Marvin Woods has so many wonderful recipes, this week’s column is dedicated to them. He shares his recipe for Spicy Pulled Pork Shoulder in his book titled The New Low-Country Cooking. He adds in a note, “Ask the butcher to bone the shoulder. Basically, you want to tie the pork several (five to seven) rings around to ensure that it doesn’t fall apart during the cooking process. Leave 1 to 2 inches between the rings.”
Marvin says in The New Low-Country Cooking, “I created this all-purpose flavoring mixture using three different types of chiles. The ancho is a smoked chile that registers around 6 or 7 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. Jalapenos rank about 5 or 6, and habaneros (or Scotch bonnets) are at 10. This paste has two purposes. One, of course, is to provide heat. The other is to add complexity to whatever you use it in because of the smoky flavor of the ancho chiles. I strongly suggest that you use this paste a little at a time and then taste the dish. Remember, you can always add more, but can’t take it away!”
Pan-Fried Catfish also from his book, The New Low-Country Cooking, calls for nice big catfish fillets and buttermilk, sherry and two kinds of vinegar, along with sundry other ingredients. Marvin Woods says, “Catfish are bottom-dwellers, so they pick up a distinctive earthy flavor. Today, most catfish are farm-raised, which means they are bred in pretty clear water and are fed wheat and corn pellets. This makes the fish a lot sweeter and more subtle in flavor. This fish can be eaten with just a squeeze of lemon or served with Bread-n-Butter Pickle Mayonnaise.
Here is another of Marv’s recipes. This one is for Sweet Potato Fries, and it looks scrump-dilly-icious! He says, “Simple to make, these are a nice change of pace from ordinary French fries. I serve these fries with steak or pork chops, but they work well with most anything that you would ordinarily serve with French fries. Try sprinkling them with Marv Spice or dunking them in Marv’s Hot Sauce or another favorite hot sauce.
Bread-n-Butter Pickle Mayonnaise from Marv’s book is used as a spread for sandwiches, a dip for chips, and even as a dressing for a salad. It’s quick and easy to make and adds a lot of character to whatever dish you serve it with. It is also used as an ingredient in some of his recipes. See the recipe, below.
SPICY PULLED PORK SHOULDER
The New Low-Country Cooking
by Marvin Woods
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
rosemary leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1 tablespoon Chili Paste (see
recipe below), or 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce plus 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
One 6- to 8-pound boneless pork shoulder
1/2 celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 cups water
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2) In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, herbs, Chili Paste, salt, and both (cayenne and black) peppers. Rub the pork all over with the mixture. Tie the pork before cooking (see note). 3) Place the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan, and cover with the water. Place the pork on top of the vegetables and cook for 40 minutes. Turn the pork. Continue cooking for about 40 minutes per pound, or until the pork is tender enough to be shredded with a fork. 4) When the pork is done, remove it from the pan. Let the meat cool down to the point where you can work with it without burning yourself. Using a fork, pull pieces off until you have shredded all the meat. (There may be some big pieces that you have to cut with a knife.) 5) Transfer the vegetables and juices in the bottom of the pan to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process until almost smooth. Strain through a medium sieve. Serve this as a sauce, a spread, or add chicken or vegetable stock and use to reheat the pork in.
MARV’s CHILI PASTE
The New Low-Country Cooking
by Marvin Woods
1 cup dried ancho chiles
1/2 cup warm water
4 to 5 fresh jalapeno peppers, stemmed
1-1/2 to 2 cups fresh habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable oil
First and most important, use gloves when you are working with the chiles.
Place the ancho chiles in the warm water and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the chiles and drain off the excess water. Place the ancho chiles, jalapenos, and habaneros in the container of a blender. While adding the oil in a slow steady stream, process the peppers until a puree is formed. Store in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
PAN-FRIED CATFISH
The New Low-Country Cooking
by Marvin Woods
Six 8- to 10-ounce catfish fillets (preferably farm-raised)
SHERRIED BUTTERMILK
MARINADE:
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sherry
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar plus
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons celery seeds
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
BREADING:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
1) In a large bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Place the catfish in a large shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the fish, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours. 2) In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine all the breading ingredients. Remove the catfish from the marinade, letting excess run back into the dish. Dredge the fillets in the breading mixture to lightly coat both sides; shake off any excess. 3) In a large skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully lower the fillets into the pan. Cook until the fillets are lightly browned and the flesh is opaque throughout when flaked with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spatula to remove the fish to a warmed serving plate.
BREAD-n-BUTTER PICKLE
MAYONNAISE
The New Low-Country Cooking
by Marvin Woods
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped bread-and- butter pickles
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
In a medium bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Taste and check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
SWEET POTATO FRIES
The New Low-Country Cooking
by Marvin Woods
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Vegetable oil for deep frying
6 sweet potatoes, cut into julienne strips
In a small bowl, stir together the nutmeg, chili powder, cayenne, celery salt, coriander, and cumin. In a deep fryer or a large deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees Fahrenheit on a deep-fat thermometer. Add the sweet potato strips and cook until crispy and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to several layers of paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with the spice mixture.
