A Traveling Chef that Brings the Comforts of Home Through Southern Style Food

For our first episode of 2017, Chef Darnell Reed talks about his biggest influence on his cooking career, his great grandmother, Luella, for whom he credits his recipes and restaurant namesake- Luella’s Southern Kitchen. Having been in the industry for over 18 years, traveling the world and working in many prestigious hotels, Darnell still found his passion for cooking in the southern dishes of his childhood. His food has been described as “hug” inducing, and has in fact, made grown men cry. Listen on to learn about Chef Reed’s 15 years-in-the-making perfected roux, why his wanderlust and his dishes are rooted in New Orleans, and who his all-time favorite WWE wrestler is on this week’s Chefs Coast to Coast..

Try This Week’s Recipe!

Text Version of the Recipe

Luella’s Southern Kitchen

Maple Pecan Pie Filling

Ingredients:

2/3-Cup Lightly Packed Brown Sugar
6 Eggs Beaten
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
2 Tbs Cornstarch
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Cups Maple Syrup
3 Cups Pecan Halves

Whisk together the brown sugar and eggs
Continue to whisk adding the melted butter, cornstarch and salt until there are no visible lumps
Add the pecans and maple syrup

Maple Pecan Pie Dough

Ingredients:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Cake Flour
1 Tbs Sugar
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
2 oz Chilled Unsalted Butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 oz Chilled Lard cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 Tbs Ice Cold Water

In a food processor blend the flours, sugar and salt. Add chilled butter and lard and pulse until well combined
Sprinkle water over flour and pulse until dough forms moist clumps
Gather dough together and wrap tightly into a round dough
Flatten dough into disk and wrap in plastic wrap
Refrigerate for about one hour
Roll into a buttered and floured pie dish and freeze for at least one hour. This helps prevent your crust from shrinking during baking
Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes
Remove the paper and beans and you are ready to fill and bake your pie.

NOW TO BAKE: