Have you ever wanted to try some Shaker recipes? Here are a few that are perfect for the last weeks of summer.
Famous BBQ Chicken
This Canterbury Shaker recipe is inspired by the old-fashioned Shaker community barbecue. The secret is in the sauce.
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1 cup of cider vinegar
1 tbsp of salt
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp of finely copped garlic
1 tbsp of finely chopped shallots
1 sprig of fresh parsley
1 sprig of fresh tarragon
4 boneless chicken breasts
To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it’s boiling, turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 minutes. Strain the sauce, removing the garlic, shallots, and herbs. Keep warm.
Grill the chicken, basting frequently with the BBQ sauce – the more often, the better. Serve with extra sauce on the side. Don’t forget the potato salad and corn bread!
Shaker Potato Salad
6 medium potatoes, boiled with skins on
3 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 tsp of salt
pinch of pepper
1 tbsp of sugar
1/2 cup of vinegar
1 tbsp of parsley, minced
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
Cool potatoes just enough to handle them. Remove the skins and slice thinly. Pan fry the bacon until it’s crispy, then crumble and return to the bacon drippings. Add the onion and saute until translucent (do not overcook). Add salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar, then heat until simmering. Immediately pour the hot dressing over the warm potatoes. Toss lightly, then garnish with chopped parsley and hard-boiled eggs. Serves six people.
Recipe adapted from “The Shaker Cookbook” by Caroline Piercy and Arthur Tolve
Shaker Mint Cup
2 cups of tender fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
pinch of salt
2 quarts of ginger ale
Make a simple syrup by boiling the water and sugar for three minutes. Add the salt. This helps draw out the flavor from the mint leaves. Pour the boiling syrup over the mint and let it cool. Strain and throw out the leaves. Chill for several hours or overnight. Add the ginger ale. Serve this refreshing drink very cold over ice.
Recipe adapted from “The Shaker Cookbook” by Caroline Piercy and Arthur Tolve
