This pie should be arrested for inciting to riot! It's a scandal, a pure brutal scandal; if you make it just once you'll have to move to New Orleans to escape being plagued with requests to have it every night.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
CLASSIC CRUST
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons cold water
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the flour and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle with the water, one tablespoon at a time, and toss lightly with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
Press the dough between your hands to form a 5- to 6-inch "pancake." Lightly flour a work surface and your rolling pin. Roll the dough into a circle about 1 inch larger than an upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Fold the dough into quarters and carefully unfold and press into the pie plate. Fold the edge under and flute. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
FLUFFY FILLING
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (4-serving) box lemon flavor instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
For the fluffy filling, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk in a large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the lemonade concentrate. Blend well. Beat in the pudding mix until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and spoon into the baked pie crust. Make a shallow depression in the filling 1 inch in from the edge and refrigerate.
CLEAR FILLING
½ cup cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 1 ½ cups water
4 egg yolks
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
For the clear filling, combine the cornstarch and 1/3 cup of the water in a small bowl. Stir to blend. Combine the egg yolks and lemon juice in a medium-size mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Combine the granulated sugar and the remaining 1½ cups of water in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture slowly. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick and clear. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the egg yolk mixture slowly until blended. Return to the heat. Cook and stir until the mixture just comes to a boil, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter. Cool completely, and spread gently over the fluffy filling.
TOPPING
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the topping, beat the whipping cream in a small bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the clear filling. Refrigerate until firm.
6 to 8 Serves
Words Fail Me.
Best to make the Chicken Broth one day and serve it the next day. It is a bit time consuming but the results are impressive. You will be proud.
To make the intensified broth:1 ½ gallons of canned chicken broth
One three to four pound chicken, or the equivalent in chicken pieces.
1 large onion quartered;do not peel-It makes a rich golden color in the broth. Stick one clove in one of the quarters if you have one.
3 cloves garlic
2 carrots, quartered
2 whole bay leaves
2 celery ribs with tops, quartered
2 couple of sprigs of parsley
Put all the above in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool in the broth. When cool enough to handle remove the chicken and vegeetables from the broth. Strain the broth and refrigerate it until the next day. Pull the meat from the bones, cover tightly and refrigerate. Toss the skin and bones.
The next day:
Remove the fat that will have risen to the top of the broth. Put the broth on the stove to heat about 2 hours before dinner. Just bring it to a simmer and keep it there.
Prepare your soup garnishes:
For the Bowls:
1 cup fresh spinach, cut in small strips
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup Avocado, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup of the boiled chicken, diced
1 cup lime juice
One bunch of cilantro, chopped, toss the tough stems
A couple of halved cherrry tomatoes or tomato wedges
the grated zest of all the limes you squeezed to get the juice you’ll need just a pinch to put in each bowl.
Garnishes to pass at the table:
toasted tortilla strips-or just use plain corn chips
Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions for service in individual bowls:
Put about 1 Tablespoon of each ingredient in the bottom of each bowl. Just a pinch of lime zest in each bowl I proper. Pour in the boiling chicken stock. It will be beautiful.
Have bowls of toasted tortillas (or chips) and lime wedges to pass for each guest to help himself at the table.
Yes, you can just throw everything in the broth and use a ladle, but it’s really nice to do in individual bowls. :)
Words Fail Me...
Serve with corn chips. I especially like the cup-shaped ones for this.
1 lb U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets, cut in to 1/4-inch pieces (the smaller the better-hard to do but worth the effort)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
½ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup seeded and diced ripe tomato
½ cup finely diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon oregano leaves
1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined, and minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
In a large reseal able food-storage bag, combine the fish with the lemon and lime zests and juices. Allow to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 18 hours, turning every once and a while to mix.
Thirty minutes before serving, drain the fish and discard the liquid. Put the fish in a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil, tomato, red onion, garlic, cilantro, oregano, jalapeno, salt, sugar, and avocado. Mix gently, cover, and chill until ready to serve.
Serves 6
Words Fail Me.
This is one of the great Southern dishes. It has small, quite simple steps that are done in advance. All that remains is to put them together. This may look complicated but believe me any child over the age of 10 could cook this in a shack on an island in South Carolina where it originated.
Serves four lightly in a skillet until edges of the bacon are brown, but the bacon is not crisp. Remove from heat, drain on paper towels, then crumble., stirring, for about 4 minutes.
Cheese grits (recipe below)
1 pound fresh shrimp
6 slices bacon
Peanut oil
2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
1 cup minced scallions
1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
4 teaspoons lemon juice
Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Prepare grits and hold in a warm place or in a double boiler
Peel shrimp, rinse, and pat dry
Dice bacon and saut
Add enough peanut oil top the pan to make a layer of fat about 1/8 inch thick. When oil is quite hot, add shrimp in an even layer. Turn shrimp as they color; add mushrooms, and saut
Add scallions and garlic. Heat and stir for about a minute more. Season with lemon juice, a dash or two of Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste, and parsley.
Divide the grits among four plates. Spoon the shrimp on top, sprinkle with crumbled bacon, and serve immediately.
Cheese Grits, for Shrimp & Grits
1 cup stone-ground or quick grits
(not instant)
4 cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Cook grits according to package instructions for 1 cup of dry grits. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients to sauce pan. Stir until just mixed and serve.
