From crispy fried chicken and fluffy biscuits, shrimp and grits, smoked country ham, and red-eye gravy, to sweet potato pie, Southern food boasts big flavors and a whole mess of soul. In the South, food is religion, and we're not afraid to worship it. Southern cooks know how to praise the Lord and the Lard, along with our gastro Holy Trinity of Salt, Sugar, and Butter. So many pats of butter.
Part of the genius of Southern food is flavorful dishes that warm the belly and heal the heart. During the pandemic, we’ve seen food trends reverted back to satisfaction and simplicity. Everyone is looking for a sense of comfort and normalcy and running towards food to remind us of what life used to be like before separation. Comfort food is a mental thing, not a taste thing.
In the South, we like to think we're the originator of comfort foods, mainly because we can't resist dishes that fill our bellies with memories – calories and fat, be danged. That feeling of being seated next to loved ones while eating is comforting unless you forgot to loosen your belt first. And it should come as no surprise that macaroni and cheese and chicken and dumplings, sopped up with cornbread, are among the dishes that make us say, "I'm fuller than a tick on a stray dog."
In the form of offering casseroles, mashed potatoes, and banana pudding to someone in search of solace, comfort foods are the way Southerners express empathy and sympathy for others. In fact, some people think the more fattening the dish, the greater the amount of sympathy and love we are trying to convey.
But foods that comfort aren't necessarily those we tend to categorize as Southern dishes. Of course, what counts as comfort food is different from person to person. That's because food's power lies primarily in the associations it calls to mind and to the extent to which it elicits sentimentality. When we associate foods with happy memories, the effects are profound. Humans have a fundamental need to belong because nostalgia often centers around personal events involving people we care about. It may seem silly to get hung up on something as simple as food, as a meal shared, but Southern food is not "just food." It’s our autobiography on a plate.
Still, no other region can top the South when it comes to the sheer number of foods that bring comfort. Even though most of our foods should be labeled "Eat Responsibly,” shame has no place in the Southern diet. We Southern women proudly parade around wearing our Supreme Queen tiaras every time we see another pair of pants unbutton. Agreeable gluttony is a cultural right. Southerners are always offered second helpings and never taken to task when they accept them. We embrace food like no other demographic. Food in the South is love. And who could refuse a few more pats of that?
Shrimp and Grits With a Tasso Cream Sauce
INGREDIENTS
For Shrimp
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper
For Polenta
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup smoked gouda, grated
- kosher salt and pepper
For Tasso Sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 pound tasso, cut into small dice
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the tasso sauce: In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the green onions, hot sauce, lemon juice, and salt. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until incorporated and thick. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste
- For the shrimp: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until pink, about 2-3 minutes per side, and cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over shrimp. Remove from the heat.
- For the polenta: In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups of water and the milk to a boil over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble dish and arnish with additional green onions and top with a poached egg (optional).
