Southern Made Fresh

We were so happy to find that Tasia Malakasis was not a one-hit cookbook wonder!  We loved her first book, Tasia's Table, and we were delighted to find that there was a companion book, Southern Made Fresh.

Since her last book she has been selected as one of the 50 people changing the South, she's built a new creamery, and put Elkmont, Alabama on the map, and she still had time to write another cookbook!  Just writing about it exhausts me. We were beyond bummed that our last (and first) trip to Elkmont was on a Sunday when Belle Cheve was closed. We simply must plan better on the next trip.

Southern Made Fresh is at the same time familiarly Southern and wonderfully contemporary. There are tea sandwiches, fried green tomatoes and deviled eggs but one will also find a chicken posole, vegetable soup with pecan pesto and a summer corn risotto.  Yes, there are peach fried pies, and there are also apple phyllo hand pies, and a sausage and sweet potato pie, too.

Her lemonade has a jalapeño bite, the iced tea features bourbon, and her moonshine is peachy.  Vegetables seem to stand out and the recipes appear to be plucked straight form the garden.  It's no wonder people want to party with Malakasis! 

Here is a recipe we love. And while it is true that we would eat gigantic bowls of rice every single day, this is the kind of recipe that would have us eating out of two bowls!
 

Cajun Dirty Rice

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 oz. chicken livers
4 oz. ground pork
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. chili powder
1½ cups chicken broth, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
⅔ cup chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Garnish: celery leaves

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken livers; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken livers from skillet. Let stand until cool enough to handle; chop.

2. Add pork to skillet; cook, stirring to crumble, 4 minutes or just until beginning to brown. Stir in chopped chicken livers, salt, pepper, and chili powder; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

3. Add ¼ cup chicken broth, and cook 3 minutes or until broth evaporates and meat mixture is browned, crusty, and slightly sticks to skillet. Add onion and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 minutes or until vegetables are browned, crusty, and slightly stick to skillet.

4. Add rice, green onions, parsley, and remaining 1¼ cups broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is thoroughly heated.

 Is it too early to be on the look out for book number three?