Southern fried.

Tonight's dinner happened as so many of my dinners do, namely, with me rooting around in the fridge pulling out stuff I need to use up. I had a bag of chopped kale that was about to go bad, half a red pepper, a package of tempeh, some green tomatoes and new potatoes from my CSA, a few slices of asiago cheese, and a jar of creamy horseradish sauce my friend J left behind after staying here to take care of the kitties. I need to head back to low-carb land soon, but first...

Clockwise from L: fried green tomatoes, fried tempeh,
asiago-horseradish mashed potatoes, Southern kale

Click through the jump for recipes and suggested listening while you read:




What could be more appropriate music to accompany this post than "Chicken Fried" by the Zac Brown Band? This fun little song has always made me smile.

Did you click "play" yet? Ok, good, now here are my recipes for tonight's yummy Southern dinner:

TEMPEH AND TOMATOES:

• Prepare tomatoes: core and thinly slice, salt, and lay on paper towels to drain out excess liquid.
• Prepare tempeh: slice block in half, then slice again lengthwise to create four thin pieces about the size of a slice of sandwich bread. Nuke for 3-4 minutes on a plate with a little water, drain on paper towels, coat with your favorite hot sauce and allow to absorb.
• Prepare breading: beat 2 eggs with a little cream and salt in one bowl. Fill another bowl with flour and some salt, mix. Fill a third shallow bowl with cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and any other seasoning you like, mix.
• Heat coconut or vegetable oil, about 1/2" thickness, in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Working in batches, dredge your tempeh/tomato slices in flour, then egg, and finally the cornmeal, coating well and shaking off excess. Fry on each side until golden, drain on brown paper bags, and enjoy warm with your favorite sauce (I like a combo of ketchup and horseradish).

POTATOES:

• Peel potatoes and cut into chunks.
• Boil in salted water until very tender, drain (leave a few Tb of the starchy cooking water in the pan to make them creamier).
• Mash with Kroger Creamy Horseradish Sauce, a few slices of Asiago cheese, a knob of butter, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to taste.

KALE:

• Fry about 3 slices of uncured bacon in a large soup pot until crisp and grease is rendered.
• Add one large onion and red pepper, diced, and sauté for a few minutes.
• Add one large bag of chopped kale, or green of your choice, along with some salt, red pepper flakes, and a touch of water.
• Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until very tender. The longer the better.
• Add a splash of your favorite vinegar (I'm partial to apple cider) before serving.

And now, for the grand finale, I give you yet another lovely Southern thing. This magnolia blossom is about the size of a large cabbage: