8 servings

Hint From Ken:

You can certainly use canned corn if fresh isn’t available but it’s worth the extra effort if it is and you have time. This salad is best served cold and tends to be more flavorful after a few hours marinating in your refrigerator. Enjoy as an accompaniment to grilled fish, pork tenderloin or smoked chicken.

 

What you’ll need:

1 lb package of frozen lima beans

Turn heat on to high setting…

As SOON as water comes to a boil remove corn and drop in bowl of ice water…

Next…

Slice red onion into very thin 1 inch pieces, rinse cherry tomatoes and slice half wise using a sharp knife, carefully and evenly cut corn off of cob.

Next…

Mix beans, corn, onion and tomatoes in a bowl…

Whisk vinaigrette again and pour over bowl…

Toss together, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Ken Johnson Hillbilly Supper Club 2015

serves 8

Hint From Ken: 

The buttermilk marinade seems to really work well with chicken and is excellent with bone in chicken too… Grilled or smoked. This thick marinate keeps chicken from drying out on the grill. The two sauces blend well together with this method. There are a lot of ingredient so to simply the process just place everything out pre-measured before you start. Remember not to put chicken on the grill cold right out of the refrigerator. Let it sit out a little (not too long) before cooking for better results. When done, slice one piece to make sure meat is cooked through. Juices will run clear when properly cooked.

What you’ll need:

1 cup buttermilk

8 boneless chicken breasts

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 clove fresh garlic minced and mashed

kosher salt

cup buttermilk

3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

3 tbsp fresh chopped chives

1/2 white vinegar

dash hot sauce

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

I cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of honey

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 tsp red pepper flake

1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp granulated garlic

First:

In a bowl… Combine buttermilk mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, 1 tsp kosher salt, parsley, chives, vinegar, paprika, hot sauce, cayenne and black pepper…

Mix ingredients together well… cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Next:

In another bowl… Combine apple cider vinegar, ketchup, tomato paste, 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp granulated garlic, salt and 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, honey and sugar…

Mix all ingredients except for sugar and honey and mix together well… Transfer to stove top in a pot on medium heat and bring to a simmer… Gradually stir in honey and then sugar… and whisk well… remove from heat and cool.

Next… Place chicken in a large plastic food storage bag with all of buttermilk mixture and 1/4 of the apple cider bbq sauce mixture… Seal tight and shake to evenly coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let flavors develop.

Next…

Build remove chicken from refrigerator and set aside… Build a charcoal fire with coals on one side of grill. When coals are ready, grill chicken over direct heat with grill top loosely closed and vents open for two minutes per side (monitoring for flare ups). With tongs, place chicken one piece at a time in a bowl with 1/2 of the remaining apple cider sauce… Coat chicken and return to the side of the grill without coals. Grill with top on and vents 80% closed for another 10 minutes… Baste chicken with remaining apple cider sauce and place chicken on a serving dish… cover loosely with tin foil. Let chicken sit to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing…

Ken Johnson Hillbilly Supper Club 2015

Cream until foamy:

2 sticks of butter

1 C. Sugar

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

Then add:

3 C. flour sifted

1 t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

Very Important Step: Leave dough in the fridge for 5 hours.

Roll dough and cut with a cookie cutter, sprinkle with sugar and place cookies on buttered cookie sheet.

Cook at 375˚ until golden brown. These also can be dropped with a nut or jelly put in the middle.

Original recipe by Mrs. S. W. Reese

Be sure do listen to Huck & Lilly’s “Sugar Cookies” while you bake! Get it on iTunes here: https://itun.es/us/rtgM4 and watch Kellie Pickler, Kyle Jacob’s Allison & Dave Baker and Ken and Andi Johnson (AKA: Huck & Lilly) here!

https://youtu.be/vqweBINFxBU

https://youtu.be/vqweBlNFxBU

https://itun.es/us/rtgM4

Cracker Crust Chicken w/ Roasted Lemon Rosemary Sauce

Ken Johnson

serves 8

 Hint From Ken:

This method of roasting the lemons makes for a rich flavor

and removes a bit of the acidity. Taste sauce and if it is still too acidic try stirring in a little butter. This dish goes well with mashed potatoes, risotto, white or wild rice or your favorite pasta along with fresh steamed pole beans or asparagus…

What you’ll need:

8 chicken breasts

2 tablespoon of butter

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 rolls of Ritz crackers

2 tablespoons of fresh italian or flat leaf parsley chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic finely chopped

3 lemons

1/2 cup dry white wine (try pinot grigio or orvieto)

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Fresh rosemary leaves removed from stems and finely chopped

Butterfly chicken breasts…

With a sharp knife, make an incision in side of each of chicken breasts – but not all the way through…

Unfold and lay flat between two sheets of plastic wrap. With

a mallet, gently hammer meat to flatten and tenderize while paying careful attention not to over do it…

Next…

Place flattened, butterflied chicken breasts on a plate andset aside.

Next…

Preheat broiler to high…

Slice both ends off of lemons and cut in half crosswise…

Set lemons fruit side up on a baking dish and brush tops with olive oil and salt and pepper…

Place under broiler heat for 8 – 10 minutes…

(use oven light to monitor to make sure doesn’t burn as different ovens vary)

Remove and let cool. Once lemons have cooled, squeeze juice into a bowl using a colander or a sieve to filter out seeds.

Next…

Adjust oven to Bake setting at 400

Empty two rolls of Ritz crackers into a food processor and pulse to crumbs…

Place cracker crumbs in a wide bowl for dredging. In another bowl whisk together buttermilk and egg…

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an iron skillet (or a regular skillet will do) and bring to to medium heat. Dredge chicken breast in egg wash mixture then cracker crumbs then place in skillet…

Do not over crowd skillet even if you have to cook one at a time. Seer until golden brown on both sides but not cooked all the way through…about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Place chicken on a flat baking sheet layered with

parchment paper. Repeat process (adding more oil as necessary) until all of chicken is on baking dish. Place in 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Remove and let rest with loose sheet of tin foil over top.

Sauce:

While chicken is in oven prepare sauce…

Heat butter in same skillet on medium high heat…scrape brown bits from chicken off of bottom of pan with a wooden spoon but leave in…

(there is a lot of concentrated flavor there)

Add garlic and rosemary and sauté for 30 seconds then add reserved lemon juice, white wine parsley and capers…

Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes then reduce to low.

Plate chicken and spoon sauce over top.

© Ken Johnson Hillbilly Supper Club 2015

Ken Johnson

 

Serves 8

Hint From Ken:

The molasses is the unseen star here…It blends well with the balsamic and garlic to create a unique taste. This is a sweet pepper ragu more than a traditional marinara type sauce so it is different.Remember always to mix in cooked pasta with the sauce a little at a time in the skillet to get the right amount of pasta in your sauce as opposed to mixing the sauce in the pasta…Recommended pasta would be penne, bow tie or rigatoni…Try it with grilled Italian sausage…

Toss some crumbled feta cheese in at the end for a savory complement.

What you’ll need:

 

• 2 large red bell peppers
• 1 pint red cherry tomatoes (large red tomatoes quartered are fine just measure about a 16 oz total either way.)1 large red onion quartered
• 1 large red onion quartered
• 1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil
• 1 handful fresh thyme (remove leaves from stem)
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• Extra virgin olive oil

First:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Place all ingredients in a large bowl except for peppers. Stir to coat evenly…

Empty contents of bowl on to a parchment paper covered baking sheet…

Place whole bell peppers (stems and all – they will be removed later) on baking sheet with onion and tomatoes.

Place pan in oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Next:

Remove and place bell peppers only in a bowl of ice water. Leave for 2 minutes. At the same time let onions and tomatoes cool.

Meanwhile set up food processor or blender.

After 2 minutes, remove peppers from ice water and remove skin…

 Use a small knife if you need to but it should come off easily. Gently cut in half and remove stem and seeds. Cut peeled peppers into strips and place in food processor with vegetable broth, roasted tomatoes and onions.

 

Pulse to puree…

 

Next:

Heat a wide skillet to medium high heat…

Sauté chopped garlic and thyme in olive oil for 30 seconds then add vegetable puree and stir…

Then simmer on medium low heat…

Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer…

Serve hot with your favorite pasta.

Last night while watching the “I Love Kellie Pickler” premiere with Andi, Kellie, Kyle, Allison and Dave, Pixie, Peanut and a couple of chickens… I cooked up my Toasted Fennel Encrusted Salmon with Smashed Purple Sweet Potatoes… Here’s the recipe! Let me know if you try it out and what you think!

Toasted Fennel Encrusted Salmon

Ken Johnson

serves 8

Hint From Ken:
Mix your own dry rub for this recipe. Try using a mortar and pestle or a pepper grinder to grind toasted fennel seeds to prepare this special ingredient.

What you’ll need:

• 3 lbs Fresh wild or responsibly farmed salmon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground toasted fennel
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1/4 allspice

First:
Place fennel seeds on a pan in oven and bake at 270 degrees for 10 minutes

Next…
In a small bowl… mix toasted fennel, pepper, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, clove and allspice to create your rub.

Next…
Lay out your salmon and with clean hands, sprinkle spice mix over fish and rub gently to lightly but evenly coat and set aside.

Next…
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Place fish filets in pan with a little space between portions so as not to crowd the skillet.
Cook 2 minutes on each side (based on a 2 inch thick filet so adjust accordingly) and transfer to plate… loosely cover with tin foil.

Serve with Purple Smashed Sweet Potatoes and Balsamic Fig Glaze (see those recipes below)

Smashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
Ken Johnson
serves 8
Hint From The Cook:
This dish has a unique flavor and a beautiful color which makes for an impressive presentation. Try if you are looking for a little something different.
Excellent with grilled rack of lamb, salmon, pork tenderloin or bacon wrapped filet mignon.
What you’ll need:

• 3 lb. Purple sweet potatoes (Whole Foods or local organic grocery is a good place to check for them)
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup of half and half
  1 teaspoon salt
• 1 oz of bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon of each of the following: ground nutmeg, cinnamon and clove.
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

First:
Peel potatoes and cut in half or quarter (depending on size but make sure no smaller than 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches per chunk )
Boil in well salted water until tender but not falling apart and strain.

Next:

While potatoes are boiling…
Melt butter in a medium size stock pot over medium heat…
Add half and half and whisk continually so as not to burn cream then reduce heat to low…
In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients and stir with a whisk or fork and then add to half and half… add bourbon and whisk together. Continue to simmer on low…

Next…
Add strained potatoes to cream, bourbon and spice mixture and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon or use electric beater until whipped…
Serve hot.
© Ken Johnson Hillbilly Supper Club 2015

Balsamic Fig Reduction

Ken Johnson

serves 8

• Place chopped figs, wine, sugar, thyme, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of water in a pot.
• Cover and bring to a boil on high heat then reduce to a simmer and leave loosely covered for about 30 minutes.
• Let cool a little… then push through a colander into a bowl with a rubber spatula. Set sauce aside and continue to let cool.

© Ken Johnson Hillbilly Supper Club 2015

     Kyle and Lucy watching #ILoveKP on CMT

Huck and Lilly’s Famous Yumbo Gumbo

serves 8

Hint From The Cook: 

This recipe can be made the day before, refrigerated and reheated… The flavors will come together more and more in the pot as they sit. You can add more or less stock depending on your own preference for thickness of gumbo.Also, make sure and check out Huck and Lilly’s album “There’s a Tree Growing in My Room” featuring the song “Yumbo Gumbo” on iTunes while you are cooking!

Here’s a link! https://itun.es/us/rtgM4

What you’ll need:

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 medium to large white onion diced

1 half of large green bell pepper diced

1 pint of cherry tomatoes sliced half-wise

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 dashes of cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon of each of the following: salt, pepper, garlic powder and creole seasoning

1 lb 30 count peeled and deveined wild shrimp

1 lb of small fresh wild scallops

1/2 lb fresh white fish such as maui or grouper cut into bite sized pieces

1 lb Andoullie sausage sliced in 1/4 inch slices

1 cup of diced fresh okra (can use frozen if fresh is unavailable)

32 oz organic chicken stock (may substitute for vegetable stock or seafood stock)

1 cup white rice

2 cups chicken broth

pat of butter

file powder

1/2 cup fresh chopped green onions

First:

In a heavy stock pot or dutch oven on medium low heat, melt the butter then add vegetable oil…Then add flour and and stir constantly for 15 or 20 minutes until a browned paste (roux) is formed…Next…Add celery,onion, bell pepper and tomatoes and stir until covered with roux… then add okra, parsley, tomato paste, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, garlic, powder, creole seasoning and stock.

Use a whisk or fork to get rid of any lumps in flour…Add sausage, bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low… simmer for 45 minutes…

While waiting, prepare your rice…

Bring 2 cups chicken broth to a boil.

Add 1 cup rice and pat of butter.

Cover and reduce to med low to low heat. After 20 min,

Remove pot from heat and let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork and leave loosely covered

Back to the gumbo…

Raise heat to medium and stir in fish, shrimp and scallops and cook uncovered for 5 minutes then bring to low…

Simmer 15 minutes.

Ladle gumbo into bowls and top with a spoonful of rice sprinkled with file powder and chopped green onion.

Serve with crusty buttered french bread.

© Ken Johnson Hillbilly Supper Club 2015