACT
Grits: Though it's now commonly used to mean "hominy grits," the term "grits" actually refers to any coarsely ground grain, such as corn, oats or rice. Most grits come in a choice of grinds -- coarse, medium and fine. Grits can be cooked with water or milk -- usually by boiling or baking -- and eaten as hot cereal or served as a side dish. (Source: Epicurious.com)
RECIPES
Grits
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups milk
1 cup quick yellow grits (not instant)
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
Place a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the grits. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and butter. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover and hold warm.
Stewed Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken (2 1/2-3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 peeled garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 peeled, coarsely chopped medium yellow onions
1 half cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
1-6 ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 half cup grated Mizithra cheese (optional)
METHOD:
Pre-boil water with sea salt.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. A wet chicken will cause the oil to splatter while the chicken is sautéing. Mix the cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the chicken pieces on all sides with the seasoning.
Mince 3 of the garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil in a large non-reactive deep skillet over high heat. A 12 inch skillet with sides about 2 1/2 to 3 inches high will allow you to brown all the chicken at once. If you don't have a skillet large enough, brown them in two batches using 1/2 the oil for each batch. What's important is that the chicken isn't overcrowded which would cause them to steam rather than brown,
Add the chicken to the oil and brown for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn the pieces using a metal spatula, as they have a tendency to stick to the pan. Remove the pieces when they are well browned on all sides.
Lower the heat to medium-high and add the onions and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and are a rich golden brown. Add the wine, and scrap the bottom of the pan with a spatula or spoon to deglaze the pan, loosening any particles stuck on the bottom.
When the wine has evaporated, add the water, chicken stock, tomato paste, fresh oregano and remaining 2 garlic cloves. Return the chicken to the pan. The liquid should cover about 3/4 of the chicken pieces. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for about an hour or until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked. If the sauce becomes too thick, it can be thinned with a little more water. Season the finished sauce with Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
For more of Cat's recipes, go to Page 2.
Wild Greens with Lemon & Olive Oil
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds wild greens (escarole, chicory, mustard, rocket and /or dandelion)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 2 lemons
Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
Fill a 6 to 8 quart pot with salted water, and bring to a boil. While the water is heating wash the greens very well to remove sand and dirt. Trim (see note above).
Add greens to salted boiling water. Slightly cover the pot and cook until the greens are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Place a colander in a sink and drain the greens into the colander as soon as they are tender, and let cool about 10 minutes. To serve, drizzle the greens with olive oil, lemon juice and finish with cracked black pepper to taste.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Alma's Fruited Mustard
INGREDIENTS: Fruited Mustard
2 pounds unsalted butter
2 bay leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup chopped dried cherries
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup Alma's Sweet Hot Mustard*
2 cups Dijon mustard
4 loin lamb chops, about 1 inch thick (1 per person)
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill
To make the fruited mustard, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook until it reaches a caramel color, 3-4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, dried cherries and pepper. Mix in the Alma's and Dijon mustards. Refrigerate while the lamb chops are grilling.
Brush each of the chops on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side for medium-rare lamb.
Serve immediately with the fruited mustard either beside the lamb or spooned into small ramekins and set on a plate garnished with dried cherries and herbs. (Make sandwiches the next day with any leftover lamb plus a generous slathering of the mustard).
*Alma's Sweet-Hot Mustard
Makes about 1 cup
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup dry Colemans Mustard, about a 2 ounce can
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
METHOD:
Mix together the dry mustard, sugar, salt and flour. Stir in the vinegar and melted butter into the dry mustard mixture, then add the prepared mustard. Blend well. Refrigerate the mustard for at least 24 hours to allow the mustard powder to come to its full heat and meld with the rest of the ingredients.
Red Velvet Coconut Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons natural red food coloring (see Resources)
1/2 cup buttermilk (shake before measuring)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
2 egg whites, from 2 large eggs
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake papers.
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper or into a medium bowl and set aside. Pulse the coconut in a food processor until it is the size of confetti. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter, sugar, and coconut on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then add the vanilla and mix until smooth.
In a small bowl, stir together the red food coloring, buttermilk, and coconut milk. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk mixture, in 3 additions beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop and scrape down the bowl twice. In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and baking soda. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the vinegar mixture, beating until well blended.
Fill the cupcake tin about 2/3 of the way, dividing the batter evenly. Bake in the heated oven for about18 to 20 minutes. Turn the pans once, half way through, to assure even cooking. Test the cupcakes with a fork or toothpick for doneness (no batter should stick). When the cupcakes are ready, remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting: Bring the corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Turn off the heat and set the corn syrup aside. Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. With the mixer set at the highest speed, drizzle in the hot corn syrup very slowly - just in drips initially - gradually increasing to a thin steady stream. Beat for 3 for 4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Whip in the salt and vanilla.
So, how did Cat do in our "How Low Can You Go?" competition?
Grits, Chicken & Greens
milk $1.19
grits $1.19
jack cheese $2.24
chicken $3.57
garlic $.39
onions $.74
white wine $1.99
chicken stock $.99
tomato paste $.59
oregano $1.19
wild greens $1.49
lemon $.50
total $16.07
Grilled Lamb Chops
butter $1.76
rosemary $1.29
dried cherries $2.49
lamb chops $8.99
mustard $1.49
total $16.02
Red Velvet Cupcakes
cake flour $2.00
cocoa powder $.99
shredded coconut $1.39
buttermilk $1.99
coconut milk $1.49
total $7.86
Grand total: $39.95
Our Leaders Board:
1. Amanda Freitag $37.17
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2. Mikey Price $37.18
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3. Kelly Liken $37.20
Restaurant Kelly Liken