Fare Exchange: Butterscotch cake, simple shrimp and uses for zukes

Jane Henegar

Good morning dear readers, and here are some repeat requests: for flatbreads and seafood tacos and seafood quesadillas. And these addenda: your favorite cookbook or your favorite other-than-cookbook source for best dishes, best meals, best methods.

Jim Sparks sent a most convincing letter about okra that is not fried (there IS another way). Here's the first recipe; the second will follow in a later Fare Exchange. He explained, "This is so simple it probably shouldn't even be called a recipe but maybe just a technique."

Roasted Okra

Whole pods of fresh okra

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Coarse-ground black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place washed and paper-towel-dried okra on foil, drizzle with olive oil, use your hands to coat all pods well, then sprinkle with kosher salt and coarse-ground black pepper. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan about halfway through to move the pods around. Pods will show shrinkage and have some browned areas.

Let cool slightly and then eat with your fingers. They will not be slimy and will have a totally different character from any okra you've ever had.

COZY CAKE

On the matter of being remembered, Ginny Gaines wrote to confirm, "The gift of hospitality is certainly included in our gifts on this earth." The gift of a good meal is part of that and as for a happy ending? Here is a cake that "is good anytime, but seems rather cozy in autumn. A chiffon cake is a cross between a traditional layer cake and an angel food cake. It's super light, but not as airy as angel food cake."

Butterscotch Chiffon Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 egg yolks

3/4 cup cold water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together flour and baking powder. Add brown sugar; mix well. Add oil, egg yolks, cold water and vanilla; beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter.

Pour batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan (angel food pan); bake 55 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Invert in cake pan and let it hang upside down on a bottle until completely cooled.

Loosen sides with a knife or spatula, then turn pan over and knock pan to release cake.

Frost with Never Fail Caramel Icing (recipe below).

Never-Fail Caramel Icing

1 stick butter

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Bring to a boil butter, evaporated milk and brown sugar. Cool, then add vanilla and powdered sugar until you get the right consistency to spread on cake.

- From "Helen Exum's Chattanooga Cookbook"

SIMPLE SHRIMP

Mrs. Odell Waddell recommended a shrimp dish served over rice or cheese grits, adapting it from a cook on food.com, "ratherbeswimmin." Mrs. Waddell said, "This recipe is simple and fancy and must be prepared at the last minute. If you thaw frozen shrimp by running under cold water, be sure to drain well on paper towels before you sauté."

Shrimp Sautéed with Garlic and White Wine

1/4 cup butter

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (24-ounce package of frozen medium shrimp works, though original recipe specifies large shrimp)

Salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir/sauté for 2 minutes, watching carefully so it does not burn.

Add shrimp and stir/sauté for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp is no longer translucent and turns pink; do not overcook or it will be rubbery.

Season with salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning according to your taste and transfer to a warm serving platter.

Add wine and lemon juice to the same skillet; bring to a boil and boil 30 seconds, scraping skillet to loosen the little bits of sautéed shrimp that remain.

Decrease heat, return shrimp to pan, add chopped herbs and stir just until heated through.

Serve immediately.

USING ZUKES

Lynn Carroll, whose cooking style melds garden and dinner table, wrote, "As our summer gardens end their season, the last findings for me are zucchini and tomatoes. Here are some favorite recipes using those great tastes of summer for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Zucchini Pancakes

1 pound zucchini, grated and drained

2 beaten eggs

4 tablespoons flour

Pinch garlic powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Good pinch nutmeg

Mix all ingredients. Drop batter onto well-greased hot griddle. Brown both sides, turning once. Serve with sour cream or jelly.

Zucchini Pie

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 zucchini, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

4 medium tomatoes, sliced -inch thick

3 eggs

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 partially baked 9-inch pie shell

4 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, lightly sauté onion, garlic and zucchini in oil. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, eggs and spices. Spoon half mixture into pie shell and cover with half of mozzarella cheese slices. Spread remaining vegetable mixture. Top with remaining cheese slices, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until brown and bubbly. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

REAL SCONES

A final thought on the subject of scones. As with most baked goods, there are scones and then there is the Real Thing. There is a certain woman on Lookout Mountain who is a virtual scone machine, and she responds generously to hints and to outright begging. One would suppose she could make scones in her sleep, but still... I am wondering if Julie would share that recipe, that she might have a little help in spreading her scone love all over town? If you aren't Julie and do the same, would you send us your well-loved scone recipe?