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Most Creative Single Course: The Pawpaw Course

This Appalachian cuisine recipe was awarded Most Creative Single Course and Most Creative Single Course Presentation at the recent 2009 Cast Iron Cook-Off sponsored by the Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia. The event was held in Charleston, WV. Yield: 4 servings.

Pawpaw beignets:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup sifted all-purpose Flour
1/4 cup Bloody Butcher Corn Flour
4 Eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. baking powder as needed for frying,
vegetable oil as needed for garnish,
powdered sugar as needed for filling,
prepared pawpaw pulp mixture as needed for presentation,
Spiceberry Preserves

Combine sugar, eggs, oil, and water. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Beat with wooden spoon until flour is incorporated and forms a stiff ball.

Roll dough 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface, using flour liberally on dough. Cut into 2-inch squares. Drop 1 tsp. pawpaw pulp mixture onto the center of half of the squares. Top with a second square. Moisten edges with water to seal.

In cast iron skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 370 degrees F on deep frying thermometer.

Fry 3 at a time until puffy and golden brown on both sides. Remove beignets with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Pawpaw Pulp:
1/2 lb. pawpaw pulp
(available from Integration Acres)
1/2 cup sugar

Pawpaw, Spiceberry, Molasses Coulis:
1/2 cup pawpaw pulp
1 jar Pawpaw
Spiceberry Jam (available from Integration Acres)
1 tsp. molasses

Pawpaw Bacon:
12 Slices Bacon
2 heaping Tbsp. pawpaw
pulp mixture

Slice bacon from slab. Place pulp in bottom of cast iron skillet. Fry bacon on top of pulp until crisp. Torch the bacon until the pulp is dry. Reserve bacon fat.

Appalachian Trail Coffee Macchiato with Bacon Renderings:
6 Tbsp. Ground Appalachian Trail Blend Coffee
3 cups Water
3 Tbsp. bacon renderings as needed, heavy cream

Whip cream by hand. Make French Press coffee. After the coffee has finished steeping, pour 1/2 of finished coffee into glass container and stir in bacon renderings. Pour into shot glasses and top with whipped cream.

On top of square charger place small square white plate. Line top of plate with green napkin. In cast iron server, place 3 beignets and 3 strips bacon. Spoon jam mixture into jam jars and place in bottom right side of plate with jam jar open. Place the shot glass at top right. Place finished plate onto charger.