Southern Archives - The FrangloSaxon Cooks

Slugburger

June 19, 2022 by Carine Clary 4 Comments

Slugburger! Ok, the first thing to establish is the meaning of ‘slug.’ No relation to slimy members of the phylum Mollusca. This delicious burger was ginned up during the Great Depression when it sold for a slug, aka, a nickel. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way let’s get on with the prep of this little-known treat.

The Origin of the Slugburger

The existence of the Slugburger was brought to my attention by a FaceBook friend who wishes to remain anonymous, so we’ll just call him “Art J” for short. Art J hails from the birthplace of slugdom. That’s Corinth. Not the one in Greece, the one in Mississippi. And people in Corinth love them some slugburgers and after testing the living daylights outta this recipe I understand their devotion to the humble slug.

If you find yourself in Corinth slugburgers are served up at The Slugburger Cafe and White Trolley Cafe along with other venues. There is even an upcoming festival over July 4th weekend.

Themes & Variations

To use a musical expression there are themes and variations. The theme is meat stretched with filler. The variations are the kinds of meat – hamburger or pork; and the filler – bread crumbs or cornmeal, all fried up and served on a bun. I even made my own variation by serving it bunless with a side of hominy cooked with some chopped onion & red bell pepper.

And every single version tasted good so let’s get started:

What you need:

ground chuck or pork
salt, pepper & onion powder
oil for frying (any kind)
buns, pickles, & mustard

The Prep

Get your ingredients together and mix gently with wet hands, roll into balls, then press out into patties as you see below:

Don’t overwork the meat and please note the irregular shapes of the patties. Perfectly round is not where it’s at with the slugburger. Those little craggy edges fry up as crispy as a potato chip so you don’t want to miss that extra flavor. If you do decide to accessorize with actual chips go for the Zapp’s which I’m linking here for totally free since they are the best chips on the planet, especially the Creole Onion & Pickle flavors. Just sayin’….

I was a little short on breadcrumbs so it only made seven burgers but a full cup would yield eight.

Pork v. Chuck

Ok, on this one I come out firmly for pork. They are both delicious but the pork version is utterly delicious so it wins the Carrie prize.

Crumbs v. Cornmeal

This one’s a wash. I think most people will prefer the crumbs but the cornmeal filler was surprisingly good. The graininess rocked a sort of falafel-like vibe. Reminded me of Dror, the little Israeli falafel cart guy that dished out deliciousness down in Greenwich Village back in the day. Try both or try one when you don’t have the other ingredient on hand.

Other uses

You can see the previously mentioned Slugburger with Hominy below. And last night I used the final defrosted slugburger fried up, broken into pieces and tossed into spaghetti sauce. Tasted great too!

Things you can eat with a Slugburger

Besides Zapp’s chips and/or hominy, salads make a great side and Baton Rouge’s own Sensation Salad is good.

Sensation Salad

or a Spinach salad with blue cheese:

Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Pear

So that’s a wrap folks! If you miss the festival you can whip this up at home and enjoy.

1.0 from 1 reviews

Slugburger

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or cornmeal)
1 lb. ground pork or hamburger
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion (or garlic) powder
½ teaspoon celery salt (optional but good)
vegetable oil for frying
hamburger buns, pickles & mustard

Instructions

Lightly toast about 6 or 7 slices of white bread, crumble and whiz for a second in a food processor. If you are using the cornmeal as a filler add a couple of tablespoons of warm water to soften it up. Just enough to make a paste. You don't want it to be watery.
Wet your hands and work the filler and flavorings into the meat, roll into balls and flatten. Don't overwork the meat. It should just be loosely rolled together.
Fry in about half an inch of oil, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove & drain.
Serve on a toasted bun with mustard and pickles.

Fruit Fool

June 12, 2022 by Carine Clary 2 Comments

Fruit Fools are summer fruits in season marinated in a little sugar and flavorings of your choice then layered alternately with cookies with whipped cream. That’s it! And if you have given a little extra kick to the marinade via some lemon zest and liqueur you’ll end up serving something very tasty but very easy.

So let’s get started:

What you’ll need:

Fruit of your choice (here, blueberries & peaches)
Heavy whipping cream
Lemon juice, zest & St. Germaine liqueur (optional but good)
Thick butter cookies like Walker’s Shortbread or Pepperidge Farm Chessme n

First things first:

Marinate the fruit or fruits that you’re using, then put them in the fridge to marinate while you whip the cream. Now whip the cream with sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.

Assembly:

Can be served individually as pictured or in a large bowl.
Crumble the cookies into largeish pieces and put them on the bottom.
Then add whipped cream, then fruits with their juices, then more cream, then topping off with the remaining fruit.
Grate a little nutmeg and lemon zest on top and add a mint sprig if you’ve got one and you’re done.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Blueberry Fool

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

For the Fruit compote:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup peaches, peeled & sliced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon St. Germaine liqueur, optional
For the whipped cream:
1 cup chilled heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Remainder:
1 cup crushed shortbread cookies (or to taste)
a dusting of nutmeg & lemon zest for top

Instructions

For the fruit:
Place blueberries & peaches in a bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir until sugar is mixed with fruit and juices begin to form. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
For the whipped cream:
Place heavy cream in a cold bowl. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until mixture has soft peaks for 5 to 8 minutes.
Assemply:
Crumble cookies roughly.
Place some cookie crumbs at the bottom of each serving dish. Spoon in some of the fruit and a layer of whipped cream. Repeat layers, ending with some nutmeg and lemon zest.

Two Packet Pot Roast

May 19, 2022 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Two Packet Pot Roast is as good as its word. And one of my favorites on this site. It’s extremely easy and utterly unctuous as it uses only two flavor packets plus some water, balsamic vinegar, and time. Low and slow it yields fall-apart deliciousness. Once it’s fork-tender you’ll skim off the grease, thicken the sauce and serve with some veg…more on that later in the post.

What it’s not

It’s not Mississippi Pot Roast. I tried this famous and much-loved recipe and while it was good I noted some problems. It uses a couple of sticks of butter and a jar of peppers in addition to the roast. First, I don’t think the peppers do a whole lot for the flavor. Second, I completely fail to understand why any recipe would call for butter in a slow-cooked chuck roast that is heavily marbled with fat.

I mean that butter comes from cows and Chuck roast comes from cows and fat is fat when it originates in the same beast, so why? Why waste that butter when everyone is getting killed by grocery prices and there’s plenty of fat in the meat?

What it is

It’s making the Chuck and the flavor packets do their magic while you are on the porch with some iced tea and snacks visiting with the neighbors. Sound good? Keep reading.

What you need

a packet of French Onion Soup Mix
a packet of powdered Ranch Dressing Mix
a few tablespoons of red balsamic vinegar
a beautiful piece of Chuck Roast – 3 to 6lbs
an optional teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you want some heat

How to prepare

Dry off the roast and sear in a braising pan as shown below or a dutch oven. If using a dutch oven you may cut into chunks and sear in batches. No need to salt this as there is plenty of salt in the mixes you’ll add.

Sprinkle the packets over the roast.

Mix the water and the balsamic vinegar and pour into the pan. Cover and cook at 275 for several hours checking for doneness halfway.

After the meat is done remove to a serving dish and skim the extra fat off the gravy. There should be a lot. Now you know why you never needed the butter. Put a pat in the final product for some shine if you want. It’s all you’ll need.

Cut the roast into chunks and serve.

Tips & Tricks

I use the full packets for any weight of roast between 3 and 6 lbs. The roast in the picture is about 3.5 lbs but if you are going for the full 6 lbs. you’ll just add two cups of water and double the vinegar.

If you don’t have red balsamic vinegar try a sweet port wine (Taylor or Cockburn’s is good) or a Marsala, which is a Sicilian fortified wine. Be creative!

Chuck Roast is best, but if you find Round it will cook up nicely too if slightly less tender.

Yes, you can do this in a slow cooker. Eight hours on low if seared first.

Savory Side Dishes

As you can see in the photo I served it with a baked potato and carrots that had been boiled and then pan glazed in a little butter and a teaspoon of sugar.

But other options could include:

Southern Style Creamed Corn

or:

Colcannon

So you’ve got your main and sides….now get cooking!

2 Packet Pot Roast

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

3 to 6 lbs Chuck
1 package Ranch Dressing
1 package french onion soup mix (Knorr's is good)
1 cup water (2 cups if the roast is 6 lbs.)
3 tablespoons red balsamic vinegar (or a sweet red wine)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

For the meat:
Dry off the meat and sear in a little olive or vegetable oil.
Empty the packets over it.
Stir the balsamic vinegar into the water and pour over the roast.
Add the red pepper flakes if using.
Cook covered at 275 for about 3 hours or until it is fork tender.
For the gravy:
Remove the roast & set aside.
Skim the fat off the liquid in the pot. If you have time pour it all into a container and put in the freezer for 30 then pop the fat off when it solidifies.
Dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in the cooled gravy or in water.
Return the gravy to the pot and warm over medium heat. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and after it thickens serve over the meat or in a side container.
Taste for seasoning and add a little more balsamic vinegar for flavor if desired and a teaspoon of butter for a nice glossy finish.

Notes

The 2 packets work on up to 6 or 7 pounds of roast. Conversely, you may add just a little less for the 3 pounds. Just play it by ear.

Balsamic Deviled Eggs

October 28, 2021 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Let’s talk Balsamic Deviled Eggs and deviled eggs in general. They’re an appetizer table cliché but one that is almost universally liked. You’ll end up making them for the holidays so what you want is something easy to peel and prepare, and this is it. The five ingredients are the eggs, the mayonnaise, flavored balsamic vinegar, some grated onion, and your choice of an herb that can be fresh or dried.

The grated onion is something I came up with years ago because I could never get the onion diced small enough to prevent an onion bomb from detonating in my mouth and gassing out my fellow guests. Grated onion (or shallot) is the answer. It gives you subtle flavor while keeping the smooth texture of the filling.

Easy to Peel Boiled Eggs

This is a trick I wish I’d known in college when I lived on these guys, but at least I know it now.

The trick is to fill a pan with a couple of inches of water, pour in a tablespoon or so of vinegar, put in a vegetable steamer, add eggs, and cover. Bring to a rolling boil for a couple of minutes then cut the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Plunge into cold water for a few then crack and peel. The peels should come off easily. This is the perfect method for people who get easily distracted (like me). Anybody can stand around for two minutes to wait for the water to boil.

One of the best things about this method is that the post boiling steam bath renders the whites tender instead of rubbery.

The Filling

Mash the eggs with fork or fingers (hands are an underrated kitchen tool and one that comes factory equipped), add mayo gradually till you achieve your own preferred degree of smoothness then grate a small amount of onion onto a cutting board. Onions are watery so squeeze a little of that out then stir into the yolk mixture, add seasoning, vinegar, and you are done!

Additions & Garnish

Lots of ideas here:

Chopped chives
Capers
Olives
Paprika
Pimento
Pickles
Chilies
Roasted Garlic (very mellow when cooked low and slow)
Caviar
Bacon

Balsamic Deviled Eggs

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

12 medium eggs
⅓ cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar (or flavored)
1 to 2 tablespoon onions, grated & drained of juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs such as tarragon, chives or dill.
Salt & white pepper to taste.
Paprika for the top.

Instructions

Boil eggs in a vegetable steamer for two minutes, cut the heat and let steam for about 5 minutes, then place in ice water and peel.
Cut in half and put yolks in bowl. Mash well.
Add mayonnaise gradually to achieve your preferred consistency.
Stir in vinegar, also to taste. You may want a little more than is suggested. Tasting as you mix is a good idea. If you are using flavored vinegar you may want to skip the chopped herbs.
Add in finely chopped herb of your choice.
Sprinkle top with paprika.