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—WILLIAM FAULKNER

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Heirloom Recipe

SOUSE MEAT

Remove the head, feet, and ears of one hog. Remove eyes and brains. Singe pig’s feet, wash, and scrape. Singe, wash, and clean ears thoroughly in hot water. Cover meat with hot water and boil until meat drops from bones. Drain meat. Season with 1 tsp. each of salt, black pepper, and sage for each qt. Place meat in a bowl. When cool, souse meat will be firm. Serve with cold vinegar or dip in beaten eggs and bread crumbs and brown in hot fat.

—Mrs. J. F. Vickers, Iredell County, North Carolina

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BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Sausage and eggs are as classic down south as bacon and eggs are elsewhere. This rib-sticking brunch staple combines the two with onion, sharp Cheddar, eggs, and cream. Some hostesses prepare the casserole the night before and bake it the next morning. I don’t recommend that in this Age of Salmonella. Note: Any grits will do for this recipe but I prefer coarse, stone-ground yellow grits (see Sources, backmatter).

1 pound bulk sausage meat

1 medium yellow onion, moderately coarsely chopped

1¼ cups coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup grits, cooked by package directions but not seasoned (see Note at left)

2 tablespoons butter

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup half-and-half

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly spritz an 8 × 8 × 2-inch ovenproof glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Cook the sausage and onion in a medium-size heavy skillet over moderately high heat, breaking up large sausage clumps, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the sausage is nicely browned. Drain on paper toweling, then spread over the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Add the cheese to the hot grits, then the butter, and stir until both melt. Mix in the eggs, half-and-half, milk, salt, and pepper, stirring until well blended.

4. Pour over the sausage in the baking dish and spread to the corners. Slide onto the middle oven shelf and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until set like custard.

5. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SAWMILL GRAVY WITH CATHEAD BISCUITS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

An old farm woman, newly come to town, lived around the corner from us in Raleigh and I used to fly over there after school to hear about life on the farm but mostly to sample Mrs. Franklin’s homespun cooking. Sawmill gravy was a specialty of hers and a favorite of mine. She told me that it was a “country-folk” dish—equally good for breakfast, dinner, or supper. As for the recipe’s unusual name, it’s said that this gravy was first rustled up in a lumber camp: Bits of sausage left in the skillet were turned into a milk gravy thickened with flour or more likely, with cornmeal. I sometimes add chopped parsley just before serving; Mrs. Franklin would be appalled!

1 pound bulk sausage meat

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2½ cups milk or water

Salt as needed to taste

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley (optional)

4 Cathead Biscuits or 8 standard biscuits, either leftover or freshly made, split in two

1. Place the sausage in a large, heavy skillet and break into small pieces with a spoon. Set over moderately high heat and brown for 8 to 10 minutes, continuing to break up the sausage; it should be very crumbly. If there are many drippings (not likely these days with pork so lean), scoop the browned sausage onto a plate. Pour off all drippings, then spoon 2 tablespoons of them back into the skillet. Also return the sausage to the skillet.

2. Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle the flour evenly over the sausage, and stir to mix. Add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Turn the heat down low and simmer the gravy, stirring now and then, for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and add as needed. Mix in the parsley, if you like—far from traditional but delicious.

3. Ladle the sawmill gravy over the split biscuits and serve.

BACON AND CARAMELIZED VIDALIA QUICHE