I must admit that I really am attracted to southern cooking - maybe because some of my ancestors probably became cajuns. My grandmothers maiden name is brudhomme yes just like ol chef Paul prudhomme. So I was wondering if anyone has any favourite recipes for things like grits, red eye gravy etc. I'd love to see them. I'm also interested in the way you eat them...like grits I know how to make em, but I don't know what's traditionally eaten with them.

My recipe for red eye gravy:

-Fry some nice traditional ham and render the fat out of it.
- remove ham from pan and sprinkle the fat with flour...cook to a nice brown roux.
-add some coffee and make a gravy.
-spice it up with black pepper and cayenne
-return the ham to the gravy and simmer a few minures til the flour taste is cooked out and the ham has imparted it's flavour to the gravy.

Here's a french canadian favorit


eggs poached in maple syrup

Poach eggs like usual except that in the egg cups you put a tablespoon or so of maple syrup. when the eggs are done slip them with the syrup onto your toast....yum.

the chef

I can tell you have not been in the south, or you would realixe that unlike other gravies, southern red eye gravey does not have any flour in it.
Red eye gravey is made by frying up some country cured han- cured with a salt/sugar plus seasonings, cured hard and smoked, It is sliced thin nad fried in cast iron, the national cook wear of the South. a cup of strong cold coffee or hot if thats what you have, or water in a real pinch and degalase the pan. Allow to simmer for a wile and serve over grits.
Grits are coked y puting the same in boiling water, or milk for dinner or supper meals because it is richer. DO NOT USE INSTANT GRITS. Grits cook in ten min. so you don't need the faster cooking kind. Serve with eggs, fried or scrambled, the ham, fried green tomatos, Bisquits, pancakes or waffles.
I would love to give ou all of the traditional Southern dishes, but time does not allow tonight. I will add other if you want, like Gumbo of several kinds, Catfish stew, a good perlou, The roper way to cok corn bread, greens of various kinds and how to make chicken and dumplings and Sweet Green Tomato Pickles.
Judge Sharpe
I am not a real chef, I just play one for my friends.

I just reread the above post and realized that my fingers did not work so good.
Grits are eaten with the same dishes as Hash Browns, rice, or Mashed potatos (not mashed Sweet potatos)
Hope this helps.

I would appreciate some of those recipes you mentioned. I like to play chef also.

Thanks judge-- I did realize that red eye gravy isn't thickened.

the chef

I will be glad to share receipes with you all, I am not fast on this E stuff, so it may tae a while. If you all don'tind I will start with te simpler stuff first.
Judge Sharpe

How about the catfish stew recipe?

yum I can't wait....Judge thanks in advance.

the chef

I can't put my hands on the catfish stew receipe but this is about it off the top of my head. If I find it I will make the required corrections.
This is my mother's receipe from low country South Carolina.
In an iron wash pot fry two pounds of bacon, reserving the bacon. To the grease ad a bunch of sliced onion. place a 5-7 pound blue of channel the biger the better. Several smaller fish may be used, but the small bones become a problem. The catfish should be clean but with the head on. when the onions are cooked and the fish brown add water and spices such as red and black pepper and salt. Add potatos and simmer until the meat comes off from the bones, The longer it cooks the better. Lift the fish from time to time to keep it from sticking, but take care not to break up the fish. The meat shpould come off from the bones and the bones stay in the botton of the pot. Adjust with water as needed. The broth should be med thick and full of soft onion , potato, and fish. Break up the bacon on top when serving. Serve with French bread, Rice, and /or hushpuppies. Teh cleaned catfishshould have the head on. The secret is to slow cook a long time. I think a little vinigar sprinkled on top helps.
I hope that I have everythingin this. It has been a long time since I have made it, but I am inspired to find a catfish. Do not use a mud cat or it will tast like mud.
Judge Sharpe

I foregot to mention that this should be eated over corn bread, true southern corn bread with no sugar and cooked in cast iron. It also is traditional to serve a good domestic beer or a vintage Georgia Bust Head, or the local equivalent. Since it is hard to find Georgia Bust Head in some parts of the country such as Alberta or New Zeland I will post a Rx for it if anyone is interested. Just be sure if you do serve Bust Head, you have aged it at least a wek to take the rough edges off.
Have a Great Weekend
Judge Sharpe.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeSharpe:
I foregot to mention that this should be eated over corn bread, true southern corn bread with no sugar and cooked in cast iron. Judge Sharpe.

JudgeSharpe,
What no home made pork cracklins in the corn bread?A litte trick that I do from time to time is make my corn bread in the waffle iron.I then use those waffles under a chicken in sour cream with chilli's topped off with grated cheese.

Waffle smaffle I often make corm bread "pan cakes" esprcslly when I am out camping. Usually I have my both Duch Oven full with supper (lunch is called dinner around here, supper is what you eat at night.) And I have to make do with an iron skillet or a flat rock to make the bread. I do enjoy cracklins in corn bread, but don't get as much good pork fat and skin to render as I used to. I ALWAYS put some red pepper in the corn bread to kill the sweet. I could go into many variation of corn bread.
I need to get the pan hot tonight.
Judge Sharpe

Try http://www.deltablues.net/recipe.html. I still want to try that cajun microwave (redneck pig roast).