Southern Uncovered

Southern Uncovered

My views of the South were limited at best (no pun intended) when I was younger.

But when a cousin married a woman from Alabama, right around the time that I began to work with a proud Southern man, my views about the South were quickly replaced with my lunches and family gatherings boasting with Southern mainstays.

Gritts, thick smoked bacon, greens, and well, things that you only saw on TV but weren't readily available in my suburban community, were different. flavorful. delectable.

Even today, southern or "soul food" restaurants are few and far in Los Angeles; and none, from what I have been told, compare to the home-cooking and nouveau-fusion upscale Southern cuisine that is emerging in the most misunderstood parts of the U.S.

The Lee Brothers, the James Beard Award-winning food and travel writers, have embarked on a Southern road trip starting with their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, to do just that: document the food, culture and history of the South.

Their new show "Southern Uncovered with the Lee Bros," is premiering on Ovation TV this Sunday, June 14; and Matt Lee, one half of the Lee Bros, shared his excitement at the recent kick-off reception at the award-winning restaurant Border Grill.

Proudly Southern, Matt told me that "Southern Uncovered with the Lee Bros" would not only honor the long-standing Southern food traditions, but respect the people of these communities, at least; at most, entice me and other viewers of the show to visit the South.

Because, truly, "the South is beautiful," he told me.

I can't wait to find that out.

Ana Lydia

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Recipe: Chicken Curry Salad

Recipe: Chicken Curry Salad

There are days when you want to cook like a chef, and there are days when you want to eat something yummy without a hassle.


This week has been the version of one-of-those-days.
Time aside, I have no energy to make something extraordinary, so I made something fantastic in less than fifteen-minutes...

CHICKEN CURRY SALAD:

Ingredients to prepare Chicken Curry Salad for two:

• 1/4 cooked chicken, deboned and cut into small squares or shredded (I prefer breast and wing)

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons chopped white onion

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1 tablespoon curry powder

Preparation:

• Mix the chicken with the mayonnaise

• Combine the chopped onion and raisins with the chicken/mayo mix

• Sprinkle the curry powder over the chicken mix and fold-over gently until well combined 

• Refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour to let the flavors marinate

• Serve over lettuce, eat alone, or make a sandwich.

Enjoy! 

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Recipe: Spicy Tomato Soup

Recipe: Spicy Tomato Soup

The lovely folks at J.R. Watkins gave me the tasty herbs that helped me create this yummy recipe.

A dear friend of mine is sharing the bounty of her garden by giving me fresh, plump and organic tomatoes!

I love tomatoes and I tend to use them when I cook pasta (my hubby's favorite), but I wanted to attempt to cook something I love to eat when I am out:  Tomato soup.

Tomato soup at it's most basic is a red, runny mess.  But I have also enjoyed flavorful bisque and refreshing summer gazpacho at some of LA's finest restaurants. 

For my first attempt making tomato soup I wanted to create a soup that was hearty and flavorful.  A soup, that when paired with a light salad and dinner bread, could stand as a meal by itself.

Well, I think that for my first try I hit a home run!!

This is my own recipe, which creates a bisque-like in consistency and flavorful tomato soup that can be enjoyed by the most discerning palates.

Ingredients to prepare 4 cups of spicy tomato soup include:

• 10 large tomatoes sliced in half
• 1/4 white onion cut in half
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 serrano pepper sliced in half
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Fresh-ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tomato bouillon square
• 1 teaspoon freeze-dried cilantro leaves

Preparation:

Place all of your tomatoes (flat-side down), onion and garlic in a clay baking dish.
Drizzle with the olive oil and add fresh-ground pepper to taste.
Bake for 15 minutes in a 350 degrees pre-heated oven in the top/middle rack;
then move the dish to the low/middle rack and raise the temperate to 450 degrees for an additional 10 minutes.

Watch your tomatoes and other ingredients closely.
You want them to roast and let-out all their yummy liquid goodness, without burning or drying.

Add all of the ingredients, including all of the liquid and oil from your baking dish in your blender.
Add the cilantro and tomato bouillon cube.
Use the "liquefy" option in your blender until the ingredients finish in a smooth consistency.

Serve immediately, and garnish with croutons.

Please let me know if you try this recipe.  Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did!

The lovely folks at J.R. Watkins gave me the tasty herbs that helped me create this flavorful soup. No financial compensation was provided. Recipe and photos are my own.

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