Southern 'From Scratch' Recipes? (ingredients, comfort food, ground beef, chicken)

[NJmmadude]

Hi Folks,

Many years ago I lived in Florida and fell in love with some of the Southern cooking that I tasted. I loved the comfort food and miss it very much. I love to experiment with recipes from scratch, instead of taking shortcuts. I often joke with my wife that I like to cook like it's the 1950's. Is there anyone who would be so kind as to share authentic Southern recipes that I could try? I promise to respect the recipes and follow your directions!

For your trouble, this is perhaps my best recipe. My mother's side of the family is Italian. Please enjoy this ragu Bolognese:


Ingredients:

1 + 2 tbsp olive oil
¼ lb pancetta, diced (optional)
1 lb ground beef (90 – 92% lean)
1 lb ground veal
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, rinsed and diced
3 carrots, rinsed peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
¼ - ½ tsp nutmeg
Milk
Half-and-half or light cream to finish
Approx 1 cup of white wine (not cooking wine)
2, 28-oz cans of plum tomatoes, finely chopped (reserve juice from 1 can)
1 lb pasta of your choice

Procedure:

]Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat

Before oil begins to smoke, add pancetta and sauté until nicely browned. Remove pancetta, set aside, and remove oil from pot.

Add 2 tbsp oil to pot. Before oil begins to smoke, add onions. Sauté, over low-medium heat, until they begin to caramelize

Add carrots and celery and sauté as the onions continue to caramelize (about another 5-10 min)

Make a hot spot in the middle of the pot and add a few drops of olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until golden, then stir in with remainder of mixture.

Add meat, a pinch of salt and pepper, and nutmeg. Over medium heat, cook until all liquid has been reduced, then continue to cook for 10 minutes until meat begins to brown. Continually stir and mince the meat with a spatula as it cooks to break it up.

Add about ½ cup milk and, while stirring, cook the milk off (over medium heat)

Add wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until alcohol is cooked off

Add tomatoes and stir in, sauté for another few minutes.

Add tomato juice, 8 oz water, and ½ cup milk. Bring to a low simmer. Simmer, covered, for 1.5 hours over low heat.

Partially remove cover and simmer, over low heat, for another 20 min. Sauce should be thick but not dry. If sauce thickens too much, add a bit of milk at a time to thin.

After a total of about 2 hours cooking time,adjust for salt and pepper. Add about ¼ cup half-and-half or light cream (or slightly more, if desired). Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over spaghetti, penne, tagliatelle, or fettuccine.Toss with Romano cheese.

[rural chick]

That sounds good. I have a gumbo recipe I made up after visiting New Orleans... we love my gumbo recipe. I think I posted it before and will try to hunt for the post after the forum maintenance is done.

[rural chick]

I found the post which I made before. Here's my recipe.

Gumbo from rural chick

This starts with a dark roux to which seafood, meat and veggies are added. Be sure to be patient and let the roux cook to a caramel brown in order to reach the best flavor. I went to New Orleans and had some Gumbo so I came home and developed this recipe and have been using this recipe for years. I use an electric skillet to cook the roux in order to help prevent burning the flour/oil.

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Blend and cook this roux until caramel color!

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can reduce or add more if less/more heat is desired)
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried chopped chives
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 chopped green onions
4 minced garlic cloves or 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder (sometimes I add more garlic powder)
2 cans reduced sodium chicken broth
1 can shrimp drained but not rinsed (I sometimes use chopped cooked shrimp purchased frozen)
1 cans clam pieces - DO NOT DRAIN...USE JUICE (Can use fresh clam meat)
1 can boiled oysters - DO NOT DRAIN...USE JUICE (I like the canned oysters better than fresh in this gumbo)
3/4 pound chopped low sodium smoked sausage
1 small can drained diced no salt tomatoes (sometimes I use mild Rotel tomatoes)
1 cup water (may need to add more)
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice

After roux is cooked add all ingredients except the rice. Cook on medium low for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables begin to be soft, then add the rice. Turn heat to simmer and cook another 10 to 15 minutes. Add more water if needed or if you want a less thick gumbo. Serve in bowls with toasted garlic bread.

[NJmmadude]

Rural Chick, that sounds amazing-thank you!

[gentlearts]

I am not a southerner, and I, too, hve tried to learn some good southern recipes. You should either subscribe, or go online to the Southern Living Magazine. They have some great recipes.

[scratchie]

I've made this recipe a few times and love it. I substitute whipped cream for the meringue, which I guess is more traditional, but I prefer whipped cream.

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/no0qx7ev...m-scratch.html

[PennyLane2]

Here's a good one for when you can get really good corn on the cob. It's labor intensive, messy, and loaded with calories , but it's worth it. I set my bowl down in the sink when cutting/scraping the corn, but it still splatters.

Better Than Grannie's Creamed Corn Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

[CCc girl]

Tip- Tyler Florence is originally from the South. Georgia, I think.