We rolled up to Sugar’s Place in the middle of theday in the middle of July. Across the street from the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, this little restaurant has some of the best soul food I’ve ever eaten. I walked in with no appetite and left wishing I had eaten more. And I couldn’t stop thinking about its baked chicken. Chef-owner mother-son team Glenda Cage Barner and Donovan Barner worked some magic with those chicken legs. The meat pulled right off the bone but still had a nice chew. You could taste the seasonings all the way through the meat. Onions melted into the jus shimmering around the chicken. It felt as warming as a beloved family meal but like the fantasy version — where your family makes the best chicken in the world.
For a turkey gravy that really tastes like the bird but doesn't require drippings, we began by making a full-flavored turkey stock that included not just the neck and giblets but also some excess skin and fat from the turkey—powerhouse sources of turkey flavor. We started our untraditional method for making turkey stock by simmering the neck, giblets, and trimmings in chicken broth in a Dutch oven (chosen instead of a saucepan for its greater surface area); doing so efficiently extracted flavor-packed juices and fat from the parts that browned and formed a rich fond once the liquid evaporated. We then sautéed chopped carrot, celery, and onion for aromatic depth; deglazed the pot with white wine; added more chicken broth; simmered the stock (covered to prevent evaporation) for about an hour; and strained out the solids. We didn't defat the stock, since the aromatic compounds in the bird's fat contributed a significant amount of turkey flavor. Then, to turn the stock into a gravy, we made a roux by toasting flour in melted butter and whisking the stock into the roux.
In the summer you can use fresh cherries, pitted, instead of dried ones.
A Prairie Home Compansion host Chris Thile has been obsessed with sherry lately. He shares this recipe for a sherry cocktail for the holiday season.
I’ve eaten many, many apple cakes in my life. German strudel... love it! English apple pie... simply divine! But this fat-free recipe from my Aunt Rose is something totally different. Simple, healthy and so quick you will be able to make it in under an hour.
Wild rice preservation advocate Marcia Lavine has this recipe for a savory dish showcasing the grain and three types of sausage.
If you're looking for syrup-sweet, marshmallow-crowned yams, this is not the recipe for you. If you’re interested in sweet potatoes that taste like sweet potatoes with a little extra, then consider Grandma Hill’s approach.
Sourdough bread’s characteristic tang and chewy texture liven up any sandwich. Our goal is to add the same punch to our holiday dressing.
Turning flour, water, and yeast into crusty, airy rolls is one of the hardest bits of kitchen wizardry around. We want to make the process foolproof.
Few things say “family meal” like a roasted bird.