A Magnolia's Culinary Chronicles

Food

Roasted Quail with a New Mexican Twist

amagnoliasculinarychronicles October 29, 2019

I recently posted this dish on Recipes from the Road for Regency RV, but I was so delighted with the delicious concoction that I felt compelled to share it here. All of you regulars know by now that I harbor a deep, abiding love for all things Hatch Green Chile. Well, it’s that time of year again and this recipe may be the most mouthwateringly divine vessel for the green pods of heaven yet!

This New Mexican-inspired dish is a culinary mashup of Hatch Green Chiles and Quail. Stuffed with chile-infused wild rice and wrapped in Roasted Hatch Green Chiles, this semi-boneless quail is an effortless centerpiece that will bring a new twist on the Land of Enchantment’s cuisine and will delight any night of the week.

If you live outside the southwest and can’t lay your hands on some in your local grocery, you can always order Hatch Green Chiles online. Here’s a useful link from Saveur that lists a few reliable purveyors: https://www.saveur.com/best-hatch-green-chiles-order-online/

As for the quail, you can also use Cornish game hens as an excellent substitute for this recipe, but I prefer the beautiful texture and inimitable flavor of quail. One of my fondest memories of quail was eating it stuffed with wild rice at the Dallas institution, Old Warsaw. Although it’s no longer part of the updated menu in their new location, it continued to linger in my sense memory, which inevitably led me to conjure up this New Mexican twist on the classic dish.

So without further adieu, here goes – Roasted Quail Stuffed with Hatch Green Chile Wild Rice:

Ingredients:

For the Wild Rice:

2 Tb butter
¼ t marjoram
¼ t sage
A pinch of cayenne pepper, or more according to your preference
1 Tb red chile powder
1 Tb cumin
1 Tb onion powder
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Hatch green chiles, minced
1 cup of wild rice
3 cups of chicken stock

For the Quail:

8 semi-boneless Quail
4 Hatch Green Chiles, sliced vertically in half
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Instructions:

In a Dutch oven, like a le creuset or even an instant pot, heat two tablespoons of butter on low until it just starts to bubble then add the rice and stir until fully coated. Add the mixture of spices as well as minced green chiles, shallots and garlic and continue to stir until the lighter rice turns an even, golden brown. Add the chicken stock then turn the heat up to medium. Keep the heat up until the pot reaches a boil then turn it down to medium-low and cover. Continue to stir the pot every few minutes to avoid any sticking on the bottom. This should take roughly 40-45 minutes.

In the meantime, dry the quail fully, massage with salt and pepper and coat with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. When the rice is ready, remove from the pan and set aside. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat then sear the quail on both sides for two minutes each. Pull the quail off the grill, stuff with the rice, coat once more in olive oil then wrap each quail in a Hatch Green Chile slice. Coat the bottom of a glass dish with olive and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Arrange the stuffed quail on a plate and serve as a stand alone or alongside sautéed okra with a spice mix from the recipe. As a pairing partner, a bottle of Cabernet Franc from Chinon in France’s Loire Valley is an unrivaled winner.

As always, bon appétit, y’all!

Food

Beat the Heat with this Classic Ceviche

amagnoliasculinarychronicles May 28, 2019

It just so happened that the Lowcountry’s first sweltering heat wave of the year coincided with my resolute mission to paint our screened-in porch. The color was perfect – the original Charleston White. I was on the homestretch when I ran out of paint. So, on my way to tennis that evening, I swung by Sherwin Williams and asked for a gallon of the formula I had taken a photo of with my phone; I still had the rest of the house’s trim and the front porch to do. The sweet guy behind the register gently informed me that the small can I had been using was merely a sample and was not exterior paint. It definitely did not have the brass to handle hurricane season or the humidity-causing-mildew in South Carolina. I was crestfallen. I didn’t weep, but I wanted to. Talk about a shower of utter, humidity-infused humiliation. Thankfully, I was on my way to tennis. I don’t know if I have ever hit the ball that hard. It was cathartic, to say the least. So, yesterday, I started painting over everything I had already painted. It was 102 degrees outside with a humidity level that stirred the hot air into a gardenia-scented soup. Thank the Lord for gardenias! Needless to say, I am parched, hot and in desperate need of a cool down. My plan – classic Mexican ceviche – the kind you scarf down at a beachside shack with a thatched roof in Mexico and a bottle of Dos Equis lager with extra salt and lime in hand! Nothing quite revitalizes you and takes the edge off the heat like fresh, cold ceviche.

This morning, I went to my local seafood monger, Beaufort’s incomparable Sea Eagle Market, for some local shrimp and scallops. As luck would have it, these beauties had just come off their boat this very morning. So, I will not be blanching my scallops and shrimp beforehand; I’ll merely let them marinate in the lime juice for two hours instead. If the absolute freshness of your shrimp and scallops is in question, just blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes prior to popping them into the lime marinade in the recipe.

This particular ceviche recipe harkens back to carefree days on the beach in Mexico, a sense memory that will live inside me always. This inimitable combination of sea-kissed salinity, spice, bright lime acidity and tomatoes bursting with juiciness is invigorating enough to stand up to the heat and refresh your soul. It’s simple, straightforward, spicy and delicious. My biggest recommendation – buy the freshest shrimp and scallops you can find. If they’ve been frozen, their texture will not achieve the sheer nirvana that this dish is capable of, and they will definitely require blanching ahead of time.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of fresh shrimp, diced
½ lb. of fresh scallops, diced
1 cup of lime juice
¾ lb. of fresh tomatoes
1 shallot, minced
2 baby bell peppers (or Anaheim pepper, if you can find them), diced
2 jalapeno pepper, minced
½ cup fresh cilantro, destemmed and chopped
4 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, save for later then dice before serving
Salt and pepper to taste

In a mixing bowl, combine the raw shrimp, scallops and lime juice, unless you’re blanching ahead. Salt and pepper to taste. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 2 hours. The acid in the limes will “cook” the shellfish.

Combine tomatoes, shallot, peppers, cilantro and olive oil in a separate bowl. Salt and pepper to taste then set aside.

When the shrimp and scallops are ready, pour the mixture in with the tomatoes, peppers and shallots. Stir well. Dice and add the avocados at the very end to retain their color. Serve with tortilla chips or tostadas.

For pairing partners, Dos Equis Lager with salt and lime or Margaritas are always an excellent bet. If you’re in the mood for wine though, I would recommend a Muscadet from France’s Loire Valley. Nothing pairs with shellfish quite like this underrated, inexpensive beauty! Stay cool, my friends!

Food

What to do with the World’s Greatest Cookie Jar…

amagnoliasculinarychronicles May 13, 2019

So, for Mother’s Day, my husband gave me the world’s greatest cookie jar. It’s R2D2. And not a new R2D2, but a 1977 stamped-bottom, real deal, ceramic R2D2. Not only do I feel R2D2 was the bravest of souls in the Star Wars universe, but ceramics hold a very special place in my heart. My Mammaw, Lola Ruth Martin, who just passed away a few weeks ago, owned a ceramic shop (The Lemon Tree) and was a brilliant artist. I cannot imagine a more fitting gift for my first Mother’s Day without the woman I learned so much about motherhood from.

In short, it was a tall order to come up with the perfect cookie recipe to christen this little beauty. But Davis and I finally settled on a recipe that’s not my own, but it’s my absolute favorite. The Neiman Marcus Cookie.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

Drop massive, heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2-inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.

I take mine out a little earlier, when the cookie is still gooey in the center for a cookie that’s crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Enjoy and Happy Mother’s Day!

Food

Classic Coconut Meringue Pie: A Love Letter to my Mammaw

amagnoliasculinarychronicles April 4, 2019

The most apt description I can conjure up for Lola “Ruth” Martin, my Mammaw, is that of a swan. Although her feet are always working furiously, even frantically, beneath the water, above, she glides gracefully across the surface. All one can see is the serene, elegance of unsurpassed beauty. A true matriarch, a woman after God’s own heart and the love of my Pappaw’s life, this peerless woman has led all the women of my family by example.

It’s her penchant for a little something special that taught me just how much sweeter life could be with a beautifully set table to rest a home-cooked meal upon. Still en vogue in her mid-eighties, Mammaw always knows what is chic at the moment. Her meals never fail to offer a lovely, nuanced twist. Whenever I spend holidays away from home, I always call her while I cook. She’s a perpetual source of inspiration as a cook, a woman, a wife and a mother. And although I know she detests the name Lola, I still love it – we would have named our child Lola had she been a girl. It has just the kind of glamorous pazazz that this woman encapsulates.

I’m really missing my Mammaw at the moment. Her health is not good, which is all the more painful since I live in South Carolina. I’m going home to see her soon, but in the meantime, I made my favorite from her vast collection of desserts. The first bite was a sense memory so divine it was almost like being there. Her classic Coconut Meringue Pie always brings her home to me – even if my offering is never quite as pretty as hers. It’s from that familiar red-and-white-checked tome, “Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook,” but to me it will forever say, “Mammaw!” Enjoy!

Coconut Meringue Pie:

Preheat oven to 450 to bake the pie crust then lower to 350 to finish the filled pie. I recommend covering the edge of the crust with foil for the final round of baking. Separate egg yolks from egg whites and set aside. You will use both of them in the recipe.

Piecrust:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/3 water

Combine flour and salt then add shortening. Beat on low with an electric mixer until the dough forms small pea-sized balls. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, and beat on low for 15-20 seconds. Roll out and place in a 9-inch glass bottom pie dish. Bake the pie crust at 450 for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack.

Coconut Cream Filling:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut flakes

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt then gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat and stir for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir one cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks then add the egg mixture to the saucepan. Stir in butter, vanilla and one cup of coconut flakes and pour into baked pie crust.

The Meringue:

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup coconut flakes

Beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar for about one minute – or until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the sugar, about one tablespoon at a time. Beat at a high speed for roughly four minutes or until the mixture creates stiff, glossy peaks. Immediately spread over the coconut mixture and make sure to seal the meringue against the crust to prevent shrinkage. Sprinkle the coconut flakes over the top of the meringue and bake for 12 – 15 minutes (until golden) at 350. Cool at room temperature before serving.

The delightful table runner in this photo was actually a Christmas gift from Mammaw. So, a big thank you to her for always adding a little something special. See you soon, Mammaw. Y’all enjoy!

Uncategorized

Thoughts on Valentine’s Day Survival…

amagnoliasculinarychronicles February 14, 2019

Whether you recoil every time you enter the supermarket this month to find an interior that looks like it’s been hosed down with Pepto Bismal or you are dodging that person who has a rapidly approaching expiration date, Valentine’s Day can totally stink. But it doesn’t have to – even without romance in your life.

For all you Dads of girls out there…what you do on Valentine’s Day matters and will matter for the rest of your little lady’s life. I never hated Valentine’s Day, even during my very single years, and here’s why: every year, my Dad made me feel special whether I was alone or had a significant other in my life. I always received a card, candy or something.

One of my fondest Valentine’s Day memories is from my last year of graduate school. My ex-boyfriend at the time was blissfully courting a Budweiser girl (barf) while I was painfully single and regularly sporting dark circles around my haggard eyes while pounding away at my master’s degree. I had a group of girlfriends over for an impromptu wine tasting – this was before my more responsible somm days of sniff, swish and spit. My best girlfriend had been dumped that very day and the remainder of our group was single – some nursing broken hearts, some not so much. Needless to say, we “tasted” like there was no tomorrow. Then my Dad called with his annual Valentine’s Day greeting. With a touch of a slur, I thanked him profusely then he announced that he wanted to treat all of us girls to dinner. My phone made the rounds as all the ladies said their thank yous then we strolled down the street to Blue Water Grill for a Valentine’s Day dinner. I don’t know how we wrangled a table, I cannot remember what we ate aside from the fact that it was seafood, and I can’t remember every topic of conversation we covered. I do remember that my beloved Boston Terrier, JD, was in attendance (more loyal than any man could ever be).

I also remember one of my friends, a hilarious Brazilian beauty in the cinematography department at Chapman, suddenly leaned over the dock next to our table and vomited. She delicately dabbed her face with her cloth napkin, turned back to the table with a humiliated glance then uttered, “whoa, I feel much better.” Paroxysms of laughter healed our broken hearts and sheer magic filled the air as the sun set behind us.

The moral of the story is: make someone you love feel special on Valentine’s Day whether it be a friend, a parent, your child or a significant other. I know I’m married now and have a family, but it is my Dad that I always think of on this holiday because I knew I was special to him. So, this Valentine’s Day, my husband and I will endeavor to make our son know how marvelous he is to us. So, yeah, make someone you love feel special today. Happy Valentine’s Day and cheers to Wayne Davis!

Libations & Wine

Thanksgiving Wines that Dazzle

amagnoliasculinarychronicles November 19, 2018

A day of giving thanks and feasting with those we hold most dear – what’s not to love about Thanksgiving!? It’s also a fabulous excuse to break out some stellar bottles of wine to savor the progression of the day as well as the people in it. The Thanksgiving table offers a cornucopia of flavors with something on offer for just about every palate – sweet, savory, umami, spice, sheer comfort. This does, however, present a rather tall order for pairing wines. Chardonnay aged in oak doesn’t quite suit. Cabernet is just too tannic for the beloved bird while Sauvignon Blanc is just too delightfully green for autumnal flavors. Nevertheless, there are a handful of failproof choices that I look to year after year. Although I do prefer to have a selection of varietals on hand, each and every bottle on this list can elevate the entire meal on its own and evolve with the journey of the feast. So without further adieu…

Saint-Chamant, Blanc de Blanc, Grand Cru, Brut – Champagne

Although I always enjoy kicking off the day with a glass of bubbly and good blanc de blanc Champagne is entirely capable of carrying the entire meal without any assistance. Why blanc de blanc? Well, when produced with care and aged sur lie (on its lees/the spent yeasts from fermentation) a magical thing happens. The wine takes on a yeasty quality akin to freshly baked brioche – hello, popovers and stuffing! That’s matched with bright, thirst-quenching acidity that cuts right through gravy fats and buttered mashed potatoes like a laser beam. Then there’s the minerality of kimmeridgian limestone that only Champagne can muster in the wide world of effervescence – a brined turkey here will reach unfathomable heights. All the stars align to make Thanksgiving pairings across that beautifully set table sheer magic. For a blanc de blanc that knows no rivals in my jaded, vinuous heart, I always swing for the grower Champagne of Saint-Chamant. Octogenarian vigneron, Monsieur Coquillette, has been nurturing his vines and hand-crafting his wines since the 1950’s – the epitome of farm-to-table, this grand old man even continues to hand-label all his own bottles!

For other great blanc de blanc Champagnes, you can also look to producers: Pierre Moncuit, Pol Roger, Vazart-Coquart and AR Lenoble.

Château d’Epiré, Savennières, Loire Valley – France

Chenin Blanc from Savennières is truly one of my favorite wines on the planet. In this special little pocket of the Loire Valley the wines are fermented bone-dry (unlike the subtly sweet offerings from the more well-known Vouvray) and here the unique schist minerality is truly something spectacular. Flavors of braised yellow apple, dried apricot, lemon peel and quince compote dance across the palate with notes of chamomile, honey comb, aged, nutty cheese and wet wool – can you think of a more fitting tango partner for turkey day? And although the flavors are warm and hauntingly inviting, the crisp acidity and taut minerality make for a balance that will keep you going for glass after refreshing, satisfying glass. As far as producers go, I love Château d’Epiré for their remarkable price to quality.

For other exceptional producers in the appellation, look to the incomparable Nicolas Joly’s Coulée de Serrant as well as Domaine du Closel, Domaine de la Bergerie and Thibaud Boudignon.

White Rose Estate, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir – Oregon

Oregon’s status as the best price-to-quality Pinot Noir in the world is well-traversed ground. I’ve written enough to fill a Diana Gabaldon novel on the merits of Oregon Pinot, because it’s just that damn good. The climate – perfect. The soil – mind-bendingly complex. Simply put, Oregon’s Willamette Valley offers the New World’s greatest Pinot Noir at a fraction of the price for solid Red Burgundy. And although I love great Burgundy, I honestly don’t have the cash to serve a table of thirsty drinkers at my holiday table that sweet nectar of the gods. Nevertheless, if White Rose Estate’s Pinot Noir doesn’t charm even the most devout of Burgundy devotees, then I’ll eat my wine glass for Thanksgiving dinner. This pure beauty of bright red fruit, forest floor majesty, smoky minerality from the Jory soils and pitch-perfect, bright balance will elevate the savory elements of your turkey and dressing, make cranberry sauce zing across your palate and will dazzle and brighten just about any other side dish you choose to throw its way.

Other Oregon producers of Pinot Noir to look for this Thanksgiving are: Winderlea, Patricia Green, Eyrie Vineyards, De Ponte Cellars as well as Evesham Wood.

Julien Sunier, Cru Beaujolais, Fleurie – France

Cru Beaujolais is one of those wines that I fell for with the greatest reluctance, but once the flame was kindled there was just no turning back. I had always associated Beaujolais with Beaujolais Nouveau – bubblegum aromas and cheaply produced shlock. Then I tasted Cru Beaujolais from a true artisan who crafted his wine as his ancestors had before him – organic/biodynamic vineyards, whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts and proper aging in old, neutral foudres (massive oak barrels that do not leave a footprint) – the result was a staggeringly elegant wine of such purity of fruit and sense of place, that I could scarcely believe I was drinking Beaujolais. Julien Sunier’s wines are just that – pure, unadulterated, terroir-driven from granite soils, and an example of what truly great Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais) should be. He’s followed in the footsteps of greats like Marcel Lapierre, but he’s made a name for himself that’s entirely worthy of the pioneers that came before. With aromatics and flavors of cold bing cherry, fresh strawberry and a hint of cranberry laced with peony, herbs de Provence, white pepper and granitic minerality, this lithe, refreshing and silky red beauty will give the savory, spicy and complex flavors of the Thanksgiving table wings. If you’re looking for one wine to rule them all for Thanksgiving, this is it.

For other Cru Beaujolais offerings, look for Cru Beaujolais from the villages of Morgon or Fleurie from these producers: Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Brun, Jean Foillard or Jean-Paul Thévenet.

Happiest of Happy Thanksgivings, y”all! And to my Canadians, I’m sorry this is too late for 2018 – love to you all!

Food

Mediterranean Lamb & Eggplant Magic

amagnoliasculinarychronicles September 1, 2018

We spent a weekend away in Greenville, South Carolina last month where we grazed at The Lazy Goat, which I highly recommend, and the unexpected marriage of flavors left such a lasting impression that I’ve been haunted by its lingering memory since. It’s a Mediterranean mashup up of Greek and Moroccan flavors that just jive across the palate like enchanting, near discordant jazz. I’ve tried a few different preparations to recreate the experience of their Greek Lamb and Moroccan Eggplant Zaalook and have come up with a winning roadmap at last! If you can find it, snag a bottle of Chateau Musar Rouge from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley for a pairing that will simple dazzle.

Greek Lamb:

This mixture is a solid Greek marinade that does divine things with lamb, but its also a sure fire way to liven up even a dull chicken breast. It’s quick, painless and I use it on the regular in our house.

1 tablespoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ lb lamb (shoulder or chops)

Combine all the ingredients and marinate the lamb for at least one hour (four if you can). Although I used lamb shoulder, which I love for its touch of grain and soft beautiful texture, lamb chops are lovely with this dish as well. Grill over medium-high heat for four minutes on each side. Simple as that!

In the meantime, whip up your favorite batch of tzatziki sauce. I find this recipe to be ideal if you’re in need of a foolproof tzatziki.

Moroccan Eggplant Zaalook:

5 Japanese eggplant (or as slender as you can find them)
2 large tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon red chile flakes (I prefer guajillo)
1 bay leaf
½ cup water
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

I like to think of Eggplant Zaalook as Ratatouille’s exotic, Moroccan cousin. Like the famed French side dish, when done well, Zaalook can effortlessly steal the show. Although you can sauté or oven roast the eggplant, I prefer to grill them on a sheet of aluminum foil, along with the tomatoes, prior to returning everything to a pot on the stove. First, peel the eggplant and half them lengthwise. Rub the eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper then line them on an aluminum sheet. Grill them at medium, maintaining a 350 temperature inside the grill, for seven minutes on each side. The last seven minutes, add your halved tomatoes to the grill.

Then, let the eggplant and tomatoes cool for slicing while you grill your lamb. Once the eggplant and tomatoes are cool enough, start chopping. The tomatoes need to be minced, not chopped, so they will cook down to almost nothing. Slice the eggplant down their length then cut them into ¼ inch quarters – like a tiny, slender slice of pie.

Coat a dutch oven with olive oil and heat on low. Add the paprika, chile flakes, bay leaf and a dusting of salt and pepper then allow the spices to bloom over a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, eggplant, minced garlic cloves and water to the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat back down to medium-low and cover. Allow the mixture to simmer for about twenty minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Just before serving, add a healthy squeeze of lemon juice as well as a small handful of cilantro leaves and stir.

Ladle the zaalook into a shallow bowl, top with lamb and drizzle tzatziki sauce over it all. Enjoy!