The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (40 page)

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Authors: Charlaine Harris

BOOK: The Sookie Stackhouse Companion
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TIME: PREP TIME 15 MINUTES, COOKING TIME 15 MINUTES, SIMMERING
TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES • SERVES 6–8
INGREDIENTS:
 
½ lb. ground chuck or ground round
2 medium onions, sliced
1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
2 Tbsp. green peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. chili powder or ground cumin
½ tsp. crushed red peppers (or to taste)
1 whole bay leaf
2 cans (16 oz. each) red kidney beans
⅛ tsp. ginger
 
Combine ground beef and sliced onions in a large saucepan. Brown the meat and drain off the fat. Add remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Cover and simmer about 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Tip: Top with shredded cheddar or mozzarella and sour cream.
Variation: Omit the kidney beans for a thicker chili to serve over French fries. Top with cheese and bacon bits for cheesy chili-bacon fries.
Submitted by Mary Helen Klein
MERLOTTE’S CHICKEN STRIPS
 
TIME: PREP TIME 40 MINUTES, MARINATING
TIME 8 HOURS • SERVES 2–4
INGREDIENTS:
 
¼ cup buttermilk or unsweetened yogurt thinned with a touch of milk
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. adobo or ½ tsp. curry powder
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups oil or bacon grease
1 cup flour, as needed
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
 
Mix buttermilk or yogurt, cayenne, and adobo or curry powder into a gallon-sized ziplock freezer bag. Slice meat into thumb-thick strips. Put them in the ziplock bag, mash out all the air, and seal. Allow to marinate 8 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat oil or bacon grease in a large skillet. Season flour with plenty of salt and pepper, and pour into a brown paper bag or a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Shake chicken pieces, a few at a time, in the flour, then fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
Tip: Serve with French fries and either honey mustard or ranch dip.
Submitted by Terri Pine
MITCHELL’S FAVORITE MEATLOAF
 
TIME: PREP TIME 15 MINUTES, BAKING TIME 75 MINUTES • SERVES 4–5
INGREDIENTS:
 
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix together ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, and cheese to form a loaf. Place in a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 75 minutes (a little longer if necessary).
Tips: Can be glazed with your favorite tomato-based sauce 20 minutes before done. Great cold for sandwiches.
Submitted by Charlaine Harris
Supper
 
CALVIN’S CATFISH
 
TIME: PREP TIME APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, COOKING TIME 5–7 MINUTES • SERVES 5
INGREDIENTS:
 
Peanut oil (enough to fill fryer—the typical home fryer holds 2 quarts but
ours holds 10 gallons)
2½ lb. pond-raised catfish fillets (½ lb. per person)
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
½ tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
 
Heat oil in deep fryer to 355 degrees F.
If catfish is frozen, thaw in cold water.
Add cornmeal to a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roll catfish fillets in cornmeal mix, lightly shake off excess mix, and slip fillets into hot oil. Cook the fillets for about 5–7 minutes until they float; they are done when the crust is golden brown. Watch closely so that they do not overcook. Remove and let drain on folded paper towels.
Tip: Serve with coleslaw and hush puppies or French fries. Use ketchup, hot sauce, or tartar sauce for additional seasoning.
Submitted by Joe Jackson
CRAWDAD’S COUNTRY-FRIED STEAK
 
TIME: PREP TIME 45 MINUTES–1 HOUR, BAKING TIME 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES–1 HOUR 25 MINUTES • SERVES 4–5
INGREDIENTS:
 
1½ cups flour (plus ½ cup if using second gravy-making method)
½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
2–3 cups plus 1 cup milk (plus 2 cups if using second gravy-making method)
2 lb. tenderized steak, cut into serving pieces
½ cup cooking oil
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup water
 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine 1½ cups flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl; pour 2–3 cups milk into a separate bowl. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture, dip it in the milk, then dredge it in the flour mixture again. Heat oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the meat and brown it. You may need to add more oil.
When all the meat is browned, place it in a glass pan, whatever size will serve, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Leave a little space between the pieces. Pour the water around the meat and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, then remove aluminum foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
While meat is baking, pour the leftover seasoned flour into the leftover milk. You will need to add more milk when it’s time to make the gravy, probably another cup. If this process seems unhygienic to you, discard the seasoned flour and leftover milk. Instead, while meat is baking, combine ½ cup flour, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 cups fresh milk.
Drain most of the grease out of the skillet the meat was browned in, leaving enough to make the amount of gravy desired, usually about ¼ cup of grease or less. When the meat is almost done, reheat the grease. Slowly add the flour and milk mixture, stirring constantly until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove meat from oven, remove foil, and pour gravy over meat. Serve immediately.
Submitted by Charlaine Harris
CROSSROADS JAMBALAYA
 
TIME: 45 MINUTES • SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS:
 
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 boneless chicken breast, cubed
2 hot smoked sausages, andouille, or hot links
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice (not instant, uncooked)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Cajun spice (2 tsp. cayenne, 2 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. oregano, ½ tsp.
thyme), to taste
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup chunky hot salsa
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
 
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or frying pan. Brown the chicken, sausage, onion, bell pepper, rice, and garlic until the onion and rice are translucent. Drain if necessary. Add the salt, Tabasco sauce, Cajun spice, and stock. Bring to a boil. Sprinkle the salsa and black beans over the surface. Taste and add any additional seasoning now. Bring to a boil again, and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Do not stir. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Remove from the heat. Leave covered for 5 minutes. Toss and serve.
Submitted by Ali Katz

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