January/February
2004
Delicious
Food to Honor a Righteous Man!
By Joshua Ploeg
|
This month, I wished to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. with a special feast of some of my favorite southern dishes.
(Hey, my birthday is this month too—Jan. 31. Wish me a happy one!)
I have composed a collection of six swell items, all with their origination
in Dr. King’s birth state (and one of my favorite places), Georgia.
I hope you enjoy the meal. It is also well-suited for Mardi Gras fun!
My grandmother (who’s 91 years old!) recently told me the
story of the first time she went from West Virginia up to New York to
have dinner with my grandpa’s parents. She thought they were like
wild animals because they only cooked their vegetables for under an
hour. She said, “they seemed practically raw to me.” There
is a North-South difference right there: she cooks her green beans until
they are really soft. I like mine a little on the firmer side.
Several Georgians have complimented me on this greens recipe, where
I cook them longer than I personally might prefer.
Southern Greens
Several Bunches of Mixed Greens (mustard, turnip, kale, collards)
Rice Vinegar
1 Small Onion, minced
Salt and Pepper
Oil or Shortening
Water
1. Remove most of the stems and overtly yucky-looking
parts from the greens.
2. Soak the greens in cold, salted water for half an hour.
Remove, drain and pat dry.
3. Cut the greens into thin ribbons. Heat about a T. of oil
in a pot, then add the onion and a bit of salt. Cook this for a minute
or two.
4. Add the greens and some water (not too much!), salt to taste,
a few pinches of black pepper and a dash of rice vinegar.
5. Cover and cook for at least an hour or until the greens
are tender. If the water cooks out at any time, add a bit more.
Spicy Black-eyed Peas
1 Lb. Black-eyed Peas (dry)
1 T. Shortening
1/2 t. Hickory Salt or Smoke Flavoring
2 t. Salt
1 t. Black Pepper
2 Small, Dried Hot Peppers
Liquid Aminos, like Bragg’s
1. Rinse the peas, cover in water and soak overnight.
The next day, drain.
2. Melt shortening in a large pot. Add peas and cover with
water (peas should be surpassed by an inch or so).
3. Bring to a boil and cook for one hour, covered.
4. Add the peppers, black pepper, salt and hickory flavoring
and simmer, covered, for another hour or two.
5. When finished, you may add a dash of liquid aminos for a
little extra body.
Deep-Fried Barbecue Stubbies
1 Lb. Tempeh or Seasoned Tofu, cut into short strips
3/4 C. Fine Cornmeal
1/4 C. Flour
1 t. Chili Powder
1/2 t. Baking Powder
Peanut or Vegetable Oil for deep frying
Salt and Pepper to taste
Barbecue Sauce
2 T. Tomato Paste
2 T. Molasses
Pinch of Ground Sage
Pinch of Ground Oregano
1/2 t. Hickory Salt or Seasoning
1/2 C. Tomato Sauce
1 t. Onion Powder
1 T. Brown Sugar
Lemon Juice
Dash of Hot Sauce
1 T. Tamari or Browning Sauce
1. Mix together the tomato paste, molasses, sage, oregano,
hickory seasoning, tomato sauce, onion powder, brown sugar, tamari,
hot sauce, some black pepper and a bit of lemon juice. (Use your favorite
barbecue sauce if you don’t want to make this scratch ver- sion.)
2. Baste the tempeh with this mixture and allow it to sit for
awhile.
3. Mix together the other ingredients. Roll the basted tempeh
stubbies in the cornmeal mixture and refrigerate for half an hour.
4. Heat the peanut oil in deep fryer. Fry the stubbies until
nicely browned, and drain on absorbent paper.
Hoe Cakes
2 T. Shortening, melted
1 t. Salt
1 C. White Cornmeal
1/4 C. Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
1 C. Water, boiling
A few T. Oil or Shortening to fry
1. Mix together the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking
powder.
2. Add the melted shortening. Pour in enough boiling water
to make a man- ageable dough (not dry!).
3. Form the mixture into little cakes about an inch thick and
three in diameter.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet (medium heat), and fry the cakes,
turning once, until browned on both sides.
I have been told by one person from Georgia that he can tell I am a
Northerner from the way that I add sugar to things unnecessarily. Guilty!
Fried Peaches
2 Lbs. Ripe Peaches, sliced (use canned if you must)
1/2 C. Rice Flour
2 T. Sugar
2 T. Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1. Mix together flour and sugar with salt and black
pepper to taste.
2. Dredge the peaches through this mix- ture. Allow them to
sit for a bit, then fry them in oil until browned.
3. You may sprinkle the peaches with paprika and add a handful
of chopped pecans to the pan if you wish.
Peanut and Pecan Pie
1/4 C. Smooth Peanut Butter
1 t. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Vegan Milk (vanilla is nice!)
2 T. Margarine, melted
1 t. Vanilla
1 C. + 1 T. Sugar
1 C. Dark Corn or Rice Syrup
1/2 C. Salted Peanuts, chopped
1/2 C. Pecans, chopped
1 1/4 C. + 1 T. Presifted Flour
1/4 t. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 t. Salt
1/2 C. Margarine
Several T. Cold Water
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together 1 1/4
C. flour with salt, nutmeg and T. sugar.
2. Cut in the 1/2 C. margarine until the mixture resembles
coarse crumbs.
3. Add water by the T. (about 3 or 4), mixing in to make a
good pie crust dough, and form into a ball. Chill for a bit if you wish.
4. Roll out on a floured board to fit a greased 9” pie
pan. Press the dough into the pan and prick with a fork.
5. Mix all other ingredients, except nuts, until smooth. Stir
in the nuts. Pour into the pie shell.
6. Bake for 50 minutes or until the pie is set. Serve cold
or at room tempera ture. It goes well with a peanut-butter vegan ice
cream and chocolate sauce.
Plus a drink!
King Ginger
1. Mix together 1 part ginger brandy, 1 part peach juice and
2 parts boubon.
2. Shake and pour over ice in a high- ball glass.
3. Fill with ginger ale (about 4 parts, equal to what’s
already in the glass).
4. Garnish with a little bruised mint.
I hope you enjoyed rockin’ it with me this month, pseudo-Georgia
style. Next time, rather than accosting you with more fried food and
fake meat, I have a very dainty and curious set of recipes planned,
so get ready!
Remember folks, you can get my books Something Delicious This Way
Comes: Spellbinding Vegan Cookery and Twelve Knights In My
Kingdom from K Records and Distribution: www.krecs.com.
For tour updates and my vegan recipe of the month, visit: www.webspawner.com/users/joshuaplague.
And of course, email me with Birthday wishes, Q’s, or to trade
recipes! lefsewagon@hotmail.com.
 |
|
|
 |
