Tupelo Honey Cafe: Almond Strawberry Tart (Vegan optional- Gluten Free)

This is easy to make, but make sure to factor in the time it needs to cool, and also set in the refrigerator.

Crust

2 cups sliced almonds

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbl. all-purpose flour (Zok used a gluten free mix)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extact

1/4 c. cold, unsalted butter-cubed

Filling

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbl. cornstarch

3 tbl. cold water

3 tbl. apple juice

1 1/2 pounds strawberries, washed, stemmed, and halved

Preheat oven to 375 F. To make the curst, place the almonds, sugar, flour, and vanilla in a food processer, process until the almonds are coarsely ground.

Add the butter cubes and process for a few seconds or until the mixture is clumped together.  Press the mixture into the bottom and edges of your pie dish to form a crust- let this all cool until the mixture firms up.

To make your filling, place the sugar and the cornstarch into a medium saucepan and stir to combine.

Then stir in your water and apple juice until the mixture is smooth.

Add the strawberries and  stir to coat them thoroughly-

Bring your mixture to a simmer and cook for about five minutes over medium - to high heat- keep stirring and watch for the mixture until it all thickens (jam - preserves style).

Immediately pour your filling onto your crust in your pie tin, and spread it out evenly.

Bake on the 375 degrees f. for about 25 minutes-or until the pie has 'set'.

This needs to cool for 1 hour, and then also be refrigerated for 2-3 hours before serving. 

*Notes
I thought it tasted really good, but on the healthy side of good- Zok did not like it, which is also a indicator of this.
As far as a gluten free- high protein dish goes, this one is great.
Also as you might notice Zok put in raspberries and blueberries as well.

 
 

Tupelo Honey Cafe: Southern Fried Chicken Breasts (Gluten Free Optional)

This recipe as I will write it up is for four people, with 4 (6 ounce/ 170s g.)

Zok however - always makes a bit extra- Here Zok has used the Gluten-free all purpose flour made by Red Mill.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups canola oil (here we use raps which is rapeseed oil, which is the base of most European vegetable oils)

2 cups all-purpose flour (or the gluten free flour of your choice)

3 tbl. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk overnight in the refrigerator.  

Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large bowl and put aside-

  

 Then place the oil of your choice in your cast iron skillet (this really should be made in a cast-iron skillet- but if you don't have one you can use the pan of your choice)

Bring the oil to bubbling - over medium heat (or about 325 F).

You want to coat your chicken- as you are putting them into the pan

Drain the chicken and discard the buttermilk -

Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture until well coated.  Fry the chicken in the hot oil for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown.  

*Notes:
Zok did not weigh his chicken- so a few had to be cut thinner- this of course meant more of the coating per piece- which was an audience pleaser.
 There was a bit of left over coating - but perhaps better to have too much than too little, however, you can't really re-use the coating.
All meat eaters agreed that the soaking in the buttermilk made for really tender chicken.
Zok made a milk-mushroom gravy (vegetarian) which is what you see under the chicken breast.

Vegan Peach Ice-Cream (a non Zok recipe) Coconut Oil

I have read that coconut oil is currently very popular, and when I got to Stockholm this year, each and every person had this solid coconut oil out on the table and they were telling me how great the uses for it is.  
So when this recipe showed up via some recipes site I had signed up for (Food 52) I decided to try it out at a girlfriends during movie night. 
It was simple and easy. The recipe noted that you could freeze the left overs and then re-process it, but I actually used mine in my protein smoothies.

4 frozen bananas cut into chunks

2 tbls. coconut oil

2 tbls. unrefined sugar (I used brown sugar)

2 large peaches

2 tbls. cashew or almond butter (optional) *

1 tsp. vanilla extract (we used vanilla bean)

2 tsp. cinnamon

pinch sea salt

* I made it once with the almond butter once without and I didn't notice a difference.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (185c). Cut your peaches in half and take out the pits.  Put them into a bowl and coat them with the coconut oil and sugar.  Lay the halves with the middle side up on a foil lined baking sheet or dish. Roast them for about 35 minutes- you will see them visibly brown and sort of carmelize, you want the peaches to be tender.  When they are done pull them out and let them cool for another 15-20 minutes or so)

2. When your peaches are cooled, put your chopped, frozen bananas into your processor.  The bananas will become creamy after awhile- they will get to the consistency of pudding/custard.  

3.  When the bananas get to the creamy stage, add your salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nut butter (if you are using that) and your peaches.  Serve it up immediately.

Tupelo Honey Cafe; Buttermilk Biscuits

I would like to take a moment to brag about my friend Zok-

He was raised mostly on Macedonian food (we plan to feature some recipes here, as soon as we find the time) in Australia.

Later he moved to Sweden where cuisine is pretty much restrained by the type of produce that can be imported.  When we are in Tasmania we are as the Australians would say 'spoiled for choice' - the produce we grow at home is so good, really a person could be happy just eating it all raw.

Zok enjoys cooking and I have gone out of my way to try and introduce new types of cooking-as we seem to spend ages cooking, eating, and cleaning up.  Of course- the best of times is when people come over to eat with us.

My point here, really is that Zok does an amazing job making foods that are completely foreign to him, like these biscuits.

How foreign are these biscuits to Australia? Well, let me tell you Australia has the 'KFC' chain but they don't serve biscuits.  Perhaps this is good, as I think it would be sad if one's only reference was the fast food/chain version of these.

Don't get discouraged if it takes a few tries to get these 'consistently' perfect- they have a careful balance, like a good pie crust- it takes time to learn.

That said, Zok's first try was almost perfect.

If you get to Asheville  (cue song) do not miss going to the Tupelo Honey Cafe, where they in true American fashion, give you free, warm, biscuits as you peruse your menu. 

"...when you get to Asheville...send me an email..."

Here is the recipe. It rocks.

2 cups self rising flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup of chilled shortening, cut into pieces (in Europe/AU shortening comes chilled and we tend to grate it) but if you are using crisco- then you should chill it.

1/2 cup heavy cream (this is not a diet food)

1 cup buttermilk

Melted butter (go the 'whole hog' and melt that butter!)

Preheat the oven to 425 f./ 220 c

Position an oven rack slightly below the center of the oven.  Lightly butter a round cake pan or cast-iron skillet

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt.

If you don't want to grate your shortening what is recommended is "snap the pieces of shortening with your fingers until the shortening pieces are no larger than peas.

Make a well in the mixture and pour in the cream and 2/3 cup of your buttermilk

Using your hands or a rubber spatula, sweep in the flour and turn the dough until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough resembles cottage cheese. If it isn't keep adding in the remaining 1/3 cup of buttermilk until you reach this consistency.

Sprinkle your rolling surface with flour.  Turn the dough out onto the surface and then sprinkle the dough with flour as well.

Flour your hands and then fold the dough in half and pat the dough into a width of about 1/3-1/2 inch thickness

Fold again and pat the dough to achieve a 1 inch. thickness

(Use sprinkling of flour as needed- so if you don't get the width the first time, start again, but use the sprinkling of flour all over again)

When you have your 1 inch thickness

Dip a 2-inch round (5 centimeters) biscuit/cookie cutter in your dough, (do not twist your cutter, straight down and up)

Place your biscuits in your pan sides touching.

Brush the tops with melted butter and then bake for 15-20 minutes , until a light golden brown.

This might be best achieved if you rotate your pan after 6-8 minutes

Remove from oven when golden brown and brush once more with melted butter

 

Tupelo Honey Cafe; Apple Salsa (to go with the Rootbeer-Molasses Ribs) Zok's version

Zok left out the 'poblano pepper', and also used regular honey, as we are very far from Tupelo trees...but if you are in North America you should try and find Tupelo honey, it's almost as good as Blue Gum.

 

2 Granny Smith apples, diced

(or other tart apple equivalent)

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 white onion (recipe recommends 'vidalia' if you can get them)

2 tablespoons honey of your choice

pinch of salt and pepper

Fresh chopped basil a few leaves

(fresh parsley would also work)

This can be made and served up directly, or it should keep up to 2 days in an airtight refrigerated container if you want to make it ahead of time.

 

Tupelo Honey Cafe: Gala Apple Cashew Cobbler (gluten free optional)

Gala Apple Cashew Cobbler

*I think this is a great dessert if you find pie too daunting, it's really easy and quick. I am writing out a recipe for 8 - 12 people we cut it in half but this would be an easy large dish to bring to a party.

Filling:
3 pounds/ 1.4 kilos of Gala apples, peeled and sliced
3 tbl. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c./160 mil firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice

Topping:
1 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (we used gluten free and as this is crumble topping, you could not taste any difference)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 tsp. almond extract (we didn't have this so we left it out)

Preheat the oven to 350f/175c. Butter a baking dish
To make the filling, toss the apples with the lemon juice and vanilla in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
Add the spice mixture to the apples and toss until all the fruit is coated.  
Spread the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish.

 To make the topping, place the cashews and brown sugar in a food processor and pulse 6-8 times to coarsely chop the cashews.  Add the flour and salt, plus 4 more times.
Add the butter, shortening, and alond extract and pulse 4-5 times to blend.
Crumble the nut mixture over the apples and bake for 55 minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and lightly browned.
Let cool slightly before serving.
(Zok made a little less so 40 minutes was as much as it needed)

 

Tupelo Honey Cafe: Root Beer and Molasses-Braised Beef (or Pork) Short Ribs

The recommended potatoes to go with this dish are 'pineapple mashed sweet potatoes' but we haven't done these yet, so we have been serving them with roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  Zok roasts the garlic in a small terracotta roaster in the oven, he also uses a bit of butter and milk.

This recipe also called for smoked Jalapeño sauce which Zok did not make 

6 (3 inch long or about 8 cm) beef (we used pork) short ribs

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 (12 ounce or 360 milliliters) cans/bottles of Root Beer (if you are downunder Zok says Woolys has it)

3/4 cup sorghum molasses (Sorghum means molasses from sugar cane, there are a few different types- it is also stocked near the treacle in Australia and perhaps treacle could be a substitute but we haven't tried that yet)

 4 1/2 cups Apple Salsa (recipe on blog)

Zok uses both a cast iron skillet and a dutch oven and of course he loves to cook, so he also loves to buy decent tools for the kitchen- if you have a 'catering' store in your area, they usually also sell to the public, and the prices are usually really good-

This is our local one in Hobart: http://medhurstkitchenequipment.com.au/

Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325F/165C

Sprinkle the short ribs evenly with the salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy skillet (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Carefully add the oil to the hot pan and heat until hot, but no smoking.

The oil should be just shimmering in the pan.  Working in batches, brown the ribs on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes.  

If you are using a Dutch oven, fill it with the browned ribs piled on top of one another.  

If you are using a skillet, arrange the browned ribs in a deep skillet just large enough to held them.  

Combine the root beer and molasses in a large saucepan and bring to a boil- then pour this liquid over your ribs, coating them thoroughly.

If using a dutch oven, place your cover on top, if you are using a roasting pan cover it tightly with aluminum foil.  Roast your meat for 1.5 to 2.5 hours (Zok says his always takes a bit over 2 hours, but check it at 1.5 -the meat should be so tender it falls from the bone with little prying).

Zok dished up everyone's dish- as recommended in the book-

So put a portion of your potatoes on the plate, lay on the short ribs, bone side down, on top of the potatoes.  Then garnish with the Apple Salsa.

Serve immediately.

ribs uncut

This is the type of skillet Zok uses

 Here are the pieces layered into the dutch oven

Finally here they are coated and ready to be put into the oven

Tupelo Honey Cafe; Cornucopia Salad

Cornucopia Salad

*This can be prepped ahead of time, as the salad needs to marinate at least 2 hours*

All vegetables chopped into half inch-1 in. pieces (or 1 to 1.5 cm) 

(As I try to type this Zok is reinforcing the fact that especially with this type of recipe, one would just add in more of what they like and less of what they don't - "It's a salad.")

1 cup sliced cucumber (the original recipe calls for "baby seedless cucumber", Zok used a peeler and quartered the cucumber, then scraped the seeds out.

1/2 cup fresh green beans 

14 grape tomatoes

8 baby carrots (of course you can use regular carrots, the baby ones tend to be sweeter)

1/2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (Zok chopped his)

4 medium shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced 

1 tablespoon minced sweet onion (our only option has been white)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons peppered vinegar (recipe on blog)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

 The recipe also calls for fresh rye croutons, which I think go really well with this, but the salad is as good without, we keep them to the side as we have many friends not eating gluten.

 The trick in making all these good raw vegetables so delightful, is making sure you refrigerate-marinate them for at least two hours.

Combine the cucumber, green beans, tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and tarragon in a large sealable plastic bag.  Add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to the vegetables.  Seal the bag and shake to blend all of the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.  Serve topped iwth Rye Croutons and add extra Peppered Vinegar to taste (Zok thinks both the croutons and extra vinegar are unnecessary)

 Here is what Zok actually used, except he used half the zucchini and only the 1 cup of string beans

 Here the vegetables are after the 2 hours

 Here are the vegetables as they looked going into the refrigerator