Beyond beef: Kansas cuisine is the theme of this new cookbook
Jayni Carey knew her husband, Frank, was a keeper when, early in their relationship, he bought her a Le Creuset Dutch oven.
“Some women might not appreciate that,” Jayni says. “I thought it was romantic.”
The Lawrence couple have always bonded over a shared love of food and cooking. In 1989, they assembled their favorite recipes in “The Kansas Cookbook,” a 476-page homage to heartland cuisine.
The book, which was published by University Press of Kansas, features recipes for classic Midwestern comfort foods such as chicken-fried steak, chicken and noodles, honey whole-wheat bread and vanilla ice cream. It also shows readers how to make Vietnamese spring rolls, German potato pancakes and French cassoulet.
Many recipes were submitted by home cooks across the state who followed a farm-to-table lifestyle decades before farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs and restaurants with locally sourced menus were trendy.
“That’s the way we’ve always eaten in Kansas,” says Frank, who works in information technology for the University of Kansas School of Education.
Nearly 28 years after its release, “The Kansas Cookbook” is still in print and selling. And now it has a companion. In October, University Press of Kansas released a follow-up by the Careys called “The New Kansas Cookbook: Rural Roots, Modern Table.”
“The New Kansas Cookbook” contains more than 200 new recipes, from Beef Stew and Bipartisan Chicken Salad to Farmhouse Oatmeal Cookies and Strawberry Patch Pie.
“We tried to find typical Kansas recipes with a twist,” says Jayni, a small business owner who also has her own cooking show, “Jayni’s Kitchen,” on Lawrence’s Channel 6S.
One of the couple’s favorite recipes is for grilled flank steak served on a bed of farro, a nutty Italian grain, with a drizzle of bright green chimichurri, an Argentine sauce made with garlic, parsley and oregano. The dish packs more flavor and color than traditional steak and potatoes.
Several Kansas City-area chefs contributed recipes. Carl Thorne-Thomsen reveals how he makes smoked duck empanadas, a popular appetizer at Story in Prairie Village. Patrick Quillec of Cafe Provence, also in Prairie Village, shares a family recipe for roasted pork tenderloin with prunes. And Megan Garrelts of Bluestem in Westport and Rye in Leawood offers up instructions for Ginger-Nib Cookies made with molasses and dark beer.
The book also features 31 stories about people, places and things that help define modern Kansas cuisine, including Lenexa’s Union Horse Distilling Co. and Olathe’s Landeria goat farm.
Many recipes were designed with Kansas ingredients in mind. Bison Bolognese, for example, is Lawrence chef T.K. Peterson’s way of combining a classic Italian recipe with bison raised 30 miles away from his restaurant, Merchants Pub & Plate, by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
To make the Bolognese, Peterson slow-simmers lean, hearty ground bison and bacon with pureed vegetables, tomato paste, red wine and chicken broth for an hour or more, until the bison is tender and the sauce thickens enough to coat hot pappardelle pasta.
“I have memories, especially with my mom, of making these stews and braises in cold weather,” Peterson says. “The house smells so warm and good … it gives you that sense of home and nourishment.”
Time is also a key ingredient in a slow-roasted pork shoulder recipe submitted by Bryan Williams of Keller Feed & Wine Co. in Cottonwood Falls, Kan.
Williams says his recipe was inspired by Mexican carnitas and Kansas City barbecue. Much of the flavor comes from a potent dry rub made with brown sugar, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. A slathering of yellow mustard helps the rub adhere to the pork for 12 hours, which is how long it takes to become fork-tender in a 200-degree oven.
Pulled pork sandwiches are a hot item at Keller Feed & Wine Co., where Williams serves them on toasted hard rolls with a fried onion ring, barbecue sauce, housemade coleslaw and spicy pickles.
“The New Kansas Cookbook” ends with a chapter on desserts. The Careys’ favorites include Muscat Cake made with Kansas wine, a caramel-topped custard inspired by a burnt sugar pie recipe in their first book, and a crowd-pleasing cornbread recipe submitted by Sharyna Reece, a teacher and caterer who lives in Lyons, Kan.
“I’m not a traditional cornbread kind of girl,” Reece says. She likes her cornbread sweet and cake-like, but slightly savory. Sometimes she adds diced jalapenos or salsa to give it a kick.
Reece grew up in California but has been living in central Kansas for 30 years. She says people in that part of the state can’t get enough brisket, chicken-fried steak and chili, particularly when they are served with cinnamon rolls. She also has neighbors of Eastern European descent known for their pierogies and povitica.
That craving for tradition — combined with an eagerness to share with neighbors and try out new ingredients, flavors and methods — is what “The New Kansas Cookbook” is all about.
The Careys say that working on the book reminded them how much they love living (and eating) in the Sunflower State.
“There are so many great things going on in Kansas,” Frank says, “and they’re in our own backyard.”
Sarah Gish: 816-234-4823, @sarah_gish
Grilled Flank Steak With Chimichurri Sauce and Farro Pilaf
“The New Kansas Cookbook” contains several modern recipes for beef, including this Argentine-inspired meal, which tops a pilaf made with a nutty grain called farro with sliced flank steak and chimichurri, a bright green sauce made with parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil. This chimichurri recipe also incorporates thyme. Look for farro, a relative of wheat that’s popular in Italy, in the grain products section of the grocery store, next to quinoa and barley.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 flank steak (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
Olive oil
For the rub:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the chimichurri sauce:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, rinsed, stemmed and minced
For the farro pilaf:
1 cup farro (semi-pearled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small (1 cup) red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned yellow corn kernels
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large tomato, chopped, for garnish
Place the flank steak on a piece of plastic wrap and brush lightly with olive oil.
To make the rub: Combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder or granules, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub about half of the mixture on each side of the flank steak. Wrap in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
To make the chimichurri sauce: Place the red wine vinegar, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir in the minced parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Let stand for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
To make the pilaf: Place the farro in a strainer and rinse under cold running water. Drain well and let dry. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper and onion and cook until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Raise the heat to medium and stir in the farro. Toast, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Add the broth, corn kernels and salt. Raise the heat to high. When the mixture comes to a boil, partially cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the farro for about 20 minutes or until tender to the bite, but still chewy. (The pilaf should have a brothy consistency). Cover until ready to serve.
To grill the flank steak: Let the steak stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for cooking over high heat. Place the steak on the cooking grate and sear for 3 to 5 minutes, turning a quarter turn after the first 2 minutes to mark the meat. Turn the steak over and place it over medium indirect heat or move it to a cooler part of the grill. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes more, until the meat registers 130 to 135 degrees on a meat thermometer for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Slice the flank steak across the grain into thin slices.
To serve: Place a generous scoop of the farro pilaf along with some of the pan broth in the center of each dinner plate. Arrange slices of flank steak over the pilaf. Whisk the chimichurri sauce and spoon some over the steak. Garnish each serving with chopped tomato.
Per serving, based on 4: 834 calories (55 percent from fat), 53 grams total fat (10 grams saturated), 58 milligrams cholesterol, 57 grams carbohydrates, 39 grams protein, 784 milligrams sodium, 11 grams dietary fiber.
Source: “The New Kansas Cookbook” (University Press of Kansas, 2016)
Pork Shoulder Sandwiches
One of the Careys’ favorite recipes for slow-roasted pork was submitted by Bryan Williams of Keller Feed & Wine Co. in Cottonwood Falls, Kan. Williams says he and his customers prefer this recipe to smoked pulled pork because “the meat literally falls apart versus being stringy like traditional smoked pulled pork.”
Makes 15 to 18 sandwiches
8-pound pork shoulder (preferably bone-in)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
For the rub:
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup smoked Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Hard rolls or hamburger buns, toasted or warmed
Barbecue sauce
Take the pork shoulder out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to take the chill off the meat. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and place it on a large plastic cutting board or a baking sheet. Slather the entire shoulder with the yellow mustard.
To make the rub: In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, smoked Spanish paprika, granulated garlic, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cover the entire pork shoulder with the rub.
Place the shoulder in a roasting pan or Dutch oven with a lid. Cover and place in a 200-degree oven for 12 hours. When done, the shoulder should be very tender. Remove it from the pan and let rest for 30 minutes on a cutting board. Pull the meat apart, discarding the fat.
To serve: Pile the pork on hard rolls or buns with barbecue sauce.
Per sandwich, based on 15: 561 calories (62 percent from fat), 38 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 136 milligrams cholesterol, 4 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 399 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
Source: “The New Kansas Cookbook” (University Press of Kansas, 2016)
Reece’s Sweet Cornbread
This crowd-pleasing, cake-like cornbread is the creation of Sharyna Reece, a teacher and caterer who lives in Lyons, Kan. Reece mixes it up occasionally by adding corn kernels, grated cheese, diced jalapeno peppers or salsa.
Makes 24 servings
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11-by-15-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, half-and-half and oil and whisk until well combined.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients and mix with a large spoon until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center springs back when touched, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Butter the top of the cornbread and serve warm.
Option: This recipe can be prepared as muffins.
Variation: The following ingredients can be added to the cornbread: corn kernels, grated cheese, diced jalapeño peppers or salsa of choice.
Per serving: 310 calories (32 percent from fat), 11 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 61 milligrams cholesterol, 48 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 292 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.
Source: “The New Kansas Cookbook” (University Press of Kansas, 2016)
This story was originally published January 24, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Beyond beef: Kansas cuisine is the theme of this new cookbook."