Mountain Country Recipes

The Appalachian region offers sublime food traditions from sweet, crunchy apples to salty country ham.

The people who settled the Appalachian mountains embraced simplicity and common sense. Home to windy, snowy winters and moderate summers, the region's food adapted to its weather. Most of the flavors synonymous with this area are the result of the determination of its people to preserve the fall and summer bounty for those hard winters. see page 76 for more on Appalachian culture.

Traditional foods still show up on mountain dinner tables today, although they've been updated for our busy lifestyles. We think those early settlers would be proud of what we've done with these new takes on classic recipes. see what you think. SUSAN DOSIER

APPLE STACK CAKE

MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS

PREP: 25 MIN., BAKE: 10 MIN PER BATCH, STAND: 2 DAYS

Jill Sauceman's grandmother used a less spicy filling during the Depression because spices were hard to come by. We combined her cake recipe with a spicier version. Don't be tempted to eat the cake until it has stood for two days. This seasoning allows the moisture from the filling to soften the cake layers. This cake also freezes well.

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

½ cup sugar

1 large egg

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup molasses

2½ teaspoons sugar

Dried Apple Filling

BEAT shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add egg, beating until yellow disappears.

COMBINE flour and next 3 ingredients. Stir together buttermilk and molasses in a large measuring cup. Gradually add flour mixture to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat until blended.

DIVIDE dough into 5 equal portions; place each portion in a 9-inch greased and floured cake pan or cast-iron skillet, and firmly press with floured fingers into pan. Prick dough several times with a fork. Sprinkle each layer evenly with ½ teaspoon sugar.

BAKE at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden brown. (Only bake layers on one rack at a time.) Repeat procedure as needed to bake in pans. Remove layers from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

SPREAD 1½ cups Dried Apple Filling between each layer to within ½ inch of edge, beginning and ending with a cake layer. (Save your prettiest cake layer for the top.) Loosely cover cake, and let stand 2 days at room temperature. JILL SAUCEMAN

JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE

Dried Apple Filling:

MAKES 6 CUPS

PREP: 5 MIN., COOK: 45 MIN.

3 (6-ounce) packages dried sliced apples

6 cups water

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

½ teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

STIR together apples and 6 cups water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, and, if desired, spices. Return mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated. Cool completely.

SHUCK BEANS

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 45 MIN., SOAK: 24 HRS., COOK: 1 HR.

Shuck beans are easy to cook but hard to find.

½ pound shuck beans

6 ounces salt pork

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

WASH shuck beans; discard any dark or discolored beans. Break shuck beans in half; place in a 6-quart pressure cooker with water to cover (about 6 cups). Cover and chill. Soak beans for 24 hours; do not drain. Bring to a boil, uncovered; reduce heat to medium, and cook 30 minutes. Drain and rinse beans.

RETURN beans to pressure cooker; add salt pork and, if desired, salt. Add 1 inch cold water to cover (about 4 cups) to pressure cooker.

COVER cooker with lid, and seal securely; place pressure control over vent and tube. Cook over mediumhigh heat 12 minutes or until pressure control rocks quickly back and forth. Reduce heat to medium low; cook 15 more minutes. (Pressure control will rock occasionally.)

REMOVE pressure cooker from heat; run cold water over cooker to reduce pressure. Carefully remove lid so that steam escapes away from you.

LORENE POTTER

ASHCAMP, KENTUCKY

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used a Mirro 6-quart rocker top pressure cooker. If you have another model, cook according to manufacturer's instructions.

COUNTRY HAM SAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS

PREP: 20 MIN., COOK: 25 MIN.

Serve this versatile sauce over hot cooked pasta or grilled chicken breasts, or offer it as a dip with chips.

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

1½ cups whipping cream

1 cup chopped country ham

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DRAIN spinach well, pressing between paper towels; set aside.

MELT butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.