What better time for a special meal than a birthday?
I was inspired for this menu by the World Cup - our international visitors actually. Has anyone watched any of the videos of their sightseeing and American foods experiences? It was so much fun to watch their reactions and what a good time they're having. The international community has given us so much in terms of culture and cuisine, so it's nice to reciprocate. Dan and I regularly have Italian and Tex-Mex, with Chinese as an occasional treat. And then there was my The Cuisine of My Ancestors series. Not only did I learn a lot, but what I learned has helped sculpt what we eat and how I make it.
Although neither Dan nor I have a Southern heritage, our celebratory Independence Day meal this year was classic Southern American cuisine.
Menu
Here are the recipes.
Apple Smoked Barbecue Pork Roast
I was a little surprised when Dan asked for this, especially the sauce. He's not particularly keen on sauces, but he likes barbecue videos and made his request from that. We teamed up on the cooking.
The history of barbecue is found in the true pit barbecue of the past. There is a wonderful article on this in Disappearing Foods: Studies in Foods and Dishes at Risk. You can find the book at Google Play where it's free to read. This chapter is entitled "The Great American Art of Pit Barbecue is Fast Disappearing" by Josephine Bacon. (If the link doesn't take you there, it starts on page 24). You'll learn interesting tidbits such as the old timers cooked ribs with wood from whisky barrels or cooked whole pigs on discarded jailhouse doors. A fascinating read for anyone interested in the history of food.
Ingredients
- Shoulder (butt) bone-in pork roast
- dry rub if desired
- for smoke flavor, Dan used pruned apple branches
To cook
- Smoke the roast for several hours over low heat smoke
- Place in a dutch oven or slow cooker, pour over the BBQ sauce (recipe below).
- Turn occasionally to make sure both sides cook in the sauce.
- It's done when the internal temperature is 160°F (71°C).
Recipe notes
- The pork fell off the bone when done, so even though Dan sliced it, this would be perfect for pulled pork. It was tender and tasty.
BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup (I used homemade, home canned)
- 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Hush Puppies
According to Joy of Cooking, fishermen made these with their fried fish. A few were tossed to clamoring dogs with the admonition to "hush, puppy."
Every barbecue restaurant offers these as a side dish, although theirs are less homemade looking. Mine were made from our homegrown cornmeal.
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 - 3 tbsp minced fresh onion
- ½ cup whey, buttermilk, sour milk, or kefir
- 1 egg
- your choice of melted fat or oil for frying
- My batter was a bit soft so I dropped them into the hot fat with a spoon rather than trying to shape them.
- Baking powder and milk could be substituted for the soda and whey/buttermilk/kefir
Blueberry Coleslaw
Coleslaw (cole = cabbage and slaw = salad) is an international dish that gained popularity in the U.S. after the invention of mayonnaise in the mid-18th century. Various recipes are found everywhere, and it is typically served at picnics, potlucks, and barbecue. Mine is a bit different in that I use either homemade sauerkraut or kimchi rather than starting from scratch. I just add a spoonful of mayo and mix it up. What's nice is that I don't need to make this ahead and it doesn't take nearly as much mayonnaise as fresh coleslaw. Originally, I made it with raisins to offset the tartness of the sauerkraut, and then experimented from there.
- To your favorite coleslaw recipe, add fresh blueberries, as many as desired.
Recipe notes:
- Alternatives for blueberries: raisins, grated apple, cherry tomatoes, crushed pineapple, chopped green pepper, etc.
Blueberry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
July is blueberry harvest at our house!
Crust for 9" pie:
- 2 cups flour (I used a mix of unbleached white and homegrown whole wheat)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup lard, tallow, or butter
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cold water
Cut lard into flour & salt. Beat egg into water and add to flour
mixture. Mix with a fork (not hands, because we don't want to melt the little
lumps of lard) until moist. Divide in half for top & bottom crusts.
Filling
- 5 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup sugar (more or less)
- 1/4 heaping cup white flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 or 3 tbsp butter
Mix the filling ingredients, roll out the dough, put it in a pie pan, fill it up, top with thin slices of butter, put on the top crust and bake at 425°F (220°C) for about 35 to 45 minutes to bake, or until crust is .
Pie crust tip: I used to have trouble getting the bottom of my pies to brown, I think because ti put an aluminum pizza pan under it to catch the juicy drips. Then I read to bake it on a pre-heated pizza stone. This works very well and catches the drips.
Vanilla Ice Cream
The amounts are for my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. It makes a quart and a half of ice cream, which is perfect for just the two of us. Plus, no need to buy crushed ice; the Cuisinart mixing bowl is frozen and does the job perfectly.
- 2 cups whole milk (I use goat milk and cream, of coarse)
- 2 cups cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Heat milk, cream, and sugar and stir until the sugar melts. Beat egg
yolks and gradually add milk mixture, beating well (I do this in my blender).
Add salt and vanilla. Chill overnight. Churn the ice cream according to manufacturer directions. It takes about 20 to 25 minutes to freeze soft and hardens more as it sits in the
freezer.
Recipe note
- I've discovered that when I use duck egg yolks, the ice cream doesn't freeze hard as a rock.
- Double or triple amounts for a larger ice cream maker.
All in all, this makes for an excellent anytime summer meal.
Fireworks tonight. Anybody going to see their local show?
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