Lucky 32’s 25th anniversary recipe winners

On June 5, Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen celebrated its 25th anniversary, and in the spirit of this joyous occasion, we invited fans to submit their best recipes using fresh summer veggies. The submissions were impressive, inspiring, and mouthwatering. Though it was difficult only picking a few, it ultimately came down to the recipes that most embody our commitment to seasonal and local.

So without further ado, we’re pleased to announce the winner and runners up of our 25th anniversary recipe contest!

I like that the winning recipe, Felice Bogus’s Summer Breeze Gazpacho Jelly, is a new twist on something familiar. It merges two classics — Gazpacho and Tomato Aspic — and re-imagines them. Plus, it boasts lots of fresh, seasonal produce that you can find right now, at your local farmers market. You will see Felice’s recipe on our menu from Aug. 13 – Sept. 30.

We also selected two recipe runners up, because there were so many great recipes to choose from. Runners up are:

  • Ashley Brown’s Summer Garden Cheddar Bake. This dish was instantly appealing to me because of its varying textures and simplicity. Also, it’s comfort food — how can you go wrong with corn and cheese?
  • Bonnie Olbrich’s Yukon Gold Warm Potato Salad. Finally, a potato salad sans mayo! I have no qualms about mayo, but it’s refreshing to see a potato salad without it, and this one is a beauty. The Dijon packs some zing, and the vinegar brightens everything up.

For honorable mentions, we were really drawn to the Green Peach Salad, but sadly it’s too late in the season to get our hands on any green peaches. This is definitely a keeper for earlier next summer though! The Hoppin’ John Salad  was another dish that piqued my interest, with its dynamic flavors and array of colors. It would be perfect for a summer potluck!

A big thanks to all our amazing contestants — we appreciate your creativity and enthusiasm, and we thank you for helping us celebrate 25 wonderful years at Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen!

For more, see our current menu at Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen and our Blog Recipe Index: http://lucky32southernkitchen.com/recipes/

Winning Recipe: Summer Breeze Gazpacho Jelly, submitted by Felice Bogus

Ingredients

For gazpacho water:

  • 4 large tomatoes, (preferably heirloom), chopped
  • 2 ½ cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
  • ¼ tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • A few dashes hot sauce, such as Texas Pete®
  • 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 (¼-oz.) packets of gelatin

For garnish:

  • ½ cucumber, peeled and finely diced
  • ½ green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 tomato, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 yellow squash, peeled and finely diced
  • 8-12 jumbo NC shrimp (head-on preferred), steamed
  • 4-6 tbsp chopped avocado

Instructions

 Make the gazpacho water. Place all the gazpacho water ingredients, except the gelatin, in a blender, and puree well. Blend in batches, if necessary. Line a colander with a double thickness of cheesecloth and place it over a non-reactive bowl. Pour the puree into the colander and gather up the edges of the cheesecloth. Tie with a string and press the vegetables gently. Refrigerate overnight, placing weights on the puree to help extract the water.

The next day, adjust seasoning as needed. Then, pour 1 c. gazpacho water in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin powder over it. Let rest 5 minutes. Heat the saucepan over medium heat about 1 minute, until the gelatin is melted. Stir the warm mixture into the remaining gazpacho water. Refrigerate until partially set, about the consistency of raw egg whites. Serves 4-6

Recipe Runner Up: Summer Garden Cheddar Bake, submitted by Ashley Brown

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 lb squash, halved and sliced, laid out on paper towel to drain a bit
  • 1 cup corn cut from the ear, raw
  • 1 lb good quality shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • salt and pepper to taste (usually 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put your butter in a 9×13 inch baking dish in the oven while it preheats until butter is melted. While the butter is melting, mix all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour mixture over melted butter and bake until golden brown and squash is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool, cut into squares and serve. Serves 8-10

Recipe Runner Up: Yukon Gold Warm Potato Salad, submitted by Bonnie Olbrich

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
  • Salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup firmly packed fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch (5-6) green onions, white and tender green parts only, sliced

Instructions

Place potatoes in a large pot, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, adding 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain, cool slightly. Pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil , next three ingredients, 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until blended and smooth. Adjust seasoning. Stir in parsley and green onions. Dice potatoes into small pieces. Toss gently with olive oil mixture. Adjust seasoning. Serves 4-6

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