Edna Lewis Recipes

Edna Lewis was a master cook. Find some of her recipes here.

By sharing the foods of her Virginia childhood, Edna Lewis became the Grande Dame of Southern cooking. She earned accolades from Les Dames d’Escoffier, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the James Beard Foundation—where she inspired their first-ever Living Legend Award.

See our full article on Edna Lewis and the new Edna Lewis Food Trail in our new issue: Here.

Edna Lewis’ Corn Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

2 tablespoons lard or butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter

2½ cups extra-fine cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon homemade baking powder

2½ cups buttermilk, room temperatures

1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 400℉ degrees. Generously grease the walls of the muffin pan with 2 tablespoons of lard or butter, leaving the extra fat in the wells. In a mixing bowl, sift together the cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

When the oven is hot, place the muffin tin inside to preheat. Meanwhile, stir the buttermilk into the dry ingredients and mix well, then stir in the egg and 2 tablespoons melted butter. When the muffin pan is very hot, carefully remove it, and quickly fill each well with about 3 ounces (a little less than ½ cup). Bake for 17-20 minutes, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the edges of the muffins are golden brown.

Let the pan cool for 2 minutes on a rack, then remove the muffins. Serve hot with butter.

Southern Pan-Fried Chicken

4 to 6 servings

Recipe from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock.

Note: this recipe calls for a significant time commitment, involving overnight brining and a buttermilk bath, but it’s well worth it.

One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

¼ cup kosher salt

6 cups water

4 cups buttermilk

1 pound lard

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup country ham pieces or 1 thick-slice country ham, cut into ½-inch strips

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Step 1: The night before serving

Place chicken in a large bowl and set aside. In a large pitcher, combine kosher salt with 6 cups of water and stir until the salt has dissolved. Pour salted water over chicken pieces until they are submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Step 2: In the morning

Drain chicken pieces and rinse chicken and bowl. Return chicken to bowl and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.

Step 3: About 1¼ hours before serving

Combine the lard, butter, and ham in a large heavy skillet. Cook over low heat, skimming as needed, until ham is lightly browned, 30-45 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove ham and brown bits from fat. Increase heat to medium high and the fat to 335℉.

Step 4:

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Dredge chicken pieces thoroughly in flour mixture, then pat well to remove excess flour. Working in batches (do not crowd the pan), place chicken pieces, skin side down, in fat. Cook 8-10 minutes on each side, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Drain on crumpled paper towels. Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold.

Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 8-10

Recipe courtesy The Gift of Southern Cooking, by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

8 oz. hollow pasta, preferably elbow macaroni

Butter, for greasing

7 oz. extra-sharp cheddar, cut into half-inch cubes, plus 6 oz. grated cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon

1½ teaspoons dry mustard

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

⅔ cup sour cream

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1½ cups half-and-half

1½ cups heavy cream

⅓ cup grated onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Heat oven to 350°F. Bring a 4-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Stir in the cubed cheddar cheese and set aside. Combine salt, flour, mustard, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, heavy cream, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour egg mixture over the reserved pasta mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the surface. Bake until the pasta mixture is set around the edges but still a bit loose in the center, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Cheese Soufflé

Serves 4

5 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese

3 oz. Gruyère cheese

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup warm milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon dry mustard

5 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 425℉. Butter a 1.5 quart soufflé dish, and set it on the top of the stove or in a warm place to warm up.

Grate the cheese using the next to the finest side of a four-sided grater. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring until the flour is well-blended, without browning. Pour in the warm milk, stirring all the while. Remove the pan from the burner and add the egg yolks, mixing them in well. Add the grated cheese and mix thoroughly. Add the salt, cayenne, and dry mustard, and mix well again. The cheese should melt in the warm sauce without further cooking on top of the stove. Cover the pan lightly and leave to cool a bit before mixing in the beaten egg whites. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Stir the cheese batter and pour it into the egg whites, then fold the whites into the batter gently and thoroughly until well blended. Spoon the mixture into the soufflé dish (or you could use individual ramekins). Fill the dish 3/4 full. Set the soufflé dish in the preheated oven. After 5 minutes, turn the oven down to 400°F, and cook for 15 minutes. Serve at once.