Kings of Southern cooking fire up the grill
Brothers Matt and Ted Lee have made a name for themselves with their best-selling cookbooks.
They wrote "The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook" and "Simple, Fresh, Southern" -- and on Thursday, The International Association of Culinary Professionals named "Simple, Fresh, Southern" best American cookbook of the year.
Their mail-order catalog, "The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalog," also put them on the culinary map.
Hailing from Charleston, S.C., Matt and Ted are true Southern Gentleman.
As "Chefs on a Shoestring" on "The Early Show on Saturday Morning," they tried to make an early summer, farm fresh barbecue meal for four on our budget of just $40.
And, our "Shoestring" chefs are automatically entered in our "How Low Can You Go?" competition. The one (or in this case, ones, should Matt and Ted top the field!) with the lowest ingredients cost will be invited back to whip up the feast for our year-end holiday extravaganza.
What's more, viewers have a say in what our "Shoestring" chefs prepare as their main course - by voting via mobile phone on the following week's menu:
MENU
- Bibb lettuce salad with buttermilk lime dressing
- Tomato & Watermelon Gazpacho
- Skirt Steak with Parsley Sauce
- Blackened Potato Salad
- Strawberries and cream with a port sauce
FOOD FACTS
Source: Epicurious.com
Gazpacho: A refreshingly cold, summertime soup hailing from the Andalusia region in southern Spain. This uncooked soup is usually made from a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery, cucumber, bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and sometimes lemon juice. Gazpacho can be a meal in itself, particularly when extra fresh vegetables such as sliced celery, green onion, cucumber and green pepper are added. Popular garnishes include croutons and diced hard-cooked eggs.
Okra: Ethiopian slaves brought the okra plant to America's South, where it's still popular today. The green okra pods have a ridged skin and a tapered, oblong shape. Although available fresh year-round in the South, the season for the rest of the country is from about May through October. When buying fresh okra look for firm, brightly colored pods under 4 inches long. Larger pods may be tough and fibrous. Avoid those that are dull in color, limp or blemished. Refrigerate okra in a plastic bag for up to 3 days. Canned and frozen okra is also available. These green pods can be prepared in a variety of ways including braising, baking and frying. When cooked, okra gives off a rather viscous substance that serves to thicken any liquid in which it is cooked. Throughout the South, it's a favorite ingredient in many dishes, the best known being GUMBO, where it's used both for thickening and for flavor.
Skirt Steak: The term skirt steak refers to a cut of beef steak, from the plate. It is a long, flat cut that is prized for its flavor rather than tenderness. Sometimes a flank steak is used interchangeably with a skirt steak, but it is a different cut of meat. Skirt steak is the cut of choice for making fajitas. To minimize their toughness skirt steaks are either grilled or pan-seared very quickly or cooked very slowly, typically braised. Because of their strong graining skirt steak is sliced across the grain for maximum tenderness. To aid in tenderness and flavor, they are also often marinated.
RECIPES
Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 jalapeno chile, preferably red
- 2 cups seedless watermelon chunks (3/4 pounds)
- 1 small garlic clove, mashed to a paste
- 1 pound tomatoes, cored
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
METHOD:
1. Roast the jalapeno over a gas flame until lightly charred all over. Using a paper towel, rub off as much of the blistered skin as possible. Trim the stem, remove the seeds, and transfer the chile to a blender. Add the watermelon and garlic and puree; transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Score the tomato bottoms with an X. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and blanch for 10 seconds to loosen their skins. Transfer the tomatoes to the ice water to cool.
3. Peel the tomatoes and halve them crosswise. Working over a sieve set in a bowl, pry out the seeds. Press on the seeds to extract the juice, then discard them. Transfer the tomatoes and their juices to the blender and puree. Stir the tomato puree into the watermelon puree along with the vinegar and season the gazpacho with salt. Cover with plastic wrap, chill completely in the refrigerator and serve on a hot day.
For more of Matt and Lee's recipes, go to page 2.
Skirt Steak with Parsley Sauce
Serves 4
Time: 20 Minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4 steaks about 8 inches long
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 bunch (about 8 ounces) flat-leaf Italian parsley, trimmed of its toughest stems
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chile flakes
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
METHOD:
1. Season each of the four steaks on both sides with the salt and set them aside.
2. Stuff the parsley into the bowl of a food processor, and add the remaining salt, the garlic, and the chile flakes. Pulse several times, pausing to push toward the blade any parsley that sticks to the side of the processor bowl, until the parsley is thoroughly chopped. With the food processor running, add the vinegar to the parsley in a thin stream, followed by the olive oil, until the mixture is just shy of smooth (it should be slightly toothsome). Reserve in a small bowl. You should have about 1 1/3 cups of parsley sauce.
3. Pat the steaks with paper towels to absorb any moisture on their surfaces, and season each side with 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Open the kitchen windows, if feasible, turn on the ventilation fan, and pour the canola oil into a warmed 12-inch skillet, sauté pan, or over high heat, tilting the pan around as the oil heats until the entire pan-bottom is coated with a thin sheen. When the oil begins to smoke, sear the steaks in batches, two at a time, and taking care not to crowd them in the pan, until each side is nicely browned, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent them loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest five minutes before slicing across the grain into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange about 1/2 pound of steak (8 to 10 slices) on each of four plates and spoon the parsley sauce liberally over them. Serve immediately.
Bibb Lettuce and Charred Okra Salad with Buttermilk-Lime Dressing
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves washed and torn
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
- 8 ounces fresh okra, tops trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup whole or low fat buttermilk
- 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 3-4 limes)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil
- 1/4 cup finely minced green onions
- 1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
1. Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl.
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle until very hot and brush lightly with oil. In a medium bowl, toss the okra with the oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook the okra over high heat (in batches if necessary; take care not to crowd the pan), turning once, until charred and tender, about 3 minutes per batch, and scatter over the lettuce (fine if the heat from the okra wilts the lettuce leaves).
3. In the same bowl you used for tossing the okra, whisk the buttermilk, lime juice, olive oil, honey, basil, green onions, parsley, and remaining salt together until thoroughly combined, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour over the lettuce and okra, toss, and serve.
Blackened Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 5 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
- 1/4 cup dried oregano
- 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups top-quality store-bought mayonnaise, such as Duke's or Hellmann's
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
METHOD:
1. Fill an 8-quart stockpot with water, add 1/4 cup salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until just fork-tender, about 9 minutes.
2. Mix the paprika, cornmeal, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, and thyme thoroughly together in a large bowl.
3. Drain the potatoes and let cool completely. Toss half the potatoes in the bowl until they are coated evenly and well with the spice mixture. Transfer to a coarse-gauged strainer or colander, and shake off any excess spice mixture. Place in a second large bowl. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and reserve. Discard any excess spice mixture and wipe the first bowl clean.
4. Turn the ventilation fan to high and open all windows. Pour 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or large sauté pan over high heat and tilt the pan to coat the bottom thinly and evenly. When the oil begins to smoke, add half the potatoes and cook, shaking the pan frequently, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter and cook for 4 minutes more, continuing to shake the pan, until the potatoes are blackened. Transfer to the clean bowl. With a metal spatula, scrape up any bits of char and blackened spice that cling to the pan and discard. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Add the remaining potatoes and repeat until blackened, then transfer to the bowl.
5. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, green onion, and cilantro, if desired, to the blackened potatoes and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated, about 1 minute.
6. Serve immediately, with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, or refrigerate for up to two days.
When serving leftovers that have been refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving.
Strawberries with Sour Cream & Port Syrup
Serves 4
Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups tawny port
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, quartered (about 1 quart)
- 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
METHOD:
1. Pour the port into a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sugar, and stir. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and continue to simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Covered, port syrup will keep in the refrigerator about 1 week; warm the syrup in a microwave before serving.
2. Divide the strawberries among 4 bowls and top with dollops of sour cream. Pour about 2 tablespoons of the warm port syrup over each serving.
So, how did Matt and Ted do in our "How Low Can You Go?" competition?
Their grand total: $38.90
Our Leaders Board to date this year:
1.Marco Canora $36.33
Hearth
2.Michael Psilakis $36.56
MP Taverna
3. Michael Lomonaco $36.82
Porter House