Boozy Strawberry French Toast

Since tomorrow is Saint Patrick’s Day here’s a little anytime snack that I make with Bailey’s Irish Cream Strawberry Liquor and fresh Louisiana strawberries. The bread is panettone, an Italian sweet bread from Milan that goes on sale after the holidays when people have had their fill of holiday sweets. That’s when I swoop in and buy them for $5 instead of $20. These are the kind of things my mom taught me to do, and the freezer is definitely your friend when it comes to buying on sale. It’s March and I can just defrost a loaf at my convenience for this French toast. I cut the panettone into thick slices, then soak the bread briefly in a mixture of Bailey’s, eggs, and cream. They only need 2 minutes per side in a large skillet (make sure it’s non-stick or well-seasoned because the Bailey’s tends to stick a little, not much though, and nothing that a little nudge with an offset spatula can’t remedy). I top my French toast with some skyr, an Icelandic cultured dairy product with a milder flavor than yogurt. My husband DJ isn’t a fan of skyr (too sour?) so I mix a little maple syrup into his, but I like the contrast in flavor with the sweet toast. This recipe serves 4 but can easily be doubled to make more.

Boozy Strawberry French Toast
Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream Strawberry
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups quartered fresh strawberries
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons salted Kerrygold butter (I like the slight saltiness to balance the flavors, the choice is yours!)
4 thick slices of panettone or brioche bread (1-inch thick)
1/2 cup skyr or plain yogurt
fresh mint leaves, for garnish

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the cream, bailey’s, eggs, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, stir together the strawberries and maple syrup.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Soak each slice of bread in the cream mixture for 30 seconds per side, and working in batches of 2, add the soaked bread and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet before cooking the other two slices.

Transfer the French toast to 4 serving plates and top each slice with a dollop of skyr. Spoon the strawberries on top, and garnish with mint. So easy. Enjoy.

Notes: You can add chopped toasted nuts for crunch, and if you don’t have the strawberry Bailey’s then any kind will do. Swap out the fruit according to what’s on your kitchen counter or in your fridge.

Creamy Black Eyed Peas

These creamy black eyed peas are so simple to make because of the trusty Instant Pot, but can easily be adapted to be cooked on the stovetop. It gets a lot of flavor from smoked turkey pieces, using chicken stock instead of water and some essential aromatics needed to make a truly good Southern dish. Though it was not traditional to eat black eyed peas on the first of January in South Africa, this is an American tradition I’ve come to love. It is said that they symbolize prosperity, and that’s not such a bad thing to hope for on the first day of the year! If you have an hour to set aside, this satisfying meal made with ingredients easily found at your local grocer could be dinner this evening :) The onion, celery and garlic cooks down to form a luscious sauce that is so good served over rice, with cornbread or with some biscuits!

Creamy Black Eyed Peas
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil (OR bacon fat for flavor, if pork isn’t an issue)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (contains cayenne, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, herbs)
1 1/2 lbs smoked turkey pieces (Can be found either frozen or refrigerated near the smoked sausage section. If you’re unable to find it, use good quality sliced smoked sausage - turkey or beef. Smoked ham or Tasso are options as well.)
2 cups dried black eyed peas (no need to soak, just sort them)
1 fresh bay leaf
1 1/2 quarts good quality low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more, to serve
Kosher salt and medium-grind pepper, to taste
good quality olive oil, to taste

Guidelines: (Stovetop directions follow below)

Turn Instant Pot on SAUTÉ mode. Add olive oil or bacon fat, onion, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, stirring to prevent any sticking - about 4-5 minutes.

Add Cajun seasoning, smoked turkey pieces, black eyed peas, bay leaf, chicken stock, tobasco sauce and worcestershire sauce. Stir, then place lid on Instant Pot and lock.

Turn on MANUAL mode and set Instant Pot to 40 minutes at high pressure. Once the cycle is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for about 15 minutes before VENTING to allow remaining pressure out. Stir, pull meat from bones and mash half the black eyed peas for a creamy consistency. Remove bay leaf. Depending on how you like it, either allow to simmer uncovered until reduced slightly or add more stock to make it soupy. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper, add parsley and drizzle with olive oil.

Allow it to cool a little before enjoying, even better the next day.

If you’re making these in a pot on the stove:
Soak your beans for a few hours OR use the quick soak method: Bring water to a rolling boil, add black eyed peas and stir. Cook for 30 minutes then strain and use as directed in the recipe. Sauté your aromatics in a large heavy bottomed pot, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes at a rolling boil, stirring once or twice, then lower heat to medium and place a lid on your pot. Allow the black eyed peas to cook for an hour, stirring occasionally to make sure that they aren’t sticking. When I make this on a stovetop the water often evaporates, so keep some extra stock ready to top up your pot. To test for doneness, remove a few beans from the pot and mash it with your fork or taste it after cooling slightly. Once the beans are tender, pull the meat and remove any bones and mash half of the black eyed peas for a creamy consistency. Season and drizzle as directed above.

Braised American Lamb Shoulder with Pumpkin Smoked Gouda Grits

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with the American Lamb Board. I am proud to serve delicious American Lamb to my family, supporting American shepherds and their families in sustaining working farmland and farm communities.

When we were kids this kind of meal was called “huiskos” ~ The Afrikaans word for a weeknight meal. There was always pumpkin when it was in season, always some kind of green vegetable and most likely always lamb on the table. Whether it was braised in the Winter months or some chops seared during the Summer, lamb has always been a very traditional protein where I’m from. Naturally, I try to carry those traditions on now that I’m working and living here in the American South. Keeping those memories alive by adapting or recreating mom’s recipes with American Lamb and the ingredients that can be found here is truly a joy for me. This meal is home cooked and heartwarming, will feed your soul and warm you up on a chilly day. Serve it for Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving this year, maybe put it on your date-night menu for two and enjoy the tender lamb leftovers in a delicious grilled cheese the next day. Either way, it’s simple and flavorful and you can’t go wrong. 

With the holidays upon us, the American Lamb Board is spreading cheer by hosting a number of fun giveaways on both their Facebook and Instagram page. For #TheLambChallenge, comment on the giveaway posts with a lamb recipe you'll enjoy for the holidays and be entered to win great prizes! Find more information on the American Lamb website here.

Why American Lamb Shoulder?

Lamb shoulder is located at the top of the back, near the head. It’s a great cut for braising or slow cooking because it develops a lot of  flavor due to the amount of work that part of the animal gets. I always prefer to cook it with the bone in to increase that flavor even more. You can ask your butcher for this cut, or check out the American Lamb website to receive a customized list of grocers, butchers, restaurants and/or wholesale suppliers that sell homegrown lamb in your neck of the woods. I love the online butcher Porter Road for sourcing my American lamb, here’s $15 off your first order from them!

Some handy tips before you get started:

I used lamb shoulder in this recipe because it is great value for money. Other cuts that would work wonderfully are: Stew meat, bone-in or boneless leg.

You can absolutely cook this recipe on the stovetop in a dutch oven. Just place the lid on after adding the lamb shoulder and braise over medium heat for 2 ½ hours. Be sure to check it and add more liquid as necessary, since a lot of moisture will evaporate using this method. 

While canned pumpkin puree is great, homemade pumpkin or squash puree will give the grits a fresher flavor. To roast your own pumpkin, preheat the oven to 425F. Half a small pie pumpkin and remove seeds, then drizzle with olive oil and place on a baking sheet cut side down. Roast for 40 minutes and remove from the oven. Carefully peel off the skin while warm and use an immersion blender to make a puree. Use one cup in the recipe and store the remaining pumpkin in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. It’s handy to use in soups, pies or other desserts.

White miso paste is not mandatory here, but it’s a secret weapon when it comes to umami flavor! It seems unconventional but it will provide some wonderful depth. Find it at your local grocery store or even Amazon!

Braised American Lamb Shoulder with Pumpkin Smoked Gouda Grits
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Serves: 6-8 people 

For the Lamb:

1 3 pound bone-in American Lamb shoulder
1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt (If your Cajun seasoning has salt, omit this)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 fresh bay leaf
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon brown gravy powder (I like to use Bisto, because I grew up eating it)

For the Grits:
3 ½  cups vegetable stock
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups grits or instant polenta 
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup heavy cream
8 ounces grated smoked gouda cheese 
To serve: Sage leaves crisped up in olive oil, steamed vegetables

Method:

Season lamb shoulder with Cajun seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set Instant Pot to saute, add olive oil and sear lamb shoulder for 5 minutes per side or until golden. Remove and transfer to a separate plate until ready to braise. 

Add onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf  to the Instant Pot and saute for 5 minutes. Deglaze by adding the broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the inner pot with a wooden spoon until nothing is sticking. Add white miso paste and gravy powder, followed by the lamb shoulder. Place lid on and set Instant Pot to Manual Pressure for 50 minutes. After cooking, allow pressure to release naturally (10 minutes), remove the shoulder bone and set to saute to reduce liquid until desired consistency. The meat should be fall-apart tender and the garlic and onions completely reduced to form the gravy. Remove bay leaf, season to taste and serve with smoked pumpkin gouda grits.

Tip: To thicken the gravy, add a slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water then stir gently until thickened. 

For the grits: Add vegetable stock and butter to a large pot over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, add grits then stir and cook for 10 minutes until thickened. Add pumpkin puree, cream and grated smoked gouda cheese. Stir and simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes and season to taste. Serve immediately with crispy sage, braised American lamb and vegetables of your choice.

Grilled Sirloin Bavette Steak with Corn Maque Choux

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for your support!

When it comes to Summer grilling, no other protein does it quite like beef for us. Memories of our dad cooking steaks or burgers on the grill while we splashed around in inflatable pools, running from the water to pester our mother about when the food might be ready. “Don’t track water in the house!” she yells. I think a lot of us have that same memory no matter where we grew up. That first bite of beef after playing all day was always like heaven to me. It was hearty, flavorful and rich enough to satisfy our souls :) 

I thought about how we still hold on to those memories now that we are all grown up and are living scattered around the world. For the last ten years the South has been my home. Along with the move between Louisiana and Mississippi came an education on Southern cooking from aunts and my mother in law, then trips to what must now be my favorite food destination in all of America...New Orleans. 

My first taste of Cajun and Creole Cuisine was a moment of enlightenment. Being that my husband was born and raised in the city, he was so proud to introduce the food and ingredients that he grew up eating: Roast Beef Po’boys, grits and cornbread, beignets, strawberries at festivals, watermelons at fairs, peppers on trips to the Tabasco factory at Avery Island and everything in between. When thinking of a meal that would best represent the state of Louisiana for Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner., I knew I had to incorporate some of these things. The food in the South has such a rich history and pulls from so many influences – Native Americans introduced corn, Africans brought their cooking techniques and cultivated the land for crops like rice and okra. The word “gumbo” derives from the word for okra in the Central Bantu dialect of West Africa. Spanish influences are also widely evident in dishes like Jambalaya. I’m thankful to be able to experience this part of the U.S. - A true melting pot of cultures.

Grilling a steak outside is happiness to us. We do it whenever we are able, sometimes on Wednesday evenings for our weekly family meeting. If you’ve followed along on Instagram within the last few years then you know. Recently, we discovered what’s known as Sirloin Bavette Steak or Sirloin Flap Steak. The word Bavette is French for bib and translates to a phrase for a thin cut of meat. It has a looser texture and is very flavorful, so the marinade I used today adds to that but doesn’t make much time to prepare at all. You can find some information on this cut and others (like flank and skirt steak) on the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. website. 

As far as grilling this cut goes, here are a few tips:

* Because it is a thin and surprisingly tender cut, it doesn’t require a lot of time to marinate. You just want to get the flavor in there so 30 minutes to 2 hours is sufficient. Pour the hot sauce butter over, covering the back and front then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

* This recipe uses butter for even more flavor, but it can easily be replaced with olive oil. Therefore, there is no need to oil the grill before cooking. I usually recommend oiling the grill when cooking with marinades and patting the steak dry before placing on the grid. This is for proper browning and to avoid charring. 

* Medium and steady wins the race! There is no need to push the heat, a medium temperature will ensure even cooking without the char. Use a meat thermometer to cook beef to the. 

* Beef’s tender, juicy texture is optimum when cooked to medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness. For steaks insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally from the side so it penetrates the thickest part of the center of the steak not touching the bone or fat.  After cooking, let steaks rest before serving.

To go along with this flavorful grilled steak, I made a traditional side called Corn Maque Choux. Fresh vegetables (known as the holy trinity down here) are  sautéed with Cajun or Creole seasoning, then corn is added and everything is finished with a little heavy cream. Talk about simple but delicious food! Adding some strawberries and fresh greens to the plate brought a level of freshness that was so good. I hope you enjoy the recipe and give it a try this Summer!

Grilled Sirloin Bavette Steak
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 8

2 pound whole beef Sirloin Bavette Steak
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

For the Corn Maque Choux:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup finely diced celery
½ cup diced green or red bell pepper
1 deseeded serrano pepper OR jalapeño pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups fresh corn kernels
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Optional to serve: Fresh lettuce and quartered strawberries
Special Equipment: Grill or grill pan, sheet pan, tongs, meat thermometer, foil or plastic wrap, skillet, sharp knife for slicing and dicing.

Method:
Place steak on a rimmed baking sheet or container with lid, large enough to lay the entire steak flat. Melt butter and combine with hot sauce, garlic salt and pepper. Stir and coat the entire steak. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat your grill or griddle pan to medium heat. Grill steak for 10 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches (145°F) for medium rare and (160°F) for medium. The melting butter will baste the steak. Remove from the grill, rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and enjoy!

For the maque choux: 
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. If using an outside grill, you could also prepare this while the steak is cooking. Add onions, celery, peppers and garlic then stir and cook for 5 minutes until onions are translucent and vegetables are cooked through. Add seasonings and corn, sauté for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add fresh cream and stir until combined. Remove from heat and serve with sliced steak.

Mom's Red Beans and Rice

Recipe:

1 lb package Camellia Brand red kidney beans
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium vidalia onion, finely diced
1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons garlic paste (4-6 fresh cloves)
1 lb Andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced 
1 1/2 lbs smoked turkey wing pieces (About 1 wing - I always use Royal brand)
2 fresh bay leaves
10-12 cups light chicken stock or water
1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Slap Ya Mama is the best)
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
To serve: steamed long grain rice, hot sauce, chopped green onion, chives or parsley

Method:

Sort and soak beans in cold water overnight. Drain before starting the recipe and set aside.

Heat a large cast iron pot over medium-high heat then add butter, onion, bell pepper and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent, then add garlic and sausage. Cook until sausage is evenly browned. At this point, I remove half of the sausage and set aside until serving but this is optional. You could also sauté some separately toward the end, just get extra.

Add beans, bay leaves and smoked turkey wing pieces to the pot. I leave the skin on because a lot of the collagen and fat will break down and contribute to a creamy texture later. Almost like how it works when you make refried beans. Pour enough stock or water over to cover the wings, stir and increase heat to high. Bring to a rolling boil for 5-10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and place the lid on your pot. Cook for 1 1/2  to 2 hours, stirring with a wooden spoon a few times while cooking to ensure that you do not scorch the beans at the bottom of the pot. This is the worst! If things look too dry, please add 1-2 cups water. I do not add salt until after the beans are tender enough to taste because the smoked wings and andouille sausage is salty and creates a wonderful flavor on their own.

Once the beans are tender and meat from the wings are falling off the bone, remove any skin, bones and bay leaves - discard. Use a potato masher or fork to mash about 1/2 of the beans that are still whole. Stir gently over low heat. It should be very creamy now. Add Cajun seasoning to suit your taste, pepper and a dash of hot sauce. I sometimes stir in some fresh parsley as well. 

Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice, extra sautéed sausage and chopped green onion or chives.

Serves 8-10 people.