Celebrated in the 2012 book, Field to Feast, award-winning chef Hari Pulapaka, founder along with his wife, Jennifer, of the 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.
Mrs. Morris’ Crockpot Roast With Noodles from Plains PotPourri takes six hours in the slow cooker and is terrific for the busy person who wants to have a lovely meal at the end of the day. You only need to add the noodles at the end of cooking, and that might take 15 minutes.
We found a Spinach Souffle recipe in our treasured copy of “What’s Cookin’ in Apopka?” that was published by The Apopka Woman’s Club… we aren’t sure just when, but it was way back yonder! It has some wonderful recipes that were contributed by the fine ladies of the club, many of whom are no longer with us, but fondly remembered.
Cauliflower Milanese, found in Savannah Style, calls for two heads of cauliflower, seasonings, butter and Parmesan cheese. The cauliflower is broken up and cooked before being put into a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes to brown.
Sunshine Pie comes from Stew-Pot Favorites of Zellwood. Claire Ellington has gifted us with this lovely treasure.
CHEF HARI PULAPAKA’S
GRILLED WAHOO
AND SHRIMP WITH CREOLE
VEGETABLES AND
SHITAKE-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
Shitake-Thyme Grits:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
1 dry or 3 fresh bay leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced shitake mush- rooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground 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 come 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.
MRS. KAYE MORRIS’
CROCK POT ROAST ‘N NOODLES
Recipe from PLAINS POT POURRI, Food Favorites of Plains, GA
2- to 3-pound beef roast
1 can Golden Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 soup can of water
4 ounces uncooked noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
Put seasoned roast, after being browned on each side in a frying pan, into the crock pot. Pour soup over the roast and add the water. Cover and cook on high until it comes to a good simmer. Turn to low and cook for 4 to 6 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, add noodles to BOTTOM of crock pot and cook on high.
MRS. L. B. JOHNSON’S
SPINACH SOUFFLE
WHAT’S COOKIN’? IN
APOPKA, FLORIDA
THE APOPKA WOMAN’S CLUB
Butter for sauté plus
2 tablespoons for sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs, separated
1 cup rich milk or light cream
1 cup chopped cooked spinach
1/2 cup thick white sauce
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup grated cheese
Sauté onions in small amount of butter. Make sauce of 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons flour; 1 cup of milk – rich milk or light cream, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Beat yolks until thick and lemon colored. Stir into white sauce and add spinach and cheese. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and turn into greased casserole. Set in pan of hot water and bake in moderate oven 350 degrees about 50 minutes. Serve at once.
CAULIFLOWER MILANESE
Recipe from Savannah Style, a Cookbook by The Junior League
of Savannah, Inc.
2 heads cauliflower
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Boiling water
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Ground white pepper
Wash cauliflower and break into florets. Place in saucepan with salt and sugar, adding boiling water to a depth of 1/2-inch. Bring to a boiling point and cook uncovered for five minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes until barely tender. Place drained florets in buttered shallow baking dish. Cover with melted butter and sprinkle with cheese and pepper. Bake in a preheated 450-degree Fahrenheit oven until slightly brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
GLADYS RICE’S
SUNSHINE PIE
Recipe from Stew-Pot Favorites
of Zellwood
1 can (6 oz) frozen orange juice or (fresh juice)
1 can (6 oz) water
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup apricot juice
1 lb marshmallows
1-2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Whipped cream, if desired
Combine orange juice, pineapple juice, and apricot nectar in a large pan and add marshmallows; heat gently until marshmallows are almost dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir until completely dissolved. Place pan in sink filled with ice water to chill quickly, cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter; press into pan. Chill crust and add filling. Add walnuts and coconut after mixture has cooled. Refrigerate overnight if possible.
