cookbook review: The Homesick Texan by Lisa Fain {The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off}

The Homesick Texan Cookbook

Author:  Lisa Fain

Publisher:  Hyperion

Hard Cover: 358 Pages

Photos: YES

Chapters/Sections:  The Larder: A Homesick Tean's Pantry, Pickles and Preserves, Salsas, Sauces, and Gravies, Morning Food, Appetizers, Chilis, Soups, and Stews, Tex-Mex Classics, Beef, Pork, and Fowl, Seafood, Sides, hot and cold, Breads, Sweets

Fun Features: This book begins with a fantastic introduction in which it feels as if Fain welcomes you into the state of Texas, wraps you in a blanket, tells you an inspiring story, and then sends you running straight for the kitchen.

(a few of the many) Recipes Destined for my Kitchen:  Strawberry Guajillo Jam, Chipotle and Bacon Cream Gravy, Chorizo Empanadas, Green Chorizo, Smoky Tortilla Soup, West Texas Stacked Enchiladas, Fried Chicken Livers, Ancho Cream Corn, Chorizo Asadero Bread, Kolaches, Apple Cheese Scones w/ Jalapeños, Apple Fried Pies, Mexican Coffee Ice Cream w/ Ancho Chile Fudge Sauce

My Thoughts/Review: Well, if I'm being honest {channeling my inner Simon Cowell}, I have a huge crush on this book!  Like I said earlier, from the moment I sat down and read the introduction, I knew this book was special.  Fain's wonderful storytelling continues throughout the book and is welcomely deposited in front of each recipe.  Fain says "This book aims to enhance this passion and interaction with a collection of stories and over 125 versatile recipes that highlight the state's rich food traditions, appropriate for both Texans and non-Texans alike."  It's true.  I've never even set foot in Texas, and the food left me feeling homesick.  From one of my favorites, Tex-Mex to the classic comfort food of the South, I don't think that there's anything I don't want to make in this book.  After a while, it became clear that my little strips of paper were futile.  Listed below are all of the dishes I've tried from this book thus far.  I found myself swooning over each and every meal...loving it more (at the time) than the last.  The Homesick Texan Cookbook has moseyed right in and taken up residence on my working bookshelf (that's the one that is right in the kitchen next to my computer).  If you don't have this book already, I recommend you RUN to the nearest bookstore...or click on the link below (that's much simpler) and buy your very own copy to love.  NOW!

Recipes I have already tried:

Pork Tacos, Dallas Gas Station Style

Austin-Style Black Beans

Poblano Macaroni and Cheese

Sopapillas

Pasilla Garlic Shrimp

Breakfast Rellenos

Fried Catfish & Hushpuppies

about the author:  (from Hyperion) When Lisa Fain, a seventh-generation Texan, moved to New York City, she missed the big sky, the bluebonnets in spring, Friday night football, and her family’s farm. But most of all, she missed the foods she’d grown up with.

After a fruitless search for tastes of Texas in New York City, Fain took matters into her own hands. She headed into the kitchen to cook for her friends the Tex-Mex, the chili, and the country comfort dishes that reminded her of home. From cheese enchiladas drowning in chili gravy to chicken-fried steak served with cream gravy on the side, from warm bowls of chile con queso to big pots of fiery chili made without beans, Fain re-created the wonderful tastes of Texas she’d always enjoyed at potlucks, church suppers, and backyard barbecues back home.  In 2006, Fain started the blog Homesick Texan to share Texan food with fellow expatriates, and the site immediately connected with readers worldwide, Texan and non-Texan alike.

For more with Lisa, please check out my interview, 5 Questions with Lisa Fain!

*I received a free copy of this book to review from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.

*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted (right here!) at girlichef*

I am also sharing this post with:

5 Questions with Lisa Fain: author of The Homesick Texan Cookbook

So.  You may have noticed a little thing I've been hosting for the past three weeks called The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off.   Along with 19 other bloggers, I have been highlighting, cooking, and downright swooning over the recipes of Lisa Fain, The Homesick Texan.  This seventh-generation Texan started blogging back in September of 2005 as a way to share the cuisine that she loved and missed since she traded the wide open spaces of Texas for the bustle and skyscrapers of New York.  In the introduction to her newly released cookbook of the same name, Fain says she missed the variety of foods she could find in her home state, and one of the reasons she cooks is "so that [she] can feel closer to home."  This spirit seems to flow effortlessly onto the pages and 125+ recipes that embody them.  While I don't want to give too much away right now because I have a review coming up later in the week, I will say what is completely obvious if you've read my other posts in this series: I am enamored by this cookbook!  Beautiful, heartfelt writing, stunning photos, and best of all- amazing food.

 I am a extremely excited and grateful that Lisa was able to sit down (or perhaps she was standing...of that I can't be sure) to answer a few questions for me in the midst of celebrating the release of her new cookbook.  Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

Me:  As a food blogger, I find myself wondering if it was difficult for you to set recipes aside as "for the book", as opposed to something you wanted to blog about?  Or are there a few that made their way into both the book and the blog?

Lisa:  Because I’d been blogging about Texas food for a while, I knew that I couldn’t have a Texas cookbook without including some iconic Texan dishes—such as chicken-fried steak, chili and breakfast tacos. These had already been on the blog but I knew they had to be in the book as well. Once I began working on the book, however, I decided that anything that went on the blog would not be in the book and vice versa. I wanted the book to have a lot of new recipes so longtime readers would find value in it. But I will admit that when I was developing recipes for the book, it was difficult to keep them away from the blog because I just couldn’t wait to share them with everyone!

Me: Which did you find more difficult: the process of writing the cookbook or the process of testing the recipes?

Lisa:  Both parts of the process have their challenges. I’d say that when I was testing recipes, I’d think that writing was easier. But when I sat down to write the stories and head notes, I wished I were back in the kitchen cooking. The grass is always greener on the other side!

Me:  Do you have a "no questions asked, hand-down" favorite meal/dish/food?  Did it make its way into the book?  And/or, if it's hard to pick just one (I know it is for me), can you name a favorite dish in the cookbook?

Lisa:  It’s really hard for me to choose an absolute favorite, much like you can’t choose your favorite child. But yes, I love every recipe in the book, and whether they’re new or old, they are all part of my regular cooking rotation.

Me:  I love a good cookbook...and I have plenty of shelves and boxes full to prove it.  But as I stated before, I have a "working" bookshelf that holds some tried and true favorites that never get stuffed into boxes for any period of time.  Do you have any personal favorite cookbooks?  Ones that would (or do) stay on your "working" bookshelf?

Lisa:  My working bookshelf includes The Joy of Cooking, The Flavor Bible, Ratio, and a ton of community and Junior League cookbooks from all over the state of Texas. I also have large files of old handwritten family recipes that I refer to for inspiration.

Me:  Do you still foresee time for blogging and/or are there other exciting things in store for Homesick Texan fans out there?

Lisa:  Blogging is at the heart of my working life and I don’t foresee giving that up. I love the camaraderie you have with your readers and find that the instant gratification and back and forth keeps you motivated and makes you work harder. For now, besides blogging, my plan is to do another book. As for anything else, I’ll keep you posted!

Thank you, Lisa- I am so looking forward to it!  Lisa's book was released on September 13th (one week ago today, actually).  If you want a preview, please check out The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off where you will find opinions of myself and other bloggers on the recipes we've made so far  and watch for links to individual reviews of the book trickling in throughout the week, as well.

*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted (right here!) at girlichef*

Fried Catfish & Hushpuppies {The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off}

I have Lyrical Teen to thank for this.  And Lisa Fain.  You see, LT has been asking me constantly hinting to the fact that he wants catfish.  And I keep meaning to make it.  But somehow, it keeps getting pushed to the back burner.  And I don't mean that literally.  But when I realized that there was a fabulous cornmeal-crusted catfish recipe in The Homesick Texan Cookbook, I figured it was time to grant that wish.  Both of my boys gobbled it up.  I gobbled it up.  Drama Queen?  Gobbled.  Mexi loathes fish (other than tuna in a can)...and therefore didn't gobble it up.  Heck, it wasn't allowed anywhere near his person.  His loss.  That thin, pebbly-crisp crust encased the tender, juicy fish so perfectly.  Throw some hushpuppies on the plate and serve a crunchy green salad with a tangy dressing on the side.  That's dinner, baby.

Hushpuppies

slightly adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook

yield: ~16-20

oil, for frying

¾ c. yellow cornmeal

½ c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 large egg

½ c. whole milk or buttermilk

1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded & finely diced I used 1 jalapeño en escabeche

¼ medium yellow onion, diced fine

In large pot or Dutch oven, heat about an inch of oil until it's ~300° F.  Again, I just guess at this...rippling oil, etc.  Make the batter while the oil is heating up.  Mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the egg and milk.  Stir in the diced jalapeño and onions. I wound up using some a pickled jalapeño since we were out of fresh.  It was a great substitution, if I do say so myself.  And I do.

To fry the hushpuppies, place tablespoon-size balls of batter into the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden brown, ~2 minutes.  I use my trusty scoop to scoop and drop the batter directly into the oil.  The same scoop I use for making cookies.  Drain on paper towels.

Fried Catfish

also slightly adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook

yield: 4 servings (I double-and-a-halved it and it worked well)

1 lb. catfish fillets, cut into 1-2" wide chunks

kosher salt

 black pepper

2 large eggs

½ c. whole milk buttermilk

1 c. yellow cornmeal

¼ tsp. cayenne

vegetable oil, for frying

Salt and pepper the catfish fillets well.  I mean, season them until you think you've seasoned them enough, then season them a little more.  In my opinion.  This is your only seasoning.  Beat eggs and buttermilk together in a bowl.  Mix together the cornmeal and cayenne on a plate.

Heat ~2" oil until it reaches 300° F.  I just fried the hushpuppies first, then fried the fish in the same oil.  Go fish second so your hushpuppies don't taste like fish!  

Dip fillets in egg-milk mixture and then dredge in the cornmeal, covering both sides.  Place fish into hot oil and cook ~4 minutes, turning once if needed.  Drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray.  Fry in batches if necessary.

I served this with hushpuppies and a chipotle mayonnaise sauce for dipping.  So.  Good.

*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted (right here!) at girlichef*

I am also sharing this post with:

Pasilla Garlic Shrimp

You know those meals that are so good that you don't want them to end?  Meals that make you greedily pick up your plate and lick it so that you can get every last bit of saucy flavor?   Meals that linger welcomely on your breath?  Meals that make those who partook in them bust out praises of them for the remainder of the day?  Meals that, even though you are absolutely full and satisfied, you long for more?  Do you know the meals I'm talking about?

Well, this meal...this one right here...it's one of those meals.

A play on the classic dish Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, which is irresistible in and of itself, I find this dish ultimately more craveable and basically - heavenly. I did double the amount of garlic called for in the original recipe, so if you have garlic sensitivities you may want to take note.

Sopapillas, the weather, & NKOTB {The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off}

Temperatures in the 60's are the temps I enjoy most.  I feel revitalized, energetic, and refreshed.  Not too hot.  Not too cold.  Just right.  Which I actually find kind of ironic, because as a "kid", I loved sun and heat.  My parents would have to pry me away from the pool.  I spent my days slathering coconut-scented Hawaiian Tropic dark tanning oil on my body and dousing my hair with Sun In.  Or lemon juice and water if I didn't have any.  Radio on...six songs on my back and then flip...six songs on my front.  Then diving into the pool for some swim time.  Repeat.  Occasionally hop out to use the loo or eat an ear of corn or a bowl of BooBerry Cereal.  Looking back, I do get nostalgic, but I don't wish for 80 and 90 degree days like I used to.  Unless we one day magically acquire a pool.  Then I may have to compromise.  But until then, my older self relishes in the 60°'s. 

So, with that air of rejuvenation buzzing through my body and every window in the house thrown open wide (causing everybody else to grab blankets, sweatshirts, and socks...pshaw), it's only logical that music and cooking should ensue.  And I'm feeling like a little New Kids.  Or should I call them by their "grown-up" name, NKOTB?  Whatever.  One of the thing's that sun-goddess-me and withers-in-the-heat-me can agree on. Music.  I've always had, what we'll call, eclectic taste in music.  Just as I saw no reason that New Kids on the Block, Poison, Led Zeppelin, Cinderella, Kenny Loggins, Alabama, and The Fresh Prince couldn't share space in my precariously teetering tower of cassette tapes, I see no reason NKOTB, Dave Matthews, Godsmack, Ella Fitzgerald, Rusted Root, Grupo Cañaveral, and Jason Mraz can't share space in my MP3 player.  If it gets me "there"...it's good with me.  Plus...ummm...Donnie Wahlberg.  Yeah.  Only got sexier.  I have a story about how I conned my mom into bringing me to my first New Kids concert.  3 hours away.  After I bought the tickets.  But I'll save that for another day.

Anyway, though it doesn't really seem like much of a point now, the temps were in the 60's yesterday...my windows were all open...NKOTB and I were singing loud enough for the neighbors to hear...and I was making Sopapillas.  That's pretty much the formula for a fabulous day.  Really, you can't go wrong with fried dough.  One bite (followed by ten more) into a soft, chewy, warm, puffy triangle of fried dough, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and dripping with honey was enough to make the whole fam dam "overlook" my madness.  Even though that's one of the reasons they love me.  I'm sure of it.

Sopapillas
slightly adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
yield: 24

dough:
1 Tbs. yeast
1½ c. warm water
4 c. all-purpose flour + more for kneading
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. kosher salt
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

vegetable oil, for frying

for serving:
sugar
cinnamon
honey

Combine yeast with warm water.  Let sit for five minutes, or until the yeast has dissolved and starts to look "creamy".  Combine flour, sugar, and salt.  Add those along with the melted (and slightly cooled) butter to the bowl.  Mix until well combined (I use a wooden spoon until it's mostly mixed, then switch to my hands).  Turn out onto your work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 2-3 minutes.  Grease a bowl, place your dough in, cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, ~1 hr.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Roll or pat it out into a rectangle that is about 12 inches by 9 inches.  Cut into 12 equal squares (~3" each).  Cut each square diagonally so that you have 24 triangles.  I used a pizza cutter to do this, but I think that a bench scraper or knife would work just fine, as well.

Pour about 1½" oil into a deep-sided pan.  Lisa suggests using 3", but since the cooking time is so quick, and they rise to the surface almost immediately, I decided not to use that much.  Plus, that was all the oil I had.  Plus-plus, my pan isn't that deep.  An inch and a half was plenty.  Heat to ~350° F (which in my book, is until the oil is shimmery and you can see some ripples under the surface...and when you dip the corner of the dough in, it will start to bubble rapidly).  Fry a couple of triangles of dough at a time, for ~45 seconds to 1 minute per side.  The dough will puff when it hits the oil.  Carefully lift the fried dough out of the oil with a skimmer (or something like it) and place on a tray that has been lined with paper towels.  Repeat until all of the dough has been fried.

Combine equal amounts of cinnamon and sugar (or go more of one or the other, if you prefer).  Sprinkle them over the fried puffs of dough while still warm.  Serve warm with honey for dipping.

What are you waiting for?  Go make a batch.  I'll be here when you get back.  Listening to "My Favorite Girl" and "I'll Be Loving You Forever".  Maybe practicing my "The Right Stuff" dance moves.  Not that I need the practice.  I mean, I've been doing them for 22 or 23 years now....

*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted (right here!) at girlichef*

I am also sharing this post with:
*Yeastspotting!

Poblano Macaroni and Cheese {The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off}

I am dismissing any of my previous Macaroni and Cheese's as mere crushes.  Sure, we've had some fun. Ever since my youngest sister was "old enough" to start bringing her own contributions to our annual Thanksgiving feast, she's brought her version with her.  It's rich and creamy and I crush on it for the whole day...and several days afterwards.  Plus, I start looking forward to it about a month before turkey day each year.  There was also a period in time when I was seduced by the rich, creamy, so-good-it's-gotta-be-fattening version that is not only scented with rosemary and the rich tang of goat cheese, but also studded with tender bites of chicken.  I blame a handsome, bald, tattooed chef with an Ohio accent and a sexy laugh for that crush.  And we all know that bacon is to blame for my enduring crush on this version.  Smoky, delicious, brainwashing bacon.  While I will always cherish these past crushes (as I now recognize them to be) and probably pull out their pictures and reminisce about them from time to time...and heck, even visit with them (you know, for old-times sake), I've found a new love.  A true love.  A love will endure through thick and thin.   Who would've guessed that a Homesick Texan would have been the one to introduce me to the "real thing"?  Even the hubs, who takes a pass on mac and cheese normally went back for thirds! Unfortunately for him, he had to be satisfied with seconds, because the dish was empty. {chuckle}  I want to eat this daily.  Is there really anything so wrong with that?  While the earthy, roasted poblano chiles and gooey cheese combined to start me swooning, I think it was the warm, heady scent of cumin that pushed me over the edge.  I ♥ Poblano Macaroni and Cheese.  I want to marry it.  I don't think Mexi would mind...

Poblano Macaroni and Cheese 

adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
serves 8 (<----uuuummmmm, no. So good, you'll want huge helpings. I say it serves ~4)

2 poblano chiles
8 oz. elbow pasta
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1½ c. whole milk
1 tsp. mustard powder
¼ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. lime zest
½ c. chopped cilantro
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. grated white cheddar cheese (I used half white, half yellow)

for serving:
Cotija cheese (or goat cheese...not the same thing, but I had it and wanted to use it and it rocked)
Tortilla chips, crushed

Roast the poblanos under the broiler until blackened, ~5 minutes per side.  Remove and cover them to let them steam, for ~20 minutes.  I like to roast them right on top of a large sheet of foil, then just bring the foil up and around the chiles.  Peel/rub off the skins and remove the stems and seeds, then dice into ~1" chunks.

Bring a large salted pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until just al dente.  Preheat your oven to 375° F.  Grease a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet (personally, I'd choose an 8"-10") and set aside.

In a pot set over low heat, melt the butter.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in the flour and cook until light brown and toasty smelling, ~1 minute more.  Whisk in the milk and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and stir in mustard powder, cayenne, cumin, lime zest, cilantro, and prepared poblanos.  Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, as needed.

Stir half of the cheese into the sauce until melted.  Throw in the pasta and stir until coated.  Pour into prepared dish.  Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake, uncovered, until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.  Sprinkle with Cotija (or goat cheese) right when it comes out of the oven (to help it melt in a bit) and crushed tortilla chips (you could also sprinkle these on top before baking, if you wish), if you wish.

*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted (right here!) at girlichef*

(watch for the sopapillas in a few days...)

I am also sharing this post with:
Mangoes and Chutney: Mac and Cheese Quest
Presto Pasta Nights hosted at Pictures of All My Princesses