Celebrated in the 2012 book, Field to Feast, award-winning chef Hari Pulapaka, founder along with his wife, Jennifer, of Cress Restaurant in Deland, grew up in Mumbai, India, and he is a leader in the sustainable-foods movement in Volusia County. He has formal training at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando. Among his numerous accolades, he has been nominated for the James Beard Award. A busy individual, who has passed the torch in ownership of the Cress Restaurant, he is an author and associate professor of mathematics at Stetson University. We have one of his recipes for a sensational dish.
From Treasures and Pleasures published by the Presbyterian Women’s First Presbyterian Church of Apopka, we have Sweet Sour Pork contributed by Jerry Cottle. You can serve it over rice or fried noodles.
Collards from Southern Living is a recipe I’ve used and loved for years.
From Cooking with Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka, we have Greta Howard’s Bibb Lettuce and Mandarin Orange Salad. I would venture a guess that if you don’t have Mazola corn oil, you could probably get away with your usual vegetable oil.
CHEF HARI PULAPAKA’S GRILLED WAHOO
AND SHRIMP WITH CREOLE VEGETABLES AND
SHIITAKE-THYME GRITS
Recipe from Field to Feast
Grilled Wahoo and Shrimp:
4 (6-oz) wahoo fillets
12 large wild-caught American  shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons extra virgin
  olive oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium
  Creole spice blend, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Coarse salt and freshly ground  black pepper to taste
Creole Vegetables:
2 tablespoons extra virgin
  olive oil
1 cup diced Spanish onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
Coarse salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper,
  to taste
1 cup diced andouille or
  Cajun sausage
1 dry or 3 fresh bay leaves
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup fresh lima beans
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh
  rosemary
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups diced ripe tomatoes
2 cups low-sodium vegetable
  or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh
  parsley
Shiitake-Thyme Grits:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium Spanish onion,
  finely diced
1 dry or 3 fresh bay leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced shiitake  mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground b   black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more as  needed
1-1/2 cups water, or more as  needed
1/2 cup yellow corn grits
Sweet potato chips, for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley, for
  garnish
Marinate the Fish and Shrimp:
Place wahoo and shrimp in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with oil, rubbing to coat, Sprinkle with Creole spice blend and garlic, rubbing to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
Make the Vegetables:
1) Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and red and green peppers and cook 5 minutes or until onion and celery are translucent. Season lightly with salt and pepper. 2) Add sausage and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Add bay leaves, corn, and lima beans and cook 1 minute. Stir in thyme, rosemary, and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and let mixture simmer for about 2 minutes. Add stock and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. 3) Simmer, stirring periodically, about 30 minutes. Add heavy cream and fresh parsley just before serving.
Prepare the Grits:
1) Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, bay leaves, mushrooms, and thyme and cook until onions turn golden brown. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add cream and water. 2) When water and cream to a simmer, slowly whisk in grits. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until mixture is smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook grits, stirring occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
Grill the Wahoo and Shrimp and assemble the dish:
1) Season wahoo and shrimp with salt and pepper. Grill shrimp 2 to 3 minutes, turning once. Grill wahoo, turning once, about 5 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. 2) For each serving, spoon about 1/2 cup cooked grits in a bowl. Top with grilled wahoo and shrimp. Ladle Creole vegetables evenly among servings. Garnish plates with sweet potato chips and parsley.
JERRY COTTLE’S
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Recipe from Treasures
and Pleasures, published
1990 Presbyterian Women, First Presbyterian Church of Apopka
1-1/2 pounds lean pork shoulder cut in 2-inch x 1/2-inch strips
1 large can (2-1/2 cups)
  pineapple chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small green pepper, cut in strips
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
Cooked rice or fried noodles
Brown pork in small amount of hot fat. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer until tender, but do not boil (about 1 hour). Drain pineapple, reserving syrup. Combine sugar and cornstarch, add pineapple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, and salt. Add to pineapple and onion. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Serve over hot fluffy rice or fried noodles and pass extra soy sauce. Yield: 7 servings.
SOUTHERN LIVING’S
COLLARD GREENS
12 hickory-smoked bacon slices,  finely chopped
2 medium-size sweet onions,
  finely chopped
3/4 pound smoked ham, chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 (32-ounce) containers
  chicken broth
3 pounds fresh collard greens,  washed and trimmed
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
Cook bacon in a 10-quart stockpot over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until almost crisp. Add onion, and saute 8 minutes; add ham and garlic, and saute 1 minute. Stir in broth and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 hours or to desired degree of tenderness.
GRETA HOWARD
BIBB LETTUCE AND
MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD
Recipe from Cooking with Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup Mazola corn oil
4 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced dry onion
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 small can Mandarin oranges,  drained
Bibb lettuce broken into
  bite-sized pieces
In a blender, mix sugar, dry mustard, salt, paprika, oil, vinegar and dry onion. When well mixed, add celery seed. Make the day before and refrigerate. Toss together with oranges and lettuce just before serving. Serves 6 to 8.
