A cultural influence from around the world has helped make
Southern food what it is today. Southern food is rooted in local and imported
ingredients, necessity and frugality.
It began in Africa and Scotland, fried food. The Scots had a
tradition of deep-frying food in fat. Scottish immigrants came to the South
where African slaves had already introduced a tradition of frying food. Over
time, deep-frying became a common way of cooking chicken and other food.
African ingredients like okra and black-eyed peas became a
staple of the Southern diet, in addition to the homegrown green staples of
collards, mustard, turnips and kale. Other highly used crops include pecans and
peanuts, sweet potatoes and peaches.
The lakes, rivers, tidal pools and oceans served up oysters,
shrimp, crawfish, crab and Mississippi catfish. Local game included opossum,
rabbit and squirrel, the main ingredient of Brunswick Stew, which food historians
say was popular in Virginia and Georgia.
Louisiana is where French and Spanish cuisines married local
ingredients to create completely unique cuisines. Native Americans had long
used file powder (powdered sassafras leaves) as a thickening ingredient, and it
is a regular mainstay of Creole and Cajun cooking. Spanish rice based paella
evolved into jambalaya, a rice dish with shrimp, oysters, chicken or ham.
France's bouillabaisse was transformed into Cajun gumbo, with the help of a
roux base (flour and pork fat) and okra.
Research Source: How Stuff Works
Fried pork
chops are a must, especially in the South. After you have one bite you will
know why.
Crispy Fried
Pork Chop Bites
Copyrighted
2014, Christine’s Pantry. All rights reserved.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons
vegetable oil for frying
1 pound pork
chops, boneless, cut into bite size pieces
salt and
pepper, to taste
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon
garlic powder
1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon
onion powder
1/2 teaspoon
seasoned salt
Directions:
In a skillet,
heat oil over medium high heat.
In a dish,
combine, flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion power and seasoned salt.
Set aside.
Cut pork
chops into bite size pieces. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Dredge
pork chop bites in flour. Place pork bites in hot skillet; cook until no longer
pink, about 3 minutes each side. Cook in batches. When cooked, remove from
skillet and transfer to cooling rack (place paper towels under cooling rack).
Enjoy!
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