Georgia Magazine - February 2021 - 32

GEORGIA Cooks

Chef Austin Rocconi judges an entry at the 2020 Georgia Trustees
Wine & Spirits Challenge in Atlanta.

BANANA BREAD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously oil a
9x5x3-inch or larger loaf pan and wipe with a paper
towel. Set aside.
In a bowl, mash bananas, sugar and 3/4 cup
vegetable oil together. Note: A small hand-held
electric beater is best for this step. Add eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, baking
powder, baking soda, cinnamon, kosher salt and 2/3
of the pecans. Stir together carefully until just combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, making
sure to leave about a half-inch to the top. Top with
remaining pecans and sprinkle with turbinado sugar
and sea salt.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees
and bake for additional 20 minutes. Bread is done
when a cake tester comes out clean. If more baking
time is needed, add it in 5-minute intervals, rotating
the loaf 180 degrees between 5-minute intervals until the tester comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes
and then remove from pan. Serve while warm with
butter. Makes 1 loaf (about 10 slices).

CORNMEAL CRAB FRITTERS
2 large eggs, lightly whipped
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons sorghum syrup, or to taste
1/2 cup corn kernels, preferably fresh cut from the cob
or, if frozen, thawed before use
1/2 bunch green onions (about 3 or 4), trimmed,
thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups cornmeal
1-1/4 cups picked crab, either jumbo lump or
less-expensive claw meat

Georgia Magazine

February 2021

In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk,
sorghum syrup, corn, green onion slices, salt,
baking powder and baking soda, and lightly whisk
together to evenly disperse the sorghum syrup.
Slowly stir in the cornmeal with the whisk just to
combine. Fold the crab in with a rubber spatula or
wooden spoon.
In a flat, shallow pan, pour vegetable oil to a
depth of 1/8 inch, and heat to 325 degrees. Drop the batter from a small scoop into hot oil and fry for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes. Flip when the underside is lightly browned and cook on the
other side until lightly browned. Note: Be sure that the fritter is cooked all the
way through. Season again with salt as soon as you remove from oil. Keep
warm in an oven set to 200 degrees until all are made and fritters are ready
to serve. Yields about 35 (1-inch) fritters or 16 (2-inch) cakes as a main dish.

While delicious on crackers, pimento cheese also is great
in an omelet or as the filling in a grilled cheese sandwich.

ISTOCK.COM / LAURIPATTERSON

R
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BEVERL

Vegetable oil, for preparing loaf pan
1-1/2 pounds over-ripe bananas
1-3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/3 cups pecan halves, divided
Turbinado sugar, as needed
Sea salt, as needed
Butter, for serving

Vegetable oil, as needed, for frying

PIMENTO CHEESE
1 cup cream cheese, softened, at room temperature
1-3/4 cups mayonnaise
1-1/4 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
1-1/4 teaspoons Hatch green chili powder (or chipotle or ancho chili powder)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
Salt, to taste
8 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups diced pimento

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, chili powder, Hatch green chili powder,
garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and salt, if using. Mix on low
speed for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and make sure everything is thoroughly combined. Add cheese and mix again at low speed
to combine for about 30 seconds. Note: Be sure not to over-whip. Add the
pimentos and turn on low speed for 10-15 seconds or until the pimentos are
incorporated. Scrape into large container and refrigerate. Yields 6 cups.

Georgia Magazine - February 2021

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