Viginia’s ame Menu-
Starter
Black Pepper Cheese Shortbread
g
Salad
Arugula with Country Ham and Pecans
g
Main Course
Mama’s BBQ Chicken
g
Side Dish
Parmesan Potatoes
g
Dessert
Mama’s Pecan Tassies
1
1
/
2
cups all-purpose our1 tablespoon reshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1
/
2
teaspoon fne sea saltPinch o cayenne pepper, or to taste
1
/
2
cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature8 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, at roomtemperature, grated
Position the oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter two bak-ing sheets or line them with silicone baking liners orparchment paper.Combine the our, black pepper, salt, and cayennein a food processor tted with a metal blade and pulseto combine. Add the butter and cheese and processuntil smooth. Cover the work bowl with plastic wrapand set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Toshape the dough, work it in your hands; it shouldbe soft and pliable (like Play-Doh). Shape the doughinto two equal cylinders and wrap tightly in plasticwrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until rm,about 30 minutes. Then, working with 1 cylinder at a time, using a utility knife, cut into
1
/
4
-inch-thick slicesand place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.Repeat with remaining dough.Bake the shortbreads, rotating the baking sheetsonce, until lightly browned on the edges, about 20 min-utes. Remove the baking sheets to a rack to cool slightly.Using an oset or slotted spatula, remove the individ-ual shortbreads to a rack and cool completely.
Making Ahead
Store the savory shortbread at roomtemperature in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper. They will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.
Biliant: Shor Recip
Pecan Garnish
It’s all about accessorizing. To lift our simple cheesenibble to Brilliant, garnish with pecans. Prepare thedough as directed in the Basic recipe. Roll the edges of each cylinder in 1 cup chopped pecans to coat. Then,when you are ready to bake, slice the shortbread andplace on the prepared baking sheets. Top each slicewith a perfect pecan half. Bake as directed.
#
BlackPepperCheeseShortbread
Makes about 4 dozen
This aromatic shortbread is a twist on Dede’s cheese straws, a Southern classic I have enjoyed myentire lie. It is very appropriately spiced, too, as he loved black pepper. The French have a traditiono nibbles such as this with an
apéritif
beore dinner. The word is derived rom the Latin verb
aperire
,which means “to open.” An
apéritif
is served beore a meal to stimulate the appetite, contrasting with
digestifs
, which are served at the end o a meal to aid digestion. Dede never had an
apéritif
in his lie.
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Starters and Nibbles
)
3
4
(
Basic to Brilliant, Y’all
8 cups arugula, dandelion, or risée (about 6 ounces)3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1
/
2
teaspoon frmly packed light brown sugar
Coarse salt and reshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons canola oil3 thin slices country ham
,
cut into lardons (see sidebar)
1
/
2
onion, preerably Vidalia, thinly sliced
1 small clove garlic, fnely chopped
1
/
2
cup crumbled aged white Cheddar cheese(about 2 ounces)
1
/
4
cup chopped pecans
Place the greens in a large bowl. Set aside. Stir togetherthe vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a smallbowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring occasionally, untilcrisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transferthe ham to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over mediumheat, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 5 min-utes; add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to60 seconds. Add the vinegar mixture, then remove fromthe heat. Working quickly, scrape the bottom of the skil-let with a wooden spoon to loosen any yummy brownedbits. Set aside to cool just slightly.Pour the warm dressing over the reserved greens,add the ham, and toss gently with tongs until thearugula is slightly wilted. Taste and adjust for sea-soning with salt and pepper. Divide among chilledserving plates. Sprinkle over the cheese and pecans.Season with freshly ground black pepper and serveimmediately.
Biliant: Shor Recip
Crispy Deep-Fried Eggs
Green eggs and ham? How about Greens with Egg andHam to take this Basic salad to Brilliant?Bring 4 large eggs to room temperature. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. In a small, heavy saucepan, pour in about 1
1
/
2
cups peanut oil to llhalf full. Heat over medium heat until the temperatureregisters 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Workingwith 1 egg at a time, break the egg into a small ramekin,and then slowly and carefully slide it into the hot oil.It will spit and sizzle. Cook until the egg is crunchy onthe outside and the yolk is still runny, about 1
1
/
2
min-utes. Using a slotted spoon, lift the egg out of the oiland transfer to the prepared plate. Season with nish-ing salt and freshly ground black pepper. Repeat withthe remaining eggs. Serve immediately atop the wiltedsalad.
#
ArugulawithCountryHamandPecans
serves 4 to 6
This salad is a great example o sour, salty, bitter, sweet, and savory. Right out o the gate, we’re hit-ting all our marks. The essential element that makes this basic recipe shine is country ham. Sinceancient times, humans have cured pork, and people have loved the pig. Dry-curing the hind legso pigs is one o the oldest ways o preserving meat. Ham pairs beautiully with sweet, spicy, andcreamy oods; those avors and textures counteract the meat’s saltiness, which can range rom mildto assertive. In my opinion, anything with country ham has a leg up on the competition.
Lardon
A matchstick-size piece o bacon is called a lardon.Strictly speaking, however, lardons are long stripso at sewn into lean meat with a larding needle(
lardoire
) to keep the meat moist and favorul dur-ing cooking. I nd it easier to cut the meat intolardons beore cooking, instead o cooking strips obacon whole, then crumbling.
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Sampler Menu from Basic to Brilliant, Y'All by Virginia Willis
Recipes included in this excerpt: Black Pepper Cheese Shortbread, Arugula with Country Ham and Pecans, Mama's BBQ Chicken, Parmesan Potatoes, and Mama's Pecan Tassies. Virginia Willis’s legion of fans love her knack for giving classic French…
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