**Southern Comfort Food**

Comfort food is food prepared traditionally that may have a nostalgic or sentimental appeal. Comfort foods may be foods that have a nostalgic element either to an individual or a specific culture. Many comfort foods are flavorful and easily eaten, having soft consistencies.

Southern food has a history as rich as the gravy that tops the flaky buttermilk biscuits on Southern breakfast tables. The cuisine may have the reputation of being calorie-, fat- and sugar-laden, but the food of the Deep South is a combination of culinary heritages from around the world.  Southern food is home cooking, comfort food, Creole, Cajun, Carolina low-country, soul food and Tex-Mex. It includes an abundance of fresh vegetables, rice or corn, inexpensive cuts of meats, and fresh seafood. And no Southern meal is complete without libations, especially sweet iced tea and mint juleps.

*Classic Fried Catfish*

"There's nothing like catfish, no-frills needed."

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 (6 ounce) fillets farm-raised catfish
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil

Directions

1. COMBINE first 5 ingredients in a large shallow dish. Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt; dredge in cornmeal mixture, coating evenly.
2. POUR oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a deep cast-iron skillet; heat to 350 degrees. Fry fish, in batches, 5 to 6 minutes or until golden; drain on paper towels.               

*Big country breakfasts of eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage and grits, and supper plates of chicken-fried steak, corn bread and collard greens provided farmers with the fuel to work from sun up to sun down in the scorching heat and humidity of the South. But these meals were not just nourishing: they were also economical. Thoughts of the pre-Civil War South may evoke images of sprawling plantations, but in reality most Southerners were subsistence farmers who relied upon their own harvests to feed their families. Many Southern dishes were created out of necessity and frugal ingenuity.*

*Southern Chicken-Fried Steak*

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• salt-free herb seasoning to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 pounds veal cutlets
• 1/4 cup oil for frying

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, herb seasoning, salt and pepper. In another bowl, place the beaten eggs. Coat each veal cutlet with the flour mixture, then dip into egg, then back into the flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place veal cutlets into hot oil, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes on each side.

*Sausage Cheese Grits*

"This is a great, flavorful way to prepare grits. You can also use mild sausage and less or no hot sauce if you prefer not to have the extra spice. This can also be prepared up to the baking stage, and refrigerated until ready to finish."

Ingredients

• 1 pound bulk spicy pork sausage
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 4 ounces shredded Gouda cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until the sausage is crumbly and lightly browned. Drain off the grease and place the sausage in a bowl. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir in the grits, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir constantly for 5 minutes until the grits are tender, or follow package directions.
3. Stir together the sausage, cheese, butter, hot pepper sauce, and eggs. Fold in the grits until combined, then spread into an ungreased, small casserole dish. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes.

*Shrimp & Grits*

"This is a quick, delicious recipe that showcases shrimp and grits at their best."

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 1 (7 ounce) package garlic cheese spread
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined without tails
• 1 large tomato, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in the quick grits and reduce the heat. Cook slowly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the garlic cheese until melted. Let sit for 2 to 4 minutes; keep warm.
2. In a skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Saute the shrimp until pink. Stir in diced tomato and cook until tomato is heated through. Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spread the cheese grits on a warm platter. Top with shrimp mixture.               

*Sausage Gravy & Biscuits*

"Here's a very quick and easy version of the popular Southern-style breakfast that anyone can make."

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package bulk pork breakfast sausage (such as Bob Evans®)
• 1 (26.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups water
• 1 (16.3 ounce) can refrigerated biscuit dough (such as Pillsbury Grands!®)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the sausage into a deep, heavy skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir until the sausage is browned and crumbly, about 15 minutes. Drain excess grease, and mix the sausage with the cream of mushroom soup and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the gravy has thickened, about 15 minutes.
3. While gravy is simmering, pop open the can of biscuit dough, and gently separate biscuits. Place them onto a an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
4. Bake biscuits until golden brown, 13 to 17 minutes; split the biscuits in half, place onto serving plates, and ladle gravy over biscuits to serve.

*The art of "Old Southern Cooking" is best summed up as this:
A good old southern cook like many grandmothers and great grandmothers could go into a kitchen and declare how there is no food in the house. In an hour's time they can have food cooked for thirty people, all of it on the table and all still hot.
This is an art form that is rarely duplicated today even with modern conveniences like microwave ovens.*

*Sage & Pecan Pork Tenderloin Cutlets*

"Instead of fried pork chops, try these pork tenderloin cutlets. Tenderloin is low in fat, and this recipe is "fried" with just enough heart-healthy oil for the crispy crunch you crave!"

Ingredients

• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 5 tablespoons seedless blackberry preserves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• 3/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• Garnishes: fresh blackberries, fresh sage leaves

Directions

• 1. Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 6 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in preserves, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in salt.
• 2. Remove silver skin from tenderloin, leaving a thin layer of fat covering meat. Cut pork into 8 slices. Place pork between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet.
• 3. Stir together breadcrumbs, pecans, and sage in a shallow bowl.
• 4. Dredge pork in breadcrumb mixture, dip in beaten eggs, and dredge again in breadcrumb mixture.
• 5. Cook 4 pork slices in 2 tsp. hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 minutes or until done, turning every 2 minutes. Repeat procedure with remaining pork and oil. Serve with vinegar mixture, and garnish.

*Southern Fried Chicken Breasts*

"Is there anything less inspiring than a boneless-skinless chicken breast?  So, how do we turn this culinary snoozer into something worthwhile? Fry it. Hey, that was easy."

*Cajun Food*

A common misconception is that Cajun food is hot and spicy. Authentic Cajun cooking is a touch spicy but not hot and fiery. Many cooks in non-Cajun locales attempt to imitate Cajun cuisine by making their food very hot. This is not true Cajun food. Authentic Cajun Food is very simple, down home food which is not fancy, is not hot from pepper, does not use wine, does not contain cream or pasta. And real authentic Cajun food is seldom found in a restaurant.

*Crawfish Pie*

"This delicious pie is loaded with crawfish and fresh vegetables. Even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy crawfish when you make this pie!"

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) prepared deep-dish pie crust
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 12 ounces peeled crawfish tails
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Place the pie crust into a deep-dish pie plate.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion, green pepper, celery, salt, cayenne pepper, and white pepper until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and crawfish tails, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for about 3 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk flour and water together in a bowl until the mixture is smooth, and pour the flour mixture into the skillet. Bring the filling to a simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes to finish thickening.
4. While filling is cooling, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust, and bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.               

*Cajun-Style Meatloaf*

"This is meatloaf with some kick! The seasonings really bring out the flavor of the meat."

Ingredients

• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage, casings removed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, ground white pepper, cumin, and nutmeg; set aside.
2. Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, green onions, garlic, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and reserved seasoning mix. Saute until mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, about 6 minutes. Stir in the milk and ketchup; continue cooking for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove vegetable mixture from heat, and allow to cool to room temperature. Place the beef and sausage in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Add the eggs, the vegetable mixture, and the bread crumbs. Remove the bay leaves. Mix well by hand, and form into a loaf about 1 1/2 inches high.
4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Then raise heat to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and bake for another 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

*Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya*

While true jambalaya is really more of a thicker rice stew, than a soup, it's one of those dishes that more stock can be added to easily make it into a soup recipe (and feed more people, of course). I'm not sure where the myth arose that Creole and Cajun food was complicated to make. Much like French, Chinese, and Italian cuisine, the best, and most popular dishes are actually the easiest to make.

This is from the Dictionary of American Food and Drink:
Late one evening a traveling gentleman stopped by a New Orleans inn which had little food remaining from the evening meal. The traveler instructed the cook, "Jean, balayez!" or "Jean, sweep something together!" in the local dialect. The guest pronounced the resulting hodge-podge dish as "Jean balayez."

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
8 oz Andouille sausage, or other spicy smoked sausage, sliced 1/4" thick
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup diced tomato, fresh or canned
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4" thick
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 cup brown rice
3 cups chicken broth
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined