Frank's Super Bowl recipe: Shrimp and eggplant casserole

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:08:38 -0700

3 large purple or 5 medium pink eggplants
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 cup onions, finely diced
¾ cup celery, finely diced
½ cup bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup parsley, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and chopped
5 cups fresh bread crumbs, wheat or white
½ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. basil leaves
1-1/2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. coarse ground black pepper
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup coarse grated French bread crumbs
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

The first thing you do is take the eggplants (whole and unpeeled) and wrap each one individually in a sheet of aluminum foil. 

Then place them on the center rack of a 350 degree preheated oven and bake them for about 45 minutes or until an ice pick easily pierces them through and through. 

When they’re soft and tender, set them aside to cool for awhile.

Then, when you’re ready to begin assembling the casserole, take a 4-quart Dutch oven, place it on the stovetop over medium heat,  melt down the stick of margarine or butter, drop in the onions, celery, bell pepper, parsley and garlic, and cook them until they soften and wilt (which should take about 6 minutes, stirring constantly.)
 
In the meantime, remove the eggplants from the foil and peel off the outer skin—if you baked them long enough the outer skin should come off as easily as wrapping paper; if you didn’t bake them long enough you will probably have to scrape the pulp out of the skin. 

Either way, when the vegetable is peeled, discard the skin, chop the eggplant pulp into small pieces, and place it (along with the liquids that run from the eggplant as you chop it) into the Dutch oven. 

Then, over medium heat, thoroughly fold the eggplant into the seasoning vegetables and simmer the mixture for about 5 to 10 minutes or so.

When this has been done, drop in the shrimp (if you have to use large shrimp, it is best to chop them into smaller pieces before adding them to the pot) and cook them with the eggplant for another 5 minutes. 

Make a note here that additional liquids will exude from the shrimp at this point, but don’t worry about it. 

It’s supposed to happen.  The bread will absorb the excess liquid later.  Oh—and this is also the time in the recipe that you should stir in all the seasonings, either the individual spices or a preblended mix. 

Finally, turn off the fire and begin folding in the bread. 

Notice I didn’t say to add all 5 cups, because you might not need all 5 cups. 

Actually, you should use only as much as necessary to make the  dressing  moist—not sticky and pasty, but not runny either.  This is the trick to creating a good casserole.

Then when the bread has been added and the consistency is the way you want it, evenly fold in the red and black pepper along with the Parmesan cheese. 

Then taste the mixture one final time and readjust the seasonings, if necessary.

All that’s left now is to transfer the mixture from the Dutch oven to a buttered Pyrex baking dish, cover it lightly with a layer of the French bread crumbs, top the crumbs with a generous helping of the  mozzarella cheese, and slide the dish uncovered into a 350 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the casserole is golden brown, hot, and bubbly!

This is best served right from the oven, sprinkled with a little extra Parmesan and accompanied by a cold, crisp green salad.

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Chef’s Notes:

1.       You can use either butter or margarine in this dish.  The margarine significantly reduces the cholesterol, but the butter gives the finished dish a more intense, richer taste.

2.       If you prefer not to use all the individual spices in this recipe, such as the oregano, thyme, and basil,  you can eliminate them simply by adding 1 tsp. Frank Davis Sicilian Seasoning and 1 tsp. Frank Davis Seafood Seasoning.

3.       If you prefer to make the casserole in the traditional Sicilian way, using Italian sausage instead of shrimp, just substitute sausage for shrimp and cook it in the Dutch oven before adding the eggplant instead of after adding the eggplant.  Capice?

Frank & Mary Clare’s Stewed Half-Time Chicken Wings

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:23:08 -0700

You need to have something other than cheese balls, chips, olives, hummus, crackers, crawfish dip, and popcorn to set out for your buddies at halftime. Well, we got it for you! But be aware that this recipe comes with a warning — serve it once and like old stray dogs they’ll be there on your porch all the way through Superbowl Sunday!

 

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cups pre-chopped mirepoix (onion, celery, bell pepper, and parsley mix)

3 pods fresh garlic, minced

2 small cans quality tomato paste

6 tomato paste cans full of bottled water

3 whole bay leaves

2 dozen chicken wings, trimmed of extra fat and skin

1 tablespoon Frank Davis Sicilian Seasoning

1 tablespoon Frank Davis Poultry Seasoning

Sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

2 loaves hot-baked garlic bread

Parmesan Cheese for bread garnish

 

First, take a heavy porcelain-lined Dutch oven and put it on the stove over a medium fire. Then, after a few minutes of pre-heating, pour in the extra virgin olive oil and bring it up to sizzling.

At that point, toss in the mirepoix and the garlic. Then stir into the veggies the tomato paste and pan-fry everything together for about 5 minutes. Note: Be sure to keep the mixture moving in the pot so that the ingredients don’t burn.

When everything is blended uniformly, pour in the water and drop in the bay leaves. Then once again stir the pot so that all the ingredients “marry.” By the way, all this time the fire is set at medium.

While the gravy is coming together, work on the chicken wings. Here’s how:

• Place a wing on a cutting board, lop off the wing tip, and throw it away.
• Then with the wing lying on its side, take a sharp knife and cut out the fat “web” between the drummette and the lower portion of the wing. When that’s done, go to the top of the drummette and cut off the large piece of fat. Throw away both the fat and the web piece.
• This is when you place the wings into a large baking pan and liberally sprinkle them with the Sicilian and the poultry seasonings. Then hit them with a touch of salt and a scattering of fresh ground black pepper, and toss them over and over on themselves so that every wing is coated and seasoned with the spices.

Finally, nothing is left to do but to drop in the seasoned wings and nestle them down into the red gravy. Then put the lid on the pot, slide the pot into a 350-degree oven, and let the wings bake for about an hour or so (or until they show signs of falling off the bone).

All that remains now is to bake the garlic bread, cut it into serving size portions.

Then place the pot of stewed chicken and the baked bread on top of the coffee table in front of the widescreen TV. No silverware is necessary (cuz this is finger food!) and to make the halftime snacking perfect pass around paper plates and (no—no napkins!) paper towels.

Just try your best to ignore the sucking and squeaking sounds your friends and family are going to make while “dining.” Yeah—and put out the garlic bread for sopping, too.

This is a fun halftime treat. The only advance tip I can give you is. . .make plenty! They’re popular and they go fast!

Chef’s Notes:

If the wings are on the small side, plan on doing the entire 3 dozen. If they’re large wings, however, you might be able to get by with one dozen or a dozen-and-a-half.

If you have gravy left over after the wings are gone and the sopping is done, you can put it into a plastic, airtight container and stash it in the refrigerator until the next time you need a red gravy or. . want more smothered wings!

 

MawMaw’s Blackpot Roast (For N’Awlins Roast Beef Po-Boy Sandwiches)

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:44:10 -0700

Isn’t it amazing how some things in your life you never forget? Well, that’s how I am about my MawMaw’s roast beef. Ummm! Tender, thinly sliced, piled on fresh French bread, slathered with mayonnaise, and topped off with lettuce and slices of tomato and dill pickle. Make one today!

 

4 – 5 lb. rump roast

10 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tsp. Frank Davis Beef Seasoning

Dash of fresh ground black pepper

2 tsps. coarse ground black pepper

1 cup hearty burgundy red wine

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Celery Soup

Fresh French bread,

Mayonnaise

Lettuce, tomato, dill pickle

 

First thing you do is take your 4-quart black, cast iron Dutch oven and spray it liberally—including the inside of the lid—with a non-stick spray (Pam, Wesson, or Vegelene).

Set your oven at 450 degrees.

Next, place the roast on a piece of freezer paper on the counter top and, with a sharp boning knife, trim away all the excess fat and silverskin.

Then, with a paring knife, make about a dozen or so slits in the meat and stuff each hole you make with a clove of garlic.

Follow this by sprinkling on the beef seasoning and the coarse ground black pepper and briskly rubbing it into the beef.

Now place the garlic-stuffed seasoned roast into the black pot, put the lid on the pot, and slide it into the back of the preheated oven on the center rack.

After about an hour and a half, remove the pot from the oven, gently lift out the roast, and set it aside on a platter momentarily.

Then take the wine and both cans of soup, add them to the black pot, and stir everything together thoroughly, making sure to scrape up whatever beef has stuck to and caramelized on the bottom of the pot.

Then return the beef to the pot and baste it all over with the wine and soup mixture.

Now put the lid back on the pot, slide the pot into the oven once again, and let the roast go for another 2 to 3 hours (at 350) or until it becomes so tender it begins to fall apart!

When you’re ready to eat, take the roast from the pot, place it on a carving board, cut it into thin-slices, and transfer the slices to a oven-proof serving platter.

Then generously drizzle a number of ladles of the rich wine-gravy over the meat.

From this point, prepare the French bread, spread on the mayo, dress the sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes and dot it with the pickle slices.

All that’s left is to round up something to drink and collect a stash of paper towels. Ohhhhh, yeah!

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Chef’s Notes:

1. For a variation in the gravy, instead of the can of Cream of Celery Soup, substitute a can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies. The gravy will be slightly red and much spicier than the brown gravy version.
2. If you don’t have a hearty burgundy wine, any other good red wine will do. Just remember the criteria—if you wouldn’t drink it by the glass, don’t cook with it!
3. Oh—and at this time of year the best dessert to cleanse the palate after a meal like this is with a plate of thinly sliced, ice-cold Plaquemines Parish navel oranges. And for a topper, a big ol’ chunk of king cake fits the bill!

 

N’Awlins Red Beans and Rice

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:41:47 -0700

4 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil, imported
1 cup julienned tasso, poached
1 lb. Country smoked sausage, par-boiled and defatted
1 ham hock, also pre-boiled for tenderness
2 cups scallions (large bulb green onions), sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. Fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 lb. Red beans (soaked overnight in 10 cups water)
1 pinch bacon soda
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Basil
2 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
8 cups chicken broth + 2 cups water as needed
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 cups long-grain rice for tasting

First, rinse the beans well, sort through them, and toss out any broken or discolored ones. Then, in a large non-reactive pot (preferably stainless steel), soak them overnight in 10 cups of water to which you add a pinch of baking soda. Soaking will expand the bean, tenderize the hulls, and make them cook up exceptionally creamy!

Then, when you’re ready to cook, take a heavy cast iron or aluminum Dutch oven, heat up the olive oil, and begin sautéing the seasoning meats. When the meats begin to brown slightly, toss in the vegetables and cook them until tender (about 5 to 8 minutes).

At this point, thoroughly drain the red beans from the soaking water and add them to the sautéed ingredients. Stir them around…but do it gently so you don’t bruise the beans! Now cook for about three minutes, allowing the steam to expand the bean further.

Next add the bay leaf, tyme, basil, and Louisiana Hot Sauce, plus the chicken stock and the water. Then stir everything together well and salt and pepper the pot to taste. Go ahead and turn the fire to high and bring the water to a boil; but as soon as it boils, place a heat diffuser under the pot, reduce the flame to “simmer,” and cook slowly for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours—stirring occasionally—or until the beans are soft and creamy.

Most New Orleanians cook and eat their red beans on Monday. But in all honesty, to attain max flavor they should be held in the refrigerator at least overnight! When you’re ready to eat, ladle out a generous portion of beans over a plate of rice and crown with any of the “topping condiments” listed with this recipe.

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CHEF’S NOTES:

1—To tenderize the beans—but mostly to de-fat the sausage, ham hocks, and pickled meat—par boil them all together for about a hour, watching closely as they soften and the hulls relax.

2—To make your beans even creamier, mash up about a quarter cup of the beans after they’re cooked and stir them back into the pot. Or simply add 4 to 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the beans and blend it in well until smooth.

Chicken Wings for the Games!

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:00:50 -0700

You can whip these up in your kitchen and won't have to drive to the chicken joint:

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil     
3 cups pre-chopped mirepoix (onion, celery, bell pepper, and parsley mix)
4 pods fresh garlic, minced     
2 large cans quality tomato paste 
2 large tomato paste cans full of bottled water or chicken stock      
4 whole bay leaves
4 dozen chicken wings, trimmed of extra fat and skin    
2 tablespoons Frank Davis Sicilian Seasoning
2 tablespoons Frank Davis Poultry Seasoning
 Sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste      
 2 loaves hot-baked garlic bread      
 Parmesan Cheese for bread garnish

 First, take a heavy porcelain-lined Dutch oven or chicken fryer and put it on the stove over a medium fire. Then, after a few minutes of pre-heating, pour in the extra virgin olive oil and bring it up to sizzling.  At that point, toss in the mirepoix and the garlic.  Then stir into the veggies the tomato paste and pan-fry everything together for about 3 minutes.  Note: Be sure to keep the mixture moving in the pot so that the ingredients don’t burn.

When everything is blended uniformly, pour in the water or stock and drop in the bay leaves. Then once again stir the pot so that all the ingredients “marry.”  By the way, all this time the fire is set at medium. While the gravy is coming together, work on the chicken wings.  Here’s how:

Place the wings one-at-a-time on a cutting board, lop off the wing tip, and throw it away. Then with the wing lying on its side, take a sharp knife and cut away the fat “web” between the drummette and the lower portion of the wing.  When that’s done, go to the top of the drummette and cut off the large piece of fat.  Throw away both the fat and the web piece too.

This is when you place the wings into a large baking pan and liberally sprinkle them with the Sicilian and the poultry seasonings.  Then hit them with a touch of salt and a scattering of fresh ground black pepper, and toss them over and over on themselves so that every wing is coated and seasoned with the spices.

 Finally, there's nothing left to do but liberally ladle the red gravy evenly over them.  Then slide the pan into a 350-degree oven, and let the chicken bake for about an hour or so (or until the wings show signs of falling off the bones).

All that remains now is to bake the garlic bread and cut it into serving size portions.

Then right before kickoff, place the pan of chicken and the baked bread on top of the coffee table in front of the widescreen TV.  No silverware is necessary (cuz this is finger food!) And to make the halftime snacking perfect pass around paper plates and napkins...no, make that paper towels.

Just try your best to ignore all the sucking and squeaking sounds your friends and family are going to make while whoofing down these bad boys!  Yeah—and pass around the garlic bread for sopping, too.

 This is the ultimate Saints or LSU treat.  The only advance tip I can give you is. . .make plenty!  They’re popular and they go fast!--FD

What? Grilled Steaks in Winter?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:47:20 -0700

      I learned yesterday afternoon, with the temperature hovering somewhere in the 30's, that a good ribeye steak tastes just as good on a cold January evening as it tastes on a blistery hot June afternoon.  I want you all to think about that when you decide that you're about ready to wrap up and cover up the ol' family grill and put it away for the winter. 

      Nu-uh!!  Instead, go dig out your warm Saints starter jacket and head on out to the patio with your Ove-Glove, your set of barbecue tools, a well-pre-seasoned  and marinated ribeye, and a cold brewskie (yep, contrary to public opinion guys who barbecue in winter can also imbibe in a cold brewskie in winter while the meat is flaring up)!

      Just keep one undisputable fact in mind, though. . .because the outside temp in January will sometimes have a great effect on chilling down the old barbie, you'll need to plan to cook hotter in winter than you would in, say, June or July.  You should also know that to get the meat cooking right away you'll want to allow it to come to room temp before you toss it atop the grate.

      Technique-wise, put the steaks on and immediately close down the lid (for you guys with one of those old rusty charcoal dinosaurs, you're gonna need either some heavy duty aluminum foil to make a makeshift cover or. . .you can use one of those disposable aluminum baking pans you buy at the discount store--they come in all sizes-- to retain the heat radiating from the briquettes).  Just the simple use of a "barbecue cover" can make the difference between a succulent, juicy, steakhouse-prepared steak and a shriveled, dried out, chewy cut of beef.  BBQ grill covers are mandated in winterime outdoor cooking, y'all!

      But wait!  I keep saying "steak!"  What about wintertime grilling of other stuff?  Like chicken--yep, same procedure.  Like pork chops--yep, same procedure.  Like veggies--yep, same procedure.  Like whatever you like--yep, same procedure.  All I'm saying is that the grill you have, whether it be gas or charcoal, can (and should) be a proficient and popular piece of cooking gear regardless of the time of year.  All you gotta do is make a few--a scant few at that!--adjustments to counteract the effects of Old Man Winter before you put on your chef's toque.

      Of course, given the history of cold weather in wintertime in New Orleans and all across Southeast Louisiana, this bit of culinary instruction (because winter in New Orleans and all across Southeast Louisiana) might be moot for most of the days between December 15, say, and late February.  I mean, oft times we natives here see no difference in the climate between winter and summer.  But that's good!  We like it that way!  For the most part we here in the Deep South usually have all four seasons. . .but we have 'em all in the same week!

      So right now, with this said and with the temperature holding the mercury in my back porch thermometer seemingly frozen at right around 28 degrees, my first thought is to oil and wrap some white potatoes in a sheet of foil, haul out one of those on-sale ribeyes or filets or porterhouses you splurged on a month or so ago, and get outside. . .and play with your BBQ grill.  As soon as I finish this script that's where I'm going and what I'm going to do!  

     Dangit!  I can smell the aromas already!
--Chef Frank Davis--     

 

Naturally Noel Herb Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:52:56 -0700

Talk about somethin’ special to go with your Christmas Prime Rib, you really need to fix up and serve this silky, creamy, potato creation. Believe you me, there won’t any of it but debris left in the pan when the roast is gone! Oh. . .and take my word for it, you oughta double the recipe.

 

3 lbs. small Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks, unpeeled

1 large Vidalia or Texas Sweet onion, cut in large dice

6 cloves freshly peeled garlic, smashed and minced

2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. dried dill

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 cup finely minced Italian parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

 

First, line a large shallow baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil and liberally coat it with non-stick spray Pam.

Once that’s done, heat the oven to 400°.

Now while the oven is coming up to temp, combine all of the above ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl and toss everything together over and over again to cover the ‘taters evenly and thoroughly distribute the seasoning.

Finally, arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a roasting pan and bake them—uncovered—for 40 to 50 minutes, until the little spud pieces are tender and beautifully browned.

I suggest you serve them piping hot right from the oven with the succulently seasoned prime rib, liberally drizzled with a dressing of the beef au jus. By the way, this recipe yields enough potatoes to serve approximately 6 hungry people.

 

Chef’s Notes:

1. As a variation in the seasoning process, instead of sprinkling on the sea salt and black pepper, you can substitute my Frank Davis Sprinkling Spice in their place for a bit richer flavor concentration.
2. And it goes without saying that if you want these spuds to have a typically Southern hint of “spice,” feel free to sprinkle them additionally with ground cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes at the outset.

Naturally Noel Mary Clare’s Christmas Cabbage Casserole

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:52:33 -0700

This is the perfect dish to serve as an accompaniment to your Christmas roast. Real “comfort food” of the highest order, it’s done in about 30 minutes and comes together in only one pot. Actually, it’s so good that if this one dish were all you had on the holiday table as the whole meal, you still wouldn’t be able to eat just one serving!

 

3/4 stick unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups chopped vegetable mirapoix

1/2 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 lb. lean ground pork

1 small head cabbage, coarsely shredded

1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies, 10 oz.

1 can tomato sauce, 15 oz.

1 tsp. Frank Davis Pork Seasoning

1 tsp. Frank Davis Vegetable Seasoning

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 cup instant rice

 

In a heavy 4-quart Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, melt the butter over medium-high heat (but do not let it burn!).

Then add to the pot the onions, celery, bell pepper, parsley, and garlic mixture and sauté it until the veggies become transparent and wilt slightly.

When they’re at that stage, drop in the beef and pork and fry the meats down until fully browned and totally incorporated into the vegetable seasonings.

It’s at this point that the cabbage goes into the pot. You’re going to swear the pot is too small or there’s just too much cabbage. But have faith! Simply add the cabbage a heaping handful at a time, tossing it over and over in the pot with tongs so that each piece is completely and uniformly coated with the butter and oil mixture. In short order, it will all wilt and fit nicely.

When all the cabbage is in the pot, stir in the Rotels and the tomato sauce and mix those ingredients thoroughly into the dish as well.

Immediately season the pot with both the pork and the vegetable seasoning, as well as the black pepper.

Then put the lid on the pot, reduce the fire to low, and simmer the cabbage for about 12-15 minutes or until a “tomatoey” liquid is visible and the cabbage is tender-crisp.

This is when the final step takes place. Simply pour into the pot the cup of instant rice and uniformly distribute it throughout the cabbage.

Then put the lid back on the pot, remove it from the hot burner grate, and allow it to “sit” for about 15 minutes until almost all of the liquid is absorbed by the rice.

Mary Clare’s Christmas Cabbage Casserole is best served immediately when cooking is complete, but it’s also pretty doggone good reheated in the microwave for service later. It makes a nice accompaniment to almost any entrée and can also double perfectly as a one-dish meal, indicative as a true comfort food.

 

Chef’s Note:

“Tender crisp” means that the cabbage isn’t raw, but it isn’t cooked to a softened mush either. Make sure it still has texture when it’s served.

 

Naturally Noel Christmas Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:52:04 -0700

1 can concentrated chicken stock

4 cups fresh green beans, washed and trimmed

2 cups yellow onions, sliced

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes

2 eggs, beaten well

1 cup whipping cream

2 tsp. Frank Davis Vegetable Seasoning (as desired)

Ground black pepper as desired

2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded

 

Start off by taking a 4-quart Dutch oven and bringing the chicken stock to a rolling boil.

Then drop the green beans into the hot stock and toss them around to coat them completely. At this point the stock will stop boiling, but as soon as it comes back to a boil turn off the fire, cover the pot, remove it from the stovetop, and allow the beans to “rest and soften” for about 5-8 minutes.

While all this is going on, take a 12 inch anodized skillet and sauté the onions in the unsalted butter until they become translucent.

Then transfer both the onions from the skillet (along with the butter in which they were sautéed) as well as the green beans from the Dutch oven (minus the poaching stock) to a buttered 3-quart baking dish (for uniformity you might want to toss the onions and green beans together in a large mixing bowl before placing them into the baking dish.)

Finally, finish up the recipe by taking a small bowl and whisking together the eggs, the cream, and the vegetable seasonings.

Then simply pour the mixture over the onions and the green beans, scatter on the tiny tomatoes, and crown everything with a liberal helping of Parmesan cheese.

The veggies are ready to serve after they bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees.

 

Chef’s Note:

If you can’t find fresh green beans, you can confidently use frozen beans in their place.

 

Naturally Noel Acadian Black Pot Christmas Cake

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:51:38 -0700

Without a doubt, one of the tastiest holiday desserts you can make is skilletcake. And one of my favorites—especially at Thanksgiving time—is made with fresh Granny Smith apples. Fix this for your family this year. They’re gonna love it!

 

1 can of Pam non-stick spray

1 cup granulated raw sugar

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup whole milk

1 stick sweet cream butter + 4 tablespoons

3 fresh Granny Smith apple, peeled and shredded

1 tsp. apple pie spice seasoning

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 cups whipped cream (ice-cold)

3/4 cup red currant jelly (melted)

3/4 cup mint jelly (melted)

 

Start off by taking a heavy 12-inch cast iron black skillet, coating the inside liberally with the non-stick spray, and preheating the pan in the oven at 350 degrees.

Then, while the skillet is coming up to temp, take a large bowl and mix together with a wire whip the sugar, self-rising flour, and whole milk until they are thoroughly blended. (But be real careful, though, not to overwork the mixture—you just want it smooth and free of lumps).

Next, in a separate 12-inch heavy aluminum skillet, heat the 4 tablespoons of butter to sizzling, drop in the shredded apples, the apple pie spice, and the cinnamon and quickly cook them until they soften (it should take only a few minutes). Oh—and don’t overcook the apples; you want ‘em a little crunchy.

Now remove the cast iron skillet from the oven (but be careful—cuz it’s hot!). Then toss in the remaining stick of butter, constantly agitating the pan until it’s fully melted and sizzling.

At this point, pour in the sugar-flour-milk mixture and spread it around evenly.

Then immediately on top of the mixture, add the softened apples. Be sure to distribute them uniformly over the mix so that you get apples in every bite.

Now put the skillet back into the oven—uncovered—and bake the cake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.

Make a note here! You’re going to notice that as the cake bakes, the apples will sink into the mix and the mix will rise to the top, forming a cake crust. So when the cake begins to brown (which should take about 25 minutes), remove it from the oven briefly and liberally brush the top with some additional melted butter. This is going to give you a rich crunchy-crisp coating.

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SUGGESTIONS: When it’s done, allow it to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving…and you should spoon it out of the skillet to serve—don’t try to slice it. For a real treat, scoop out a large helping, top it generously with the whipped cream, and top it off with a few tablespoons of the melted red currant jelly. Lord! You talk about sinful!

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VARIATION: In addition to the apples, you can substitute any other kind of fruit you desire—peeled peaches, peeled plums, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peeled pears…or you can use a variety of canned fruits (just drain off all of the liquids first). The truth of the matter is this dessert will turn out great regardless of what you use as a filling.