Cooking with Love Recipes Cookbook Review

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Cooking With Love recipes by Carla Hall – Co-Host on ABC’s The Chew and “Fan Favorite” on Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars - brings some comfort food home for you. The book has tons of love and family stories packed into each recipe – and each of the recipes bring southern comfort into your kitchen.

Recipes and Tips from Carla Hall

For the most part – I think the recipes in the book look wonderful – Carla even includes tips like “catering like Carla” with some of the recipes to make things prettier for parties or getting more out of a recipe. The only downside I found with the book was – the recipes are time consuming. This for many people would be fine, but, I struggled to find something I would be able to make on a week night for dinner and complete the recipe before bedtime – most of the recipes would probably be best suited for someone who can spend a little more time in the kitchen.

I get to share the recipe with you – so you can try it for yourself and let me know how yours tasted.

Country Greens

Serves 8

No Southern meal is complete without greens. Traditionally they are simmered long and slow until melty and soft. I love ‘em that way, but actually prefer a little bite to them – both in their mustardy flavor and hearty leafy texture.
Growing up in the south, I learned that the greens were sometimes besides the point. The pot likker, the leftover cooking brother, is what really matters, at least as much as the greens themselves. Traditionally, salt pork simmers alongside the greens to flavor the likker. I used smoked turkey wings to get a brother that’s just as tasty but has even more complex gamey, savory flavors. Be sure to serve this with Skillet Cornbread for sopping and save any leftover likker to make soup.

• 2 lbs smoked turkey wings
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
• 2 quarts water
• 2 lbs collard greens, rinsed and dried
• 2 lobs kale, rinsed and dried
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1. In a large pot, combine the turkey, garlic, chile flakes, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the greens: Working in batches, hold the stems of the collards with one hand and the leaves with the other, folding up the leaves together like wings on a butterfly. Pull the leaves down, leaving the stems clean. If the leaves are really large, cut them down the center. Stack a few leaves, then roll them down like a cigar. Slice the roll into think shreds. Repeat with the remaining collard leaves, then with the kale.

3. Add the sliced greens to the pot and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Remove the wings and let cook until you can handle them. Pull the meat from the wings, discard the bones, and return the meat to the pot. Serve hot.

If you want some comfort food of your own – you can find out more about Carla and her new cookbook at her website CarlaHall.com. The book will be available November 6, 2012 – but you can pre-order on Amazon.com now.

Enjoy!