HOLIDAYS | in the kitchen
CROWD - PLEASING RECIPES
H TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLOTTE BLOM
Holiday entertainment is
nothing without food to spice
up the festivities, so we asked
several local restaurateurs to
contribute their favorite crowd-
pleasing recipes.
In this increasingly connected
world, we tried to include food
from around the globe. The fol-
lowing are appetizers, hors
d’oeuvres or desserts ranging
from local Southern cuisine to
European and Asian. Here’s
what the food pros serve to
family and friends. Bon appétit!
BEEF NEGIMA
3 pounds beef shoulder
1 block mozzarella cheese
3 bunches green onions
Salt & pepper
Teriyaki sauce
Lay thinly sliced beef (6- by 8-
inches) on bamboo mat. Slice
mozzarella very thin and lay on
top. Top with green onions. Roll
and sprinkle beef with salt and
pepper. Wrap in plastic wrap
and put in freezer. When frozen,
remove and microwave for 1
minute, peel off wrap. Cook rolls
on grill until beef is brown. Cut
in 8 pieces and microwave again
for 1 minute under wrap to melt
cheese. Serve with teriyaki
sauce. Makes 12-15 rolls.
48 a cc e n t s o u t h m i s s i s s i p p i
“A lot of (people) like it and this is
an easy recipe; it doesn’t take a long
time to make like sushi. It’s good for
parties.” – Holly Nguyen, Sakura
Restaurant, Hattiesburg
OYSTER PATTY
3 dozen oysters chopped
(reserve liquid)
2 sticks butter
3 bunches green onions and a
little fresh parsley
3/4 cup flour to make a small
roux to brown
5 cloves large garlic, chopped
Jennifer McKay at The Kitchen
fine
Table enjoys preparing holiday
1 regular white onion, chopped
delicacies for her family and
fine
friends.
5 stalks celery, chopped fine
6 dozen puff pastry patty shells
or phylo cups
Parmesan cheese, grated
PINEAPPLE HABANERO
Brown flour and a little oyster CHICKEN SALAD
liquid until brown. Add onions,
garlic and celery to wilt. Add 1/2 cup onion, chopped
chopped oysters and reserved 3 1/2 cups cooked chicken,
liquid and thicken if need be. diced
Add salt and pepper to taste. Fill 1 cup celery, chopped
patty shells or phylo cups and 1/2 cup pineapple
bake for 20 minutes at 350 1 jar Robert Rothchild Farm
degrees. Sprinkle with parmesan Roasted Pineapple & Habanero
cheese. Dip
1/4 teaspoon salt
“Made at Thanksgiving and Feta cheese (optional)
Christmas for generations and Combine all ingredients in a
passed down from Grandmother bowl.
Angeline Diliberto Corcoran (from Options: Garnish with an orange
Palermo, Italy).” - Chris McDonald slice or chopped walnuts. Serve
Family, The Bottling Company, on croissant or warm pita bread.
Hattiesburg Put in pastry cups for a cocktail
PREPARED BY AREA CHEFS
pick up.
“My favorite thing to make year
round is Pineapple Habanero
Chicken Salad. It’s great as an
appetizer on crackers, wonderful
on a buttery croissant for a lunch-
eon, and since it doesn’t have may-
onnaise, it’s tailgate friendly. I
like to add feta cheese, it cuts down
the heat of the habanero if that is a
concern. You can pick up a rotis-
serie chicken. The jar of Robert
Rothchild Farm Roasted Pineapple
& Habanero Dip is also good just
over cream cheese with crackers.”
–Jennifer Mckay, The Kitchen
Table, Hattiesburg
CAPTAIN’S CHEESE BAKE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8-ounce package cream cheese
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 Ritz crackers, crushed
8 slices bacon, cooked and
crumbled
1/2 cup Captain Rodney’s
Pepper Glaze
Mix mayonnaise, cream cheese,
cheddar and onions in greased
quiche pan. Top with crackers
and bake at 350 degrees for 15
minutes. Top with bacon and
Captain Rodney’s Sweet &
Spicy Pepper Glaze. Serve with
crackers.
“This dish is so addictive, nick-
named ‘Christmas Crack’ because
it’s so addictive and people just go treat that I can never go without
nuts. We know someone’s served it are my famous Peanut Butter
at Bunko, a Christmas party, a tail- Balls. They are fast and easy to
gate party or something when we make and I have been making them
have numerous requests of where to for years.” - Tara Graham, Tara’s
find the bottle and recipe …” Cakes, Hattiesburg
–Jennifer Mckay, The Kitchen
Table, Hattiesburg
TRADITIONAL CORN SALAD
2 cans whole kernel corn
1 tomato, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 small jar pimiento
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Black pepper and salt, to taste
“It is a family favorite. We make it
every year at Thanksgiving and
Christmas.” – Bonnie Jackson,
Leatha’s Bar-B-Que, Hattiesburg
PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
1 cup peanut butter
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Combine and form into balls.
Chill.
Then melt:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
Dip balls in melted chocolate
using toothpicks and let harden.
“One of my family’s and friends’
all time favorite party and holiday
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