Fried Mullet and Jalapeño Cheese Grits recipes are good together

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From Beignets Caribbean Cafe in Jacksonville, Joyce LaFray Young’s book, Country Cookin’, here is their recipe for Red Beans. It requires overnight soaking of the beans. You will also need to stock up on diced ham or a pound of sausage which you add in the last half hour of cooking.

Joyce Young’s book contains a couple of recipes from Mama Lo’s soul food restaurant that used to be in Gainesville. It was known to be a popular place to eat, serving a couple hundred customers during lunch and even more at dinner. It closed in 1995. But here is Mama Lo’s recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers.

Also from Country Cookin’, we have another dish from Beignets Caribbean Cafe in Jacksonville, that looks very good; it is Shrimp Creole. You need two pounds of fresh raw shrimp. This is how they prepare the dish in their restaurant.

Country Cookin’ introduces us to Spring Creek Restaurant in Wakulla County which serves baked Jalapeno Cheese Grits.

Fried Mullet and Backbone is unique to the area of Spring Creek. They eat the meat off the bones along with the cracker meal. Try it before passing judgment! This is another Joyce LaFray Young contribution from Spring Creek Restaurant in Wakulla County.

Real Key Lime Pie from Country Cookin’, which note says “The world famous pie – straight from the area it was named for!” This recipe comes from Capt. Bob’s Shrimp Dock in Key West. He advises, “Do NOT use bottled juice!” He says it takes 5 minutes to prepare! But chill 2-3 hours before serving.

BEIGNETS CARIBBEAN CAFÉ’S RED BEANS

(Allow to Soak Overnight)

Recipe from

Country Cookin’ by

Joyce LaFray Young

1 pound dry kidney beans (red    beans)

2 large onions chopped

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon parsley

Dash or two of hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash Worcestershire sauce

1 pound sausage and/or diced    ham

1) Soak beans overnight in 4 cups water in large saucepan. Rinse several times. Cover well with water. 2) Add onions, garlic, and bay leaf. Simmer for at least 2 hours or until beans are tender and soft. 3) Add remaining ingredients and cook for 1/2 hour more. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice or with buttery tasting crackers alongside. Serves 4.

MAMA LO’S

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Recipe from

Country Cookin’ by

Joyce LaFray Young

6 large, whole green peppers

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 onion (chopped)

1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup cooked rice (long grain    white)

1/2 stalk celery (chopped)

Several dashes Worcestershire    sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1) Cut off 1/2-inch of peppers at stem end. Discard center stem. Chop remaining tops. Clean out peppers of seeds and pulp. 2) Combine chopped portion of the pepper with all remaining ingredients, mix well. Stuff into prepared whole green peppers. 3) Place stuffed peppers in 9 x 11-inch aluminum pan with 1 cup water in bottom. Cover with aluminum foil. 4) Bake in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes. Cover with brown gravy and serve.

Brown Gravy:

2 cups water

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons beef base

   (instant bouillon)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

4 tablespoons cornstarch in

   1/4 cup water

5) Place all Brown Gravy ingredients, except corn starch and water mixture in sauce pan and bring to rapid boil. 6) Reduce heat and add cornstarch and water mixture. Heat until gravy reaches a thick consistency.

Serves 6.

Note: “The brown gravy adds a nice touch to an old favorite.”

BEIGNETS CARIBBEAN CAFÉ’S SHRIMP CREOLE

Recipe from

Country Cookin’ by

Joyce LaFray Young

2 pounds medium shrimp

   (in shells)

2-1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 large onion (diced)

1 green pepper (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 cups tomato paste

2 tablespoons fresh parsley       (minced)

3-4 scallions (cut crosswise)

Salt and pepper to taste

1) Shell and clean shrimp. Place shells in water and cook to make stock. Put shrimp aside. 2) In large skillet, brown butter, add flour and stir to make paste. 3) Brown onions, green pepper, and garlic in skillet with paste. 4) Drain stock from shells and add 2 cups of stock to skillet along with tomato paste. Cook for 1 hour or until thick. 5) Add shrimp, parsley, scallions, salt and pepper. 6) Cook until shrimp are tender. Do not overcook. Serve over rice. Serves six.

SPRING CREEK’S

JALAPENO CHEESE GRITS

Recipe from

Country Cookin’ by

Joyce LaFray Young

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup grits

1/4 cup margarine

4 ounces Jalapeno cheese (diced)

1 egg beaten

1/3 cup evaporated milk

2 dashes Tabasco Sauce

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Paprika

1) In large saucepan, heat water and salt to boiling. Add grits. 2) Reduce heat and slowly cook until almost done. Stir several times. 3) Add margarine and cheese. Stir until melted. 4) Add egg, milk, and Tabasco Sauce. Stir until well mixed. 5) Grease a 1-1/2-quart casserole. Add grits. Cover top with bread crumbs. Sprinkle with paprika. 6) Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Note: “Spicy and hot… you’ll love it!”

SPRING CREEK’S

FRIED MULLET AND BACKBONE

Recipe from

Country Cookin’ by

Joyce LaFray Young

4 mullet fillets (from small to

   medium fish)

Seasoned salt

1 cup cracker meal

Oil for frying

Backbone with tail attached

   from fillets

1) Sprinkle mullet fillets with seasoned salt. 2) Pat cracker meal on fillets to cover. 3) Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep fat fry fillets for 10 minutes. 4) Take fishback and tail bones and dip in cracker meal. Fry for 5 minutes. 5) Serve fillets and backbones together. Serves two – four.

REAL KEY LIME PIE

Recipe from

Country Cookin’ by

Joyce LaFray Young

5 egg yolks

1 can sweetened condensed milk

5 ounces (scant 2/3 cup)

   Key Lime juice

Graham cracker crust

Meringue or whipped cream,

   optional

1) In bowl, blend egg yolks and condensed milk, 2) Add lime juice – quickly while stirring. 3) Pour mixture into crust. 4) Chill. 5) Add toppings, if desired.

Note: If unable to get Key Lime juice, use equal amounts of juice from fresh limes and lemons. Do NOT use bottled juice.

Serves six – eight.