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CLARKSON POTTER

Copyright 2014 by Donald Link

Photographs copyright 2014 by Chris Granger
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/
Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,
a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random
House Company, New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com
CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with
colophon is a registered trademark of Random House LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Link, Donald.
Down south : bourbon, pork, gulf shrimp, and second
helpings of everything / Donald Link
with Paula Disbrowe.
pages cm

1. Cooking, AmericanSouthern style. 2. Cooking,

Cajun. I. Disbrowe, Paula. II. Title.
TX827.L64 2013
641.5975dc23
2013020280
ISBN 978-0-7704-3318-5
eBook ISBN 978-0-7704-3319-2
Printed in Hong Kong
Book design by Jan Derevjanik and Stephanie Huntwork
Cover design by Stephanie Huntwork
Cover photographs by Chris Granger
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

W i t h a c r ac k ly shell and a light, pillowy middle, gougres, also called cheese puffs, are

one of the most perfect foods to pop in your mouth between sips of your favorite adult beverage
(theyre delicious with Champagne). The Parmesan and bacon add a rich, savory flavor that
makes them difficult to stop eating.

Parmesan
Bacon
Gougres

Makes 2 dozen

4 strips of thick-sliced bacon

cup whole milk
4 tablespoons ( stick)
unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
teaspoon sugar
teaspoon cayenne
1 cups bread flour, sifted
3 large eggs
1 cups freshly grated
Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp
but not too dark. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper
towels, and reserve cup of the rendered fat. When the bacon is
cool, chop to make cup.
Bring the milk, cup water, the butter, and the reserved bacon fat
to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the
salt, onion powder, sugar, and cayenne. Add the flour and, using
a wooden spoon, stir very quickly in one direction. The flour will
quickly absorb the liquid and form a dough. Continue stirring to cook
the flour (andremove its raw taste) and simmer off more of the
moisture until the dough pulls away from the sides of the saucepan,
an additional minute or two.
Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until each
is incorporated into the dough, which will change from shiny to
sticky as the eggs are worked in. On low speed, stir in 1 cup of the
Parmesan and the bacon until just combined.
Using a small ice cream scoop (about 2 inches in diameter), scoop
the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Top the gougres with
an equal amount of the remaining cup Parmesan.
Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

O L D -S C H O O L S O U T H E R N C O C K TA I L PA R T I E S

51

W h e n i t c o m e s to cooking short ribs outside, the basic idea is to infuse the meat with

smoke and then put the ribs in a high-sided, covered pan to slow-cook the rest of the way. As
with all fatty meats, slow is good for coaxing out flavor and making the ribs tender. The cooking
time may vary here. To test for doneness, gently pinch the meat on the sides to see if it gives;
thats when its done. If the meat still feels hard, thats because it isgive it a little longer.
These short ribs are an all-day eventthey cook for about eleven hoursand youll need
something to snack on when youre hanging by the grill. Try the Smoked Chicken Thighs on
page 73. (On that note, youll also want to choose your company wisely, as theyll be hanging out
for the entire day, too....)

BeerSmoked

Beef
Short Ribs
Serves 6 to 8

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne
8 to 10 pounds beef short ribs,
cut along the bone,
1 to 1 pounds each
2 onions
1 carrot
3 (6-inch) rosemary branches
2 (12-ounce) bottles of beer
(lager or dark, as you prefer)

88

DOWN SOUTH

Combine the salt, sugar, black pepper, and cayenne in a large mixing
bowl. Add the ribs and toss until the pieces are somewhat evenly
coated. Set aside to marinate while you light the fire.
Set up your grill or smoker for low-and-slow cooking with wood
chunks (see page 68).
When the wood begins to smolder, put the ribs directly over the
heat, close the grill, and smoke at 225F for 3 hours. Add more hot
coals and a few wood chunks every 30 minutes or so, and adjust the
vents as needed to maintain a steady temperature.
Dice the onions and carrot and put them in a large aluminum pan
with the rosemary and beer.
Transfer the ribs to the aluminum pan, cover the pan with foil, and
return to the grill. Smoke for about 8 more hours (adding more hot
coals and a few wood chunks every 30 minutes or so, and adjusting
the vents as needed to maintain a steady temperature of 250F
to 275F), until the meat is very tender and pulls away easily from
thebone.
Serve the ribs with a few spoonfuls of the rich braising liquid.

I l ov e t h e new direction of Southern food using more worldly ingredients and different

preparations, but this is one dish that I just wouldnt touch. Every time I eat this I am
transported back to my grandads kitchen and the warmth and security of what it feels like
when the smells of ham hocks and fresh shelled peas are hanging in the air and everything in
the world is perfect.

Ham Hocks

and

Crowder
Peas
Serves 6 to 8

2 smoked ham hocks

1 onion, cut into medium dice
2 bay leaves
2 pounds shelled fresh crowder peas
or other field peas
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon
koshersalt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons Easy Pickled Chile
Vinegar (page 168)

202

DOWN SOUTH

To make the broth, combine the hocks, onion, bay leaves, and
3quarts water in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil
over high heat and then reduce the heat so that the water simmers.
Cover and cook until the ham hocks are completely tender, about
4hours.
Add the peas, salt, and pepper and cook until the peas are tender,
30 to 45 minutes. Make sure the peas have enough liquid to cover
them throughout the cooking process. If the liquid seems to be
evaporating too quickly, cover the pot. The liquid should soak up into
the beans as they cook; when they are done, the liquid level should
be even with the peas.
Stir in the chile vinegar before serving.

Pur
chas
eacopyof

DOWNS
OUT
H
atoneoft
hes
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et
ai
l
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s
:

CLARKSON POTTER