Chicken, okra & andouille sausage gumbo

Active: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total: 3 hours; Yield: 8 servings

Oil, peanut	1 cup
Flour, all-purpose	1 cup
Onion, chopped	2 large
Celery, chopped	1 cup
Garlic, minced	5 cloves
Okra	12 ounces
Sausage, andouille; sliced	20 ounces
Tomato paste	6 ounces
Bay leaves	2
Salt	1 teaspoon
Water	2 quarts
Rice, cooked
Chicken, roasted, shredded	1 pound

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. 
2. Add the flour and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring constantly, to make a dark roux. 
3. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, stir to coat, and cook for 5 minutes. 
4. Add the okra, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables with the roux. 
5. Add the sausage, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and water; stir, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours. 
6. Add the chicken, and cook for 5 minutes longer. 
7. Serve with rice.

Recipe generously adapted from In a Cajun Kitchen by Terri Pischoff Wuerthner.

Beef & fonio meatballs with sweet potato stew

Active: 55 minutes; Total: 1 hour 55 minutes; Serves: 4 to 6

Fonio, cooked according to package direction, cooled	½ cup (measure after cooking!)
Onions, finely chopped	2 mediums
Parmesan, finely grated	1 ounce
Eggs, lightly beaten	1 large
Thyme, chopped	2 tablespoons
Garlic, finely chopped	4 cloves
Salt	1 ½ teaspoons + 3/4 teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground,	¼ teaspoon +
Beef, 80% lean ground	1 pound
Peanut oil	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
Bay leaf, fresh
Tomatoes, whole peeled, crushed by hand	28 ounces
Chicken broth, low-sodium	1 cup + ½ cup
Sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces	1 medium

1. Combine fonio, 1-cup onions, cheese, egg, thyme, 2-teaspoon garlic, 1 ½-teaspoons salt, ½-teaspoon pepper in a food processor. 
2. Process until the mixture forms a coarse paste, about 30 seconds. 
3. Transfer fonio mixture to a large bowl; add ground beef and 1-cup onions. 
4. Using your hands, gently combine the meat mixture. 
5. Shape sixteen balls; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
6. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours or overnight. 
7. Heat ¼-cup oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. 
8. Add bay leaf, remaining onions (about 2 cups), and remaining garlic (about 2-teaspoons). 
9. Cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. 
10. Add tomatoes, 1-cup broth, 3/4-teaspoon salt, and ¼-teaspoon pepper. 
11. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. 
12. Stir in sweet potato and remaining ½-cup broth. 
13. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potato is almost tender, 18 to 24 minutes. 
14. Heat remaining 2-tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
15. Working in batches if needed, cook meatballs in hot oil, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate. 
16. Nestle meatballs in skillet with sauce; cook, uncovered, over medium-low, until sweet potato is tender and meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. 
17. Season with salt and pepper to taste; garnish with parmesan. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2021.

Beer-batter fried pickles with spicy ranch sauce

Pickles pictured with fried catfish and hushpuppies

Pickles, dill, sandwich slice, drained, dried	32 ounces
Egg	1 large
Beer	12 ounces
Baking powder	1 tablespoon
Salt, seasoned	1 teaspoon
Flour, all-purpose	1 ½ cups
Peanut oil
Sauce
Buttermilk	¾ cup
Mayonnaise	½ cup
Green onions, minced	2 tablespoons
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Hot sauce	1 teaspoon
Salt, seasoned	½ teaspoon

1. Whisk together the egg, beer, baking powder and salt. 
2. Gradually add flour, whisking until smooth. 
3. Heat oil to 375°F. 
4. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients, and garnish with seasoned salt; set aside.
5. Dip the pickle slices into the batter, allowing excess to drip off. 
6. Fry the pickles, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. 
7. Drain and pat dry on paper towels; serve immediately with sauce.

Back-porch fried catfish

Flour, all-purpose	1 cup
Salt	1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	2 teaspoons
Red pepper, ground	2 teaspoons
Cornmeal, yellow	2 ½ cups
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Thyme, dried	2 tablespoons
Catfish fillets, cut into strips	10
Buttermilk	1 cup
Peanut oil

1. Combine the flour, salt, and peppers in a shallow dish. 
2. Combine the cornmeal, garlic powder, and thyme in a plastic freezer bag. 
3. Dredge the catfish in the flour mixture, and dip in the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. 
4. Place the catfish in the cornmeal mixture, seal the bag, and shake to coat. 
5. Heat oil to 360°F, and fry the catfish, in batches, for 3 minutes or until golden. 
6. Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.

Hushpuppies

Garlic, crushed	2 cloves
Cornmeal, yellow	2 cups
Flour, all-purpose	¼ cup
Salt	½ teaspoon
Baking powder	2 tablespoons
Eggs, beaten	2 large
Buttermilk	1 cup
Onions, finely minced	1 tablespoon
Peanut oil

1. Rub a mixing bowl with garlic. 
2. Place the cornmeal in the bowl, and sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder. 
3. Add the eggs and enough buttermilk to make a stiff batter. 
4. Add the onions, and beat well. 
5. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate about 1 hour or until the batter is spongy. 
6. Drop by the tablespoonful into deep, hot oil and cook until golden brown. 
7. Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.