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shrimp toasts

Shrimp Butter Toasts

In the South, you’ll usually find this delicate spread—not a smooth paste, but slightly textured, to play up the flavor of the shrimp—on “benne wafers” (sesame-seed crackers). Spooned onto buttery toast points, it makes for tiny little bites with big sea flavor.
cheddar rice fritters

Cheddar Rice Fritters with Chile Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Your guests will still be talking about these zingy, crunchy bites long after the party’s over. A combination of tender rice, melting Cheddar, and a crisp bread-crumb shell, paired with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce that cuts right through the richness, these irresistible nibbles will disappear almost before you finish frying. It might seem a little unusual to cook the rice in a combination of water and milk, but it imparts a luxurious creaminess that makes the fritters all the more addictive.
ham

Glazed Ham with Pineapple Mustard Sauce

Remember those baked hams gussied up with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries? There’s a reason they became so popular in the ’50s—pineapple contributes sweetness and a little acid to salty ham. But here, with pineapple juice concentrated into a syrup and combined with thyme and Dijon mustard, the effect is homey, more subtle, and less overtly sweet.
turnips

Mashed Turnips and Potatoes with Horseradish Bread Crumbs

Reminiscing about the sweet and slightly spicy turnips that she would dig up and eat on her grandfather’s farm years ago, senior food editor Alexis Touchet was determined to bring out the best of the root in this creamy side dish. The heat of horseradish plays up the turnips’ and potatoes’ earthy qualities, and a topping of toasted bread crumbs lends a delightful crunch.
sweet potatoes

Roasted Orange Molasses Sweet Potatoes

No southern holiday meal would be complete without sweet potatoes, and this simple twist on old-fashioned candied yams, with the addition of molasses and an orange’s juice and zest, tastes bright and full of nuance.
mustard greens

Mustard Greens with Chipotle and Bacon

Though they’re a nod to the classic pairing of cooking greens with a ham hock, these gently bitter greens have several important differences: Because they are blanched rather than braised, they hold their intense color; bacon crumbled over the top, rather than cooked with the greens, retains its crispness; and smoky chipotle gives the dish an alluring heat.
corn muffins

Pimento Corn Muffins

Corn bread gets fancy in dainty individual portions—and the flecks of red add more than just cosmetic flair. These tiny bits of pimento provide bursts of flavor that marry the corn bread beautifully with the rest of the main course.
cake

Pecan Spice Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Several traditional southern themes—pecans, Caribbean spices, and, of course, thick, tangy cream cheese frosting—come together in this gorgeous layer cake that’s both down-home and elegant.
pineapple

Pineapple in Ginger Rum Syrup

Juicy pineapple with a nip of rum and ginger is a sophisticated compote that complements bites of the pecan spice cake but also makes a satisfying light dessert on its own.
keywords
easter
southern u.s.
pork
dessert
fruit
seafood
potatoes
starters
bread
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