Hill Country recipes from Blair House Inn

Recipes of the Week

Diced Apple Cake

2          large     eggs
2          cups      sugar
1 ½     cup       vegetable oil
1           tsp        vanilla

3          cups     flour
1           tsp        salt
1 ½     tsp        baking soda
1           tsp        cinnamon
½         tsp        nutmeg

1          cup       pecans or walnuts, chopped
3          cups     apples, peeled and sliced, preferably Granny Smith

Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.

Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Fold in the nuts and apples.

Bake 1 hour 15 minutes in a Bundt pan at 350 degrees.

Pineapple Upside-Down Skillet Cake

Topping

  • ½ med. pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
  • ¾ stick unsalted butter, 6 T
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

Batter

  • 1.5 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 t ground cardamom
  • 2 t baking powder
  • ¼ t Salt
  • ¾ stick butter, softened, 6 T
  • 1 Ccup granulated Sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1 T dark Rrum
  • ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice (may also puree fresh pineapple, strain and use this juice)
  • 2 T dark rum, for sprinkling over cake

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Topping:
Cut pineapple crosswise into 3/8 inch-thick pieces.
Melt butter in a 12 inch iron skillet.  Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 4 minutes.
Remove from heat, arrange pineapple on top of sugar & butter in concentric circles, overlapping.

Batter:
Sift together flour, cardamom, baking powder and salt.
Beat butter in mixer until light and fluffy.
Slowly add in granulated sugar.
Add eggs one at a time, incorporating well.
Beat in vanilla and rum.
Add half of flour mixture, on low speed, until just blended.
Add pineapple juice, then remaining flour mix, until just blended.

Spoon batter over pineapple tpping, spreading evenly.
Bake in middle of oven until golden and tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Let cake stand in skillet 5 minutes, invert over a plate.
Sprinkle with remaining rum.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature.  Serves 8-10.

Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 ribs of celery, diced
  • 2 green peppers diced
  • 2 lbs. chicken, diced (whole or breast, as you prefer)
  • 3 tablespoons file gumbo
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • ½ cup Creole seasoning mix
  • 2 cup White Wine
  • 1 gallon chicken stock
  • 1 lb cut okra
  • ¼ cup Tabasco
  • 2 lbs. Shrimp, peeled and cleaned

Place a “soup” pot over medium heat, add the oil, and slowly add the flour until well incorporated.

Constantly stir flour so it does not scorch, cooking it as it begins to brown, turning a rich golden brown: the color and aroma of peanut butter. This is called a peanut butter roux.

Add the vegetables and cook until soft, stirring constantly.

Add the chicken. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add seasoning and file gumbo, stir until will incorporated. Add white wine and reduce by half.  Add stock and okra, again stirring well. Bring to a boil, lower flame and simmer for 45 minutes. Add Tabasco.

Cool down gumbo and chill overnight.

After gumbo has had time to rest and fully develop its flavors, reheat and add the shrimp, serve over white rice, and garnish with chopped parsley.

Crab Cakes

  • 1 pound lump crab meat
  • 1 cup   mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup   lemon juice
  • 1 tbs   garlic, minced
  • 2 tbs   shallots, minced
  • 1 tbs   Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbs   cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup   red bell pepper, small dice
  • 2 tsp   kosher salt
  • 1 tsp   pepper
  • 1 tsp   old bay seasoning
  • 1 cup   bread crumbs
  • 4 cups  bread crumbs, for breading
  • ¼ cup   canola oil

Mix all ingredients, except 4 cups bread crumbs and oil, in large bowl with rubber spatula.

In your hands, pat out 8 round cakes and press in bread crumbs.

Sauté in oil until heated through.

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