Planning a big Memorial Day cookout? Chef Nick Wallace with the Mississippi Museum of Art is sharing a few recipes to kick off the holiday.
Since it’s important to stay hydrated in the Mississippi heat, keep it festive with these drink recipes:
Chai Spiked Ice Tea:
- 2oz Chai Infused Menage a Trois Vodka
- 1oz Vanilla infused simple syrup
- 1oz House made sour mix
- Soda water
- Rosemary sprig and orange peel for Garnish
Build all ingredients over ice in rocks glass and top with soda water. Garnish with Rosemary sprig and orange peel
Chai infused Menage a Trios Vodka
- 36 chai tea bags
- 8 bottles (750ml) Menage a Trois Vodka
Dump all vodka into large Cambro and steep for 12 hours. DO NOT THROW OUT BOTTLES. After 12 hours remove tea bags and press out any remaining vodka and funnel the infused vodka back into the bottles and put in refrigerator to keep cold until time to make drinks.
Vanilla Infused simple syrup:
- 13 cups hot water
- 13 cups sugar
- 8 whole vanilla beans
Make simple syrup and then cut whole vanilla bean up and let steep in syrup for 30 mins. Strain* and let cool. Place into squeeze bottles to make cocktail build easier.
House Made Sour Mix:
- 8 Oranges
- 60 limes
- 24 lemons
Juice all fruit and strain into 1 liter bottles.
*I find a Chinois strainer works the best for both these applications
It might be time to pull out the ole’ smoker. Here’s something for the entire party to munch on:
Smoked Pork Butts
Ingredients:
- Marinade:
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 qt. pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/8 cup paprika
- 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 cup white pepper
- 3 oz chicken base or 1 qt. Reduced chicken stock to a 3rd chilled before adding
- Rub:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/3 cup coarse black pepper
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon hickory salt, optional, 3 tablespoon of coffee grounds
- 1 tablespoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Glue:
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pork butt (approximately 5 pounds)
- Apple and hickory wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes, for smoking
- Charcoal, and hickory wood chunks for smoker, add about 1/2 gallon of apple juice in a stainless steel pan in the opposite side of the charcoal and wood Directions
Cooking:
- Marinade: Place all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and whisk together.
- Rub: Place all ingredients in a container with a lid and shake well.
- Glue: Whisk ingredients together and place in a squeeze bottle.
- Pork: Reserve 1 cup of marinade and set aside. (The reserved marinade will be used to base the pork during the cooking process.) Inject a little marinade into the pork butt in numerous places. Place pork in a container and cover with remaining marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
- Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
- Cover pork with a light coat of the “glue” mixture to help the rub stick. Sprinkle generously with rub, making sure to work it into the meat.
- Prepare a smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F and add hickory wood chunks to the lit charcoal.
- Place pork on smoker. Be careful not to over-smoke. After 2 hours, baste pork with reserved marinade and return it to the smoker for 1 hour. Baste again and return to smoker for 1 more hour. Repeat 1 more time, with the basting and smoking for 1 more hour. Remove pork from smoker, wrap in aluminum foil and return to smoker until the pork has an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. (Alternatively, you can finish cooking the pork in a low oven preheated to 250 degrees F). When the pork has reached 200 degrees F, remove it from the heat and let stand for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before slicing, day before prep on this pork works the best.
The first dish you can eat with your hands, but for this one you might need to grab a bowl and a spoon:
Pea Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons toasted cumin
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 4 large tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 carrots, small diced
- 3 cups broccoli
- 2 medium yellow squash, small diced
- 1 lb green peas, frozen
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Directions
- In a large pot or rondo heat the oil over moderate heat until hot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden. Add the garlic, cumin, thyme and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth And cinnamon stick, bring liquid to a boil and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer, for 8 minutes. Add the broccoli, squash and green peas and simmer, covered, 5 minutes more, or until vegetables are just tender. Stir in the cilantro.
Cornbread Croutons
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for greasing the baking sheet
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup applesauce, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sorghum
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Directions:
- Equipment: Full Sheet pan
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the Vegetable oil to sheet pan but triple recipe. Put the pan in the oven and allow to heat until very hot, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with a whisk. In a different bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, sorghum, egg and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Fold to combine, or make big batch in a mixer.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and pour in the batter. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until golden with a crispy crust, 25 minutes. Let cool before cutting the cornbread into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups).
- Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cranberry Pesto
Ingredients:
- 4 cups seeded, and small diced large tomatoes
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt, and coarse black pepper
- 2 cups dried cranberries
Directions:
- Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the cranberriesand blend briefly just to mix. Transfer to a bowl and adjust the seasoning.
Blue Crab and Lime Bean Cake
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 lb cooked Lima beans
- 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, Tabasco
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 pound lump crab, picked
- Flour, for dusting
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 ounce at a time
- Juice of one lemon
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, mix the mayo, panko, seafood seasoning, ground ginger, pepper and egg until thoroughly mixed. Finally, add the crab, Lima beans and blend, being careful not to break up the lumps. Let the crab cake mixture refrigerate and bind for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Next, portion the crab/limas into 2 ounce cakes and lightly dust with flour. Saute over medium heat in a saute pan with vegetable oil until golden brown on the first side. Then flip and repeat on the second side. Repeat the process until all the cakes have been cooked. Finish with squeezes lemon juice over the top or cakes. Parsley for garnish
- Keep refrigerated and covered.
Sriracha Ranch and Cilantro Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 4 oz Sriracha
- 1 oz ranch seasoning
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and coarse pepper
Directions:
- Combine the Sriracha, sour cream, vinegar, ranch seasoning, cilantro, chives and scallions in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Brussels Sprouts and Charred Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 lb roasted plum tomatoes
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut Brussels in quarters and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper, then toss in tomatoes. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 30-35 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve immediately.
Roasted Jalapeño Grits
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, unsalted
- 2 oz roasted garlic
- Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3/4 cup grits, not quick style
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons pickled, drained and minced jalapeno
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 200 hotel pan.
- Bring the chicken stock, 1 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the grits and stir well with a whisk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Add the eggs while whisking quickly, and fold in 3 tablespoons of the roasted garlic, the cheeses, jalapenos, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and white pepper. Once the grits are thoroughly combined and smooth, transfer to the prepared 200 hotel pan and cover with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil, drizzle extra virgin olive oil and then serve.
