Pontotoc retiree delights in elaborate desserts
Jul. 6—PONTOTOC — When it comes to baking, Claire McGee is always up to a challenge.
"I love to do elaborate desserts," McGee said. "My two favorite dessert cookbooks are by Dorie Greenspan. The recipes take a day or two to make, but I have more fun doing that."
McGee figures she got her love of dessert making from her mother, the late Maxine Patterson of Pontotoc.
"For our kindergarten birthdays, my two younger sisters and I each had Cinderella birthday parties," she said. "Mother made three cakes for each one of us — Cinderella, the fairy godmother and the coach."
McGee started baking when she got her first Easy-Bake Oven, and she hasn't stopped since.
"When I got married, I didn't have a lot in my repertoire other than baking, but I did know how to follow a recipe," she said. "I told Mother I wanted copies of all my favorite recipes, and that was a gift at on of my bridal showers."
McGee still laughs about the first Thanksgiving meal she prepared for her husband, Bob, after they married.
"We couldn't come home, so I used my great-grandmother's cornbread recipe, not thinking she would have been making it for extended family," McGee said. "We could have fed 20 people with the size casserole I made for the two of us."
The McGees — both Pontotoc natives — lived in Texas for a year after they wed, then moved to Baton Rouge for 11 years, where both of their children were born. They finally settled in Athens, Georgia, where they stayed until 2014, when they moved back to Pontotoc.
The retired elementary art teacher cooks most days now, and always likes to use what's in season.
In the summer, she has a vegetable garden, and the couple eats lots of fish and shrimp. In the fall, thanks to her time in Louisiana, she makes pots of gumbo and jambalaya.
"After Thanksgiving, I do turkey gumbo with leftover turkey, and on Christmas Eve, I always do a seafood gumbo," she said. "One year on Christmas Eve, I made Beef Wellington, but I couldn't enjoy the evening because I spent all my time making the Beef Wellington, so I now I make gumbo, which I can do ahead of time."
McGee stays active in two bridge clubs, two book clubs, the Pontotoc County Historical Society and the Pontotoc Art Guild.
"I'm always looking for a recipe to make and share, particularly for bridge club, because we always have dessert," she said. "But I only make desserts now to take somewhere or if we're having company. Otherwise, I'll eat three-fourths of it myself."
McGee considers herself an adventurous eater, and said she'll try just about anything — once.
"We went to Iceland on a food tour, and I even ate the putrified fish," she said. "I wouldn't eat it again, but I did try it."
DO YOU KNOW A GOOD COOK? Send your nominations to Ginna Parsons, Cook of the Week, P.O. Box 909, Tupelo, MS 38802. Or you can call (662) 678-1581 or email them to ginna.parsons@journalinc.com.
CHOCOLATE LUSCIOUS PIE
CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup butter, melted
FILLING
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold milk
1 cup sugar, divided
3 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped
3 squares semisweet chocolate, shaved, and divided
For the crust, combine all ingredients and press firmly into a 9-inch pie plate, making an even layer over the bottom and sides of pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool.
For the filling, soften the gelatin in cold milk.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar, slightly beaten egg yolks, salt and scalded milk. Cook, stirring constantly, over very low heat until mixture coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat and blend in softened gelatin. Add vanilla. Chill until mixture begins to congeal. Beat thoroughly until light.
Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Fold in gelatin mixture. Fold in whipped cream and 2 squares of shaved chocolate. Pour into pie crust and top with remaining 1 square shaved chocolate. Chill until firm. Keep refrigerated.
PAN-SEARED CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC CREAM SAUCE
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
Salt and pepper
1 white onion, sliced into thin rings and separated
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound small baby bella mushrooms, halved
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and let rest.
In a small skillet, sauté onions in the butter until they are golden brown and carmelized. Set aside.
In a larger skillet with tall sides, heat olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides, but do not cook through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
While the pan is still hot, deglaze with the chicken broth, and use a whisk or spatula to loosen all the browned bits.
Add the heavy cream and the balsamic vinegar to the chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes and whisk through.
Add the mushrooms to the cream sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Add caramelized onions to the sauce.
Place the chicken back into the pan with the sauces, increase heat to medium and sauté until chicken is fully cooked and juices run clear.
Remove chicken and add Parmesan to the sauce. Stir until melted through the sauce.
Plate the chicken, top with sauce, and garnish with fresh parsley. Good served over basmati rice.
HAM AND SWISS SCONES
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup whipping cream, divided
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
3/4 cup chopped ham
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly and the size of small peas. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream, along with cheese and ham. Stir until moistened.
Turn dough out onto wax paper and divide in two. Squeeze into balls. Press dough into two 4-inch rounds. The dough will be crumbly. Cut each round into six wedges. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons cream.
Bake at 450 degrees on a lightly greased baking sheet for 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Variations: Instead of ham and Swiss, add 1 cup shredded Cheddar, 1/2 cup chopped, cooked bacon and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives. For a sweet scone, omit cheese and meat; add 1/3 cup sugar to dry ingredients, then stir in 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries with the cream.
SHRIMP AND GRITS WITH COUNTRY HAM AND RED-EYE GRAVY
RED-EYE GRAVY
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces country ham, sliced into thin strips
4 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 cup Madeira wine
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup spicy V-8 juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
GRITS
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup cream
SHRIMP
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup minced green bell peppers
2 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
For the gravy: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the ham and sauté until brown. Add mushrooms and onion and continue to brown. Stir in Madeira, then the coffee, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until reduced by half. Dissolve the cornstarch in the V-8 juice and whisk into the gravy. Return to a boil, stirring, and add the thyme.
For the grits: In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the water to a boil and slowly stir in the grits, salt and garlic. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thick and soft. Whisk in the cheese and cream.
For the shrimp: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter; add green peppers and sauté for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and chili sauce and sauté until the shrimp are just pink. Stir in the red-eye gravy and heat until shrimp are cooked through. Serve over grits and sprinkle with parsley.
CURRIED TANZANIAN COCONUT OKRA
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 pounds fresh okra
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups of coconut milk
Cooked white rice
In a large saucepan brown over medium, heat the butter, curry powder, onions, garlic and paprika. Cut the tips off the okra pods. Add okra, vinegar and coconut milk to the saucepan. Cover tightly, and simmer 15 minutes. Serve over white rice.
SCAMPA LA RIVIERA
2 pounds large raw shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons lemon juice
8 mint leaves, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup red vinegar
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 stick butter
Pinch of oregano
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove shells from shrimp, leaving shell on tails only. Devein and rinse the shrimp. Place them in a large cast-iron skillet atop a thin layer of olive oil. Season with salt and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven and add lemon juice, chopped mint, garlic, vinegar and parsley. Sprinkle with a little more olive oil.
Place skillet over medium heat. Add a bit of water to the skillet along with the butter and oregano. Cover the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, or until the flavor is concentrated and the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Top with additional parsley and serve.
OATMEAL CRISPIES
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups quick-cooking oats
Thoroughly cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Sift together flour, salt and soda and add to creamed mixture. Add oats and mix well.
Shape into rolls. Wrap in wax paper and chill thoroughly or overnight.
When ready to bake, slice thinly and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 1 minute. Loosen. Let cool longer before removing from sheet. Dough and cookies may be frozen.
