November is the perfect month for nostalgia. The crisp air encourages cozy blankets and lit fireplaces and people everywhere are planning for lavish meals with their loved ones. So much goes into planning a large gathering: the guest list, invitations, table settings — but most of all the food. For as long as humanity has existed, the cooks, often matriarchs, and hospitality aficionados among us have crafted signature recipes and handed down their secrets through generations. In this spread we feature six such scrumptious classic Oklahoma dishes, plated to perfection on vintage serving platters by the brilliant Chef Erica Hogan.
Hogan, owner of Cosabella Kitchen, has been cooking her whole life. From an early age, she would stand alongside her father as he made French cuisine for their family. Later, she worked with her brother at his OKC restaurants Le Cep and Bolero. Hogan took those experiences and made her own path with a catering company, Cosabella Cuisine. Though successful in that endeavor, she kept entertaining an idea of bringing people together through a love of food, and created Cosabella Kitchen. In this unique Nichols Hills space, Hogan welcomes guests for private dinners and special events, though it’s best known for pasta-making classes. In the fun atmosphere that only Cosabella can provide, guests feel at home as they learn how to make their own pasta, enjoy drinks alongside charcuterie and then sit down at the large banquet table to sample the fruits of their labors, alongside delicious sides, salads and the famous lemon chicken — a recipe passed along to Hogan from film director Francis Ford Coppola. Night after night, Hogan and her staff at Cosabella welcome a new group of friends into their “home” and enjoy an evening of eating, drinking and being merry.
So saunter through this delectable feature, which we hope inspires your next gathering!
Rainbow Sherbet Punch
Tell us about the dish: Rainbow sherbet was made sometime in the 1950s, and next we welcomed rainbow sherbet punch. This staple punch reminds me of every church recipe you can remember. Growing up we shopped in Enid, Oklahoma, and Baskin-Robbins was the go-to for rainbow sherbet, allowing us to prepare this simple punch for church celebrations, weddings, baby showers and more. Rainbow sherbet takes me back home.
Recipe:
- 4 cups fruit punch
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 liter Canada Dry ginger ale
- 48 oz rainbow sherbet
- Fresh oranges, raspberries or limes
Instructions:
Combine the fruit punch and pineapple juice in a large punch bowl or pitcher.
Just before serving, add ginger ale.
Scoop the sherbet into mounds and gently float across the top of the bowl.
Garnish with limes and raspberries if desired.
Betty’s Deviled Eggs
Tell us about the dish: I learned how to make deviled eggs from my grandmother Betty. Betty was from Tulsa, Oklahoma. My mother carried on the tradition by adding her own twist to the recipe. Since then, we replicate her recipe for all holiday gatherings — caper juice being our star ingredient. Just a dash.
Recipe:
- 1 dozen hard boiled eggs
- 1 teaspoon peppercorn
- ½ teaspoon caper juice
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon capers
- Paprika for dusting
Instructions:
Slice the eggs in half.
Scoop out the yolks and add them into a medium sized mixing bowl.
Use a pepper mill to grind your peppercorns.
Add pepper, caper juice, mayonnaise, mustard and salt to egg yolks and mix.
Add the mixture into a small piping or zip lock bag. Cut the end and pipe the mixture back into
the egg white halves.
Garnish with capers and paprika.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Cowboy Caviar
Tell us about the dish: I’m not certain, but I have heard the name cowboy caviar came from a recipe developed at Neiman Marcus. Since, Oklahoma and Texas have made their own versions of this dish. Oklahoma cowboy caviar is more rustic by the style of beans chosen. We enjoy this dish in the fall and have put our own Oklahoma spin on the recipe by adding candied jalapenos for a bit of sweetness.
Recipe:
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 15 oz black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups frozen Southwest corn
- 1 bell pepper (half green half red or yellow)
- 1 jalapeno
- 1/3 cup candied jalapenos
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
Chop all vegetables and add to a medium bowl.
Add oil, lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.
Baked Cornbread
Tell us about the dish: Our cornbread recipe comes from our Sous Chef Misty, a resident of Oklahoma City. This recipe includes Jiffy corn bread mix, traditionally used in Oklahoma. Misty put her spin on this recipe with a dash of sour cream to make it everlastingly delicious — it’s great beside the cowboy caviar.
Recipe:
- 1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add the Jiffy mix to a large bowl.
Add the egg, milk, sour cream and vegetable oil and mix together.
Pour into a greased casserole dish or bread pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Elsie’s Chicken Fried Steak
Tell us about the dish: What can we say? It’s an Oklahoma staple and everyone has their own way, recipe or chicken fry story. Mine comes from my grandmother Elsie, from Poteau, Oklahoma. From the day I met her she was holding a cast iron skillet; everything was fried in that skillet. Our chicken fried steak begins with a pounded-out cube steak and ends with a delicious flaky, buttery crust topped with gravy. Elsie liked a kick of spice, so that’s how we make it.
Recipe:
- 3 pounds cube steak (8 pieces)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- Pinch of Cavender’s seasoning
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
- Oil for frying
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Gently pat the cube steaks dry with a paper towel and use a meat tenderizing mallet to make them thin, extra thin.
In a medium bowl mix flour, Cajun seasoning, Cavender’s and baking powder.
In another bowl whisk together 1 ¼ cup of milk and eggs.
Dip the steaks into the flour mixture. Shake them off, then dunk them in the egg mixture. Shake
off drippings, then dunk back into the flour mixture.
Allow them to rest. Heat your cast iron skillet and fill it with ¼ inch of oil.
Heat the oil to 360 degrees.
Gently place steaks in the oil for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Remove and place on a paper towel.
Carefully discard all of the excess oil and wipe the cast iron with a paper towel, then place it back on medium heat.
Add butter, melt and slowly whisk in the remaining seasoned flour.
Whisk until bubbling, then whisk 2 ¾ cups of milk. Continue to whisk the gravy until it is thick.
Season to taste with salt and pepper or a little leftover Cajun seasoning.
Cherry Pie
Tell us about the dish:
Cherry pie, I want to say, originated in the U.K. and was believed to be made for the queen in the 1500s. Since then, the delicious pie spread worldwide, being one very popular pie in Oklahoma. Our cherry pie is simple. You can prepare your own crust or buy store-bought. What makes our Oklahoma cherry pie delicious is using sweet and tart cherries together. We love a good cherry pie — and remember every cherry pie is unique, and that’s what makes your pie so very special.
Recipe:
- Chilled store-bought pie dough
- 4 ½ cups pitted fresh cherries and 1 can tart cherries (Oregon Red Tart Cherries)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- Sugar for garnish
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Add the cherries to a medium bowl, add the cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt.
Toss and set aside.
Remove the pie dough and let rest to room temperature for 5 min.
Roll out the dough to a 13-inch circle.
Carefully place the dough in the dish leaving a 1-inch edge for the crust.
Spoon in cherry pie filling.
Top your pie with the remaining dough and form your crust.
Cut a shape in the middle of your top crust to allow air.
Mix your egg yolk with a dash of water and paint over the top of your crust.
Sprinkle your pie crust with sugar and cook until bubbly and golden brown.
