by Greg Alexander
We made this recipe using dry butter beans (lima beans). Broad beans
work well too. These beans are tasty either way, but according to the
Doctor of Butterbeans, fresh ones have great color.
Wields: J food-sized bowl of beans)
4 cups Fresh butter beans, washed
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 CUP Andouille sausage, chopped (1 sausage)
Y.2 CUP Smoked ham, chopped
5 cups Water
1 tsp. Dry savory leaves (1 tbsp fresh)
1 tsp. Ham soup base
8-10 Whole green peppercorns
1 Shallot, finely minced
3 Cloves fresh garlic, or % tsp. dry minced garlic covered with 2 tsp. water and rehydrate
for 5 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste
If using dry beans, soak 3/4 of a 1 Ib. bag in a deep bowl covered with cold
water overnight. You can also use the whole bag and just increase all
other recipe ingredients by ‘/4 . In a 2-3 quart saucepan, melt the butter
and gently saute the shallot and garlic until soft. Add the ham and sausage
and gently saute, adding $5 cup water if necessary to prevent burning.
Add the butter beans and enough water to fully cover the beans. We used
5 cups of water total, but it might vary depending on the size of the pan
and your beans. Add savory, green peppercorns and ham base. Bring to a
boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until
beans are tender and the water is reduced to form a broth. Stir carefully
once the beans start getting soft so they don’t get broken. About halfway
through cooking, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. We added ‘/2 tsp.
both salt and ground black pepper. Can be served over rice or as a side
dish. Add hot sauce to taste.
Prep time: 10 minutes chopping plus soaking time if you use dry beans.
Cooking time: 2-3 hours.
SUMMER AFTERNOON ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
by Greg Alexander
(Jervex t wo to three)
2 Fresh zucchini, julienned
1 Large egg
12-1 6 Mint leaves, chopped
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Butter
95 tsp Baking powder
Salt and Pepper
Crated parmesan cheese
(Directions on back)
Mix julienned zucchini, beaten egg, baking powder, mint leaves,
salt and pepper in a bowl. The mixture should be runny. If it is not,
add another egg.
Heat olive oil and butter in a heated skillet (non-stick works best).
Lift a small handful of zucchini mix in your hand and drop into the
hot oil. Cook thoroughly on one side, flip, and cook the other side.
Pat between two paper towels.
Sprinkle with parmesan. Serve at once.
LAMB SHANKS TOULOUSE
by Greg Alexander
Dr. Alexander did research with some French doctors and they loved his cooking. He wrote this recipe up
at the request of his dear friend, Dr. Francois de Caunes from Toulouse.
4 lamb shanks 1 bottle red wine- Rhone is very good
8-10 garlic cloves 6 fresh mint leaves for garnish
1 large onion 2 tsp. sea salt, divided
1 shallot 1 tsp. white .p ep. per
2 leeks 4 tbsp. flour
1 turnip 2 bay leaves
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
‘/Z tsp. thyme
14 oz. can plum tomatoes
‘/Z 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/3 cup of olive oil or 1/2 stick of butter
2 tsp. mignonette pepper (roughly 3/4 tsp. each
cracked black and white pepper and coriander)
4-8 anchovies (optional, but they add a great depth of flavor without an anchovy
taste …g ive ‘em a try!)
Rub the shanks with 1 tsp. salt and mignonette pepper and then dust with flour. Chop all
the vegetables and put to one side.
Heat the olive oil or butter in a large, heavy casserole with a lid. Two at a time, over
medium heat, brown shanks all over being careful not to burn. Once browned, remove
and set aside. Add garlic, onion, shallot, leeks, turnip, carrots and celery and cook over
medium low heat, stirring occasionally to get up any brown bits on the bottom, until
tender. Add a bit of butter or olive oil if the vegetables get too dry.
After about 10 minutes, the vegetables should be nice and tender. Add anchovies, tomato
paste and plum tomatoes. bay leaves and thyme, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour in the bottle of red wine and stir thoroughly. Season with salt and white pepper to
taste- we used 1/4 tsp. white pepper and another 1 tsp. salt. Return the lamb shanks to the
pot, stir and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat
is completely falling off the bone tender. Place the shanks in a deep serving dish. Skim
any fat off the sauce and spoon over and around the shanks in the serving dish. Garnish
with fresh mint leaves.
Dr. Alexander served this hearty dish with saffron rice or couscous, a spinachhandarin
orange salad and red wine, with a glass of Armagnac after. When the shanks are very
large, it helps to de-bone the meat from the shanks before serving to reduce into smaller
portions.
ROUND-0-RACK (Smoked Marinated Venison)
by Greg Alexander
The following recipe makes a very tangy and mildly hot, smoked snack which can be kept for days in the fridge
and sliced as needed. A smoker is required. The recipe’s name acknowledges Mr. Thomas C. Hulsey of Round-0,
South Carolina, who has been the host of many a fine hunt and subsequent source of venison through the years.
1 venison ham (small) 1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 garlic clove 1 tbsp. minced onion
1 bottle Teriyaki barbeque marinade
1/4 bottle Worcestershire sauce
5 splashes Tabasco sauce
1 bottle cheap, dry white wine
1 tsp. dry horseradish
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. salt (or onion or garlic salt)
1 tsP. black pepper (or red pepper, depending on taste)
Marinate venison in bottom of broiler pan or similar size pan large
enough to hold meat and marinade. Poke and score venison with
knife to let marinade seep deep into meat. Rub venison with garlic
clove, leaving leftover clove in pan. Add Teriyaki, Worcestershire,
Tabasco, horseradish, herbs and spices. Put enough wine in (usually
half a bottle or so) to partially cover meat. Let set, covered with
foil, at least overnight but preferably for one day or more. Turn
meat as often as you can remember. Remove and pepper meat to
taste before smoking. Smoke according to your smoker’s direction
until done (undercooking is a bigger problem than overcooking).
Use leftover marinade in smoker’s marinade pan. I prefer smoking
with one third hickory, one third oak and one third fruit tree
(plum). Add a few sprigs of rosemary, marjoram or sage to the
coals for an extra touch.