MLK Day Mealplan and Recipes
Recipes inspired by Edna Lewis
ABOUT THIS MEALPLAN
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are sharing the recipes and ingredients of a favorite box from our archives (in our home delivery days we created a new box on a different theme every week, which we delivered across Southern California with local and organic ingredients, and recipes for 5 meals). This box predominantly features recipes from Edna Lewis, known as the Doyenne of Southern cooking and who also was a supporter of the civil rights movement.
When cooking recipes from Lewis’s “The Gift of Southern Cooking,” we hope you to keep in mind what author Toni Tipton–Martin would consider “culinary reparations” and support one (or more) of the African American writers, artists and culinary creatives on the list curated by our beloved Creative Director – B.Evy-Marie @projectreroot from our home delivery days, and which efforts she dedicated to her paternal grandmother, Inez Yarde.
MEALPLAN RECIPES
• Fried Chicken, Broccoli & Potato Salad
• Butter Basted Pork Chops & Cole Slaw with Sweet Potato Casserole
• Hoppin’ John (Black-eyed peas with rice), Citrus Collards, and opt. Breakfast Sausages
• Mac & Cheese with Green Salad
• Southern Style Portabello Mushrooms with Cornbread
• Pecan Pie
PROJECTS/ARTISTS/CAMPAIGNS
Klancy Miller @klancycooks is a cookbook author and writer that recently kicked off For the Culture, a biannual printed food magazine that celebrates Black women in food and wine. The stories in For the Culture are about Black women throughout the diaspora, written by Black women and photographed and illustrated by Black women. It is the first magazine of its kind.
Oriana Koren @orianakoren is a “photo-enthnographer on a mission to expand the decolonized gaze in editorial and commercial food and travel photography by centering the experiences and perspectives of formerly colonized peoples. Over the last five years, Oriana has focused their lens and personal research on African diasporic foodways, mining the intersections of collective memory, revisionist histories, and the migration of Black Americans from the South across the nation.” (quote from their website) Check out their work HERE.
Museum of Food and Drink’s exhibition African/American: Making the Nation’s Table was the country’s first major exhibition celebrating the countless black chefs, farmers, and food and drink producers who have laid the foundation for American food culture. The MOFAD curatorial team worked on this exhibition with Lead Curator Dr. Jessica B. Harris for over two years, and it is set to be their most powerful show yet.
Contribute to the Patreon of Krystal C. Mack @absence.of palatepalette.co who recently launched Digest – a book & supper club.
EXPERIENCE
Take yourself on a field trip to our favorite cookbook shop or order online at, Now Serving, and pick up copies of Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jemima Code and Jubilee – these two books are national treasures that pay homage to two centuries of African American cooking.
Follow Honeysuckle, “which represents the evolution of the food and culture that has been a part of and sustained the embodiment of the black experience in America.”
READ THE FOLLOWING SELECTIONS FROM CHARLOTTE DRUCKMAN’S ANTHOLOGY, “WOMEN ON FOOD.“
Korsha Wilson’s essay, “Survival Pending Revolution,” discusses the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement.
While you may already have read the abridged version in the Washington Post, take the time to read Osayi Endolyn’s “Trapped In, Dining Out” in it’s entirety.
Check out the interview with culinary anthropologist, Dr. Jessica B. Harris.
Von Diaz’s, “Sitting Still,” may bring you to tears while also inspiring you to make banana pudding.
SHOPPING LIST (for all 5 meals, and the Pecan Pie):
Produce:
Broccoli
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes (a can will work too)
Cucumbers
Collards
Green Cabbage
Mustard Greens (opt)
Portabello Mushrooms
Flat Parsley
Shallots
Yellow Onions
Lettuce
Black-Eyed Peas
Garlic
Juicing Oranges
Meat & Dairy:
Cheddar Cheese
Buttermilk
Sour Cream
Heavy Cream
Butter
Eggs
Sausages
Pork Chops
Whole Chicken
Lard
Pantry:
Cornbread Mix (or use your favorite recipe)
Brown Sugar
Macaroni
Pecans
Raisins
Rice (your favorite)
Dried Mushrooms
All purpose flour
Cornstarch
Cider Vinegar
White vinegar
Dijon Mustard
Mayonnaise
Worcestershire sauce
Stock
Herbs & Spices: Dried mustard, Cayenne pepper, Nutmeg, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Chile Powder, Chile Flakes, Cayenne Pepper, Dried Rhyme, Dried Oregano
RECIPES:
FRIED CHICKEN, BROCCOLI & POTATO SALAD
Recipe from “The Gift of Southern Cooking” by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock
You can’t get more Southern than this fried chicken.
Watch: How to Cut a Chicken into Eight Serving Pieces
Remember to use Kosher salt for the brining, and if you have any ham or bacon, I recommend using them to flavor your cooking oil.
INGREDIENTS:
FRIED CHICKEN
Chicken – Cut in pieces
Buttermilk – 1 quart
Lard – 1 pound
Butter – 1/2 cup
Country Ham or Bacon (optional) – 1/2 C, cut into 1/2-inch strips
All-purpose flour – 1 Cup
Cornstarch – 2 TB
Salt – 1 tsp
Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp, freshly ground
Potato Salad
Potatoes –
Cider Vinegar – 1 1/2 TB
Sea Salt – 1 tsp
Black Pepper – 3-4 grinds
Onion – 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Eggs – 3, hard-boiled, pushed through a sieve
Mayonnaise (homemade if poss) – 3/4-1 cup
Broccoli
Broccoli – washed and cut into pieces
Butter – 2 TB, unsalted
Garlic – 1 clove, minced
Parsley – 1 TB, finely snipped
Black Pepper – freshly ground, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Brine the chicken in a bowl overnight by letting it soak in water at a ratio of 1/2 C Kosher Salt to 1 quart of Water. Add enough water to cover your chicken.
The next morning, rinse your bowl and drain the chicken. Then put it to soak all day long in the buttermilk. Use as much as you need to cover the pieces.
You might make your potato salad ahead of time since it’s served cold, but if you are thinking of making it more than a day in advance, be aware that the onions will only get stronger over time.
Potato Salad: Place your potatoes in a pot of cold water, and cook until tender, but not mushy. Drain and let cool off until you can peel and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Gently toss the potatoes in a bowl with the cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, and chopped onion. In another bowl, combine the sieved egg yolks with the mayonnaise, and mix in to the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When it’s time to fry your chicken, drain it on a wire rack, discarding the buttermilk.
To fry the chicken, add the lard and butter (or cooking oil) to a heavy skillet or frying pan. Blend the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on wax paper, and dredge the drained chicken pieces, patting well to remove excess flour.
You can also prep your Broccoli during this time: Bring a big pot of salted water to boil, add broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender, but maintaining a bit of bite. Drain and plunge in lightly salted ice water till cooled. Drain and set aside.
BACK TO THE CHICKEN
Bring the temperature on your skillet to medium-high and heat the fat to 335°F (170°C).
Reducing the temperature of the oil, fry the chicken pieces skin side down in batches, so as not to crowd the pan, for 10 to 12 minutes on each side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Most importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180° degrees.
Drain on a wire rack or on crumpled paper towels.
While the chicken is draining, complete the last step of the broccoli: Melt your butter in a big skillet. When hot and foaming, add the broccoli, reheating, and cook one more minute after sprinkling it with garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold with your potato salad and broccoli. Yum!
SOUTHERN STYLE PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS AND CORNBREAD
Author: Danielle Goldstein
INGREDIENTS
For the Cornbread
Cornbread mix or your favorite recipe
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
For the Mushrooms
Portabello mushrooms
Dried mushrooms, any type, 2 TBS- optional
Butter, 2 TBS
Onion, chopped, 2/3 of a cup
Cabbage, chopped, 2/3 of a cup
Garlic, chopped, 4 cloves
Salt- 1 tsp
Paprika- 1 tsp
Black pepper- 1/4 tsp
Parsley, fresh chopped, 1/4 cup
Buttermilk, 1 cup, well shaken
4–6 dashes tabasco sauce, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Cornbread:
Follow the directions on the package. If you like, you could add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese to the batter before baking.
For the Mushrooms:
Remove the stems from the mushrooms. In a small bowl combine the portabello mushroom stems and a handful of dried mushrooms, if you have some. Boil 1/4 cup of water and pour it over the mushrooms in the bowl. Immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a little plate and set aside.
Wipe off the portabello mushrooms and slice each one diagonally into 4-6 “steaks” 1/2 inch thick. Rub the slices with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Get a cast iron pan searing hot and add a tiny amount of oil- 1/2 tsp or so. Carefully use a folded dry paper towel or clean kitchen towel to spread the oil across the pan. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and sear them on high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside.
In a separate pan, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the onion, cabbage, and garlic. Saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down, and strain the bowl of mushroom stems and dried mushrooms into the pan so just the flavorful liquid is used. (You could also use the rehydrated dried mushrooms, if you like.) Cook at a lively simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the buttermilk, parsley, tabasco (optional) and the grilled portabello steaks, and cook just until warmed on a low heat. Don’t let it boil.
Serve the herby, creamy mushrooms with the cornbread and some crisp green salad.
NOTES
Chef Tip: You can dress up the sauce for the mushrooms by adding chopped scallions or dill toward the end of cooking. If you’re not a vegetarian, try sautéeing 4 TBS chopped bacon along with the onion.
MAC & CHEESE WITH GREEN SALAD
Recipe from “The Gift of Southern Cooking” by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock
Add extra macaroni if you want to lighten the dish a bit. This recipe is very “custard-y/creamy”, but rich and delicious. You can also cut the quantities in half for a smaller 9 x 9 pan.
MAC AND CHEESE AND GREEN SALAD
Author: Edna Lewis and Stuart Peacock
Yield: 4
INGREDIENTS
Semolina Rigatoni or your own Macaroni – 1 3/4 cup (8 oz)
Salt
Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese – 1 1/4 cup (5 oz), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
All-purpose flour – 2 TB plus 1 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Dry Mustard – 1 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper – 1/4 tsp, freshly ground
Cayenne Pepper – 1/8 tsp
Freshly Grated Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp
Sour Cream – 2/3 cup
Eggs – 2, lightly beaten
Onion – 1/3 cup, grated
Half-and-Half – 1 1/2 cup
Heavy Cream – 1 1/2 cup
Worcestershire Sauce – 1 tsp
Extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese – 1 2/3 cup (6 oz), grated
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cook the macaroni al dente, drain, and transfer to a buttered 9×13 baking dish, mixing in the cheddar cheese cubes.
Assemble flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, cayenne pepper and nutmeg, then sour cream and eggs. Blend well with a whisk, then continue whisking in onion, half-and-half, heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
Pour custard into the baking dish, and stir into the pasta, sprinkling the grated cheese evenly over the top.
Bake until custard is set around the edges of the dish, but still a bit loose in the center for 25-35 minutes.
Remove and cool about 10 minutes till the custard has thickened, before serving with a light tossed salad.
HOPPIN’ JOHN (BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH RICE), MUSTARD GREENS, AND YOUR FAVORITE SAUSAGES
Apart from the enchanting Edna Lewis, we also wanted to honor another rock star soul food chef working in the Bay Area. Because of the copious amounts of animal fats that you will have noticed in some of the recipes in this meal plan, Bryant Terry has made it his mission to recreate some of these popular Southern soul food recipes into healthier Vegan recipes.
Author: Bryant Terry
Yield: 4
INGREDIENTS
Black-Eyed Peas – 3/4 cup
Rice (white or brown) – 1/2 cup (soak brown rice overnight)
EVOO – 1 TB + 2 tsp
Shallots or red onions – 1/2 cup, finely diced
Onion Powder – 1/8 tsp
Garlic Powder – 1/4 tsp
Paprika – 1/2 tsp
Chile Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chile Flakes – 1/4 tsp
Cayenne Pepper – 1/8 tsp
Dried Thyme – 1/4 tsp
Dried Oregano – 1/4 tsp
Vegetable Stock – 2 cups
Diced Toms – a can, or 1 lb, diced
Sea Salt – coarse
White Pepper – freshly ground
For the Greens
Mustard Greens – ribs removed, cut into a chiffonade, rinsed and drained
Garlic Clove – minced
EVOO – 1 TB
raisins – 2/3 cup (optional)
OJ – 1/3 cup, fresh squeezed
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the black-eyed peas with enough water to cover them by 2 inches in a medium saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, just until tender, 20-45 minutes to taste. Remove from the heat and drain.
Drain the rice and add to a medium saucepan. Raise the heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the water has evaporated and the rice starts smelling nutty. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and continue cooking until the rice starts browning, about 2 minutes.
Add the shallots or red onions, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chile powder, red chile flakes, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Over medium heat in the saucepan that the rice was cooked in, combine the vegetable stock, the tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Add the rice mixture and the black-eyed peas to the broth, and stir well. Bring back to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 50 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated.
Remove from the heat and steam with the cover on for at least 10 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite hot sauce.
This content is from the Bryant Terry collection.
For the Greens
Rinse your greens thoroughly. It’s best to submerge them in a big bowl of water, agitate the greens and the water with your hand, pour off the water and the dirt that is dislodged and then repeat. Cut them into ribbons using what is called a ‘chiffonade cut’. The chiffonade cut produces very fine threads of leafy greens. First, remove any tough stems, then stack several leaves, roll them widthwise into a tight cylinder, and slice crosswise with a sharp knife, cutting the leaves into thin strips.
In a large pot over high heat, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the greens and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of ice water to cool the greens.
Remove the collards from the heat, drain, and plunge them into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking and set the color of the greens. Drain by gently pressing the greens against a colander.
In a medium-size sauté pan, combine the olive oil and the garlic and raise the heat to medium. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the greens, raisins (opt), and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add orange juice and cook for an additional 15 seconds. Do not overcook. Greens should be bright green. Season with additional salt to taste, if needed, and serve immediately.
Vegans and vegetarians, stop here. Omnivores, you can sauté your sausages, and serve on the side when cooked.
BUTTER BASTED PORK CHOPS & COLE SLAW
Cole Slaw from “The Gift of Southern Cooking” by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock Pork Chops based on a recipe from Erik Stenberg, the Surfin’ Chef).
INGREDIENTS
Pork Chops – your portion
Garlic Cloves – about 4
Your choice of herbs – a handful
Butter- 2 TBS
For the Coleslaw
Green Cabbage – Cored and finely shredded
Cucumbers and/or red onion – 1 cup, peeled, sliced paper-thin
kosher salt – 3 TBS
For the Dressing
White Vinegar – 1/2 Cup
Sugar – 1/2 Cup
Salt – 1/2 Tsp
Dijon Mustard – 1 TB
vegetable oil – 1/4 cup
Heavy Cream – 1/4 cup
Sour Cream – 2 TB
Salt & Pepper – to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
The Cole Slaw dish improves over a few days time, so it’s a great one to prep ahead of time. Sample it over the course of time and see what you think!
For the coleslaw: Mix shredded cabbage and sliced cucumber and/or red onions in a large colander, toss well with salt, and let wilt for 20 minutes. Squeeze the slaw by the handful to extract as much liquid as you can, then toss and loosen it up again, placing in a large bowl.
For the dressing: Bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 3 minutes, and whisk in the Dijon mustard and oil. Pour the hot dressing over the slaw, and stir well to blend. Cool slightly before stirring in the heavy cream and sour cream. Taste for seasoning, and add S&P to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
To cook the pork, remove it from the packaging, pat dry with a couple of paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in a pan that can go in the oven. When you are searing the meat on the first side, add garlic cloves and rosemary or your choice of herbs, and 2 TB of butter. Flip chops over, keep rosemary and garlic on top, baste with butter and pan juices, then finish in the oven at 300° F. Allow them to roast for 8-10 minutes.
Serve pork chops, sweet potato casserole and coleslaw and watch it disappear!
PECAN PIE
For those of you who would like to try this traditional pecan pie from Edna Lewis, here’s her oh-so-rich recipe with an optional splash of Bourbon.
Author: Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock
Yield: 6
INGREDIENTS
Eggs – 3, lightly beaten
Sugar – 1 cup
Light Corn Syrup – 1/2 cup
Dark Corn Syrup – 1/2 cup
Unsalted Butter – 1/3 cup, melted
Bourbon – 2 TB (optional)
Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Pecans – 1 1/2 cups, coarsely chopped
Pie Shell
Flour – 1 1/2 cups
Kosher salt – 1 tsp
Butter – 8 TB
Ice Water – 4-6 TB
INSTRUCTIONS
For the crust: Place the flour, salt, and sugar on a large cutting board, blending with your fingers. Put butter on top of flour mixture, and use a knife or pastry fold the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal — leaving some butter pieces chunky. About 1/2 of the butter should be cut finely into the flour and the other half left in larger chunks.
Quickly gather the mixture into a mound and use your fingers to draw a long trench through the center. Sprinkle 1 TB of the ice water down the length of the trench, and fluff the flour so it absorbs the water. Redraw the trench and continue tablespoon by tablespoon until 4 TB have been incorporated into the flour, and the dough begins clumping together into large pieces.
Gather the dough into a mass with a pastry scraper and then use the heel of your hand to knead hunks of the dough in a “smearing” motion, pushing it away from you until the whole mass has been processed this way — about 6 “smears” in all. Then gather the dough together and repeat.
Shape it into a flat disk, then wrap in plastic wrap, pressing firmly with the palm of your hand to flatten the wrapped dough further to bind it. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight before rolling and using.
Roll out the chilled dough into a circle 1 1/2 inches larger than your pie pan. Line the pan with the dough and trim to leave a 1/2-inch overhang of pastry around the pan. Fold this under, forming a thick edge on the rim of the pan.
FOR THE FILLING
Pre-heat the oven to 375° F
Mix the eggs, sugar, corn syrups, butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt until well blended.
Prick the sides and bottom of the pie shell at 1/2-inch intervals. Spread pecans on the bottom of the pastry, and pour the egg-syrup mixture over them. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until just set, but still slightly loose in the center. The pie will finish setting as it cools.
Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack before serving.