Vintage Kitchen: Colonial Chicken Pie with Cornbread Crust

I wanted to share my guest post for OKRA magazine, the online magazine for the SoFAB Institute, umbrella organization of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum and the Museum of the American Cocktail, among other scholarly and culinary pursuits.

Now that we are fully fledged into winter (yes I’m talking about you, snow days), Corks & Cake is all about the pot pie.

 

Pulled chicken casserole with corn bread topping.

Colonial Corn Pie: pulled chicken casserole with corn bread topping.

I tested this recipe from The Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook from 1968 and it was fun to take a look backward and see what 1968 had to say.

By Lois Levine, published in 1968.

By Lois Levine, published in 1968.

 

Illustration by:

Illustration by Rosalie Petrash Schmidt

 

Illustration by:

Illustration by Rosalie Petrash Schmidt

 

Despite a whole chapter devoted to Gelatin and Puddings (hello mid-century potlucks and/or my Minnesota childhood), there were some recipes in here worth trying.

Go to my Vintage Kitchen column at OKRA for the whole review and vintage recipe.

 

Corn on the cob

Colonial corn pie.

I think the recipe could be tweaked and brought into the modern kitchen.  In my next iteration I’ll add some chopped green chiles, a light bechamel sauce or veloute to the shredded chicken, chopped shallots and maybe a handful of sauteed carrots, peas, or mushrooms, too.  

The corn bread topping was delicious.

I think Colonial-era cooks and certainly 1968-era cooks knew that pot pie was a great and tasty way to revive leftovers and I agree!  It is also because I love my cute Staub cocottes:

Staub cocottes

Spoon yesterday’s stew or shredded meat and roasted vegetables in those babies.  Moisten with a combination of chicken stock, leftover gravy, a dash of heavy cream.  Cover with pre-made pie crust and bake according to directions or just use those adorable lids and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  I gave some leftover beef brisket and braised onions a new life last night by giving it the pot pie treatment.

The inventive cook circa 1760 or 1960!

Don't worry too much about the results; it's good to get kids in the kitchen for some hands-on experience.

Throw it in the pot with glee!

 

Thrift Shop Goodness

Just kidding.  I didn't buy this little guy.

Just kidding. I didn’t buy this little guy.

Thrift shopping is one of my favorite things to do.  You never know what you might find! Like a cherub lamp.

John and I always make time to poke around in thrift shops on vacation and we drag our boy along, hoping to instill the bargain-seeking thrill in him too.  Much of our furniture and artwork was scored at estate sales, thrift shops, tag sales, or is what I like to call “urban curb” (translation: free off the street.)

Thursday was 25 percent off day at Value Village and my friend, Laura, and I headed out with 2 hours to spend and our VIP cards in hand.

Come along, won’t you?

Gilded globe and cherub lamps.

These lamps gave us a chuckle.  Not for our homes, but maybe if we had a crash pad in Vegas.

 

Karastan wool rug, 10 x 14 feet!

Karastan wool rug, 10 x 14 feet!

 

This, on the other hand, was absolutely beautiful.  A Karastan rug, wool, extremely large at 10 x 14 feet, in excellent condition.  Price was $1,999 (a Steal).  Neither of us had that so we sadly left it there for some interior decorator to have a heart attack over.

 

Karastan label.

 

Beautiful colors on a cream background.  Drool.

Beautiful colors on a cream background. Drool.

 

Vintage Tonka truck.

Vintage Tonka truck.

This Tonka truck was the real deal.  Metal, not plastic.  Large and sturdy for some serious sand box action.  We didn’t take this home either. Laura is on a toy moratorium for the moment.

 

Abstract painting on canvas.

Abstract painting on canvas.

 

I couldn’t resist this painting, though.  The colors were gorgeous and I’m a sucker for abstract expressionism, even if amateur.  I took this home for $9.50 with the discount.  It looks great on the front porch mantle against the brick.  I think I have it on it’s wrong side, though.  We posited that the black object on the far right side is a clock radio.  No matter, I still like it!

 

A vintage rug for the porch.

A vintage rug for the porch.

I couldn’t have the Karastan (and even if I could, our living room is much smaller than 10 x 14 feet) but this one was a perfect size for the screened porch and great colors on the brick-red painted floor.  Polyester, but in decent condition and only $14.99 ($11.25 with the VIP discount.)  Sold!

Our front porch gets a lot of traffic so this rug probably won’t last the winter, but it made me happy and inspired me to do a porch fall clean up.  We like to sit out there at night, have a cocktail, and say hello to our neighbors as they walk their dogs.

 

Vintage pewter sauce boat with wooden handle.

Vintage pewter sauce boat with wooden handle.

 

As you can imagine, I collect vintage cookware and serving pieces (just can’t help myself.)  This was a nice little sauce boat, substantial and heavy in the hand, made of pewter with a nice gleam for $3.99 (3 bucks with my VIP status.)  You are mine, baby.  Gravy here we come.

 

Cool comic book art.

Cool comic book art.

 

More cool comics.

Bam!  Pow!

Bam! Pow!

 

Had to grab these comics for Joe for $1.50 a piece.  Such cool art.  I want to frame them.

 

All in all, a great haul and a fun way to spend a couple of hours in the thrill of the hunt.

 

Cheers!

Rebecca

Grilled Chicken and Radish Picnic Baguette with Herbed Cream Cheese

chicken sandwich

This is a simple sandwich to share with a crowd.

One of the keys that makes it so tasty is taking the time to trim and marinate the chicken before grilling.  As you probably have found, boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be boring, and worse, dry.  On the grill, they can get tough as a deck of cards and cook unevenly.

Since I’m determined to try to get more chicken into our dinner rotation, I’ve been reading tutorials on how to get chicken breast right.  (Yes, chicken tutorials.  This is life-long learning at its pinnacle.)

The gauntlet thrown, it was time to tackle the chicken breast and find a way to keep it juicy and flavorful without drowning it in sauce.

What I learned:

1.  It’s important to trim the breasts.  Cut off the tenderloins and save for another use. These are the filet mignon of the chicken breast (if you will allow me that analogy) and really should be used in a stir fry or sauté where you can showcase their tenderness.  Sure you can just open the package and toss the uber-plump breasts on the grill, slather with some sauce and they will be edible (maybe), but you want something good, right?

Your goal here is to get a piece of breast that has a consistent thickness.  Since most commercially farmed breasts are so big, I often cut them in half after trimming.  That gives me smaller pieces to deal with and I can better monitor how they are cooking.  You are going to slice the breasts thinly for the sandwich so you don’t need to worry about serving a 1/2 portion of breast.

2.  Pound the heck out them.  I sandwich the breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and use my trusty mallet.

chicken_mallet

You could use your rolling pin or the flat bottom of a heavy pan.  Really whack those babies to get them an even thickness, ideally 1/2 inch thick.  Kids love this task by the way, so go ahead and delegate it.  Have them pound both sides.

3.  Marinate the breasts for at least an hour (or longer.)  You want to use a combination of oil and acid (vinegar or citrus juice) along with salt, pepper, herbs, spices or other aromatics.  I find that fresh herbs in a marinade tend to char on the grill so I’ve used dry in this recipe. (Plus you will get fresh herby goodness in the cream cheese spread.)

Really Good Marinade

Ingredients

  • 1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 T. red wine vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (more if you like spicy)
  • 1/4 tsp. dried oregano or thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. fennel powder (optional, I had ground fennel seeds for another recipe)

Directions

  • Whisk all together and taste.  Correct the seasoning if you’d like more vinegar or less; more spice or less.
  • Pour over chicken breasts and marinate, covered, for one hour or more in the refrigerator.
Chicken off the grill.

Chicken resting off the grill.

4.  Grill over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.  Watch them and feel them.  When the breasts feel firm and resist the tongs, they are done. Let the breasts rest on your cutting board so they can absorb their juices.  Do not overcook!

5. Slice thinly against the grain.

 

P1000226

For the sandwich

  • 1 good baguette (good toothsome bread is essential: it makes all the difference in a sandwich)
  • 3 radishes, sliced thinly
  • 2 shallots, sliced thinly (TIP:  I sprinkled a little red vinegar over the shallots to slightly pickle them while I assembled the sandwich,  this takes away some of that raw onion harshness)
  • 8 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • Herbed cream cheese spread (I made my own with 3 T. cream cheese, 1 T. of mayonnaise, 1 T. chopped fresh parsley, 1 T. chopped fresh basil, pinch of salt and pepper)
Assembling the picnic sandwich.

Assembling the picnic sandwich.

 

 

P1000230

Adding the shallot and tomato.

 

Assemble the sandwich:

  • Slice the baguette in half lengthwise and spread some of the cream cheese mixture on both halves.
  • Place the sliced chicken in a single layer on one half, topped with a single layer of pickled shallots.
  • On the other half of the baguette, assemble a layer of the radishes, topped by the grape tomatoes.
  • Sprinkle a little salt and fresh ground pepper over the chicken and shallot side (not too much)
  • Put both sides together and press down to adhere.

When ready to serve, cut your picnic sandwich into serving slices and hold them together with a short bamboo skewer.

Summer chicken on baguette

Pack them into your picnic basket or cooler and enjoy the concert or the game!
For some helpful grilled chicken breast tutorials, check out:

Deliciously Local! Dinner Party with Relay Foods

Cheers!  Stay cool outside with friends and a well-chilled rose.

 

Today has been a day of remembrances.  I remembered where I was exactly on this day in 2001.  I remembered that today was also the birthday of a good friend who died too young a couple of years ago.  Facebook told me today was also the birthday of a good friend still alive.  Google News told me today was the birthday of Mickey Hart (Blast from the past!  My Proustian college memories were scented NOT of madeleines but of patchouli and clove cigarettes.)

This day 12 years ago hammered home that we, as humans and as a country, are vulnerable.  That technology fails us and also connects us. That family and friends are always more important than political ideology.  That there are heroes among us.  That you should always keep your car gassed up.  (Okay sorry, that was a joke.  I was waxing too philosophical.)

I would like to dedicate this post to all of my friends and neighbors who I adore and love to break bread with.  You are awesome.

This summer we held a big outdoor party featuring local foods from our region.  Relay Foods spurred the idea when they reached out for hosts and hostesses in Maryland and Virginia to hold a house party and introduce neighbors and friends to their delivery/pickup service for a wide variety of regional food, including artisanal and specialty foods.

Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, Relay Foods collaborates with local farms, artisan food makers, and handmade brands.  They gather vendors from all over the Shenandoah Valley, Maryland and beyond and deliver to urban locations (Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Northern VA.)  Since I had ordered our organic, free-range turkey from them a few Thanksgivings ago, I was on their list for people to recruit.

As many of us in the neighborhood have CSA shares or shop at farmers markets weekly, I knew I’d be preaching to the choir.  I didn’t have to do much to get people excited to come taste some new local foods.  But this was an opportunity to introduce them to a service that would aggregate produce from several farms and also afford small producers of specialty meats, cheeses, desserts, breads, jams and other farm fresh products the opportunity to reach a larger market via Relay Foods’ digital hub and distribution system.

_DSF1179

[Full disclosure:  Relay Foods gave me $100 food certificate to spend online at their site for the party.  I went beyond that and shopped on my own dime at their site and our local markets, including my favorite organic market, Roots Market in Olney.  All of my opinions and recommendations are my own and neither Relay Foods nor Roots paid me to plug them or sponsor this post.]
Some of the farmers and artisans featured on the menu:
  • Sausage Craft:  two guys in Richmond making handcrafted sausage the Tuscan way (wholesale only)
  • Let’s Grow Local/Josie’s Homemade Foods–our own local Kensington girl (and god-sister to my son, Joe) making jams, chutneys, preserves. Not represented by Relay Foods (yet) but you can buy Josie’s jam and chutneys at Let’s Grow Local farm stands on University Blvd in Wheaton and in north Chevy Chase
Josie's Homemade

Josie’s Homemade

I rounded out the menu with three vegetarian side dishes and several craft brews and wine, including a chardonnay I love from Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia.

Barboursville Vineyards is located on the Monticello Wine Trail outside of Charlottesville.

Barboursville Vineyards is located on the Monticello Wine Trail outside of Charlottesville.

In crafting the menu I was inspired by this Crostini party post by Honestly YUM.  So many interesting flavor combinations and a really beautiful appetizer.

 

 

Ricotta crostini party from Honestly YUM inspired the appetizers.

Ricotta crostini party from Honestly YUM inspired the appetizers.  Photo credit:  Honestly YUM

Lovely guests helped prepare the crostini.  Showing off their handiwork!

Lovely guests helped prepare the crostini. Displaying their handiwork!

 

Krogh_130628_7538

 

Lovely local cheeses and black truffle salami.

Lovely local cheeses and black truffle salami.

MENU

___________________

Assorted ricotta and feta crostini with local fruit, vegetables, proscuitto, jams, corn chutney, preserves

Local cheeses with crackers and ginger, fig, and fruit preserves, black truffle salami

_____________________

Main:

Assorted local Italian sausages, grilled with Vidalia onions and red, yellow and green peppers

Little hoagie rolls

_____________________

Salads:

Orzo with grape tomatoes, pine nuts and black olives

Watermelon with feta and pea shoots

Potato salad with garlic, olive oil and capers

______________________

Moorenko’s Ice Cream Sampler:

Bittersweet Chocolate

Red Hot Chocolate

Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip

Coconut Almond

Fresh Ginger

White Chocolate Mint

Salted Caramel with Praline

P1000528

 

I made homemade ricotta following the Smitten Kitchen technique using whole milk and heavy cream (recipe here) and a feta spread using domestic feta for the crostini (baguette slices brushed with olive oil, toasted in oven on both sides, rubbed with a garlic clove and lightly salted).

 

Art student, Sam, creates our Relay Food Deliciously Local Foods party menu.

Art student, Sam, creates our Relay Food Deliciously Local Foods party menu.

 

On the Ricotta crostini:

  • cucumber slice, fresh chopped mint, fresh dill
  • sliced strawberry over Josie’s Homemade strawberry preserves with tarragon, drizzled with balsamic syrup
  • sliced purple and white radishes with sea salt
  • fresh blueberries over Josie’s Homemade blueberry preserve, drizzled with local Maryland honey
  • Virginia Chutney Company Hot Peach chutney

 

On the Feta crostini:

  • thinly sliced procuitto
  • sliced grape tomatoes and fresh basil
  • lemon zest and fresh oregano
  • Josie’s Homemade chipotle corn chutney

 

For the onions and peppers to go with the grilled sausages, I sliced them, drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme and put them in a small square foil tray covered with more foil and placed them on the grill while the sausages were cooking.

When the sausages are done, take the foil off of the the peppers and onions and mix the grilled meat and the veg together with their juices.

For the ice cream course, I wanted everyone to get a taste of all 7 flavors so we kept it casual and gave each guest 7 spoons and passed the pint containers up and down the table.  That probably wasn’t hygenic even with all the separate spoons, but at that point getting out tasting 17 bowls/cups was too much and it was too hot and sweaty–we wanted to enjoy the night and eat ice cream.
It was a fun night but there was no way I could have done it without the help of every guest.

Seriously, I always bite off more than I can chew (figuratively) when I throw a big entertainment.  But fortunately for me,  we have a crew of fabulous friends who love to pitch in, cook, decorate, serve, bring chairs, bring wine, spark conversation, and help clean up!

So shout outs to all of you and in particular to:

–the lovely girls who painted the menu blackboard and helped decorate and hang lanterns after swim practice

–our favorite art student who did the the chalkboard art menu for us (still have it–saving it!)

–my good friends Peter K, Allison B, and Charlie R for the photography

–Alyson K for executing the myriad trays of crostini toppings, drizzles, and garnishes

–Allison B, for the wine, beer, and ice run

–Tim S, for heading the grill and grilling hot dogs, vegetables, and sausages with aplomb (hope you got some of that)

-Josie K for all the homemade farm stand preserves and for beautifully styling the cheese boards

-Amy F and Maddie F for stuffing the Relay Foods goody bags for everyone

-Craig L for coming early to help set up tables and chairs outside, then move them all inside because of rain, and then outside again when the sun came out–rock star!

-John P for underwriting all of the hospitality and for having the energy to do the dishes before bed,  love ya babe

 

Land ahoy!  The Yachtsmen in the Palisades Parade.

Land ahoy! The Yachtsmen in the Palisades Parade.

 

 

Pan-Seared Lamb Chops with Mint, Roasted Carrots, and Chez Panisse Bread Crumb Salsa

P1000548

This week these lovely lamb loin chops were on sale at our local grocery store for $9.99/pound.  Usually when we are in the mood for lamb I buy a bone-in or boneless leg and roast it slowly or cut it up for an Indian curry.   Rack of lamb and individual chops are expensive (up to $16.99/pound in our part of the country) and thus, I did not want to mess this recipe up!

I had this Bon Appétit recipe saved in my Epicurious recipe box online.  It had garnered raves and 4 forks so it was time to try it.  I was intrigued by the marinade which included both cumin and coriander in addition to the traditional mint and garlic.

Lamb loin chops

Savory Mint Lamb Chops

Makes 4 servings

Recipe technique adapted slightly from Bon Appétit  October 2006; originally published April 1991

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) lamb loin chops (about 5 ounces each), trimmed

Directions

  • Place olive oil, chopped fresh mint, minced garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in small bowl; mix well.
  • Spread herb mixture over both sides of lamb chops. Let stand 10 minutes.

[Rebecca’s Note: I find that lamb benefits greatly from a longer marinating time. The flavors permeate the meat and enhance the lamb’s natural flavor. Let the chops sit in the marinade (turn occasionally) for at least an hour or overnight if you wish.]

P1000521

 

P1000522

 

The Bon Appétit recipe called for broiling the chops for 4 minutes per side but in my test the chops were a bit overdone (could have been my oven’s broiler temperature) and they lacked the crust you get when you sear meat.

The marinade was a keeper; even the overdone chops had a great flavor.  I tested another batch of the chops with the same marinade and this time fired up my cast iron skillets.

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Carefully blot the marinade from the chops with paper towels.  You want a good sear on the chops and a wet chop will create steam.
  • Heat the cast iron pan over medium high heat and then add a teaspoon of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

[My searing technique:  heat up the dry cast iron over your flame for at least a minute or two to get it nice and hot, THEN add your bit of oil and let that heat up for another minute til a drop of water sizzles in the oil.]

  • Sear the chops over medium high heat for 2 and 1/2 minutes per side (4 chops fit in my pan so I use TWO pans for 8 chops); then place the skillet with chops in the hot oven for another 2-3 minutes.

P1000547

  • Place cooked chops on your cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes to absorb their juices.

This resulted in a perfectly tender, rare to medium-rare chop (a little bit of pink in the center.)

NOTE: Cooking times for lamb chops will vary according to their thickness; I always err on the side of rare because you can always put them back in (but you can’t un-cook them!)
I am a sucker for an herbaceous pesto, salsa or chimichurri and this one from the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook (via the Alexandra Cooks blog) is spectacular with the lamb.

Bread Crumb Salsa

Source: Chez Panisse Café Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • kosher salt
  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained and minced
  • 2 oil-packed anchovies, cleaned and chopped (I used 1 T. anchovy paste because that’s what I had; it worked fine)
  • kosher salt to taste

Directions

>Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil starts looking hot, add the bread crumbs and a pinch of kosher salt and turn the heat down to medium.

[Rebecca’s Note: In all honesty, I burnt the crumbs while I was checking my email and thus left them out. The salsa was still fantastic. If you don’t want the bread or don’t have the time; go ahead and skip them this time.]

  • Meanwhile, place minced shallots in a small bowl and cover with the vinegar. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. [There is a reason Alice Waters does this; it mellows the shallots’ bite and subtly pickles them. Don’t skip this step; make a time allowance for it.]
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the oil, chopped herbs, minced capers and minced anchovies.
  • Before serving, add the toasted bread crumbs and macerated shallots to the bowl of oil and herbs. Stir to combine.

Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots

This is my go-to recipe for cooked carrots. Roasting brings out the flavor and the method is hands-off so you can attend to other cooking matters (like searing expensive meat) and know your carrots are going to be just right.

Ingredients

  • 6 large carrots, peeled (about a pound)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 T. chopped parsley
  • 1 T. lemon zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a baking dish, toss the carrots with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until tender.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and lemon zest.

My Vintage Kitchen Column for OKRA magazine: Cardamom Sour Cream Pound Cake with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

Cardamom Sour Cream Pound Cake with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

Last month for my assignment as the Vintage Kitchen columnist over at OKRA magazine, I tested an old Alabama recipe for Cardamom Sour Cream Pound Cake with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream.

The recipe came from Sook’s Cookbook, Memories and Traditional Receipts from the Deep South which I came across in a box at an estate sale.  The cookbook is a compendium of old recipes from the Faulk family of Monroeville, Alabama.  Sook Faulk was Truman Capote’s great aunt and her special fruitcakes are immortalized in Capote’s lovely and sad short story “A Christmas Memory.”

Compiled by Marie Rudisill, Sook’s niece, the recipes date as far back as 1836 in plantation record books.  Marie and Truman started work on the cookbook in 1947 but put it aside until 1972 when they collaborated again, mostly by phone.

Marie wrote a great deal about the characters in the Faulk household:  the cook, Little Bit; Corrie, the housekeeper and sometime cook; Sem Muscadine, another cook and handyman; and Truman, Aunt Jenny, and Aunt Sook.

Truman Capote's Aunt Sook, as illustrated by Barry Moser.

Truman Capote’s Aunt Sook, as illustrated by Barry Moser.

 

The cookbook is a charmer and the pound cake and ice cream recipes were fantastic!   I will definitely be making these again.  Pop over to OKRA, the digital magazine for the Southern Food and Beverage Institute (SoFAB), and check it out.