Learning How to Cook Southern Style

“I call this cooking between the lines,” says chef Darin Sehnert, as we don our smart, black aprons. “It’s not just recipes; I want you to get a feel for Southern cooking.”

OVER THE YEARS, CHEF DARIN HAS WORKED across the USA and in London, but now he runs his own cooking school in Savannah, Georgia. And that is where I am, with my wife and son, ready to learn how to create the authentic tastes of the Low Country.

Southern Cooking is an umbrella term, Darin explains. But each region in the South has its own customs, whether they are cultural or culinary. So, the Louisiana Bayou country reflects the French, Spanish and West Indian settlers, while Appalachia’s influences are Scottish and German. Here in the Low Country, the mix is English, Spanish, French and West African.

The Low Country includes some 200 miles of coastline, with inlets and islands, as well as the cities of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. So, not surprisingly, fish is a staple – especially shrimp, which abounds in these waters.

“Shrimp and grits was a breakfast for fishermen,” Darin explains. But today, we are making lunch, and the menu is a modern take on tradition. The main dish is shrimp in red-eye gravy; on the side are creamy grits and a salad of wilted baby collard greens; the finale is a pecan praline angel-food cake. As Darin explains, the shellfish come from nearby waters, collard greens and grits are Southern staples, while pecans are a Georgia speciality.

First up is deciding who makes what. “Who is good at making desserts?” Darin asks. When my wife raises her hand, he turns to me and says, “You can make the cake!” I’m a ‘throw things together’ kind of cook; following recipes is not my forte. But successful cake-making demands precision, so I am going to change the habits of a lifetime.

Chef Darin’s advice is easy to follow – toast the pecans before chopping them; measure sifted flour gently, but pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup. When it comes to cracking eggs one-handed, however, I fail miserably. More accomplished is my imitation of his ‘do-si-do’, forward-and-back spatula technique for folding in the egg whites.

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH GRITS

Chef Darin Sehnert and a student at his Savannah cooking school

My wife is facing her own challenge – getting to grips with grits. Having grown up in the northern USA, this dish of cornmeal is not a favourite. “Not my thing; too much like gruel,” she declares. Darin chuckles; he has encountered this prejudice before. “Grits are polenta’s country cousin, the one that went to school barefoot.” He goes on to explain that, although both are made from corn, there are many differences, from the type of corn to the manner of milling. Even with grits, there are ‘quick cook’ (to be avoided) and stone ground, which have all the goodness and better flavour, but require more time. The secret is to soak them first in cold liquid, then cook them gently. “We’ll be using stock, butter, parmesan and heavy cream. With all that, even sand would taste good!” he says.

Next up is the red-eye gravy. For this Southern classic, the secret is adding black coffee. “Some say President Andrew Jackson told his  bleary-eyed butler that his eggs, bacon and gravy were ‘as red as your eyes’; others insist that a ham bone looks like a red eye. To me, when you deglaze a pan, it looks as if a red eye is floating on the bottom,” Darin tells us. Just as people argue over the origin of the name, so they disagree over the ingredients. Ham or bacon? Vegetables or no veg? Darin’s version calls for bacon, onions, peppers, mushrooms and, of course, black coffee. With Wade junior at the hob, the savoury smell is soon piquing our appetites.

While we concentrate on our tasks, Darin reels off professional tips. For the cake, eggs should be at room temperature and the whites beaten gently, so the proteins are not stretched. He demonstrates the proper way to sharpen knives and chop onions. A dampened paper towel under a chopping board prevents slippage. Carrots, celery and onions, the basis for so many recipes, can be chopped and frozen for later use.

When we sit down to lunch, it is delicious. The shrimp with red-eye gravy is a perfect partnership; the collard greens have texture as well as a fresh, young flavour. My better half admits that she loves the grits. As for my dessert, Darin’s recipe transforms normal angel-food cake (boring) into a triumph. “With pecans in the cake and the praline sauce poured over it all, it’s easy!” he says.

We have learned a lot and had a great time. “Everyone does,” Darin says. But some get more out of his sessions than others. “Six couples who cooked with me got engaged after their classes.”

CHEF DARIN’S RECIPE FOR GRILLED PEACH & RED ONION SALSA

Georgia has long been known as the ‘The Peach State’, but the peach was only designated as the ‘official state fruit’ in 1995. For this recipe – compiled specially for Essentially America readers – Chef Darin recommends ripe peaches. Serve the salsa as a dip or to partner grilled pork or chicken. Makes about half-a-litre.

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the grill to medium-high.
2. Cut the peaches in half by inserting a knife at the stem end, rotating it around the ‘seam’ and twisting the fruit apart. Cut the half containing the stone from top to bottom; pry out the stone. Place the cut peaches in a large bowl. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil over the fruit, sprinkle with salt and freshly-ground black pepper; toss gently to coat with the oil and seasonings. NB: Keep the bowl with its juices. These will be used later.
3. Peel and cut the onion horizontally into slices ½-inch thick. Keep the slices whole. Do not separate them in rings; this makes grilling them easier. Place the onions on a plate and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, coating them well. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the peaches and onions in a grill pan and cook until lightly charred. Set aside. Once cool enough to handle, cut them into ½-inch chunks. Put these back into the bowl with the peach juices. Add the mint, basil and lemon juice; mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
5. Leave for an hour to develop the flavours. Serve cold, but not chilled.