My Gravy
Biscuit Gravy — My Gravy
They call it Bisquit Gravy, Cream Gravy,Sausage Gravy,Country Gravy, Southern White Gravy, Sawmill Gravy and sometime, in the Army when mixed with Dried Beef instead of Sausage, It’s called SOS… S*** on a Shingle.
It can top Bisquits, Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Fried Steak. When it’s done right, it’s thick and creamy with a warm peppery flavor.
You won’t find the recipe in New York City cookbooks… not in Seattle cookbooks either. This gravy puts the South in your mouth.
Most recipies start with:
My Mother’s is the best….
My Grandmother taught me how…
Every year when we go camping my Uncle….
I can get in on that:
I’ve been tweeking my recipe for 30 years….
In fact mine is so good I just call it My Gravy. Want My Gravy for dinner tonight? It’s cheap, has very little nutritional value but it is rib-sticking delicious. I’ll put my gravy up against The Hominy Grill in Virginia, Mamie’s Kitchen in Georgia and Hoover’s Cooking in Texas (maybe I picked up a few secrets in my travels).
Once you start making it, your friends and family will ask you to make My Gravy… but it will really be Your Gravy. I’m getting confused, think up your own name for my gravy that will soon become your gravy.
Biscuits Gravy – My Gravy — Chef Joy
Brown Breakfast or Country Sausage in sauté pan. Let cool and crumble. Save any Fat
Add a few strips of bacon to a sauté pan. Cook till crisp, take out and crumble. To Bacon / Sausage Drippings, add flour to make a roux. Cook till golden brown. Add one 1/2 cup of milk per tablespoon of roux. Whisk. As mixture comes to boil, it will thicken.
Season with:
A real good grind of Black Pepper, (I really like it to have a nice Pepper undertone)
A few shots of Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Hot Sauce to taste.
Add crumbled Bacon and Sausage back into sauce. Make thicker by adding more Roux, make Thinner by adding more Milk. Cook for at least 15 minutes so you have no raw flour taste.
Serve with Biscuits and a Fried Egg on top. Also good on a bed of Baby Spinach.
Serves? Depends on how much you made.
For those who like exact numbers… Video shows a double batch:
½ pound Country Sausage
3-4 strips Bacon
Save 2-3 tablespoons Fat (you can always add butter if you don’t have enough.
2-3 tablespoons Flour… get it, equal amounts
1 cup Milk… get it ½ cup Milk per 1 tablespoon Roux
½ teaspoon Pepper
2 teaspoons Worcester Sauce
Hotsauce to taste
Salt if it tastes flat.
Going Out in Flames
It’s the middle of January. You’re bored…yawn. With a few ingredients I can make your life exciting. With a little practice Your Valentine’s Day can be ZAZZY!
But first… a story….
My last class at Whole foods Market was a flaming success. With a full house, a tear in my eye and a bottle of Myers Dark Rum I lit up Bananas Foster for dessert.
A New Orleans favorite, created in the 1950’s, Bananas Foster is a yummy combination of butter, brown sugar, bananas sautéed quickly together then flamed with some kind of liquor and served over vanilla ice cream. It was named for Richard Foster, a regular customer at Brennans restaurant where the dish was created.
Brennans is still cooking in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Bananas Foster is still the most requested dish. People order it to finish off a special breakfast or a romantic dinner. It’s a wow of a dessert.
I learned how to make Bananas Foster from Chef John. He was a tall guy with a big personality. He loved cooking BF tableside as a special treat. His tall size called for tall flames. His would shoot up 10 feet into the air. Yes, the catering hall where we worked had very tall ceilings. I never reached Chef John’s heights, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I tried.
I made it first at home while hosting a small select dinner party. We gathered in the kitchen to watch.
Ah… oh dear… my home is not a catering hall with tall ceilings. I lit the rum mixture with vibrato and showmanship and whooosch… the flames went up and melted the microwave over the stove. I mean really, who puts a microwave over the stove??!! It’s not that I used too much Rum… no way!!!???
My husband installed a fire extinguisher in the kitchen the next day.
I’ve learned to be more moderate with my flaming in a home kitchen. That is reflected in the recipe below. Bananas Foster is a simple, exciting dish to make. Everyone is always impressed, and it always tasted decadently wonderful.
Recently I made BF for 3 hours at an event. I learned something from making it again and again and again. Amounts don’t matter… proportions do. Just use the same amount of Butter to Brown Sugar to Rum.
A dollop of this… a dollop of that… melt it…a good solid splash… light… aaah!… when the flame goes out, pour over Vanilla Ice Cream…. soooooo goooood.
Use the recipe below. But have fun and don’t worry. Let’s bring out your inner pyromaniac. Practice makes for a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert.
Bacon Foster – Chef Joy
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Bananas, sliced
2 tablespoons Dark Rum
Cinnamon
Heat Butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Add Bananas and cook until the Bananas start to soften, stir and turn a little.Vanilla Ice Cream
Now for the fun. Dim the lights. Add rum to pan. The Rum does not have to be boiling to light, it just has to be warm.
You have two choice for your woosh. Move pan to the side of the burnier and tilt down towards the burner. Or light a long skewer (a match is too short, use a bamboo skewer, like you use for BBQ) Tough the lit skewer to the pan. This is a more gentle method, but not as much fun.
While the flames are high, toss cinnamon through the flames and into the pan. You’ll get a magical sparkle that adds $5 to the cost when donein restaurants.
Cook until flame dies.
Serve over Ice Cream. Add chopped Pecans if desired.
One last thought:
You yes, why do when you can overdue. Add near done Maple Bacon bits to the pan when you add the Butter.
Amazing… You’ll be saying.. It’s mine, mine, all mine you can’t have any! But it’s so good you’ll just have to share.
Serves four.
Ginger Snap & Brie
Hey… come see me! Thursday I’m the featured Chef at Tacoma’s Holiday Food and Gift Festival. It takes place at the Tacoma Dome, one of the largest wood domed structures in the world.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Tacoma Dome’s roof was built with 1.6 million board feet and weighs 1,444,000 pounds. 24,541,382 cubic feet of concrete was used in the construction of the Tacoma Dome. This is enough to build a sidewalk 70 miles long. The Tacoma Dome is 530 feet in diameter and 152 feet tall.
Upt… I copied that from the internet. But it is kinda cool to cook in such a big event. They hold Hockey games and rock concerts here. In 2000, 23,000 fans came to the Dome to hear Bruce Springsteen in concert. Copying again…..
Do I think I’ll attract hundreds of new blog readers? Will people rush to stage, hoping to sign me up for a private cooking party? Naw… don’t think so. I did it mainly to impress my Mother- in- Law. She’ll be out for a visit and I thought she’d enjoy the show.
They’ll be hundreds of vendors selling all kinds of semi crafty crap. The cooking stage will host a few dozen chefs over the weekend… it all looks real good on paper. But mostly people hover around the cooking stage for free tasting samples.
You’ll hover too, once you taste the dee-licious appetizer I’m preparing: Ginger Snaps & Brie.
Make this when the feeling of fall hits you. When you change from pinks and purples to cinnamons, golds and sun ripened pumpkins. Serve it at Halloween parties, Thanksgiving and all your Christmas soirées then put it away for next year. Just doesn’t taste right in the middle of the summer.
Make sure the brie is ripe and runny. You can go two ways with the pears, juicy and luscious or get a Bosc Pear and have a nice crunch to go with the Ginger Snap.
The best part about cooking at the Tacoma Dome is when they announce my segment, over the loud speaker for 10 thousand people to hear:
In five minutes, Chef Joy will be presenting holiday appetizers on our cooking stage. Chef Joy, with “Ready, Set, Entertain” in just five minutes.
I wrote that!
And of course my Mother-in-Law will say, Oh happy me… my son did indeed marry well.
Ginger Snaps & Brie:
Take a Ginger Snap Cookie.
Smear it with ripe Brie Cheese.
Top it with a slice of Pear.
Eat.
I usually put out a platter with a wedge of Brie and let people make their own. I always make the first round and hand them out. People don’t realize how delicious the combination is till it goes in the mouth. Expect Wows.
Today I Don’t Feel Like doing Anything… Marsala Beef Daube
Today I don’t feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don’t feel like picking up the phone
So leave a message at the tone….
Do you know Bruno Mars’ The Lazy Song? The video is wonderful. Just google The lazy Song and you are there. but promise you’ll come back and watch my first Youtube video.
Have you ever woke up and wanted to do nothing, but you’ve promised to cook a special dinner that night? Or maybe you’d like to be your own guest at tonight’s party. Jumping up and down and doing last minute cooking can be stressful and tiring. If so, Marsala Beef Daube, made in a crock pot, is the recipe for you.
A daube (pronounced DOHB) is a classic French stew made with beef and wine and braised over low heat for several hours. Perfect for the crock pot.
Marsala wine is a fortified wine, it has hard alcohol, (in this case Brandy) and flavoring added to it. It’s made in the toe of Italy, near Sicily, and was created to give British sailors something to drink that could last through long sea voyages. The British quickly developed a taste for Marsala. It moved to America during Prohibition. Those smart 
Italians, they packaged it to look like medicine bottles. Oh the stuff that a few swigs of Marsala could cure!
Marsala can last a long time on your shelf, 6 months to a year with no refrigeration. Sherry and Port are related you could use them as substitutions… but really… Marsala has a distinctive smoky taste. Marsala tastes like Marsala. Go get a bottle. You will love it.
Marsala comes in sweet and dry. I prefer the dry, especially if I drink it on the rocks with a strong cheese like Gorgonzola. If your market only sell sweet, get it and enjoy. I’ve included a recipe for a basic Chicken Marsala. Yes, Yes… I know you’ve had it at Olive Garden, only on special occasions… I make Chicken Marsala in less than 15 minutes as a week day treat. You will too. Good Marsala just carries the day.
An easy Stew…. A new bottle for your pantry… Doing something while doing nothing.
Do check out the Bruno Mars video. If you are a
Star Trek fan, ABSOLUTELY watch the official alternate version staring Leonard Nimoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLexgOxsZu0
Serves 6-8… in the YouTube we used 1 ½ pounds of meat for a small dinner party… freezes well, make extra)Marsala Beef Daube – Chef Joy
3 pounds Beef Stew Meat
2 Cups Dry Marsala
3 14 ounce cans Stewed Tomatoes with Herbs
3 Tablespoons Flour
Salt/Pepper
Add Meat to Crock Pot. Sprinkle with Flour then mix with your hand or a spoon. Mixing in the flour first will prevent any lumps. Add the rest of Ingredients. Put the Crock Pot on low and cook for 8 hours. Taste for seasonings, add more Salt and Pepper if neded.
Can also be cooked on the top of the stove or in the oven. Cover and cook gently for 2-3 hours in 350 degree oven, or on stove top on low heat.
Serve with Polenta, Noodles or Couscous. A nice Salad and crusty bread finished the meal.
Dessert? Chocolate Ice-cream with a shot of hot coffee or Espresso poured on top at the last minute. And a crunchy cookie!
Chicken Marsala – Chef Joy
1 pound thin Sliced Chicken Breast
1 carton thin sliced Mushrooms
2-3 Shallots, chopped
¾ cup Marsala Wine
Oil/Butter for Sauté
Flour for Dredging and to thicken sauce if desired
Salt
Pepper
Parsley for garnish
Heat Oil/Butter in a saute pan. Mix Flour, Salt and Pepper, dredge Chicken in Flour then into the Pan. Cook till near done on both side and remove. Add Shallots and Mushrooms to pan and sauté briefly. Turn heat to high, add Marsala. Reduce by 1/3. Add flour slurry to thicken slightly. Add Chicken back into sauce. Warm and serve over Orzo or Couscous. Peas make a nice side vegetable. Their sweetness compliments the Marsala
What’s Cooking, Good Looking?! – September 2011
What’s Cooking?
So glad you asked.
I’ve left the safety of Whole Foods Market. I’ve left the absurdity of punching a time clock too.
Chef Joy has thrown her parachute out of the plane then jumped… hoping to catch it before hitting the ground.
Wait a minute, that’s a sky diving metaphor best left to husband Doug. A cooking metaphor please!
The fire under the saute pan is turned up high. I’ve thrown in Olive Oil and some Onions. What’s the next ingredient?
Please come back to these pages and see.
Comments… Ideas… Private Parties or Classes…
I won’t let you down. Here’s a simple salad with different and delightful tastes. This will be a bangin’ big flavored blog.
Cantaloupe, Cucumber and Mint Salad
- 1/2 Cantaloupe, seeded and sliced thin, about 2 cups
- 1 Cucumber, seeded, peeled and sliced thin, about 2 cups
- 1 Red Jalapeno, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce
- Juice of 1 small Lime, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh Ginger
- 1/4 cup torn or chopped fresh Mint Leaves
Arrange Cantaloupe, Cucumber and Jalapeno slices on 4 plates. (Or toss in a bowl.)
Whisk together Fish Sauce, Lime Juice and Ginger. Taste. Fish Sauce should not overwhelm the other flavors. Pour over Salad. Top with Mint.
Serve with piece of fish, or Shrimp. Hummm… would be delight with cold poached Chicken too, or anything off the grill.
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