Southern Style Cornbread Dressing - Gluten Free

My father was from Virginia and loved Cornbread Oyster Dressing. I love it too but I never did convince my kids to like it, so in order for them to eat Cornbread Dressing at Thanksgiving, I had to use Pork Sausage instead. And, I have to admit that it is really good too. I love the smell of the onions and celery cooking together and then when you add the Poultry Seasoning or sage, well, it just smells like Thanksgiving to me. One of the benefits of this authentic Southern recipe (from my grandmother) is that it is gluten free, which has made my friends who are Celiac very happy. And since I just found out that I am definitely Gluten Sensitive, I am going to have a much better Thanksgiving if I eat more Dressing and no rolls! And, you can certainly make it Vegetarian by taking out hte Sausage and using Vegetable Broth instead. So, here is our family recipe in time for you to use. It is also really good as a side for roast chicken or pork or as a stuffing for pork chops (but make it less wet). I hope you enjoy our family recipe this Thanksgiving.

Southern Style Corn Bread Dressing (Gluten Free)

1 pan stale cornbread crumbled (see recipe below)

1 onion minced fine (about 1 cup)

2 large or 3 medium celery stalks, minced fine (about 1 cup)

4 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning Mix or more (can also use ground Sage)

From 1 1/2 - 2 cups Chicken Broth (or you can substitute clam broth if using oysters or vegetable broth if you are vegetarian)

Optional: 1 lb package of pork sausage – breakfast style, lightly cooked
Optional:  1 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Optional: 1 small jar of oysters – each oyster cut in half and 6 pieces of cooked bacon broken into small pieces
Optional:  1 - 2 beaten Eggs

Heat the oven to 350 degrees (can also cook this at 325 degrees with the turkey for the last hour). Grease a 9” Pyrex baking dish with butter (can also use a cast iron skillet if you want to be really authentic or a casserole dish)

In a large frying pan, melt butter and add in onions and celery. Cook until onion and celery gets soft and translucent. Add in sausage (if using) and cook until it is no longer pink or if using bacon, cook until crisp. Put crumbled cornbread in a large bowl and add in onion, celery mixture with the Poultry Seasoning (or Sage). 

Add oysters or bacon or the sausage in now if using any of them. Add in enough chicken broth (or clam broth or vegetable broth) to make it moist. Add eggs, if using. Put into prepared pan and pour in more broth and let it absorb until you have enough broth so that the liquid is just floating above the cornbread mixture and it is soupy. Put into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes up to 1 hour or until top is browned and dressing is set.

Southern Style Cornbread (Gluten Free)

2 cups cornmeal

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 eggs lightly beaten

1 ½ cups milk

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

2 Tablespoons melted butter – plus extra for greasing the pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, grease an 8” or 9” glass baking dish (or cast iron skillet) with butter. In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, vinegar and then add in egg and butter – stir to mix. Put egg and milk mixture into cornmeal mixture and stir just until moistened. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or the edges are brown cornbread has pulled away from the side. Serve warm with butter if eating right away and cool for several hours or overnight if using for dressing.

Five Element Analysis

Corn is most definitely an Earth food, so that element is covered in this dish. The onions and Poultry Seasoning or Sage add the Metal Element, the celery adds the Wood Element and the Sausage or Oysters and Bacon add the Water Element. The chicken broth brings in the Wood Element and so does the turkey you usually serve this dressing with. The only element missing is the Fire Element so be sure to serve it with Cranberry Sauce for a balanced Five Element meal – Happy Thanksgiving!

Korean Bulgogi

I grew up in Los Angeles, where there is a very big Korea Town and every once in a while I got to go to one of those wonderful Korean Restaurants. I remember being very excited about being able to grill my own meat right at the table and those restaurants created a lifelong love of Bulgogi – Korean Grilled Beef. So, whenever I get blood deficient and I need to eat beef to make more blood– I make stir fried Bulgogi instead of grilled as I don’t have a table top grill at home and actually don’t even own a barbecue.

Traditional Bulgogi is marinated in a combination of Soy Sauce, Rice Wine, Sugar and Sesame Oil with green onions and garlic. Then it is cooked at the table by each person. However, it doesn't work so well on a bigger outdoor barbeque as the pieces of meat of so thin, but you can use this marinade for a steak and that's delicious too. But if like me, you are going to stir fry this dish, leave out most of the garlic and green onions from the marinade and stir fry those first and then add the drained beef to cook in a very hot pan. Stir fried Bulgogi doesn’t have that wonderful charred flavor that comes from grilling the meat, but it is still really good. And one of these days I am going to buy an indoor grill and do it right. Serve Bulgogi with lots of white rice and Kimchi (I’ll post my Mom’s recipe one of these days) and a green vegetable like sautéed spinach.

Korean Bulgogi

1 lb very thinly sliced beef (sliced in pinky finger lengths) – freeze to make it easier to slice or buy it presliced in an Asian market – look for Shabu Shabu or Sukiyaki beef

2 Tablespoons Shaoshing Rice Wine or Mirin

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 - 2 Tablespoons Sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 bunch of green onions – about 6 with roots and ends trimmed cut into 2” lengths

2 large garlic cloves minced

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Optional: 1 Tablespoon toasted Sesame Seeds

In a large bowl, mix Rice Wine, Soy Sauce, 1 Tablespoon of Sugar, Sesame Oil and Pepper until blended. Taste and adjust sugar if necessary – it should be a little sweet. Add a few of the white parts of the green onions and 1/3 of the minced garlic. Then add in the sliced beef and mix to coat thoroughly. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes up until overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, drain the beef from the marinade, but be sure to reserve the marinade in a bowl to make the sauce later.

Heat a large skillet or wok and then add in oil until it just starts to smoke. Then add in the reserved garlic and green onions and cook until the green onions just begin to wilt. Add the drained beef and stir-fry over high heat until the meat shows just a bit of light pink. Add in the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Put on a serving plate and sprinkle with Sesame Seeds if desired and serve with lots of white rice.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and the sugar emphasizes the sweet flavor of Earth even more. The Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil bring in the Water Element and so do the Sesame Seeds. The green onions and garlic contribute the Metal Element. The Rice Wine and Black Pepper add the Fire Element. Rice brings in more Metal and Kimchi would contribute more Earth from the cabbage and more Fire from the chili powder and the fermentation. Only the Wood Element is missing, which is why this dish needs to be served with a green vegetable like spinach. Then it would be a balanced Five Element meal.

South Carolina Soup/Stew

This recipe comes from my from my former Mother in Law, Joyce in Tennessee, whom I adore. She learned how to make this amazing soup from her husband's family in Walterboro, South Carolina. My ex, Hal who is still a really good friend was visiting his parents last week and sent me this picture, which made me remember all over again how much I love this soup. I've actually made it many times and so I'm going to make it again soon when I find some fresh okra - I usually get it at an Asian grocery store. This soup is made of okra (which is a mucilaginous food that is great for your digestion), fresh tomatoes (but canned will do if necessary), fresh lima beans (but frozen are acceptable and I personally prefer Edamame or green soybeans that are also grown in the South), and fresh corn (although you can use frozen).

This soup is an amazing fresh vegetable medley that is really more like a stew. I have doctored the more traditional version by adding onions and chicken broth to give the sauce more depth. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead. Add more broth if you want your soup to be soupier. But, this soup is traditionally served over long grain (Carolina) rice and is often accompanied by biscuits, country ham and cane syrup that is sopped up by the biscuits. And don't forget to add lots of black pepper when you serve it as this brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes and corn.

South Carolina Soup

4 - 6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 package frozen lima beans or use 2 cups of frozen Edamame (green Soybeans that are already shelled)

1 lb fresh okra, ends cut off and cut into ½ inch slices

3 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced (or can use a large 28 oz can of canned whole tomatoes chopped with the juice)

2 cups fresh (or frozen) corn kernels – cut off about 2 – 3 ears of lightly cooked corn

1 onion chopped

2 tablespoons safflower oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in a frying pan until soft and translucent. Add to large soup pot and pour in chicken broth. Add lima beans or Edamame, okra, tomatoes and corn. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until lima beans are tender - cook for only for 1/2 hour if using Edamame instead.

Five Element Analysis

This dish is very colorful, so you already know that it is going to have some inherent balance to it. Okra and corn belong to the Earth Element and this soup is thick so it is basically an Earthy preparation. But, the tomatoes bring in the Fire Element, the lima beans bring in the Water Element, the onions add the Metal Element and the chicken broth contributes the Wood Element. It's a balanced meal all by itself! The rice adds more Metal, the pepper adds more Fire, the biscuits more Wood, the Country Ham more Water and the cane syrup - if you use it - adds even more Earth. That's still an amazingly balanced meal!

Caldo Verde

I was visiting my friend Holly in Santa Cruz who harvested some beautiful Kale from her garden. Since she also had some newly harvested Potatoes, all we needed was to pick up some Portuguese Sausage to make this soup. Caldo Verde is the national soup of Portugal and one of my son’s favorites. It was one of the only ways I could get my kids to eat their greens. And, I usually used Collard Greens as they are apparently most like what they use in Portugal. He thought the Collard Greens looked like seaweed floating in a milky sea so he called it seaweed soup. It is a very simple yet hearty soup with a lot of flavor and cooks very quickly. I hope you enjoy this great soup!

Caldo Verde – Portuguese Potato Kale Soup

2 ½ lbs potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 large)

1 shallot minced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 large bunch Kale or Collard Greens

8 cups chicken broth

Optional: 10 - 12 oz. Portuguese Sausage (Linguica) cubed

Bring chicken broth to a boil, add potatoes and garlic and cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove center rib of each leaf of the collard greens with a sharp knife. Roll up the leaves into a cigar-like shape and then thinly slice into shreds. Mash potatoes and garlic in the broth until creamy. Add collard greens and cook for 10 minutes more. If desired, add sausage at the same time. Serve with crusty peasant bread.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is a Water food and the cured Portuguese pork sausages adds even more of the Water Element. But the paprika and that bit of heat in the Linguica bring in just a bit of the Fire Element. The chicken broth base and the kale belong to the Wood Element. The Potatoes add the Earth Element and the shallot and garlic contribute the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element needs enhancing so add another side dish or dessert that contains a Fire Food. A tomato salad would be a good choice - we had some lovely strawberries to make it a balanced Five Element meal.

Szechuan Eggplant

This is a very famous Szechuan dish that is usually called "Fish Flavored Eggplant." Now there is not fish in this dish and what the name actually means is that this is the seasoning blend that they use in the Szechuan province to cook fish. It is one of our family favorites, although I have to admit that I can't take it when it is too hot. I like to add a little more meat than most people 1/2 lb instead of 1/4 lb and I like the eggplant chunks to be slightly smaller in size - about 1" chunks instead of longer pieces. I just think they are easier to eat that way. The usual seasoning involves Chili Bean Paste, but I have always preferred Chili Garlic Paste (I use Lee Kum Kee) as I think it tastes cleaner, but the bean paste is more traditional. If you don't have those, you can also substitute a teaspoon or more of chili flakes. It is also quite common to use Szechuan Peppercorns, which up until now were quite hard to get. But, these are something you will either love or hate. They numb your lips and tongue so you have to like that feeling - otherwise it is much better if you don't use them. Be sure to serve this dish with lots of white rice - especially if you make it hot.

Szechuan Eggplant

1 lb Chinese or Japanese Eggplant – cut in quarters, then cut into 1” pieces

4 oz ground pork

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Shaoshing Rice Wine

3 green onions, cut into small pieces

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced fine

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

For Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 teaspoons Chili Garlic Sauce or Chili Bean Paste (add more if you like it hot)

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Black Chianking Chinese Vinegar (can substitute Balsamic)

½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil

¾ cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Optional:

Cilantro leaves for garnish

½ teaspoon ground Szechuan Peppercorns put in when the green onions, garlic and ginger are put in. (this is quite numbing and some people really dislike the feeling so be careful about adding it unless you know you like it).

In a small bowl, mix together the Soy Sauce, Rice Wine and ground pork. In another small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar, pepper, vinegar and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. In a separate bowl, mix together ¼ cup of chicken broth with cornstarch and Sesame Oil.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add in 2 Tablespoons of oil. Put in eggplant and stir-fry until it just begins to brown and is softened – about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil and put in garlic, onions and ginger and stir until you start to smell the fragrance. Add in pork and stir to separate meat and cook until it is no longer pink. Add in the sauce and the eggplant and cook for another 3 minutes. Add in cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens – about 2 minutes. Pour onto a serving plate and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with lots of steamed white rice.

Five Element Analysis

Eggplant and pork both belong to the Water Element as does the Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil so that element is covered. The vinegar and chicken broth adds the Wood Element and the Chili Sauce, black pepper and Szechuan Pepper (if used) contribute the Fire Element. The Metal Element is brought in by the white rice, the green onions, ginger and the garlic. The only element that is missing is Earth so another dish that uses an Earth vegetable like cabbage or a dish with sweet sauce or a fruit dessert would balance out the meal.

Chinese Creamed Cabbage

The Chinese are known for being economical about food. They rarely like to waste things and find interesting ways to use up what's left from cooking another dish. As a child, I made a lot of Jaozi or pan fried dumplings - in fact I can wrap them with eyes closed and I'm fast! One of these days I'll post my grandfather's recipe. His Jaozi were made with pork and Napa cabbage, but he favored using the upper part of the leaf as it made the dumpling filling softer. So, there was always a lot of the Napa Cabbage stalks left over and that's when he made Chinese Creamed Cabbage.

The Chinese use very little milk or cream in their cooking and it is not something they enjoy very much, primarily because many of them are lactose intolerant - including me. However, my grandfather became a big fan of coffee in the morning and discovered that whole cream had very little lactose. So when he made Chinese Creamed Cabbage, which is a Shanghai specialty, he only used real cream. If you make this dish with milk, just be sure to use whole milk but it won't be as creamy and I don't think it is as delicious. The Napa Cabbage stalks hold up well to the cream sauce and have a delightful crunch and the dish is seasoned with salty ham and green onions. Of course, you can use the the upper leaves as well as the crunchy stalks, but this is the way I grew up eating it and I like it much better. And, like my grandfather, I use the tops for dumplings. The traditional ham we used in the US was Virginia Ham, but Southern Country Ham also works and in a pinch bacon is also good. This is a simple dish and quite loved by my kids. It's also been a big hit when I have brought it to parties.

Chinese Creamed Cabbage

4 cups Napa Cabbage stalks, sliced into strips about 1/3 inch wide (you can also use the whole leaves cut into about 1" pieces)

1/2 cup minced salty ham or bacon

4 - 5 green onions (scallions) washed, roots cut off and cut into small pieces - separate the white part and green pieces

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup cream

2 heaping teaspoons cornstarch

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Heat wok or frying pan and add oil. Put in the white part of the green onions and the ham and stir a few times. Then Napa Cabbage and stir fry until the cabbage wilts slightly - about 2 minutes. Add in the chicken broth and cook until the cabbage is soft - about another 3 minutes. Meanwhile, stir cornstarch into the cream and add to cabbage mixture and stir until it thickens. Taste and add pepper and salt if necessary. Sprinkle dish with the remaining green onions, stir in and then serve.

Five Element Analysis

Napa Cabbage belongs to the Earth Element, whereas the salty ham adds the Water Element. The chicken broth contributes the Wood Element and the cream and green onions add the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element is missing and the Black Pepper brings in just a bit, but to balance this dish, it would be good to serve a Fire meat like lamb or to have another spicy hot dish to go with it. Then the creaminess of this dish will offset the heat of the other and that is very balanced eating!

Chinese Hamburger

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my Chinese Grandfather, Kingway Lowe was an extraordinary cook. If you have ever seen the movie, "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" you will know what kind of cook he was. He cooked so many amazing dishes every day and it is because of him that I have an educated palate for excellent Chinese food. But, one of the quirkiest dishes he made was Chinese Hamburger. It's kind of like a Chinese version of Sloppy Joes only you serve it over rice instead of on hamburger buns, but it would be good that way too. It is composed of ground beef, onions, carrots and celery all cooked together and seasoned with a soy sauce based gravy.

My grandfather actually invented it in deference to his two Caucasian son-in-laws. Now my father actually liked Chinese food - the more authentic the better. But my Uncle Don had a fear of anything unusual and got quite queasy when confronted with some of the strange ingredients that the Chinese eat. So, this dish was created to satisfy his less adventurous tastes. Then it ended up becoming one of the favorite dishes of all of us grandchildren - 18 in all. And, we used to beg our Grandfather to make it. I used to watch very carefully as he made it because I wanted to know how it was done and it wasn't until I was a teenager that I learned the secret ingredient was curry powder. It isn't tasted immediately and it adds this exotic and slightly mysterious depth of flavor. I now use a lot more curry powder so that you can see that it is in the dish as it colors the rice a bit yellow and I still make this dish all the time. 

My kids grew up on it and when I told my son that I made it at my friend's house here in Europe, he wanted me to post the recipe so he could make it at home too. The only difference you will see in the picture is that I used celeraic, or celery root instead of celery stalks and that was only because I couldn't find regular celery at the little market near my friend's house. I also used a red onion as that was what she had in her pantry. The celeraic was a surprisingly good substitution. It still had that lovely celery taste but added a different kind of crunch. I will no doubt use it again, but I did miss that bit of green color in the dish. You need to try this one - it will surprise you with its' homey deliciousness! And beware, it is strangely addictive.....

Chinese Hamburger

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium yellow onion minced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, washed and diced (or use 1 cup peeled, diced celeraic)

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup cold chicken broth mixed with 1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch

2 - 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce or Tamari(depending on the saltiness of the brand 

2 teaspoons Curry Powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Few drops of Toasted Sesame Oil

In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil and add in vegetables. Stir until onions get soft and add salt and pepper. Add in ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink and it is broken up into small pieces. Put in Curry Powder and stir a few more minutes. Then, pour in chicken broth mixture and 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce - taste and add more soy sauce if necessary. Then bring to a boil and cook until sauce thickens slightly. Add in a few drops of Toasted Sesame Oil and serve over white rice or on toasted hamburger buns.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and so do carrots so that element is covered. The celery and chicken broth add in the Wood Element. The Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil contribute the Water Element and the onions and Curry Powder bring in the Metal Element. The Fire Element is the only one that is missing and this can remedied be added by serving with some chili sauce or by drinking tea. And, if it is part of a multi course meal, make a dish that is spicy hot or that includes some Fire vegetables to create a balanced Five Element meal.