America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook by Jeff Henderson Read Free Book Online Page B

heritage. His greatest inspiration in food, he says, was his mother Sylvia Alves Barton, an outstanding educator and nutritionist whose aspirations in the 1930s to be a chef as a young New Yorker, although not realized in her own life, have been satisfyingly fulfilled in the life of her son.
    His mother took inspiration from her West Indian heritage as well as her husband’s roots, which touched New England. “In the last few years, I’ve lost my mom and recently lost my dad too,” says Chef Barton, “so the legacy she gave us in delighting to be at home in the kitchen is a gift that has taken on a much deeper meaning.”
    2 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
4 large eggs, separated
¼ cup freshly grated grana padano cheese
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
6 4-ounce crocks or 1 9-inch loaf pan, buttered and floured with cornmeal
    Preheat oven to 375º F. Place milk and butter in medium saucepan set on medium high heat. When the mixture comes just to a boil, remove from the heat.
    Whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream to avoid lumps. Place mixture in a large bowl and set aside.
    Whisk the whites to soft peaks. Fold the yolks and cheese into cornmeal mixture, then gently fold in the whites.
    Pour batter into the prepared pan or pans and bake 12–15 minutes until a thin bladed knife or cake tester comes out slightly moist.
    Serve warm as a delicious appetizer or as a side dish to accompany braised meats, hearty stews, or as a special treat for company or Sunday dinner.

Craig Robinson’s Mom’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken
    Los Angeles, California
    SERVES 4 TO 6
    Heart & Soul
    Craig Robinson describes his father as African American and his mother as French and black. Mrs. Robinson was, her son says, an avid cook and foodie years before the Food Network, and was ahead of the curve and always trying new, healthy recipes. “My mother was doing California Cuisine before the term existed,” he says. “As a child I never really experienced ‘soul food’ in my house. I primarily enjoyed Italian, French, and Lebanese cuisines growing up in my household.” Despite her experimental attitude, his mother’s old-fashioned fried chicken is one of the things he most misses since she passed away from breast cancer in 2005. Plus, he recalls, “Those Food TV chefs had nothing on my moms. She had the look, personality, and—most important—she could cook!”
    1 3-pound fryer chicken, cut into eight pieces
2 cups buttermilk
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, thyme)
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon onion salt
salt and pepper
3 cups solid vegetable shortening
    Soak chicken in buttermilk with garlic, onions, herbs, paprika, and ½ teaspoon of the cayenne pepper. Refrigerate overnight.
    Place chicken pieces in a colander to drain.
    In a large paper bag, mix flour with the garlic salt, onion salt, salt and pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Meanwhile, heat the 3 cups of shortening in a deep cast iron pot until it’s about 350º F.
    Place chicken pieces in bag with flour and shake, let sit 1 minute, and then shake again. Add chicken to hot pan and fry on one side for 20 minutes, then turn and fry on the other side for 15 minutes more.
    Place chicken pieces on a wire rack set over a cookie tray to drain, or on a paper towel-lined plate.

    Pass It Down variation: Preheat oven to 400° F. Substitute plain crumbs for flour in the breading. Grease a large, ovenproof dish. Layer the chicken pieces in the baking dish in one layer. Brush the top of the chicken lightly with cooking oil, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20 minutes more.

    Pass It Down TIP
    Craig Robinson’s mother’s recipe for fried chicken is, he says, “old skool”—using vegetable shortening rather than oil. For a lighter, healthier version (without the