Today's Scene section features a story on Paula Deen's new cookbook.
I don't always get a chance to cook from the books we feature, but this one is already dog-eared and splattered.
I've been cooking from this book for about a week and have liked everything I've tried.
For Easter, I made Paula's Light and Lemony Pea Salad. A Paula Deen recipe that's light? I know, it sounds crazy. Actually, she has an entire chapter of food that's good for you.
For the pea salad, I used 2 (16-ounce) packages of frozen peas, doubled the ingredients for the "dressing" and then added a little extra salt and a pinch of sugar.
Yesterday I made Navy Bean Soup, a recipe from her husband, Michael Gruber. She says he learned the recipe from a tugboat captain from North Carolina.
The soup was good, but needed a little more flavor. I added hot sauce, more salt, and I served it with cornbread.
Next on my list is her Watermelon Sherbet, especially since I'm loving all things watermelon lately.
Here are the recipes for the pea salad and the bean soup – both keepers.
LIGHT AND LEMONY PEA SALAD
½ cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas, thawed and drained
Salt
1. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest and chives. Pour over the peas, toss to coat and season to taste with salt.
NAVY BEAN SOUP
1 pound dried navy beans, soaked overnight
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 or 2 smoked ham hocks
1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 large carrots, finely diced (about ½ cup)
2 stalks celery, finely diced (about ½ cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon hot sauce
1. Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook, covered, until the beans are tender, about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Uncover and cook for 1 hour more, until thickened.
2. Transfer the ham hock to a cutting board. Remove all the meat and fat from the bone; chop the meat into pieces and return it to the slow cooker. Serve hot.
