Corn Pudding

I love corn. I love the texture, the subtle sweetness, and most of all, the fact that you can use it for sweet or savoury dishes. Corn pudding - commonly served as a Thanksgiving side dish - is a combination of both! Think cornbread meets custard. That speaks to the consistency and the taste, thanks to the mix of eggs, milk, and of course, corn!

It's considered a staple in the rural American South.

Cornbread is what I'm more familiar with when it comes to corn-based sides, but that's mostly because in Zimbabwe we have something very similar called chimodo which I have a recipe for, here.

Corn pudding is a great alternative side for the holidays, with sweet undertones and not so potent flavour that it will overpower the main dishes. Think of it like extra moist, rich, and delicious cornbread.

The recipe is a super easy, tasty addition to the table, and certainly, an ultimate comfort food making it a fitting for the holidays.

Ingredients

1 can sweet corn kernels (15.25 ounces)

1 1/2 cans creamed corn (14.75 ounces)

5 eggs

Pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon chipotle

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup yellow stone ground cornmeal

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup milk or cream

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt, pepper, and chipotle, whisk again until well mixed.

Whisk in the cornstarch, and try to make sure most of the large lumps dissolve.

Add the corn kernels, cornmeal, and creamed corn, stir until well incorporated.

Transfer to a small glass baking dish (lightly sprayed with cooking oil), then bake at 400F for 50 minutes to an hour until set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool but serve warm! The pudding's consistency should be like a thick custard.

Braised Oxtail with Sweet Potato Mash and Green Bean Casserole

Oxtail is a delicacy and beloved dish in my eyes. That's because growing up my mother made the most delectable, slow-cooked braised oxtail you'll ever taste. A lot of people associate oxtail stew with the Caribbean, however, it's enjoyed in parts of Africa as well and, Zimbabwe is no exception. It should be reserved for special occasions as the meat around the bones is high in fat content, but you won’t regret it!

The oxtail bones can be marinated, or not, then lightly fried to brown the meat before adding it to a pressure cooker or roasting pot with vegetables and broth for a few hours i.e. braising. The result? A juicy, succulent, flavourful fall-off-the-bone short rib like dish in a very rich stew you can even eat separately with some fresh bread.

Why now? The holidays call for hearty, comforting dishes, and this oxtail main is the epitome and will not disappoint the table. It's also a great alternative to roast turkey for those who want to venture out!

What sides to pair it with? That can remain classic, I used green beans and sweet potato. I add some garlic to the mashed potatoes for some extra flavour and made caramelized onions for the green bean casserole.

I stewed in cream of mushroom soup but didn't want to use the out-of-a-box fried onions to top the beans as per the traditional recipe. It seems a fresh onion is a better option!

What about the texture? That's where some bread crumbs can come in, but it's up to you!

Ingredients

Oxtail:

4-8 oxtail bones

1/4 cup scallions, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1/2 large shallot, diced

2 large heirloom tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Fresh thyme sprigs

4 tablespoons Royco Usavi mix (optional)

3 beef bouillon cubes

3 cups warm water

3 tablespoons steak seasoning or equal mix salt and coarsely ground pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cooking wine

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mashed sweet potato:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup milk or cream

Green bean casserole:

1 small bag French green beans

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons Habanero cheese, grated

1/4 of a large yellow onion

2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

Prepare the oxtail. Cut off as much of the extra, visible fat that you can. Marinate the bones in the soy sauce, cooking wine, steak seasoning, fresh thyme, 2 tablespoons Royco seasoning, 1 tablespoon garlic, and olive oil. Cover with cling wrap and set in the fridge for about 3 hours.

In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high. Brown the oxtail for 5 minutes, then add the scallions and 2 tablespoon garlic. Saute for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the oxtail to a roasting pot. Toss the diced jalapeno, onion, and shallot in the same saucepan with 1 tablespoon of Royco. Spoon over the oxtail.

Add the tomato paste, grate one tomato in and dice the other, over the oxtail.

In a small bowl, crush and dissolve the bouillon cubes in warm water, then pour into the pot. Add extra steak seasoning and 1 tablespoon of Royco, then mix well.

Remove any large thyme stems. Place in a 350F oven with the lid on for 4 hours, or until the broth has thickened and the meat easily comes off the bone.

Prepare the mashed potatoes. Boil the sweet potatoes until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove the skin and transfer to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher, then add the butter, salt and pepper, garlic powder, fresh garlic, and milk/cream. Mix until well incorporated, season to taste.

When the oxtail has about an hour left, blanch the green beans. Boil a pot of water (enough to cover the beans) then add the beans and cook until the outside is a bit softened, about 3-5 minutes. You want them to have a bit of crunch. Quickly dunk in cold water to stop the cooking, drain and set aside.

Chop the onion lengthwise, the add to a nonstick pan with the butter. Season with the salt and pepper, sweat them out for about 3-4 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the soy sauce and add brown sugar. Reduce the heat and stir until the onions begin to caramelize, set aside.

In a small baking dish, add the drained beans, mushroom cream soup, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and milk.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs and grated cheese on top. Bake at 350F for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat and top with the caramelized onions.

Serve the oxtail hot atop the mashed potatoes with the green bean casserole on the side.

Tip: The oxtail will taste better in the two days after as the flavours will meld together and intensify, consider making it the day before serving!

One Potato, Two Potato Au Gratin

The holidays. No matter where you are in the world if you're fortunate enough these times involve heavy eating and merry times with family. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up, and one question that comes up in many households is what sides should we serve?

Potatoes nearly always feature on the table in one way or the other. My preference is for sweet potatoes for health reasons, but white or more specifically russet potatoes taste great and have their own unique flare.

I decided to combine both in this easy, flavourful au gratin potato dish. Au gratin is a French technique consisting of a creamy sauce usually made with eggs, milk, butter and cheese, poured over sliced potatoes, sometimes topped with breadcrumbs. How does this differ from scalloped potatoes? Au gratin potatoes don't have to be as thinly sliced and always include grated cheese.

In this case, I omit the breadcrumbs and didn't add any eggs. I also used coconut milk and made sure the roux-based sauce was well-seasoned. If you overlook that step you can end up with a pretty bland side!

If you make this for the table during the holidays, tag me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know! I’d love to see it. Happy cooking! 🦃

Ingredients

1 large russet potato

1 large sweet potato

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup coconut milk, warm

1 cup vegetable broth, warm

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Royco Usavi mix or equal parts cumin, coriander, and fenugreek powder

1/2 cup scallions, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 cup parmesan cheese + extra for topping

1/4 cup pepper jack or gruyere cheese + extra for topping

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

Fresh or dried parsley

Instructions

Peel both potatoes and wash. Slice into thin, circular pieces (not too thin so they don't fall apart).

Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, Italian seasoning, olive oil, and garlic powder.

In a non-stick pan, heat the butter. Add the chopped scallions and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in the flour until fully incorporated. Add the coconut milk, salt, pepper, and Royco Usavi spice blend.

Add the broth and whisk until thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Add the parmesan and pepper jack cheese, mixing until smooth. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes.

Spray a cast iron skillet with cooking oil, then spoon some of the sauce into the pan.

Lay the potatoes in a spiraled, circular pattern. After every two layers, spoon more sauce over the potatoes.

Sprinkle some additional cheese over the potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes at 400F.

Remove from heat and garnish with parsley.