Columbia County Magazine

Category: Food

Grilled Corn Salad
- 6 ears sweet corn
- Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing corn
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- Slivered almonds
Remove husks and silk from corn. Prepare grill to medium high heat. Brush corn lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill 6-7 minutes until charred in spots but still slightly crisp. Remove from grill and let cool slightly before cutting kernels from the cobs. Scrape kernels off, rows at a time, with a sharp kitchen knife and set on plates. Place tomatoes and onion in a bowl and set aside. In a separate small bowl, mix together the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Pour dressing over tomatoes and onion and toss to thoroughly coat. Spoon tomatoes and onions over corn. Garnish with almond slivers and serve. Makes 6 servings.
May 22, 2017
Shrimp & Grits with Andouille Sausage
- 1 cup grits
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Cook grits per package instructions until tender. Stir in butter and cheese; set aside. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook sausage about 3 minutes and set aside. Toss shrimp in Cajun seasoning and add to pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes and set aside. Add broth and tomato paste and simmer 3-5 minutes. Add sausage and shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cream and remove from heat. Place grits in individual bowls and top with shrimp and sausage mixture. Garnish with green onions and serve. Makes 4 servings.
March 27, 2017
Irish Wheaten Bread
Photography by Gary McLaughlin

This brown soda bread is full of fiber, yeast-free and so simple to prepare. If you can find Irish imported brown whole wheat flour, you’ll get the best results.
- 3 cups coarse whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/4 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 3/8 cup sugar
- 3 ounces butter or margarine
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon honey
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pans. Measure all dry ingredients in large bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips and create a well in center of mix. Beat egg in small bowl and mix with buttermilk and honey. Add to dry ingredients and mix well with large spoon. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead gently with floured hands. Divide dough into loaves and place each loaf into a pan. Using knife, cut line down center of each loaf. Bake for 40 minutes to deep golden brown color, or until base of loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Makes 3 loaves.

Recipe by Judith McLaughlin
February 23, 2017
Fettuccini with Clams, Mussels & Shrimp
- 1 (13.75-ounce) box fettuccine
- Dash of olive oil
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/4 cup minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 1 pound clams, scrubbed
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed
- 1 1/2 cups white wine
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup cream or half and half
Cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain and lightly toss with a dash of olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking together; set aside. Dissolve bouillon cubes in chicken broth and set aside. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic and most of the green onion (save a little for garnish) and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add clams and mussels; cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add white wine and bouillon cubes with chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a rolling simmer. Add shrimp, cover and cook 3-5 more minutes or until the clams have opened and shrimp is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter and the cream. Add cooked fettuccine and toss to combine. Remove to plates and garnish with remaining green onion.
January 23, 2017
Souper Bowls
Score points with these soup, stew and chowder recipes that aren’t too tough to tackle.

Sirloin Steak Soup
- 2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 3 cups carrots, diced
- 1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas or cut green beans
- 2 tablespoons chopped dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 1/2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons steak sauce
Cut beef into 1/4-inch strips; cut strips into 1-inch pieces. Heat oil in stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil 4-5 minutes or until brown. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until meat and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Serves 6.
January 3, 2017
Buffalo Chicken Wings
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 ounces dark beer
- 1 cup chili sauce
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili pepper
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 4 ounces cayenne pepper sauce
Chop the butter, shallot and cloves and sauté in a large pan. Add the dark beer, chili sauce and barbecue sauce; stir for about a minute. Add the ancho chili pepper, brown sugar, honey and cayenne pepper sauce; stir for about 2 minutes. In a deep fryer (or oven) cook wings until done. Place sauce in a large bowl and add wings. Coat completely and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
September 1, 2016
Pan-Fried Crab Cakes
- 1/2 cup minced celery
- 1/2 cup minced bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
- 1-2 pinches salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon spicy mustard
- 4 tablespoons egg whites
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1-2 dashes hot sauce
- 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 pound lump crabmeat, pre-cooked
- 2 scallions, chopped (white and green parts)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add celery, bell pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir about 7-8 minutes, until celery and bell pepper are soft and slightly caramelized. Place in a bowl and set aside. Place crabmeat in a paper towel and gently squeeze to absorb extra moisture so cakes won’t be soggy in the middle.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, egg whites, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Gently stir in the breadcrumbs, scallion, crabmeat and cooked celery and bell pepper, making sure not to break up the crab lumps too much. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Gently form into patties and place on a platter or sheet of wax paper sprinkled with breadcrumbs so they won’t stick to the surface. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Fry patties on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6-8 servings.
July 29, 2016
Watermelon Parmesan Salad
- 2 slices watermelon
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 wedge Parmesan cheese
- Fig balsamic vinegar
Cut watermelon slices and remove seeds. Using a vegetable peeler, make fresh Parmesan cheese curls from the cheese wedge. Place salad greens on individual plates and top with the watermelon slices and cheese curls. Drizzle with fig balsamic vinegar, to taste, and serve. Makes 2 servings.

Stack alternating cubes of cheese and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil; season with sea salt and pepper. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with toothpicks. Makes one cube.
July 3, 2016
Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Photography by Todd Stone
Recipe by Lara Lyn Carter
- 1 (8-ounce) block of cream cheese
- 1 cup Wicker & Whisk Homegrown Herb Dressing
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Mix cream cheese and dressing together with a mixer until smooth. Gently stir in peppers and black pepper. Serve with toast points, crackers or an assortment of fresh vegetables.
March 30, 2016
Zesty Asparagus
- 1 pound tender fresh asparagus
  
  Photography by Todd Stone
  Recipe by Lara Lyn Carter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Wash and dry asparagus. Cut off bottom 1/2-inch of stems to remove tough parts. In a large bowl, whisk remaining ingredients together. Add asparagus to bowl with the other ingredients and toss them well to coat with the mixture. Spread asparagus on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
March 30, 2016
Pimento Cheese Grits
- Photography by Todd Stone
  Recipe by Lara Lyn Carter
  
  1 cup course ground grits (I use Gayla’s Grits from Shaw Farms)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 ounces mascarpone
- 4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces mild Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced roasted red peppers
In a large pot bring grits, broth and butter to a boil. Boil for one minute, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed. Turn heat to simmer, and stir in cheeses and peppers. Once cheeses are melted, remove grits from heat and serve.
March 30, 2016
Port Wine Mustard Fondue
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  
  Photography by Todd Stone
  Recipe by Lara Lyn Carter
- 1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown ale (I use Newcastle)
- 4 tablespoons Wicker & Whisk Port Wine Mustard
In a large bowl toss cheese and flour together. Heat fondue pot to manufacturer directions for cheese fondue. Pour beer into fondue pot and allow it to heat before adding cheeses. Whisk cheeses and mustard in with the beer until all of the cheese is melted and the fondue is heated thoroughly. Serve with assorted breads, apple slices and vegetables.
March 30, 2016
Deviled Eggs
- 1 dozen eggs
- 4-6 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Dash white pepper
- Paprika for garnish
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain pot and fill with cold water and ice. Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard and cayenne and stir with fork until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites or fill a pastry bag and pipe into egg whites. Garnish lightly with paprika. Makes 24 halves.
March 3, 2016
Roasted Potato & Bacon Kabobs
- 4 baking potatoes
- 4-6 slices thick-cut bacon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 stick butter
- Paprika, for garnish
Cut bacon into short slices and place in freezer about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bring a pot of salted water to boil. Slice potatoes and add to the boiling water; boil about 4 minutes. Remove, let cool, then pat dry. Melt butter and rub on the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Thread potatoes and bacon onto greased skewers and bake about 60 minutes or until the outsides are browned and crisp. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and garnish with paprika. Makes 4 servings.
February 4, 2016
Cookie Monsters
- 8-12 chocolate cookies or brownies
- Butterscotch pudding
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- 8 large marshmallows
Melt chocolate and add to marshmallows for eyeballs; set aside. Prepare pudding according to package directions and spoon half into clear glasses. Crumble cookies and add to glass; top with remaining pudding. Garnish with marshmallows and play “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett & the Crypt Kickers: “They did the mash… the monster mash…”
September 30, 2015