Unexpected Chef: Southern Edition

By Gale A. Buchanan

Unexpected Chef: Southern Edition is a collection of simple, delicious, easy-to-follow dinner, appetizer, and dessert recipes that will turn even a novice cook into a master chef in no time!

Author Gale A. Buchanan knows firsthand the daunting task of navigating around the kitchen, not to mention grocery shopping i

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: May 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798822911024

Gale A. Buchanan

Gale A. Buchanan is the Former USDA Chief Scientist and Undersecretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics. In his early career, he was a teacher and research professor of weed science at Auburn University and ultimately Dean and Director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. He then served at the University of Georgia, where he was appointed as Dean and Director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Now retired, Gale has written and published several books. Unexpected Chef is his most recent book.

Book preview

Preface

U

nexpected Chef was written after I assumed the role of chef after Carol’s stroke. After seven-plus years in the role, a number of recipes surfaced that provided a core repertoire while serving as chef for my family.

The stroke was a life-altering event for Carol, and I tried to fill in as best as I could. I would never expect to match the contributions she made to our family, although I have enjoyed the process of becoming an unexpected chef. Carol was exceedingly helpful in supporting my efforts in learning to be a chef. She was resourceful in providing information and documenting what we went through to prepare meals during the past seven years, which also contributed to writing this book. Somehow, she knew how to offer an assessment of a recipe yet leave me always feeling good. Not an easy assessment when a recipe doesn’t quite work out.

A recipe book simply cannot be written without acknowledging that many others contribute to recipes. Individual cookbook authors add to the knowledge of cooking by improving recipes in small ways. Indeed, many chefs make slight alterations that continue to improve and refine recipes that we all use. While some of the recipes in this book are mine, I’m sure there is someone who has developed similar recipes as well. Consequently, it is not known when a recipe is truly an original. One can only surmise.

I also wish to recognize and thank Mrs. Leanne Chafin for her dedication in typing all the material as well as her skills in formatting the recipes. My wife, Carol, deserves special recognition for her help in reviewing all recipes in the book, especially for her serving as master taster for all recipes. The author’s daughter, Judy Holmes, deserves special acknowledgment for developing the concept for the cover of the book. Brad and Lachlan Buchanan handled the preparations for the cover shot, while Kym Buchanan was the photographer. Brad, Dan Buchanan, and Judy also deserve a hearty note of appreciation for reviewing the final draft of the book. Also, David Kissel, a colleague and close friend, made significant improvements to parts of this manuscript.

While the assistance from many individuals contributed to this book, I had the last word, so any errors or mistakes are mine alone, for which I take full responsibility.

Introduction

Before you step in the kitchen, go to the bathroom sink—not the kitchen sink—and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Now you’re ready to begin.

Q

uite unexpectedly on Valentine’s Day 2015, I became a chef. That was the day my wife, Carol, suffered a stroke. At the time and for a short time after the stroke, we had great expectations and hopes that after rehabilitation, life would return to normal. Alas, that was not to be. We finally came to realize that the new normal would not be anything like the old normal.

The new normal would leave Carol with greatly diminished use of the left side of her body, especially her arm and leg. Unfortunately, there were other complications along with ongoing and serious diabetes. We are exceedingly grateful the stroke did not affect her brain. She could still more than hold her own in Jeopardy! and always got a couple more definitions of words than I did in the monthly Reader’s Digest quiz Word Power. And she still did a daily crossword puzzle in the local newspaper.

We were just beginning to develop a new normal when another event greatly complicated her recovery. Around Thanksgiving that same year, she had a rather nasty fall that shattered her hip and femur in her stroke-weakened left leg. This, of course, called for surgery, a hospital stay, and then nursing home care for three months. After only a few days in the nursing home, we began to plot and count the days until we could get home. We just knew that if we could get home, life would be a bit better.

Finally, we were able to escape the confines of the nursing home, put the stroke and shattered hip behind us, and begin the process of putting into play the new normal.

The new normal was a new experience for both of us. The adjustments that I had to make were quite minuscule. In contrast, Carol had to make a multitude of life changes. With steadfast determination and a great deal of courage, she adopted a lifestyle that matched her ability to control her body.

During this time of transition, I was slowly and unexpectedly becoming the family chef, along with doing other household responsibilities and being a caregiver for Carol. Eventually, I developed a repertoire of dishes that have served us well. They include a wide variety of meats, vegetables, starches, soups, salads, and, of course, desserts. Indeed, this book grew out of these experiences. As my tenure as an unexpected chef evolved, I envisioned such a cookbook. This is precisely the book I would have loved to have had at the beginning of my journey to becoming my family’s chef.

As I began my responsibility as chef, I immediately consulted with the previous family chef, Carol. She encouraged me to visit her recipe files. She had collected hundreds, perhaps thousands, of recipes, including, as best I can count, over six hundred cookbooks. Visualize for a moment a novice cook hoping to identify a useful recipe for dinner. Obviously, this would be an extremely difficult task.

Over the years an idea began to emerge as to how I could perhaps contribute to making life a bit better for someone becoming an unexpected chef. Certainly, I did not envision a beginner’s cookbook with many simple, easy-to-follow recipes with only three ingredients but rather a compilation of tried-and-true recipes that could form the core of the repertoire of a family chef. Thus was born the idea for a cookbook for the unexpected chef. Hence, the purpose of this book was to assemble a set of recipes that someone could use to assume the responsibilities of chef with success.

In this book I will share some of my experiences and things that I’ve learned on my journey to cooking for my family. More importantly I want to share some of the recipes that I have developed or selected that contributed to my success. Some of these recipes are ones I have created, while others are from members of my family and friends, and some are recipes I picked up elsewhere. Most recipes, regardless of the source, have had their ingredients altered in keeping with my philosophy of cooking. I consider a recipe just as a starting idea that must be adjusted to fit the taste, budget, and expectations of those served.

The recipes presented in this book will form the core of meals for a family. These few selections will offer a range of diverse meals, including a selection of meats (beef, pork, chicken, lamb, seafood) along with several vegetable dishes. Also included are a number of starches and desserts.

I would encourage any unexpected chef to try at least a couple of new recipes each month. If a particular new recipe pans out favorably, the chef should immediately incorporate it into their collection.

The first part of this book will cover general topics that I have learned, while the latter part will provide specific recipes. Having lived in different parts of the United States, this is definitely a book directed for the South, hence the Southern Edition.

Another very important thing that I have learned is that, by far, the great majority of people are considerate of disabled individuals. A person without a disability who borrows a handicapped parking space is, fortunately, very rare. While this is a cookbook, it is intended also as a tribute to Carol and thousands of other individuals who have suddenly joined the ranks of the disabled. This book could not have been written without the advice, counsel, and encouragement for my wife. While the stroke greatly strengthened my love and respect for her, I have gained a greater respect for individuals who accept their disability in stride and continue to pursue a full and productive life.

Chapter 1

Becoming a Chef

A second critical lesson for a new, unexpected chef is what to do on day one. When you enter the kitchen to start preparing a meal, decide then and there to devote 100% of your attention to cooking a meal. This is not the time to listen to a sports event or a TV show, call friends, respond to emails or text messages, check your fishing tackle, or anything else. You must concentrate only on one thing—preparing the meal.

T

he route to becoming a professional chef is well-defined. In many cultures including the United States, the female is often the designated family chef, although the roles are sometimes reversed. While females are often the family chef, males are more prevalent among the professional chef category, although becoming a professional chef is usually a career decision that is gender neutral.

Becoming a professional chef often involves a dedicated educational program at an advanced culinary institute or some other form of educational program. While such chefs often work at major restaurants awarded by two or more Michelin stars, by far the majority of professional chefs work at significantly lower levels. Local restaurants without any stars, hotel restaurants, fast-food establishments, and chain restaurants employ the majority of professional chefs.

Unexpected chefs arise not by some great plan or design but sometimes by an unexpected, often life-changing, event, such as going away to college and living in an apartment rather than in a dorm with meal privileges. Or similarly, an unexpected chef arises when someone decides on apartment life rather than living at home with the folks.

In some of these situations, one party becomes an unexpected chef or family cook. Usually, the menu consists of sandwiches, TV dinners, popcorn, and takeout. This hardly qualifies as an unexpected chef. While this book would be useful and well worth the price, it would probably not solve all the problems of such individuals. This book is written primarily for the truly unexpected chef, including those individuals who achieve this status from some unexpected life-changing event or development (as in my situation—Carol’s stroke).

Another way someone could become an unexpected chef is through divorce—either expected or unexpected. In this case each of the principals of the newly dissolved family is a chef and responsible for preparing all meals—at least for a time.

Regardless of how one becomes the chef for a family, there are many lessons to be learned. The very first thing I learned was to have a far greater respect and appreciation for my wife, who had handled all the responsibilities as chef and of running the household. I also quickly learned that there are three meals each day, and they come with great rapidity. It seemed to never end. As soon as one meal was finished and by the time you get the kitchen cleaned, get the dishes washed, and put leftovers in the refrigerator, it was time to start planning for another meal! Before my wife’s stroke, I never realized that the family nonchef had it so good!

Chapter 2

Taking Stock

If you watch TV or read a magazine, you quickly realize that you are bombarded with advertisements for kitchen items that you simply can’t do without. Even though you might be tempted to buy everything you see on TV that makes your life easier, it will be a fool’s errand to take them at their word. Be careful and choose wisely when you add to your equipment in the kitchen. If they say you simply can’t do without it, chances are that you have been doing without it and probably can continue to do so in the future.

O

nce it becomes clear you are the new chef for your family, it’s time to face reality and take stock of the situation. What are your assets that can be called on to make this responsibility successful and effective?

Growing up, I was lucky to be a part of a family that included four male children. As a result each of us boys was expected to help our mother with household duties and responsibilities. This included making beds, sweeping floors, and of course, helping in the kitchen. Kitchen tasks included washing dishes as well as many other food-related responsibilities. Our father did not have domestic responsibilities; however, he was a very—no, exceedingly—strong enforcer. Mother could count on him to enforce her request for help by the boys. While each of us considered it an unpleasant chore (especially for boys), we could not avoid learning a great deal about how a household is run. Being the eldest, I had the greatest opportunity to help and learn.

Leaving home at eighteen to attend college provided yet another set of opportunities for learning the art of cooking and housekeeping. During the first two years, I lived in a dorm, a private room, and then a boardinghouse. Later, I would live in a student apartment. In graduate school I actually bought a house. Even while living in a dorm room, I gained food preparation experiences in some of the jobs I held, including dishwasher, soda fountain attendant, cook’s helper in the university main cafeteria, busboy, barman, waiter, and of course, my favorite, grill cook. These were great opportunities to learn about various aspects of being a chef.

Another set of experiences was courtesy of my father. When our family was quite young, we often went camping. Our father was always chief cook, indeed the only cook for such excursions. Of course, with our father, we usually learned only how to fry