Virginia Willis peels lemon zest into wide strips with a large vegetable peeler. Then she slices the citrus peel into thin strips, blanches it, drains it and drops it into a pot bubbling with sugar and a bit of water.
The Atlanta chef and cookbook author is making candied lemon zest to accompany her recipe for cornmeal cake, an easy dessert mixed in a food processor.
By itself, the cake is simple and rustic looking. It is basic. But with the candied zest, which Willis is now rolling in sugar and turning into something almost magical, the cake will be transformed. It will be brilliant.
The appealing cornmeal cake — inspired by the Georgia-born chef’s French mentor, Anne Willan — is from Willis’ new cookbook, “Basic to Brilliant, Y’all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company” (Ten Speed Press, $35).
"Basic to Brilliant" is the follow-up to Willis’ “Bon Appetit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking” (Ten Speed Press, $32.50) -- a beautiful, heartfelt volume in which she lovingly recalls memories of her mother and grandmother’s Southern kitchens.
An instant classic, “Bon Appetit, Y’all” is the book that put Willis on the national map after she toiled behind the scenes for years as an apprentice for Southern-food maven Nathalie Dupree and as a TV producer for the pert and persnickety Martha Stewart. “Bon Appetit, Y’all” is the only cookbook on the Georgia Center for the Book’s “25 Books All Georgians Should Read.” For Willis, it has been a tough act to follow.
But here she is, on a crisp Wednesday morning at her home-away-from-home, Cook’s Warehouse at Ansley Mall, looking radiant as she prepares three dishes from the book and speaks with sweet persuasion about everything from brining pork to the importance of recognizing women in the food profession.
One of the most important culinary writers working in Georgia today, Willis doesn’t have a restaurant or TV show. (She has no interest in the former but may have ambitions for the latter.) But she does come with her own hometown cheering squad. When the store manager brings out display-size blow-ups of her new book cover, a super-size portrait of Willis that she says her mama will want to take home, and a gorgeous photograph of the Burnt Caramel Cake that was her grandfather's favorite, she almost tears up.
That Willis’ heart belongs to food, family and friends is obvious. Spend a few hours in her company, and you will see why this woman has legions of fans. Her wide grin, salt-and-pepper hair, gracious manners, pithy wit and occasional “that’s our little secret" wink are charming.
You get a glimpse of Willis’ personality from the skimpy crate of kitchen stuff she brings to the cooking session and photo shoot. She may have worked for the exacting Stewart, but her personal style is relaxed.
In her box is a white bistro napkin with a pink border (which speaks, perhaps, to her feminine, lipstick-wearing side) and a pocketknife of the sort that her Georgia grandfather might have carried fishing. She has a whole set of the blades at home; she uses them like steak knives, or to dig into the Sweet Tea-Brined Pork Blade Steaks With “Brilliant” Grilled Onions and Sherry Vinegar she is cooking.
No crisp chef whites for Willis. Dressed in boots and a casual blue shirt, she wears a handsome, knobby-linen apron the color of smoky salt over her jeans, snatching it off to use as an impromptu tablecloth for a dish waiting be photographed.
While Willis’ first book reflected her love of Southern classics and French technique, her new tome wants to seduce readers to go deeper in the kitchen, to make food that is homespun yet sexy. Every basic recipe has an added step, garnish, technique or short recipe meant to turn the dish into a showstopper.
Arugula With Country Ham and Pecans goes decadent with the addition of crispy deep-fried Eggs. Pan-Seared Georgia Trout is drizzled with pecan brown butter. Roasted Tomato Soup is topped with gruyere flan.
“The ‘basic’ is more what I might teach in a cooking class,” she explains. “The ‘brilliant’ is what you might have if you came over to my house for dinner on the weekend.”
Willis doesn’t think splashing a dish with truffle oil is a trick that would make anyone want to buy a book. That’s not brilliant; that’s blasé. Yet she admits that some of the additions can be a challenge.
Take Meme’s Chicken and Rice, a comforting dish from her grandmother’s kitchen that she transforms into Potage a la Reine (“Soup of the Queen”). The latter requires no fewer than four pots and instructs the cook to puree the chicken, puree the rice, stir them together, strain and whip with heavy cream and egg yolks. “It’s this crazy, over-the-top, French, full-fledged, full-on French thing.”
There’s no doubt the lovely autumnal cake she pulls from the oven smelling faintly of cornfields would be wonderful with just a dollop of basic Greek yogurt stirred with lemon zest. But what of the home cook who wants something a bit more romantic?
“Smell that,” Willis says, stirring the pot of lemon bubbling in sugar, sending up puffs of lemon steam that will soon be transformed into crystals of sweet-tart citrus candy.
That’s just brilliant, y’all.
More fall cookbooks to keep in mind:
"The Happy Table of Eugene Walter: Southern Spirits in Food and Drink," edited by Donald Goodman and Thomas Head (University of North Carolina Press, $30). This posthumous offering from the beloved Mobile bon vivant features more than 300 recipes for cocktails and food cooked with booze. Just in time for the holidays, there are hot drinks, hangover cures and the author's whimsical drawings. Plus an entire chapter on bourbon, another on juleps. Simply delightful.
"The New Southern-Latino Table: Recipes That Bring Together the Bold and Beloved Flavors of Latin America & the American South" by Sandra Gutierrez (University of North Carolina Press, $30). A cook who grew up in Guatemala but has lived for years in North Carolina, Gutierrez shares recipes that speak to her life as a Latina discovering her inner Southern belle. Happily for us, that means collard-green empanadas, jalapeno deviled eggs, country fried steak with cilantro-lime gravy, dulce de leche and bourbon crepes, and so on. Que delicioso! (Gutierrez teaches a class at Cook's Warehouse at Ansley Mall 7-9 p.m. Oct. 12. $60. 404-815-4993; cookswarehouse.com.)
"Home Made: The Ultimate DIY Cookbook, Featuring Over 200 From-Scratch Recipes" by Yvette Van Boven (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $45.) Even if you never cook a single recipe from this book, you will be in awe of the gorgeous photographs by Oof Verschuren and instructions on building an outdoor grill; smoking fish; preserving vegetables; making chocolate; and so on. Food porn; plus irreverent step-by-step illustrations on how to do it. Endless good fun, this book.
‘Basic to Brilliant'
In “Basic to Brilliant, Y’all,” Atlanta chef Virginia Willis presents recipes for her refined Southern cooking. Each one has a “basic” component, followed by a “brilliant” twist that takes it to a luxurious level. Here are recipes for a pork entrée, a vegetable side dish and a dessert, all adapted from the book.
Sweet Tea-Brined Pork Blade Steaks With “Brilliant” Grilled Onions and Sherry Vinegar
Hands on: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (includes 30-minute brine time)
Serves: 4
This dish marries two mainstays of the Southern kitchen, sweet tea and pork. Willis smartly suggests using the more economical “blade steak” over pricey chops. The optional brilliant step adds a little sour to the sweet in the form of grilled onions marinated with sherry vinegar.
For the pork:
¼ cup kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 family-size (or 8 regular-size) black tea bags
2 cups boiling water
3 cups ice cubes
4 blade or center-cut pork chops on the bone, ¾ inch thick
Freshly ground black pepper
For the onions (optional):
3 large yellow onions (preferably Vidalias)
2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Combine the salt, sugar and tea bags in a heatproof bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir to dissolve. Steep for 10 minutes. Add ice and stir to cool. Add pork, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Remove meat from the brine, rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. (Do not brine any longer, or the chops will be too salty.)
Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or a gas grill. Season the chops with pepper. Grill until the internal temperature reads 145 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to a platter. Tent with foil to rest and let the juices redistribute, about 5 minutes.
To make it brilliant: While the chops are marinating, slice onions into 1/2-inch rings. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and brush on both sides with a couple of tablespoons of canola or grapeseed oil. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. While the chops are cooking, place the onion rings on the cooler part of the grill and cook, turning once or twice, until tender, 3 or so minutes per side. Remove to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. (This will trap the heat and the onions will continue to wilt.)
Let rest until you are ready to serve. Then add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and drizzle with 1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine and coat. Serve a tangle of rings on top of each pork chop.
Per serving (without onions): 251 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 23 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 14 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 774 milligrams sodium.
Per serving (with onions): 343 calories (percent of calories from fat, 56), 24 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 21 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 777 milligrams sodium.
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts With Apples and Bacon
Hands on: 35 minutes for basic; 1 hour for brilliant
Total time: 40 minutes for basic; 1 hour, 5 minutes for brilliant
Serves: 4-6
Sautéed in bacon fat and tossed with a bit of apple, this is Willis’ response to folks who don’t like Brussels sprouts, and a lovely green side dish for fall. For the holiday table, it’s an elegant alternative to a pot of greens. Willis’ brilliant step is simply a matter of how you cut the sprouts. If short on time, simply half them and blanch in boiling water before sauteing. If you opt for brilliant, you must peel the sprouts, leaf by leaf, down to their core. It’s worth the effort, for they cook up wonderfully and taste delicious.
1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut in half (or peeled according to directions below)
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch dice
Leaves from 2 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium, add the onion, and sauté until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the apple and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley and toss to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving platter and serve immediately.
To make it brilliant: Cut about ¼ inch off the stem end of each sprout and begin peeling off the leaves. When difficult to peel further, trim off another ¼ inch and continue removing leaves. Repeat to peel all leaves from the sprouts; discard the tiny cores. Follow the basic recipe above, but no need to blanch the sprouts. Add the leaves to the onion and apple. Sauté until the leaves are bright green and slightly wilted but still crunchy, about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Per serving (based on 4): 102 calories (percent of calories from fat, 25), 6 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 3 grams fat (1 grams saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 116 milligrams sodium.
Anne’s Cornmeal Cake With “Brilliant” Candied Lemon Zest
Hands on: 15 minutes for basic; 45 minutes for brilliant
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes for basic; 1 hour, 40 minutes for brilliant
Serves: 10-12
Willis adapts this cake from mentor Anne Willan’s “Cooking With Wine.” While Willan used almond meal, Willis substitutes pecans. Willis suggests using her My Southern Pantry Georgia-grown, certified-organic heirloom cornmeal, available at Cook’s Warehouse or online at virginiawillis.com. If you do, you will be impressed by the golden color of the cake and the delicate flavor of corn. The author’s brilliant step is a garnish of candied lemon zest. You may also add sliced pears or figs and drizzle the yogurt with honey.
For the cake:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
¾ cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
¾ cup pecan halves
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into pieces, plus more for the cake pan
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-fat or whole-milk plain Greek-style yogurt, for serving
For the candied lemon zest (optional):
2 lemons
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, pecans, zest of 1 lemon, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms crumbs that start to clump together, about 30 seconds. Add eggs and wine and pulse just until smooth. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
Bake until the cake starts to shrink from the sides of the pan and springs back when lightly pressed in the center with a fingertip, about 45 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes; then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, combine yogurt and remaining lemon zest and set aside. Serve cake warm or at room temperature, garnished with the yogurt.
To make it brilliant: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking liner or waxed paper. Set aside.
Use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the zest from 2 lemons. Using a small paring knife, scrape off the bitter white pith and discard. Cut the peel into ¼ x 3-inch strips. Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add zest and cook for 2 minutes. Drain. In the same saucepan, combine ¼ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Add the blanched zest, cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat; cool completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard the syrup.
Separate the pieces of zest and allow to dry on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup sugar over the zest and, using your fingers, toss well to coat. Use as a garnish for the lemon yogurt. Keeps for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Per serving (without zest): 367 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 6 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 16 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 69 milligrams cholesterol, 415 milligrams sodium.
Per serving (with candied lemon zest): 379 calories (percent of calories from fat, 40), 6 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 16 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 69 milligrams cholesterol, 415 milligrams sodium.
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