We know it simply as Southern food, but many of the familiar dishes we love have ties to specific states and even cities. Travel the South with these localized specialties that have a following beyond their state lines.
Photo by Michael Phillips
KENTUCKY HOT BROWN
SERVES 2
Named for the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, the Hot Brown is an open-faced turkey sandwich topped with a cheese sauce, bacon and tomato. Created as a late-night snack for party-goers, it’s a favorite dish during the Kentucky Derby, served with a mint julep.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 slices Texas toast (1-inch thick), crust trimmed
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups heavy cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Pinch of nutmeg
Kosher salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste
2 slices turkey, ½-inch thick
4 slices bacon
2 thick slices beefsteak tomatoes
Paprika for garnish
Chopped parsley for garnish
Grated cheddar cheese for garnish
Preheat oven broiler. Place ½ tablespoon butter in each of two oven-safe, single-serving dishes; melt on stovetop over medium heat. Add one slice Texas toast to each dish, and brown on each side. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, melt 1½ tablespoons butter. Add flour, and whisk until combined. Continue to cook about 2 minutes. Whisk in cream, and cook until mixture starts to thicken to a gravy-like consistency, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ½ cup grated cheddar, nutmeg, salt and pepper. (If sauce is too thick, add cream; if too thin, add cheese.)
Place a slice of turkey on each browned bread slice. In each dish, pour half of the cheese sauce, completely covering bread and turkey. Sprinkle with additional grated cheddar, and place under broiler until cheese begins to bubble and brown. Remove from oven, and crisscross 2 slices of bacon on each dish. Top each with a tomato slice, and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, chopped parsley and grated cheddar.
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TENNESSEE SPICY-HOT CHICKEN
Photo by Gina Moore
SERVES 4–6
This “hot” favorite from Nashville consists of fried chicken dipped in a spicy sauce. It’s traditionally served on white bread to soak up the tangy goodness, with bread-and-butter pickles on the side.
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup buttermilk
2–3 tablespoons hot sauce (your favorite)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cup shortening
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Canola or vegetable oil
4–6 slices white bread
Bread-and-butter pickles
In a large, zippered plastic bag, combine buttermilk and hot sauce, and shake to mix. Add chicken pieces, and marinate overnight in refrigerator. Place a large dish under the plastic bag to catch any leaks.
Remove chicken from refrigerator and from plastic bag, and pat dry using paper towels. In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, whisking to evenly distribute salt. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, and place on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with a wire rack. Allow to rest 10–15 minutes, then dredge again and replace on wire rack.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt shortening and butter together. Add cayenne, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Cook until sauce starts to boil, about 3 minutes. Stir again, and remove from heat; keep warm until ready to use.
In a large, cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add about 1 inch of oil, and bring to 350 F. Place chicken pieces in hot oil, a few at a time, skin side down. Cook about 6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 F. Do not crowd the pan. Some pieces will cook faster than others; remove from pan when they reach 165 F. Drain on wire rack. Dip cooked chicken pieces in warm sauce, and serve each on a slice of bread, with pickles on the side.
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ALABAMA CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK
Photo by Gina Moore
SERVES 4
Chicken-fried steak is a cubed beef cutlet breaded and fried like chicken. Versions vary around the South; this one is served with a generous helping of milk gravy.
4 4-ounce cube-steak cutlets
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
Chopped chives for garnish
Season cutlets with salt and pepper, and set aside. In one shallow bowl, pour buttermilk. In another shallow bowl, combine flour and bread crumbs. Dredge cutlets in buttermilk, shaking off excess, then dredge in flour. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with a wire rack. Allow to rest 10–15 minutes, then dredge again in flour only, and replace on wire rack.
In a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and bring to 350 F. Cook cutlets 5–6 minutes per side, until brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter or wire rack, and keep warm.
Reserve about 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet, and saute onions until translucent. Sprinkle flour into skillet, and whisk to coat onions and scrape up brown bits on bottom of skillet. Gradually add milk; whisk until thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Taste; add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve cutlets topped with gravy and garnished with chives.
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MISSISSIPPI-STYLE SUCCOTASH
Photo by Michael Phillips
SERVES 4–6
Succotash is a perfect side dish at any Southern meal. This is my family’s Mississippi Delta version. There’s no right or wrong recipe; just start with the basics—lima beans and corn—and tweak as you like. Made with bacon, it’s a meal in itself.
3 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled into large pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ Vidalia onion, chopped
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans
1 cup fresh or frozen okra, sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Parsley for garnish
In a medium pan over medium heat, heat oil; add onions and bell peppers, and saute until onions are translucent. Add garlic, and cook an additional minute. Lower heat to medium-low, and add corn and lima beans. Cook until tender, 6–8 minutes. Add okra, and cook another 3–5 minutes. (Add oil, if needed.) Add tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper and cooked bacon pieces. Toss with butter, honey and/or lemon juice, and garnish with parsley.
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BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef and food writer who lives in Trenton, where she is a member of Aiken Electric Cooperative. She has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and is certified in wine studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Her articles have been published in several regional magazines and in her blog, “The Flying Foodie.”