"soul food" ideas and recipes needed!!?!
"soul food" ideas and recipes needed!!?
A man I am seeing keeps asking me to make him soul food like his mama used to make and I need some ideas and recipes. His mom and I dont get along so calling her is not an option.
Answers:
When I think of Soul Food I can picture the family table spread with Potatoe Salad, Macaroni & Cheese (Home Made), Sweet Potatoes, Greens or Cabbage, Dressing, Corn Bread, BBQ Hot Links, Fried Chicken or Pot Roast. You gotta wanna do it right and make it with love in your soul. Then you will never go wrong. I would be here all day with the recipies....... Reply if you need some.
I like Better Homes and Gardens on the web. I tried a search under soul food and nothing came up. Although there were hits under soul. I also tried african american and nothing here either. Good question, sorry I could not help any better.
Well, whatever you make you should also have greens, cornbread, and a pie to go with it. You could try some type of fried fish, or maybe some BBQ. Fried chicken can be difficult, but if you're a pretty good cook go with that. The greens have to be cooked down with ham hock and spices. The cornbread needs a lot of butter. The pie can really be anything, but a good fruit pie, or a pecan pie is always nice. You are making me really hungry. Good luck!
Southern Fried Chicken
4 peices chicken
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups oil for frying
Wash chicken pieces. Mix flour, salt and pepper together. Put chicken in bag and shake until covered. Drop chicken in hot oil. Fry until golden brown for 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Black-Eyed Peas
1 pound black-eyed peas
4 cups water
1 medium onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cubed ham (option substitutes: 2 polish sausages, 2 hot sausage links, or bacon)
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper (optional)
Pick and wash the black-eyed peas. Place them in a slow cooker or, if you wish to cook them on the top of the stove, a large Dutch over. Combine with salt, pepper, onion, water, and ham or other meat. You can add crushed red pepper if you like spicy food. Simmer on the top of the stove or turn slow cooker to high and allow peas to cook 3 to 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.
Fried Cabbage
Ingredients
1 medium sized cabbage, thinly shredded
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 tablespoons of oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of curry powder
2 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium sized tomato, cut up
Directions
Over moderate heat, fry the onion in oil until lightly browned, stirring to prevent scorching. Add the tomatoes, salt and curry powder and continue stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots and pepper, and mix well. Then pour in about half a cup of water. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the cabbage is still slightly crunchy. Serves 6 - 8
Southern Fried Corn
Ingredients
8 to 10 ears of corn
1/4 cup bacon drippings
2 tablespoon all-ppurpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Shuck the corn. Wash and remove the silk from the ears of corn. After cutting the kernels in half with a sharp knife, cut kernels off. This is called cream style cutting. Scrape juice out of the corn cob into the corn. heat dripping in a larfe heavy skillet. Add corn, flour, sugar, water, milk, salt and pepper. Bring mixure to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until corn is tender, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add a little hot water.
Yields 6 servings
Turnip Greens With Pot Liquor
Ingredients
1 pound of ham hocks
4 cups of cold water
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red peppers
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
3 pounds of turnip greens
1 tablespoon of vinegar
sliced hard boiled eggs, optional
sliced green onions
Cover the ham hock with the cold water. Add the crushed red peppers, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and simmer, covered for 1 hour. Wash the turnip greens well, discarding the stems and yellow leaves. Add the turnip greens to the pot liquor, cover and simmer for 1 hour longer. Remove the cover during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Drain the greens, reserving the pot liquor and meat. Chop the greens, taste and adjust the seasonings to your desired level. Place the greens in a serving dish, garnish with the meat from the pot liquor, sliced hard boiled eggs and sliced green onions if desired.
Serves 7
Serve above with coleslaw and cornbread
Tell him that if he wants soul food like his momma used to make, then he should go eat with his momma. Now, if he wants soul food that you might want to make, here are some suggestions:
fried or blackened catfish w/spicy hoppin john & cornbread
black eyed peas w/smoked turkey
fried chicken
potato salad
macaroni & cheese
smothered chicken
jambalaya (creole, but still soul food to me)
beef ribs w/gravy
for dessert, how about:
sweet potato pie w/vanilla ice cream
bread pudding
rice pudding
chocolate cake
red velvet cake
peach cobbler
As my Auntie used to say: "Put on a pot of beans and some cornbread and watch the men come right to your door!" : )
You gotta serve pork with soul food some of the time.
Ham, a Virginia baked spiral ham with smoked maple sauce.
Pork chops, here are 3 delicious ways to serve pork chops.
Buy the best cut that you can afford.
Buy oven bake for pork (not shake and bake-there is a huge difference)
follow the directions on the package.
You'll have great baked porkchops.
For grilled or saute' pork chops.
Coat chops with greek seasoning
add to grill
or
put olive oil in skillet and fry, turning once and adding worteschire sauce.
It's delish.