Enjoy a Southern-style Thanksgiving
Years of schooling has taught us to believe that Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving feast in colonial Massachusetts in 1621. Hence we celebrate each year with cranberries, corn and other foodstuffs typical of the Northeastern harvest.
Yet the first Thanksgiving actually took place two years earlier in Virginia when colonists at the Berkley Plantation on the James River kneeled down to give thanks.
"We ordaine (sic) that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God," proclaimed Captain John Woodlief.
"No Indians and probably no food, although bacon, peas, cornmeal cakes and cinnamon water have been mentioned," according to author Jean Anderson. Anderson recounts that first Thanksgiving in "A Love Affair with Southern Cooking" (2007 William Morrow, $32.50), noting that ironically nobody remembered the event -- let alone celebrated it -- for 300 years. Then in 1958 a group of determined Virginians, calling themselves the Virginia First Thanksgiving Festival, Inc. set out to reclaim the holiday.
While the role of food was downplayed in that early Thanksgiving, Southern cooks today make up for that in spades, piling the table high with roasted turkey, molasses-braised ham and a myriad of regional delicacies.
"This is the land of cornbread; we have a gazillion ways to do cornbread," Anderson says.
Guests might find this signature dish on the table in the form of corn sticks or muffins, or crumbled into the dressing ala Southern cooking diva Paul Deen.
That's dressing, mind you, not stuffing.
"We like a good dressing," notes James Villas, author of "The Glory of Southern Cooking" (2007 Wiley, $34.95). "You might put some in the bird, but we also have some in a pan baked by itself. I much prefer it that way, with the top that's gotten kind of crispy."
Vidalia onions, those sweet orbs from the Georgia county of the same name, baked into a cheesy gratin and sauteed Brussels sprouts might be on the table as well.
"A Southerner will not eat Brussels sprouts unless they are out-of-the-field fresh," Villas says. Villas recommends they be boiled just till they're tender, then sauteed "in a swish of butter" and topped with crumbled pecans.
Villas and Anderson describe large gatherings best served buffet-style with many hands contributing to the feast.
"Very often with big Southern families, you make it a potluck-type of thing," says Anderson, who makes her home in Raleigh, N.C.
"The hostess does the turkey and others come with make-ahead sides." Her aforementioned onion gratin, for example, travels well and can be reheated in the microwave. Her sweet potato biscuits can be mixed and cut and ready to pop into the oven after the turkey comes out.
Traditional Southern desserts can be made ahead as well.
"Ambrosia is simple and classic," Anderson says, adding that the layered citrus and coconut dish is a refreshing option for ending the meal. The true Southern recipe should not be confused with Yankee versions that contain whipped cream, marshmallows, pineapple and maraschino cherries.
Both Anderson and Villas agree that no holiday meal would be complete without persimmons pudding. Persimmons grow wild in the South and are ripe when they fall off the trees.
"Wait for them to naturally fall from the tree or else they'll turn your mouth inside out," she says of the astringent fruit.
Agrees Villas, "There is nothing more awful than a summer persimmons.
"But once fall comes persimmons pudding is one of the great desserts of the world," says Villas, who hails from Mecklenburg County N.C., an area known for the reddish-orange fruit.
Villas prefers his Thanksgiving meal taken in the early evening, but acknowledges that he bucks the norm.
Eat the meal any earlier, he says, and you're full and tired but it's too early to go to bed.
With people coming "from all points of the South," Anderson says the traditional meal hour has been creeping from noon back a few hours.
Anderson has been on tour promoting her book and will be among those traveling this year.
"I'm thankful that I'm not cooking," she says.
Gratin of Vidalia Onions
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, divided
4 large Vidalia onions, halved lengthwise, then each half sliced ¼-inch thick (about 4 pounds)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
¼ teaspoon crumbled leaf thyme
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup half-and-half
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Topping
1½ cups moderately coarse soft bread crumbs
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart gratin dish or shallow casserole and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy skillet over moderately high heat, add the onions, and saute for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until soft. Transfer to the gratin dish.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over moderate heat; blend in the flour, salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
In a 2-cup measure, combine the half-and-half and chicken broth, then slowly add to the skillet, whisking all the while. Continue whisking for 3-5 minutes or until thickened and smooth. Blend in the parmesan, taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed. Pour the sauce over the onions, spreading to the edge.
Quickly make the topping by tossing all ingredients together. Scatter evenly on top of the sauce and onions. Bake uncovered on the middle oven shelf for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling and tipped with brown. Serve at once.
Serves six to eight.
Nutrition values per serving: 270 calories, 14 g fat (9 g saturated), 31 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 7 g protein, 40 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium.
"A Love Affair with Southern Cooking" by Jean Anderson (2007 William Morrow, $32.50)
Sweet Potato Biscuits
1¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup firmly packed lard or vegetable shortening
1 cup firmly packed unseasoned mashed sweet potato (about 1 large potato; see note below)
¾ cup milk
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl; then, using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the lard until the texture of coarse meal. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture.
Combine the mashed sweet potato and milk in a small bowl, whisking until smooth; pour into the well in the flour mixture and mix briskly until the dough holds together.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, sprinkle a little flour over the top, and with well-floured hands, pat the dough out until ¾-inch thick (it is too soft and sticky to roll).
Using a well-floured 2¾-inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough into rounds and arrange on ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1½ inches apart. Gather the scraps of dough, pat out and cut as before.
Bake the biscuits in the lower third of the oven 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve hot with plenty of butter.
Serves 12.
Cook's note: Bake the sweet potato for this recipe instead of boiling it because it will be less watery and have richer flavor (1 hour at 400 degrees is about right).
Nutrition values per serving: 140 calories, 4.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein, 0 cholesterol, 250 mg sodium.
"A Love Affair with Southern Cooking" by Jean Anderson (2007 William Morrow, $32.50)
Ambrosia
4 large oranges
1 large grapefruit
2 cups grated fresh coconut
½ cup crushed pecans
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup confectioners' sugar
Peel the oranges and grapefruit, cutting away all the white pith, then carefully remove the sections from the membranes that surround them and discard any seeds.
Arrange a layer of the mixed sections in the bottom of a large crystal bowl and sprinkle a little of the coconut and pecans over the top. Repeat the layers till the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of coconut and pecans. Drizzle the orange juice over the top, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill well.
Serve in crystal compote dishes and sprinkle top of each portion with confectioners' sugar.
Serves six.
Nutrition values per serving: 290 calories, 16 g fat (9 g saturated), 36 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 3 g protein, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg sodium.
"The Glory of Southern Cooking" by James Villas (2007 Wiley, $34.95)
Persimmon Pudding with Hard Sauce
2 cups boiling water
4 large, ripe persimmons, stemmed, rinsed well, peeled if desired.
1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2½ cups half-and-half
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
Sauce
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter and set aside.
For the pudding: Pour the boiling water over the persimmons in a large mixing bowl; stir for about 2 minutes, then drain in a colander. Run the persimmons through a food mill (do not use a food processor) to produce 2 cups of pulp, then, in large mixing bowl, combine the pulp, brown sugar and eggs, and beat with a fork till well-blended. If the mixture tastes sour, add a bit more sugar.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices, and stir this mixture alternately with the half-and-half into the persimmon mixture. Add the melted butter and stir till well-blended and smooth. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake till firm, about 1½ hours.
For the sauce: Combine the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer till light and fluffy. Add the salt and vanilla and beat well, then add the cream and beat till the sauce is smooth. (Do not chill this sauce for any length of time, which would alter the texture.) Serve the pudding warm topped with the hard sauce.
Serves 10 to 12.
Editor's note: If you can't find large Southern persimmons, substitute the Japanese variety. You'll need 6 to 8 fruits to get 2 cups of pulp.
Nutrition values per serving: 430 calories, 20 g fat (12 g saturated), 58 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein, 110 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium.
"The Glory of Southern Cooking" by James Villas (2007 Wiley, $34.95)
Succotash in Peppers
1 package (8 ounces) andouille sausage, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh okra, sliced
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) frozen lima beans, thawed
1 package (10 ounces) frozen niblet corn, thawed
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 tablespoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
6-7 medium red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet.
In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in okra, zucchini, lima beans, corn, tomatoes and green chilies, hot sauce, and salt; cover, and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Spoon mixture evenly into red bell peppers. Place peppers on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs. Bake 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 12 to 14.
Nutrition values per serving: 130 calories, 3.5 g fat (1 g saturated), 21 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 7 g protein, 10 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium.
Paula Deen Magazine, November/December 2007
Southern Corn Bread Dressing
2 tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable oil
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
¾ cup buttermilk
7 eggs, divided
4 slices white bread, dried in the oven and crumbled
40 saltine crackers (1 sleeve), crumbled
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
7 cups chicken stock
Heat the oven to 400 degree. Grease an 8-inch square or round metal pan with the bacon grease or vegetable oil.
Combine the cornmeal, flour, buttermilk and 2 eggs in a 1-quart bowl and mix well with a metal spoon. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until very lightly browned on the top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan until cool enough to handle. Crumble when cool.
In a large bowl, combine the crumbled corn bread, white bread, and saltine crackers. In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the celery and onion and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauteed vegetables over the corn bread mixture. Add the salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
About 1½ hours before you want to serve your meal, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Add the stock to the corn bread mixture. Stir in the remaining eggs, beaten. The mixture will be very soupy. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake the dressing for 50 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned.
Nutrition values per serving: 170 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated), 15 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 6 g protein, 95 mg cholesterol, 410 mg sodium.
"Paula Dean Celebrates!" by Paula Dean (2006 Simon & Schuster, $26.00)