Jamaican Hand Pies

3 ½ cups/450 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 3 teaspoons/7 grams ground turmeric 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) 1 cup/187 grams vegetable shortening ½ packed cup/67 grams minced or ground unrendered beef suet (see Tip) ½ to ¾ cup/118 to 177 milliliters ice cold water FOR THE FILLING: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 small Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and minced 1 medium onion, diced 1 pound beef chuck, minced or ground 2 teaspoons ground allspice 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably dark soy sauce 2 small beef stock cubes (14 grams), dissolved in 3 tablespoons boiling water Make the crust: Whisk flour in a medium bowl, then whisk in turmeric, sugar and salt. Work in shortening and beef suet quickly, rubbing them into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Gradually add 1/2 cup ice cold water while stirring with your hands to form the dough. If the dough isn’t coming together, add more water by the tablespoon as necessary. Form dough into a ball, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. While the dough is chilling, make the filling: Heat a large frying pan over medium, then add vegetable oil. Fry scotch bonnet peppers and onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Season with allspice, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, soy sauce and the beef stock mixture. Cook, stirring, until most of the liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a dish and let cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator. (The filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.) When ready to assemble patties, heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll on a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured pin into a 12-inch square. (Turmeric will stain a porous work surface. Roll between sheets of parchment paper if needed.) Fold dough in half to form a rectangle, then fold again the other way to form a square. Roll again into a 12-inch square. Repeat this process 3 more times, letting dough rest as needed if it’s too stiff to roll. Roll to 1/8-inch thickness, then use a bowl or pastry cutter to cut out 10 (6-inch) rounds, rerolling scraps as necessary. Divide beef mixture among rounds, spooning about 1/4 cup onto one side of each round. Fold the other side of each round over the meat until the edges meet. Using a fork, seal the edges, then prick the center of each to allow steam to escape. Place patties on 1 or 2 baking sheets, and bake until pastry is set and golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Old Fashioned Coconut Cake

We had out of town guests that we were less than ideally prepared for, and my husband was able to make and assemble this after work and before dinner. Absolutely delicious in an over the top celebratory kind of way. 3 cups (360g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon cardamom 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (213g) cream of coconut (e.g., Coco Lopez brand) 1/4 cup (57g) water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 24 tablespoons (339g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups (396g) granulated sugar 6 large eggs, at room temperature Frosting 1/4 cup (60g) coconut milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 5 1/2 to 6 cups (622g to 678g) confectioners' sugar 1/16 teaspoon salt Soak 1/2 cup (120g) coconut milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Filling 2 cups (170g) shredded coconut, sweetened 1/2 cup (113g) heavy cream 1/2 cup (120g) frosting (from above) Garnish 2 cups (170g) shredded coconut, sweetened Take your baking to the next level: Virtual classes Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack positioned in the bottom third. Butter two 9” x 2” round cake pans and dust them with flour, shaking out any excess. To make the cake: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt into a large bowl; set aside. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the cream of coconut, water, and vanilla; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater (or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer), cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the cream of coconut mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 830g per pan) and smooth the tops with a spatula. Tap the pans firmly on the counter to remove any air bubbles. To bake the cake: Bake the cake layers for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick or thin paring knife inserted in the center of a layer comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then invert them onto the rack and turn right side up to cool completely. Prepare the frosting, soak, and filling while the cake cools. To make the frosting: In a large measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the coconut milk and vanilla; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater (or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer), cream the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 3 cups (339g) of the confectioners’ sugar then the coconut milk mixture. Mix on low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 2 1/2 to 3 cups (283g to 339g) confectioners’ sugar and the salt, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The frosting can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerated for up to five days; bring it to room temperature before using. To make the soak: In a measuring cup, stir together the coconut milk and vanilla; set aside. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut and heavy cream. Let stand for about 10 minutes, then stir in 1/2 cup of the prepared frosting. Use immediately; the filling shouldn’t be prepared ahead. To assemble the cake: Level the tops of the layers with a serrated knife so they’re flat. Brush the cut side of the layers with the soak. Place one layer, cut side up, on a flat serving plate; you can keep the edges of the plate clean by sliding strips of parchment under the cake while you frost it. Spread the filling over the top of the layer. Place the second layer, cut side down, on top of the filling and frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting. Sprinkle some of the sweetened shredded coconut on top of the cake and press the rest into the sides, covering the entire cake with coconut.

Rodney Scott's Potato Salad

If you are doing a BBQ to celebrate Mother's Day this would be a good old fachioned and yet delicious accompaniment. This is also a really good reminder that while I can wing it and make really good potato salad, there can be value added in using an actual recipe. I used about 1/2 the amount of dressing for the potatoes, subbed honey for the sugar because that is the way I like it, and otherwise followed this pretty much as written. It is a good BBQ meal side, with a nice balance of sweet and salty and creamy. I plan to serve this at an oputdoor party in July, provided there are no pandemic surprises between now ans then. Diamond Crystal kosher salt 3 ½ lb red-skinned potatoes, skin on, washed and quartered For the Dressing: 2 c Duke’s mayonnaise ¼ c yellow mustard (French’s or whatever you prefer) ½ c distilled white vinegar ¼ c fresh lemon juice ½ c sweet pickle relish 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ½ c finely diced celery (1 to 2 stalks) ½ c finely diced red onion (about 1 medium onion) For the salad: 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled 1 ½ tbsp Rib Rub ¼ c thinly sliced scallions (optional) Cook the potatoes: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the salt and quartered potatoes. Reduce the heat and gently boil the potatoes until they yield easily when a knife is inserted through their centers, 15 to 20 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, relish, salt, sugar, black pepper, pepper flakes, and cayenne and mix until incorporated. Whisk in the celery and red onion. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Make the salad: Once the potatoes are tender, drain them and add them (while hot) to the bowl with the dressing. Use a large spoon to break up the potatoes to really get the dressing into everything while the potatoes are hot. Chop the eggs to your liking or press them through a sieve to break them up into fine bits. Fold the eggs into the salad. Finish the salad with a sprinkle of rib rub and the sliced scallions (if using).

Rodney Scott's Rib Rub

Rodney Scott's cookbook is a straight ahead BBQ book, with a lot of description of philosophy and technique, including the ideal BBQ pit and some instructions to go along if you wanted to contruct something. The back yards of those who do this must be a site to see. For me, a non-smoker of meat, the rub is where it is at. This mix has a very good balance of sweet and heat, not to salty but very flavorful. Do not skip the MSG. ½ c Diamond Crystal kosher salt ¼ c MSG ¼ c freshly ground black pepper ¼ c paprika ¼ c chili powder ¼ c packed light brown sugar 2 tbsp garlic powder 2 tbsp onion powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper Mix thoroughly and store in a dry sealed container.

Sweet Potato Mango Cake

I got some incredibly good mangoes at our local Mexican grocery and my spouse made this delicious and moist cake from Toni Tipton Martin's incredible book, Jubilee.

Butter or shortening, for the pan
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes, at room temperature
1 cup finely diced mango
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice or whiskey, or half of each  

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously coat a 10-inch tube pan with butter or shortening. Dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to beat together the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well mixed. Stir in the sweet potatoes, mango, and orange zest, stirring for 1 minute, until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour-spice mixture and the vanilla, mixing just until blended.

Pour the batter into the tube pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out on the rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice (or whiskey). Drizzle over the cooled cake. 

 

Sweet Potato Biscuits

 This is yet another great recipe from Toni Tipton Martin's recent cookbook, Jubilee (which won the James Beard award for Best American Cookbook, deservedly so).  The recipe states that these are to be eaten with ham, and that is what we were having, so my eldest son endeavored to make this.  I really enjoyed them, and they were perfect with the meat.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 2 tbsp. baking powder

• 2 tsp. kosher salt

• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 6 tbsp. leaf lard, cut into small pieces

  

• ½ cup mashed cooked sweet potato, chilled

• 2½ cups buttermilk

• Heavy cream and raw unrefined sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 425°F (if your oven runs hot, go for 375° to 400°F). Put a pizza stone (or a couple of cast-iron skillets) in the oven and let it preheat for 1 hour or so—you want it superhot.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and leaf lard and cut it in with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly and resemble




s coarse sand. Some big chunks of butter are fine. Put the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the freezer and cut in the mashed sweet potatoes with a fork until just incorporated. The mixture will be lumpy.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the buttermilk. Mix together with your fingers just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix—you are not looking for a highly cohesive, smooth dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and use your hands to shape it roughly into an 8 by 8-inch square about 2 inches thick (do not knead or fold the dough). Use a 2½-inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and freeze for 5 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Transfer the biscuits to the preheated pizza stone (or cast-iron pans). Brush the tops with heavy cream and raw sugar. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the tops are browned. Remove from the oven and let the biscuits rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Shrimp and Grits

This is another GREAT recipe from Jubilee and if you have interest in doing a deep dive into cooking from the American south, I highly recommend this cookbook.  It is a great read, full of references to other cookbooks from the last two hundred years of African-American cooking in the Americas.  This recipe is the last recipe you will need to make this dish.  It is that good.  And so easy, a weeknight meal for certain.

• 3-1/2 C water + more as needed
• 1-1/2 C chicken stock
• 1 t salt, divided
• 1 C corn grits or polenta (not instant)
• 2 T butter
• 6 T whole milk
• 1/2 C shredded cheese
• 1/2 C bacon, diced (3-5 slices)
• 1/4 C flour
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 C green onions, chopped
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
• 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper as needed

In a large saucepan, pour in water, 1 C stock, and 1/2 t salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Gradually whisk in grits, 1/4 C at a time, stirring until well-blended. Bring mixture to a boil again, then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender. Mine took approximately 30 minutes. If it starts to get too thick, add water as needed. Once the grits are tender, remove from heat. Stir in the butter, milk, and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated. Keep warm until ready to serve.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat has been rendered and the bacon is cooked completely. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Leave 2 T bacon grease in the pan...remove any more than that. Turn off the heat.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and remaining salt. Toss the prepared shrimp in the flour mixture to coat lightly on all sides.

Heat the bacon fat again until sizzling. Stir in the shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the green onions, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook for another minute or two. Pour in the remaining 1/2 c.  stock and stir until the gravy is smooth and thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, parsley, and cooked bacon.

Wilted Greens Salad

This is one of the recipes from Jubilee that I did not get around to in June, but now that I have an exploding amount of greens in the fridge, the time was right.  I used kale, Swiss chard with all the stems removed, and some Asian greens for this.  I was pretty skeptical that it was going to be "cooked" enough to eat the greens more or less raw but it was very good.  The warm dressing is flavorful and delicious.

• 2 pounds mixed tender greens (spinach, arugula, chard, baby kale, watercress)
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut into halves
• 8 slices bacon
• ⅔ cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)

1. In a large salad bowl, toss together the greens, radishes, onion, eggs and tomatoes.
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet, remove the bacon to drain on paper towels and crumble when cool enough to handle.
3. Heat the bacon fat in the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Swirl the pan over the heat for 1 to 2 minutes to concentrate the flavors and slightly thicken the dressing. Pour the hot dressing over the greens and toss quickly to coat. Sprinkle the greens with the crumbled bacon and blue cheese (if using).

Jubilee Barbecued Shrimp

I have been really enjoying cooking in general during the pandemic, as well as really diving head first into the cookbooks that my Food 52 Cookbook group have been doing.  We just left June behind, so there will be less cooking out of Jubilee in July, but there are several recipes that I have yet to try.  I counted them up, and this is the 30th recipe I have had out of the cookbook!  this is very straight forward to put together, and perfect if your spouse is baking bread at the rate that mine is!

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 bay leaves, crushed
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup fish stock (or chicken stock)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound shell-on shrimp
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• Hot crusty French bread, for serving

1. In a small bowl, combine the cayenne, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, paprika, and bay leaves.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the butter over medium-high until melted and sizzling. Add the garlic, spices, wine, fish stock, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes; shake the pan as it cooks to help bring the sauce together.
3. Add the shrimp, reduce the heat to low, and cook, turning once, until the shrimp turn pink and firm, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the shrimp with parsley and serve immediately from the skillet with hot French bread to soak up the sauce. Eat with your hands.

Green Beans a la Creole

This is a variation of a green bean recipe that I or my spouse often make, but this one has bacon.  I used less that the recipe called for and that was a mistake.  The recipe calls for tomatoes and chiles and while Ro-Tel has this all wrapped up in a can, it is still a pandemic and I am still not going into the grocery store, so I used some frozen Hatch chiles and a can of tomatoes.  We are on the verge of green bean season and so this recipe can go into a rotation for variation. 

Salt
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable or olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Ro-Tel)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Black pepper Instructions
1. Set up a large bowl of ice and water. In a large skillet, bring a couple cups of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and cook until they turn bright green and tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Plunge the beans in the ice water to stop them from cooking further. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same skillet, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat. When hot, saute the onion and garlic until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chiles, paprika, and beans. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook 5 to 10 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

Island Banana Bread

Another great recipe from Jubilee, Toni Tipton-Martin's James Beard award winning cookbook of African-American cooking.

1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. chopped Mejool dates
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. bakingsoda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 stick of butter (4 ounces)
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. mashed very ripe bananas
2 Tbsp. molasses
1/3 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a 9x5 or a 10x4 loaf pan.
Put pecans and dates in a small bowl with a tablespoon of flour, mix and set aside.
Put remaining flour and all other dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.
To an electric mixing bowl add butter and brown sugar and blend.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  In a third bowl combine bananas, molasses, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix.  add the dry ingredients alternating with the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl until all are incorporated.  gently fold in the pecans and dates.
Pour batter in to the loaf pan, bake for about an hour, until skewer comes out clean.

Pork Chops in Lemon Caper Sauce

Yet another great recipe from Toni Tipton-Martin's James Beard award winning cookbook Jubilee.

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 8 ounces each)
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 very small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium, if store-bought
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice
• Hot sauce (optional)

1. Dry the chops with paper towels, and season aggressively with salt, pepper and the thyme. Swirl the olive oil into a large skillet, and heat over medium until the oil begins to shimmer. Add chops, and cook until well browned on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate, and cover to keep warm.
2. Drain the fat from the skillet, then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it over medium heat until sizzling. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until the aromatics soften, reducing the heat if necessary, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock, raise heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice and hot sauce to taste (if you’re using it), and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until it’s melted and the sauce looks smooth. Nestle the pork chops into the sauce, and allow them to warm up for a couple of minutes, then serve, pouring sauce over each pork chop to taste. Garnish with more fresh parsley.

Jubilee Jambalaya

We have been comforted and learned from Toni Tipton-Martin's cookbook Jubilee this month.  We had some andouille sausage from New Orleans and some Caribbean roast pork leftover from dinner last week, and we combined it all into this classic jambalaya.

• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/2 cup finely diced salt pork
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions, white part only
• 1 pound smoked sausage (andouille), cut into 1/2-inch thick coins
• 1/2 cup ham, 1/2-inch dice
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, 1/2-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 Prep the pan and the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9x15-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 Parch the rice: Pour the rice onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Parch in the oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove; set aside.

3 Cook the salt pork: In a large, heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, sauté the salt pork over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the pork is slightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to paper towels to drain.

4 Make the jambalaya: Add the onions and bell pepper to the fat in the pot and cook over medium-low heat until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, green onions, sausage, and ham, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the salt pork, tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the parched rice, chicken, thyme, bay leaves, paprika, pepper, and salt.

5 Bake the jambalaya: Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and bake until the rice is tender and the shrimp are pink, about 3 to 4 minutes.
If you prefer fluffier rice, stir in the shrimp after 15 minutes and cook another 3-4 minutes until the shrimp is pink.

6 Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and cayenne, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Savannah Pickled Shrimp

I have spent a lot of time cooking out of Jubilee this month.I am developing an anti-racist reading plan as well, but some how cooking and eating and appreciating African American cooking and contributions to the cuisine of the Americas feels very good in these uncertain times.

3 celery stalks chopped
1 cup sliced onion
2 bay leaves
1 large lemon, sliced
2 lbs. shrimp
1 tsp. salt (more for the cooking water)
1/4 c. lemon juice
3/4 c. white wine vingar
1 tsp. pickling spices
1 Serrano pepper
 1 tsp. minced garlic
3 sprigs of fresh tarragon
3/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. sliced red onion
In a large sauce pan, add 2 quarts or so of water, generous salt, sliced onion, celery, bay leaves, and lemon, and bring to a boil.  Boil shrimp for about 2 minutes.
Drain and peel.
In a wide mouth jar add all the remaining ingredients, mix, and add cooled shrimp.
Let sit for a night in the fridge before serving.

Orange-Glazed Chicken Wings

I am really loving Toni Tipton-Marton's cookbook Jubilee.  I live in a house where chicken wings are highly prized, and I am not such a huge fan.  These are so good, and my spouse, who leans toward a spicier flavor spectrum, was less interested, and I got to eat most of them.

4 lbs. chicken wings
5 Tbsp. orange marmalade
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Separate the wings into the drumette and the flat part.  Discard tips or save for stock.
Combine all the ingredients, put in a zip lock bag and add the wings.  Let sit for an hour, or ideally longer in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line 2 baking sheets with foil, and a wire rack for each pan.  Place wings on racks, baste with marinade, bake for 30 minutes, turn and baste, back another 30 minutes, baste again, and bake another 10 or so minutes.
Serve with BBQ sauce if desired.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

This is a salad straight from 1959, the year I was born. Do not blanch at the dressing, this is a huge crowd pleaser.

8 slices bacon
1 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. curry powder
salt to taste
6 cups small broccoli florets
6 c. small cauliflower florets
1 c. sliced celery
3/4 c. raisins
3/4 c. chopped almonds

Cook the bacon and set aside.  Mix the mayo, vinegar, sugar, curry powder and salt to taste together.  Put the broccoli, celery, and cauliflower in a bowl.  Top with dressing, then layer raisins, almonds and bacon on top, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.  Toss together before serving.

Baked Ham Glazed with Champagne

Yet another winning recipe from Jubilee.  Be prepared, when you add champagne there is a lot of fizzing.  The recipe calls for two bottles but you could probably get away with one, using half in the glaze and half to start with.  So delicious!!

• 1 (9- to 10-pound) bone-in smoked ham
• 2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 (750 ml) bottles extra-dry Champagne or other sparkling wine
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• Pineapple slices, for serving (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a roasting pan with foil and place a rack on top of the foil.
2. Place the ham on the rack, fat side up. Using a sharp knife, score the fat across the top in a crisscross pattern, cutting just through the fat to the meat. Spoon 1 cup of the brown sugar over the top of the ham, pressing with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Carefully pour 1 bottle of Champagne over the ham and the brown sugar. Cover the ham with foil and bake for 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the remaining bottle of Champagne, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, the honey, mustard, and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the glaze thickens, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove the ham from the oven and spoon half of the glaze on top. Keep the remaining glaze warm over low heat. Return the ham to the oven and bake, basting with the remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the ham registers 145°F, 1 hour longer or more. Tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with pineapple slices, if you’d like.