Mom Ollies Black-eyed Pea Soup (naturally Gluten Free)

This can possibly be the only bean to be called a “pea”. Its origins can be traced back to West Africa. It was the primary food consumed by slaves during their voyages to the West Indies, and remained a basic staple in their diet. Because of the slave trade, the beans eventually made its way America; but they were not widely accepted as a food source until after the American Revolution.

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for prosperity is not only an African American tradition; it is also practiced by the Sephardi and Israeli Jews at Rosh Hoshana.

* My Grandmother, Marie, like most from the "old school", preferred to soak the peas overnight. But for those who do not have the time or patience, simply cook the peas for 3 minutes in a pot of boiling water, remove and let sit for 45 minutes to an hour. There’s not much difference, but personally, I think the peas have a better consistency when allowed to soak naturally overnight. 
2 lbs black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1 pound bacon (pork or turkey), chopped
6 smoked ham hocks or 10 turkey necks
2 large yellow onions, chopped
Kosher or Regular salt (sea salt can be added)


After the soaking overnight or quick time boiling, drain and rinse black-eyed peas.

Place black-eyed peas, bacon, ham hocks, chopped onion in a medium pot and add enough water to cover the black-eyed peas by 1 inch.

Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to low and let black-eyed peas simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Periodically check the peas with a fork for tenderness then remove from heat.

Transfer ham hocks or turkey necks to a bowl. Let cool, remove meat from the hocks and add it into black eyed peas.

Season with salt to taste and serve



                  

Gluten Free Jalapeno Hush Puppies

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  Civil War Camp Scene. Cooks at Work circa 1860-1865

      Matthew Brady Nat'l Photographic Art Gallery, Washington, DC

 

John Mariani wrote, “Hush Puppies are a popular "down South" twist on an ancient culinary theme. Thousands of years ago Romans and Greeks made fritters. The fritters consisted of deep fried flour mixed with milk, eggs, spices, and honey. These ancient cooks also sometimes coated their fish and other meats with similar concoctions before frying. Presumably, the practice of cooking leftover coating was one of sensibility and frugality. "Hush Puppy”, a dumpling of cornmeal that is deep-fried, especially popular in the South. The term appears in print for the first time about 1915.

 

Although unconfirmed, the common assumption regarding the hushpuppy's origin is that it dates from the period of scarcity following the Civil War, when cooks would toss scraps of corn batter to hungry dogs with the words "Hush Puppies!" But the Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins cites a Southern reader's account that in the South the aquatic reptile called the salamander was often known as a "water dog" or "water puppy"...These were deep-fried with cornmeal dough and formed into sticks, and, so the account goes, they were called "hush puppies" because eating such lowly food was not something a southern wife would want known to her neighbors." 

 

6 cups Bob's Red Mill All-purpose Gluten Free Flour

3 cups Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal

1 cup white sugar

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Rumford baking powder

5 large eggs

3 green bell peppers (minced)

3 medium white onions (minced)

1 (14 ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (14 ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 cup chopped Jalapeno peppers

2 quartsvegetable oil for frying

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, cheese, baking powder, salt, black pepper, eggs, bell peppers, onions, cream-style corn, whole kernel corn, and Jalapeno peppers in a large bowl.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F.
 

Drop 6 to 8 tablespoon-sized balls of batter into the hot oil; fry until each hush puppy is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

 

Remove hush puppies with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

 

Repeat with remaining batter.

 

Serve with tartar sauce
 

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Gluten Free Fluffy Butter Biscuits

 

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“The American meaning for biscuit was first noted by John Palmer in his Journal of Travels in the United States of North America, and in Lower Canada, (1818), and by 1828 Webster defined the confection as "a composition of flour and butter, made and baked in private families." In general usage such puffy leavened little breads were called "soda biscuits" or "baking-soda biscuits," in contrast to the unleavened cracker type....Recipes for soda biscuits are found in every nineteenth-century cookbook, especially with reference to the cookery of the South...The South is also the home of the beaten biscuit, which was first mentioned in 1853...In 1930 General Mills began selling a packaged quick biscuit mix called Bisquick that was a great success and spawned many imitators."

      

 

Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani  [Lebhar-Friedman: New York] 1999

 

2½ cups Bisquick® Gluten Free Biscuit mix
⅔ cup milk
2 sticks butter or margarine
1 large egg

 
Preheat oven to 450ºF.

 

In a medium bowl, add the Bisquick mix. Using the small holed side, grate the butter into the Bisquick mix.

Mix the butter into the Bisquick mix so there are no large balls of grated butter. Add milk, and beaten egg to the flour then mix well. 

Use a large spoon to drop dough onto a greased pan. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Top with melted butter and serve with honey, syrup or your favorite jelly, jam or preserves.

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Gluten Free Shrimp Creole

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"Creole in a Red Turban" Artist: Jaques Amans, circa 1840

medium- oil on canvanas. Location: Historic New Orleans Collection

Louisiana Creole cuisine is a style of cooking originating in Louisiana which blends French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Native American, and African influences, as well as general Southern cuisine. The Cajun's largely assimilated and adopted Creole cuisine for their own.

 

Although the Creole cuisine is closely identified with New Orleans culture today, much of it evolved in the country plantation of the pre-Civil War Creoles. 

 

It is generally known that there are two types of Creole cuisine: Urban Creole and Rural Creole. Urban Creoles cuisine is observed and prepared for mainly tourist of New Orleans. Rural Creole cuisine is usually hidden in the bayous and swamps of the Old Creole Parishes/Acadiana or Creole Country. 

 

 

1 1/2 pounds shelled uncooked shrimp (medium large 36-40 shrimp per pound)

 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large chopped onion

2 minced cloves garlic

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

3-4 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Rice flour

1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

4 small finely chopped green onions

3 1/2 cups tomatoes (fresh chopped or canned)

1/2 cup water

4 cups cooked rice

 

 

 

Pour olive oil into a large stockpot.

Over medium high heat sauté onions, garlic, bell pepper and celery until the onions are transparent.

Stir in rice flour.

Add seasonings, tomatoes, parsley, green onions and water.

Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Add shrimp 5 minutes before serving.

Place a large portion of cooked rice in the bottom of each bowl.

Add soup and serve hot.

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Gluten Free Peach Cobbler

 

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circa 1850-1865 from U.S. National Archives

 

 

Cobbler is an amalgam of European tradition and American ingenuity. According to the food historians, cobbler (peach, apple, plum, cherry, etc.) originated in the American West during the second half of the 19th century. It was a deep-dish thick, quick crust filled with whatever fruit (fresh, canned, dried) was on hand.

Necessity required westward-bound pioneer cooks to adapt traditional oven-baked pie recipes to quick biscuit treats that could be cooked in Dutch ovens. 

The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (p. 184) states, “American dictionaries, word history books and food history reference sources generally agree the term cobbler, as it applies to a fruit dessert covered with rough biscuit dough, originated in the American west in the middle of the 19th century.”

 

 

2 29-ounce cans sliced peaches in syrup

(drain and reserve 1 cup of syrup)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free All Purpose Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons Rumford Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
2 tablespoons Almond milk
1/2 teaspoon McCormick vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cane sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for topping

 

Preheat oven to 350°

Drain sliced peaches in a large mesh sieve and reserve 1 cup of syrup. Place drained peaches in mixing bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch and stir to blend. Pour in 3/4 cup of the reserved syrup and stir to blend. Pour peach mixture into an 11 x 7 baking dish.

In a separate bowl whisk sugar, gluten-free flour, gluten-free baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined. Add remaining 1/4 cup reserved peach syrup, egg, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter (reserve 2 tablespoons to drizzle over batter,) milk and vanilla. Beat until blended.

Use a tablespoon to evenly spoon batter over peaches. Drizzle reserved melted butter over peaches. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until batter is golden brown. Cool before serving -- sauce thickens as cobbler cools.

 

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