Every summer I like to chose a cookbook or a special focus and do a summer cooking series. Some of the summer series that I've done in the past are: popsicles; ice creams; cookies; salads; and healthy recipes. One series I've always wanted to do is a series of southern summer recipes. So, this summer I chose a local cookbook from James Beard Nominee, Ouita Michel. Each week I will be cooking recipes from Ouita's Just A Few Miles South Cookbook.
We're over halfway through with our Southern Summer Series, which is kinda sad because that means that summer is a little over halfway over. But, things are still delicious so that's good. This week we have a Kentucky staple from the hills of Appalachia, Whitesburg Soup Beans and Buttermilk Cornbread.
This is complete and total comfort food and it's really not all that unhealthy either.
The beans take about 7 hours, four to five hours to soak and then another two hours to cook, so plan accordingly. The cornbread only takes about 20-30 minutes, and you should serve it as hot as can be straight from the skillet so have the beans hot and ready to go!
The soup beans are mild but flavorful and comforting and they pair so dang well with the Buttermilk Cornbread.
When it comes to the cornbread, try to save yourself some bacon fat to season the bottom of the cast iron pan before adding the cornbread batter in. The cast iron pan and the bacon fat heat up in the pan and the pan should be really hot when you pour the cornbread batter in. You should hear a sizzle. This ensures a really nice crust on the bottom. The skillet cornbread bakes up fast, 15 minutes or so and you wanna serve it straight away with a nice ice cream size scoop of butter on top.
Now you're ready for total comfort food. Ladle some soup beans in a bowl and cut yourself a wedge or two of cornbread and get to dippin'!
Whitesburg Soup Beans
Adapted from Just A Few Miles South
by Ouita Michel
Makes 2 quarts
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 cup chopped white onion
5-6 ounces boneless country ham, diced
1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pick pinto beans for pebbles, rinse until clean, and place in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover with cold water and soak 5-6 hours. Drain. Return to the pot, cover beans with about 3 quarts of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down to a slow simmer and continue to cook until the beans change color and are slightly softened but not mushy, about 2 hours. Taste for seasoning. Serve with Buttermilk Cornbread or Hoecakes.
Buttermilk Cornbread
Adapted from Just A Few Miles South
by Ouita Michel
Makes 1 large skillet bread or 12 wedges
1-1/3 cups white or yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
1-1/3 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon butter or bacon drippings
Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 400F. In a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, buttermilk, and melted butter and mix well with a whisk. Carefully remove the hot cast-iron skillet from the oven and drop in 1 tablespoon butter or bacon drippings, swirl quickly to coat the pan, and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes, until the butter bubbles and turns dark golden brown. Remove the skillet from the oven again and pour in the batter. Return immediately to the oven and bake 18-23 minutes, until the edges are brown and the center is firm to the touch. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve immediately with butter and/or Whitesburg Soup Beans.
Southern Summer Series: Just A Few Miles South
