| summer comfort food |
A few weeks ago I was at a dinner at my church and we cooked it together. I don't know where the host got the recipes for the evening, so I can't give credit, but they were GOOD. We had my approximation tonight and they were both stellar.
SUCCOTASH WITH CORNMEAL DUMPLINGS
For the succotash:
Saute onion, corn, zucchini, garlic, oregano, and a can of black beans (drained but not rinsed) until all warm and cooked up. Salt and pepper to taste. I did mine in a cast iron skillet so it could go straight into the oven. Top with 1/2 cup feta cheese just before adding on the dumplings.
For the dumplings:
I didn't have a recipe on hand so I googled and found this one that worked great. I halved it to make four servings for my family.
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 butter
1/2 cup buttermilk (or pour 1 T lemon juice into a cup and then fill the rest of it with milk, let sit 5 minutes)
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in the butter with forks. Add the milk and stir. Drop biscuits onto the succotash (don't forget the feta!). Bake at 450 for about 12-14 minutes. Swoon. I have no idea how something with so few ingredients can have such a deep flavor.
FENNEL SALAD
Toast some almonds in a dry skillet.
Cut up two heads of fennel (anise). Slice a small red onion very thin. Combine. Add a glug of olive oil. Add the juice of half a lemon. Salt to taste. Toss. Top with almonds.
Note: even if you don't like fennel, give this a try. The lemon really negates the fennely taste.
SUCCOTASH WITH CORNMEAL DUMPLINGS
For the succotash:
Saute onion, corn, zucchini, garlic, oregano, and a can of black beans (drained but not rinsed) until all warm and cooked up. Salt and pepper to taste. I did mine in a cast iron skillet so it could go straight into the oven. Top with 1/2 cup feta cheese just before adding on the dumplings.
For the dumplings:
I didn't have a recipe on hand so I googled and found this one that worked great. I halved it to make four servings for my family.
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 butter
1/2 cup buttermilk (or pour 1 T lemon juice into a cup and then fill the rest of it with milk, let sit 5 minutes)
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in the butter with forks. Add the milk and stir. Drop biscuits onto the succotash (don't forget the feta!). Bake at 450 for about 12-14 minutes. Swoon. I have no idea how something with so few ingredients can have such a deep flavor.
FENNEL SALAD
Toast some almonds in a dry skillet.
Cut up two heads of fennel (anise). Slice a small red onion very thin. Combine. Add a glug of olive oil. Add the juice of half a lemon. Salt to taste. Toss. Top with almonds.
Note: even if you don't like fennel, give this a try. The lemon really negates the fennely taste.
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