Stirring
it up with ...
Mary Caroline
Heath Walker
The Post and Courier 3/18/07
Age:
36.
Family:
Husband, Joel Walker; and sons, Billy, 9; Jack, 7; Jamie, 6; and Joel
Thomas, 3.
Occupation:
Stay-at-home-mom.
Residence:
Wadmalaw Island.
Q:
With a husband and four boys, how do you manage to cook something
everyone will eat?
A:
That is the tricky part. My
husband is great, he will eat whatever I serve from tofu to a tuna
casserole. The boys, on the other hand, do have their likes and
dislikes. I have learned to serve
an entrée that I know one or two likes, and then have the
side dishes that the others will eat.
That way I know everyone will eat something, and they still get exposed
to foods they might not
choose on their own. I also might adjust what I am cooking a little so
everyone is happy. For
example, if I am baking salmon I will leave the sauce off the
children’s portion but have it on my
husband’s and mine. I gave up on feeding each one only what
they like long ago from the advice
of my pediatrician, as well as for survival’s sake.
Q:
When you have more time, you also enjoy making gourmet meals and old
Lowcountry-
style
dishes. What particular dishes get the most compliments?
A:
Shrimp and Grits, made with
half-and-half and the true stone-ground grits, is always a winner.
Also the seafood casserole from the “Christmas with Southern
Living Cookbook” is amazingly
delicious. My mother used to make this for me after each child was
born; maybe that is why I kept
having kids. Shrimp creole is a favorite and I love it because I can
double the recipe and freeze
half minus the shrimp and green peppers. “Pon Top
Edisto” has a great Drunken Scallops recipe
that is spectacular.
Q:
Red rice as good as you had growing up vexed you for many years. What
did you do
that
finally made the difference?
A:
Whenever I would eat red rice,
which due to the health factor was a splurge and rarity, I would
be disappointed eight out of 10 times. I laid out all of the red rice
recipes I could find and came up
with my own. Obviously, bacon is a key ingredient, so I buy the best I
can find. I also adjust the
water I put in and add some tomato sauce that is seasoned, as well as
the tomato paste. I like
lots of flavor and a little kick, so I include not only Tabasco but a
little cayenne pepper as well.
I also like to include green peppers as well as onions.
Q:
You were born and raised in Mount Pleasant, and your family owned and
operated Heath
Farms
for many years. How did that affect what you like to eat and cook today?
A:
Our family talks about and enjoys
a freshly picked tomato like someone might a good wine;
actually we do that, too. We were so spoiled by the freshest of produce
that came straight from
the fields. Because the produce was so good, we never covered them in
heavy sauces or cheeses.
You didn’t have to because it was a shame to down-play the
flavor of the vegetables. I continue to
cook that way for my family.
Q:
You speak of healthy food and Lowcountry cooking and being able to
balance the two.
What
are some ways you do that?
A:
I love collards but now I leave
out the fatback, yet still add the tablespoon of sugar just like
Grandmama Heath would do. I have adjusted some of the recipes that call
for rice with brown rice,
reduced or eliminated the amount of bacon grease in a recipe, and
realize that moderation is the
key. If I make a recipe of she-crab soup, I know I better enjoy it
because I won’t eat it again for
another four months. Also, with the wonderful seafood we have here, it
is easy to have boiled
shrimp, blue crabs or oysters and not be eating fattening foods if you
watch the butter.
Q:
What’s a real indulgence food for you?
A:
Without a doubt, slow-cooked, baby-back ribs with lots of sauce!
Q:
Do you have favorite cookbooks?
A:
Out of the 70 cookbooks I have
collected over the years, my two favorites are “Gracious
Goodness Charleston,” which was given to me as a wedding gift
in 1992, and “Pon Top Edisto,
Cookin’ Tweenst the Rivers.”
A favorite recipe:
Charleston
Red Rice
Serves 6-8 people
8 strips of bacon, cubed
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano
1 (6-ounce) can tomato sauce seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano
1 ½ (tomato paste) cans of water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/8 to ¼ cayenne pepper
2 cups dry long-grain
Fry bacon in frying pan then remove, drain and set aside. Saute onions
in bacon drippings until
tender. Add bell peppers and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in tomato paste, sauce,
water, sugar, salt, black pepper, Tabasco and cayenne pepper. Cook,
uncovered, about 10
minutes stirring frequently. Stir in rice and mix well. Transfer to the
top of a boiling rice steamer
on medium heat and cover. Cook for 35 minutes then add bacon, stir with
fork and cover. Cook
for 15-20 minutes more.
“Stirring
it up with…”
is a feature of the Home & Garden section that spotlights good
home cooks in the Lowcountry.
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