There is something spiritual about gathering around the dining room table. I’ve witnessed first-hand how, in the presence of a table spread, family, friends and even perfect strangers let their guard down, open up and share. Guests may enter my home as strangers, but they leave as friends.
I recently embarked on a culinary road trip to South Carolina, where I learned about the integral role Gullah people played in the creation of Southern cuisine. Gullah Geechee recipes reflect the rich cultural heritage of the descendants of enslaved West Africans who lived in the coastal Southeast. In this culture, cooking is a family tradition with Gullah matriarchs, “beenyas,” preserving and sharing their culinary heritage with the generations. This Mother’s Day, I hope you and your guests enjoy this Gullah-inspired meal as much as I do.
Sea Island Red Peas with Carolina Gold Rice
This is one of my favorite recipes to prepare for guests. Heirloom African cowpeas have a bold flavor and cook to a sweet, creamy richness. The African rice is named for the golden color of its unhulled grains—it’s the best rice I’ve ever tasted.
Ingredients-Peas
· 1½ cups Anson Mills Sea Island Red Peas, covered with water, soaked overnight in the refrigerator, then drained
· 1 quart water
· 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
· 2 Tablespoons butter or cooking oil
· 1 pound of cooked spicy chorizo
· 8 ounces of salt pork, diced small
· 1 yellow onion, diced medium
· 3 celery ribs, chopped
· 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
· 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
· 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
· 6 sprigs fresh thyme
· 2 bay leaves
· 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Ingredients-Rice
· 2 cups Carolina Gold Rice (I get mine online from Anson Mills)
· 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
· 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
· 3 cups water
· 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
· 1 teaspoon brown sugar
· Pink Himalayan salt to taste
Instructions
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add salt pork and sauté until browned.
2. Add to the pot onion, celery, carrots, garlic and cooked chorizo. Sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add peas, water, coconut milk, scotch bonnet, thyme and bay leaves. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about one hour, until peas are tender.
4. Add red pepper flakes.
5. Prepare the rice. Add rice and coconut oil to a medium pot on medium heat and quickly stir until the rice is coated.
6. Add coconut milk, water, salt sugar and cardamom and turn the heat to high.
7. Bring the rice to a boil, uncovered. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed (12 -15 minutes).
8. Remove rice from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fluff before serving.
9. Serve the peas over the rice.
Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread
Peas and rice are perfectly paired with skillet cornbread (or “soul bread” as some call it) that I like to enhance with the nutty, bold flavor of brown butter.
Ingredients
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 1 cup cornmeal
· 2 Tablespoons sugar
· 1 Tablespoon baking powder
· ½ teaspoon baking soda
· 1 Tablespoon salt
· 1 cup buttermilk
· 2 large eggs
· ¾ cup salted butter, browned
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, brown the butter.
3. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs and ¼ cup browned butter until just mixed.
4. Place ¼ cup of brown butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from the oven and pour in the batter. Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.
6. Pour remaining ¼ cup brown butter over the cornbread. Let cool slightly before serving.
Hot Honey Chicken
Add a protein of your choice to complete the menu: fried catfish, smothered pork chops or chicken. Here’s my recipe for Hot Honey Chicken, a perfect complement.
Ingredients
· 8 chicken thighs (bone-in/skin-on)
· All-purpose seasoning salt to taste. I like A.L.L. Seasoning
· ½ cup honey
· ¼ cup hot sauce of your choice
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place the chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and season on both sides.
3. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and golden.
- While the chicken is in the oven, make the sauce. Mix honey and hot sauce in a small bowl until well combined.
5. When the chicken is ready, remove it from the oven and drizzle with the hot honey sauce.
Hummingbird Cake
This southern gem boasts three incredibly moist layers flavored with crushed pineapple, ripe bananas and warm spices. Is there a better cake than Hummingbird Cake? Nope. Absolutely not.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups mashed bananas
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chopped pecans on the sheet and toast for 7–8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
- Turn the oven up to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour three 8-inch cake pans.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Fold in 1½ cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.)
- Spread batter evenly between the three cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely in pans. Remove cakes from pans.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat for 3 minutes until creamy. Frosting should be soft, but not runny. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or add a little milk if frosting is too thick.
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with second layer, more frosting and then top with the third layer. Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Decorate with remaining toasted pecans. Refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
Dominique’s House
Dominique Camille is an avid baker, cook and gardener. She is the hostess of Dominique's House, a private dining experience at her Cincinnati table. By following her motto to, “Make good food. Invite people. Do it often,” Dominique creates magical moments for guests with food and fellowship that nourishes the body and the soul. DominiqueCamille.com