Pork and Winter Greens Chowder

2 slices of bacon chopped

2lbs of bone in Pork (I use Country Style Ribs or steaks)

2 Large bunches of greens- cleaned and tuff stems removed and chopped

2 potatoes- chopped into 1/2” cubes

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon flour

32 ounces of stock (as needed)

Bouquet garni of fresh basil, sage, bay leaf and rosemary

1 pint heavy cream

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Season the pork well on both sides with salt and pepper. In a medium stock pot, render the bacon down on medium heat. After rendering remove the bacon and add the pork and sear on both sides and remove from pot as well. Place all the chopped veggies into the pot, including the potatoes and cook on medium for about 5 minutes stirring to prevent sticking. At this point, add the butter and flour and stir well until flour has time to cook out the raw taste, about 2 minutes. Add half the stock, stir well until flour has started to thicken, add the greens and enough stock to cover them about half way. Then place the pork on top, cover with a lid and cook on medium low about 30 minutes. Remove the pork to cool add more stock if needed and add the Bouquet garni, cover and lower the heat to low. Once the pork has cooled enough, remove from bone and tear or chop into bite size pieces. Add the pork and the bacon back to the pot and cover for 20-30 minutes. Add the cream stir well and taste for seasoning. Add any additional seasonings you prefer at this time, Crushed pepper, seasoning mix, etc. Cover for 10-15 more minutes stirring once or twice and now it’s ready to serve with your favorite breads or crackers.

Shrimp Pilau

4 thick cut slices bacon

1 cup uncooked rice

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cups small shrimp, cleaned and deveined

1/4 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1 tablespoon flour

In a heavy skillet fry the bacon until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain then crumble and set aside. Cook rice according to package directions, adding some bacon drippings to the cooking water. In the heavy skillet, melt the butter in the remaining drippings and add the celery, onions and bell pepper. Cook a few minutes, until tender. Drizzle shrimp with Worcestershire sauce, then toss with the flour and add to skillet mixture. Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes, add cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cooked rice and mix until mixture is well blended and taste to check seasoning. Add more butter, if desired, and stir in the crumbled bacon.

Creamed Spinach with Bacon

1 pound fresh spinach soaked several times in salt water to remove grit, well-rinsed and dried in a salad spinner

4 ounces bacon (about 4 strips)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook bacon until crispy in a sauté pan and remove to paper towel to drain and cool. Pour most of the fat out of the pan and add the cream to the same pan over low heat, reducing by about one-third.

While the cream is reducing, tear or chop the spun spinach, and cut the bacon strips into 1/4-inch pieces.

Whisk the Parmesan into the reduced cream, and season with pepper. Since the cheese will add saltiness, add salt only if needed. Fold the well-drained spinach and bacon into the sauce and simmer until spinach is just tender. Transfer to a serving dish.

Asparagus and Leek Soup

2 tablespoons butter

1 leek, white part only, halved lengthwise, washed thoroughly and chopped

3/4 pound asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat butter in a large stockpot over medium heat until foam subsides.

Add leek and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add asparagus and garlic; cook 1 minute.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes, until asparagus is tender.

Stir in heavy cream, salt, and pepper; transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot and heat through.

Busters and Grits

1 qt canola or peanut oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

4 eggs (beaten)

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. creole or Cajun spice

6 soft shell blue crabs cleaned and trimmed

For grits you need:

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1 cup fine ground white corn grits

6 tbsps. butter

4 tbsps. mascarpone cheese

Salt and black pepper

For a pan sauce you need:

1 cup crab, picked through for shells

3 cloves garlic minced

1 green onion (chopped)

2 dashes hot sauce

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery root, minced

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 sprig fresh thyme chopped

1 sprig tarragon leaves chopped

1 bay leaf

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1 cup clam juice

Salt and black pepper

Preheat a deep-fryer with the canola or peanut oil to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl combine the buttermilk, eggs, cornmeal, flour and Creole or Cajun spice using a wire whisk, until smooth.

In a medium-size saucepan bring the water to a boil over medium heat and slowly add the grits, while stirring constantly. Once the grits come to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the milk, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add the onions, garlic, celery root, and pepper flakes. Cook the vegetables, stirring often, for 3 minutes.

Add the thyme leaves, tarragon leaves, bay leaf, cream, vermouth and clam juice to the pan. Increase the heat to medium high and reduce the sauce by half, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.

Dip the soft-shell crabs into the cornmeal batter and carefully add them to the hot oil, 1 at a time. Fry until golden brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, before removing to absorbent paper towels and seasoning with additional salt.

Once the grits have cooked for 20 minutes, stir in 3 tablespoons of the butter and the mascarpone cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reheat the Crab Pan Sauce to a slow boil and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, the hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat once the butter has been added.

To plate this dish, spoon the grits into individual bowls with a generous amount of sauce ladled around the grits and topped with a fried soft-shell crab.

Creamed Spinach with Leaks and Garlic

2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and tough stems removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced and cleaned leeks

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a large spoon to release as much water as possible. Finely chop and set aside.

Melt the butter in medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until the liquid is released. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until the cream is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Crab and Shrimp Stew

This recipe was shown to me when I spent my summers in Loxley, Alabama as a youngster. I always looked forward to going to the Bay to set out Crab traps and dragging a Shrimp net. The reason I call this a stew and not a gumbo is the lack of okra or file’. The owner of the boat we went out on was born in Norway and this was basically his recipe. I changed some of the spices as he gained the knowledge of making a roux and using the trinity from the Southern Coast. I am so glad that he took the time to teach the art of catching and cleaning the bounties the Bay.

1 dozen crabs, scalded

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (heads and shells reserved)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped bell peppers

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 bay leaves

Salt and cayenne to taste

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup cream

Cooked rice for serving

To scald the crabs wash them in clean running water. Drop in boiling water. You don’t want to leave them in the hot water too long — just until they start to turn light pink, since all you want to do is keep them from biting you as you process them.

Pull the backs off the crabs, and clean out the dead man fingers, lungs and centers of the crabs. If there is any fat in the crabs, scoop it out with your fingers and put in a small bowl. Crack the claws, but do not remove the shells. Break the crab bodies in half. Set aside.

Peel and devein the shrimp. Put the heads and shells in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the oil and flour in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a dark brown roux. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the bay leaves.

Strain the shrimp stock. You should have 4 to 5 cups of stock. Add enough water to make 6 cups. Add to the roux mixture and stir to blend. Season the stock with salt and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the reserved crab bodies (and any reserved crab fat) and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the lump crabmeat, shrimp, butter and cream. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the parsley stir well and taste for seasoning. If you needed to add more seasoning, return to low for about 5 min. so the flavors can marry.  

 Serve hot with rice in bowls.

Creamy Seafood Sauce

1/4 lb butter (melted)

1 medium diced green bell pepper

1 small diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

Tabasco, Cajun seasoning

1 quart heavy whipping cream

2 lbs small shrimp (peeled, beheaded, deveined) cleaned crab or crawfish tails

1/4 cup chopped green onions.

2 1/2 Tbs  blonde roux

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

 Put first 5 ingredients into medium sauce pan.

 Saute on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until vegetables are translucent (stirring occasionally)

 Add whipping cream to mixture and simmer for 10 minutes. (Stirring occasionally not to stick)

 Rinse and drain shrimp well, Add to mixture, cook for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp are cooked.

(If using crab or crawfish, these are already cooked)

Add green onion.  Add roux to mixture and stir well and Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add parmesan and mix well.  Taste for seasoning  and simmer 3 minutes

 Now sauce is ready to serve over cooked pasta, grilled fish, or steak.

Corn and Crab Bisque

You can subtitute other seafood for the crab or just add them on in.

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup minced onions

1 cup uncooked sweet corn from the cob

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced celery

Favorite Cajun spice blend

1 cup crab stock or fish stock

3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

2 cup milk

2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoons liquid crab boil

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 -1 cup lump crab meat, picked over for shells and cartilage

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Chives for garish

In a large sauce pot, heat the pan to medium low and add butter. Add the onions, corn, shallots, garlic, celery and saute for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir until you get a blond roux. Season with Cajun spice. Add the stock, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the milk, cream, and crab boil.Bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking until the mixture thickens. Stir in the crab meat, green onions, and Worcestershire and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Reseason if needed. Remove the bay leaves and Ladle into a shallow bowl and garnish with chives.

Mushroom Grillades

2 Portobello mushrooms, stemmed, cut in half and sliced (use stems for stock)

4 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups mushroom stock

2 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced  (use stems for stock)

1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste

1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded, diced

1 tablespoon cayenne

1/2 tablespoon thyme

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup cream (optional)

Hot cooked grits or rice

Put mushroom stems in a pot with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; simmer 25 to 30 minutes. Strain and return liquid to pot. Reduce liquid by half to make about 2 cups of mushroom stock.

Saute portobello mushrooms in heated olive oil(or butter) for 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Add celery and onion to oil and wilt down for 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Then add flour to make a light roux.

Add mushroom stock, vegetable stock and red wine if using. Stir well to eliminate lumps. Add sauteed mushrooms, shiitakes, button mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste, roasted red pepper, cayenne and thyme. Stir well. (Add cream) Simmer over medium heat 35 to 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over grits or rice.

Kentucky Hot Brown

1/4 cup Whole Butter

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1 Qt. Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish

Salt & Pepper to Taste

16 oz. Sliced Turkey Breast

2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust removed)

4 slices of Crispy Bacon

2 slices of Tomato

Paprika, Parsley

In a large saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 8 ounces of turkey. Take a slice of tomato and place on top of the turkey. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Smoked Oyster and Brie soup

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 quarts bottled clam juice, or fish broth

5 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons red (cayenne) pepper

1 1/2 pounds brie cheese, rind removed and cut into small pieces

2 cups dry champagne

3 cans of quality smoked oysters

1 cup finely minced green onion stems

salt to taste

In a large soup pot over low heat, melt butter. Add flour and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add clam juice, or fish broth and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until flour is absorbed. Increase heat to medium and bring just to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add heavy cream; simmer 5 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Add cayenne pepper and brie cheese, stirring until cheese is melted completely.

Stir in champagne, oysters, and green onion stems. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes. Season with salt. Serve in soup bowls.

Crab Strudel

A fun and different way to serve up some Crab!

1/4 cup onions, diced

 3 pounds lump crabmeat

 1/4 cup shallots, diced

 2 teaspoons garlic, minced

 2 cups mushrooms, sliced

 1/4 cup heavy cream

 1 pound cream cheese

 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

 6 sheets phyllo dough

 1/4 cup melted butter

 salt and pepper to taste

 1 small egg beaten

Saute shallots, mushrooms and onions in clarified butter until just tender about three minutes on medium.

Add crabmeat, spices and cheese. Cool down with heavy cream.

Spoon into 5 small individual 8 ounce casserole dishes and top with phyllo dough, press around the sides and brush lightly with beaten egg.

Brown in 350 degree oven for 7 1/2 minutes.

And thats all there is to it.

My Crawfish Etouffee

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1 lb. crawfish tails with fat

2 Slices bacon chopped

1/4 link Cajun sausage chopped fine

1 medium white onion, chopped

3/4 cup bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup celery, chopped

1 1/2 cups clam juice or stock made from shrimp heads and shells

1/2 cup cream

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

the green ends of 4 green onions, chopped

1 TBSP chopped parsely

1 TBSP Tabasco pepper sauce

Salt, white pepper and Creole or Cajun seasoning

Render copped bacon and sausage in a heavy Dutch Oven on medium until crispy. Remove on to a towel and add celery, bell peppers and onions and cook on low until tender. Remove Trinity and reserve in a bowl. Melt the butter on medium low in the Dutch oven and add flour and stir slowly until the flour reaches a reddish brown color. ( Think of the color of a penny)

Add garlic and the reserved Trinity and stir on low for one minute. Add the clam juice or stock and and turn the heat up to medium high and stay with it stirring until it comes to a slow bubbling boil. ( you will not know for sure how thick your roux will make the dish unless you follow this step.) Turn down the heat to low simmer.

At this point it is time to check thickness and season. If it is to thick just add a little water or clam juice/stock if you have any extra. Once you are satisfied with thickness, add the Tabasco pepper sauce and reserved bacon, sausage and crawfish stir for a minute or so. Taste at this point and add salt, pepper and seasoning spice small amounts at a time until you are satisfied with the flavors.

Add lemon juice, cream and half the green onions and stir on low for 3 minutes. re-taste for seasoning. turn off heat, cover and let the flavors marry for about five minutes.

While this is happening, I get out the bowls, slice some French bread and place under the broiler and find my Ice cream scoop and ladle. Buy time I find the scoop and ladle it's time to check the toast!

I place a heaping scoop of rice in the center of the bowls and ladle the Etouffee over the top. Since Etouffee means smothered or covered, be generous! Garnish with remaining green onions and parsley and serve with the toasted French bread.

For a Creole twist to the above recipe. I render the bacon and sausage in a separate skillet. When I add the Trinity to the drippings, I add a heaping Tbsp of tomato paste to it as well. I just add the garlic and Juice/Stock to this and stir well and add to the roux to thicken. The finished dish calls for a side of fried okra!

Creamy Tomato Gravy

1/4 cup  Butter or bacon grease
1/4 to 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 can of whole tomatoes with liquid(crush tomatoes with your hands to make large chunks)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of cream or milk
2 Tbs butter



In large cast iron skillet, heat bacon grease
Stir in flour and lower heat to med. low
Keep stirring to cook flour to a light roux stage.
Be careful not to burn roux. This only takes a couple of minutes. You just want the flour not to have a raw dough taste.
When flour gets to the light roux stage, slowly stir in tomatoes with liquid.
Add cream a little at a time until desired thickness while stirring gravy.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes.
Before serving, add butter and stir.
Serve over fresh baked homemade biscuits.

PASTA MACQUE CHOUX

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup tasso ham

1/3 cup andouille or smoked sausage

1 cup cooked corn

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 pint heavy cream

4 oz tomato sauce

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh basil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 teaspoons oregano or 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 chopped green onion

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cooked pasta- I just dump the whole small package into the pasta pot

Heat butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat.

Add tasso ham and sausage and brown lightly.

Add corn, onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Saute lightly for 2 minutes.

Add Cajun seasoning, heavy cream,tomato sauce, basil, thyme and oregano. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until cream reduces and starts to thicken. Be careful not to reduce too much because sauce could break.  Stir in green onion and parsley.

Serve over cooked pasta.

Cream Of Avocado And Mushroom Soup

2 ripe, avocados

 16 ounces or two cups mushrooms chopped to desired size

 1 cup half and half

 1/4 cup milk

 3/4 stick. butter

 2 Tbsp flour

 1 clove garlic, minced

 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

 salt and pepper to taste

     In a sauce pan, saute mushrooms in 1/2 stick of the butter on medium until just tender. Add the rest of the butter, flour and garlic stir for 1 minute. Add1/2 cup of the half and half lower heat to low, season and cover.

     While mushrooms are simmering , remove pits and flesh from avocados and dice to a size that will easily blend smooth in a blender. Add the avocado and the rest of the half and half plus the 1/4 milk into a blender and blend till smooth. The mushrooms should be just right by this point.

     Add the contents of the blender and the basil to the sauce pan stir well and taste for seasoning. Let simmer until desired thickness and flavor has been achieved. I like a creamy thickness for serving as a soup, or let it reduce more to make a great green bean casserole. Just make the classic with the French fried onions, just omit the can of mushroom soup. Heck if you went as far as to make your on soup. Make that casserole any ole way you please.

Lobster Newburg

2 cups coarsely chopped lobster meat

1/3 cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups half-and-half (half milk, half cream)

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten 

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

 Melt butter in a large skillet blend in flour then gradually stir in half-and-half. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks to temper and return return to hot mixture.
    Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add lobster, sherry, lemon juice, and salt heat thoroughly, but do not boil.
    I serve this in small bread bowls or with toast points. It also makes a killer open face Lobster roll.

 Fun fact: Lobster Newburg was created by Ben Wenburg, who was a sea captain operating between New York and Cuba, and shown to Charles Delmonico in 1876, as a way to please his crew that was tired of eating Lobster. The now famed lobster dish was originally called Lobster a la Wenburg. After a disagreement with Wenberg, Delmonico continued selling the popular dish at his restaurant under the name Lobster Newburg, although some refer to it as Lobster Delmonico.

Deviled Crab

On the Gulf Coast, the crabs are not very large. I always added a dozen to shrimp or crawfish boils to make stuffed or deviled crab.

4 tablespoons butter + 12 pats

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons minced celery

2 tablespoons minced bell pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon cajun spice

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Pinch cayenne

1 bay leaf

12 boiled crabs, meat removed and top shell cleaned and reserved

2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves

1/4 cup minced green onions

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch ground black pepper

A dash or two of Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce, to taste

1/2 loaf stale French bread, cubed (about 3 cups)

1/2 fine dried bread crumbs, + about 2 tablespoons or so for topping shopping list

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups of the liquid used to boil crabs, strained

Preheat oven to 375

Add the 2 cups of liquid to the french bread to soak

In a large skillet heat the butter and, when it begins to foam, add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cajun spice, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. remove bay leaf and add to soaked bread and stir well

gently fold in the crab meat, parsley, green onions, egg, salt, cayenne, sage and black pepper, 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs, and the heavy cream into the soaked bread and veggies. Stir well to combine. Transfer the crab meat mixture to the cleaned crab shells and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining bread crumbs. Top each crab shell with a pat of butter and bake until golden brown and thoroughly heated, about 20 minutes. Serve Warm

Sweet Potato Cobbler

3 cups self-rising flour

3⁄4 cup plus 1 tbsp. vegetable shortening

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. white vinegar

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 3⁄4 lbs.),

   peeled and cut lengthwise into 1⁄3" slices

5 cups sugar

1/2 cup cream

3⁄4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup butter, softened

1⁄4 tsp. cinnamon

  Put flour and 3⁄4 cup of the shortening into a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or 2 table knives, work shortening into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg, vinegar, and 1 cup ice water in a small bowl; pour into flour mixture. Mix, first with a wooden spoon, then with your hands, into a dough. Form dough into 3 balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

  Put potatoes, sugar (reserve 1 tbsp. for later use), nutmeg, and 5 cups water and cream into a large pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 6–7 minutes. Remove from heat.

  Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 9" × 13" × 3" baking pan with remaining shortening. Roll a dough ball out into a 10" × 13" rectangle and cut lengthwise into 3 equal strips. Line only the sides of the pan with dough strips, pressing them together where their edges meet. Bake until crust is a light golden color, about 18 minutes.

  Remove pan from oven, fill with half of the potatoes and their water, and dot with 6 tbsp. of the butter. Roll second dough ball out into a 10" × 13" rectangle; drape it over potatoes. Melt 4 tbsp. of the butter and brush dough with half of it. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

  Remove pan from oven, top with the remaining sweet potatoes and their water, and dot with remaining 6 tbsp. of butter. Roll remaining dough ball out into a 10" × 13" rectangle; drape it over potatoes. Brush with remaining melted butter and bake until golden brown, 25–30 minutes. Remove cobbler from oven and sprinkle with reserved sugar and cinnamon. Let cool completely.