Southern Style

I want to go to a purely southern style tailgate. I want to see southern food and southern girls in great dresses.

I guess I need to hit a SEC football tailgate. I

was thinking of showcasing some great southern food i would like to see at my dream “southern” tailgate. here is what my menu would look like:

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
• Vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
2. Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.
3. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
4. Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°.
5. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
6. Drain on paper towels or a rack.
7. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

1. Grits:
   • 1 cup yellow grits (not instant)
   • 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar
   • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
   • 1 jalapeño, seeded, diced
   • 1/4 cup heavy cream
   • Kosher salt
   • freshly ground pepper
2. Shrimp:
   • 1/2 cup 1/3″ cubes tasso, andouille sausage, or bacon
   • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
   • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
   • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, divided
   • 16 large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined
   • 1/4 cup (or more) beer
   • 1/4 cup low-salt chicken stock
   • 4 large eggs
   • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Preparation

1. For grits:
   1. Bring 3 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Turn heat to low; gently simmer until grits begin to thicken. Continue cooking, stirring often and adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick, until tender, about 1 hour. Stir in cheese, butter, and jalapeño, then cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
2. For shrimp:
   1. Meanwhile, heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add tasso; sauté until fat begins to render, about 5 minutes (if tasso is very lean, add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet). Add garlic and 1 tablespoon butter; stir until butter melts. Add shrimp. When garlic begins to brown, add beer and chicken stock. Simmer until shrimp is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; set aside.
   2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoom butter to skillet; swirl to melt and cover bottom of pan. Crack eggs into pan and cook until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
   3. Divide grits among bowls, forming a well in center. Spoon shrimp mixture into center of grits. Top with egg. Sprinkle tarragon over.