Every year on this day the Church celebrates the Memorial Feast of Guardian Angels. While the idea of Guardian Angels sounds almost child-like, the Church tells us that these angels do exist.
This is not a Catholic or Christian idea. Guardian Angels are mentioned in the Old Testament. Both Psalms 34:7 and 91:11 refer to Angels of the Lord who are sent for protection. In Saint Matthew 18:10 we are warned that young children have angels in heaven who stand before God as witnesses should anyone cause the innocent to stray. There are people in this world who believe in Guardian Angels, yet they do not believe in God. (I’m not sure where they think the angels come from, but whatever – there are a lot of things about non-believers that make no sense to me.)
Guardian Angels are here to protect us from spiritual harm. Should you step in front of a bus, chances are you will be run over. However; if you pass by a person of questionable character engaged in some rather tempting activity, you might feel a strong urge to keep on walking. That would be an angel at work. Often the influence of angels is called a conscience. When we feel guilty, that’s a firm nudge from above to knock it off. When you get to be my age, you realize that it’s best to heed those nudges. If not, you are liable to get hit right up side the head so hard you fall on your butt. Believe me, when that happens you won’t like it one little bit.
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here,
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Would you believe that I’m still making attempts to recreate some of the more memorable meals we had on our massive road trip over the summer? This inspiration came from a lunch at the New Orleans-inspired Bourbon Street Café in the heat of Oklahoma City’s Bricktown. The flavor was definitely New Orleans, but the idea of Eggs Benedict served on a Buttermilk Biscuit had to be an Okie take. Enjoy!
Southern Eggs Benedict and Skillet Potatoes
Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
2/3 cup Milk
2 teaspoons White Vinegar
2 cups Flour
1 heaping tablespoon Baking Powdery
1 teaspoon Salt
6 tablespoons Shortening
Heat oven to 425-degrees
Measure milk in a glass measuring cup. Stir in the white vinegar. Set aside and let sit for 10 minutes before using.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening with fingertips. Add buttermilk to create a soft dough.
Lightly flour a cutting board. Round up the soft dough, lightly knead in the flour for about 30 seconds or so. Roll out or pat dough into a quarter-inch thick disk. With a lightly floured biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut biscuits. Regroup extra dough, roll again and repeat once more.
Arrange biscuits on a baking sheet, set aside until ready to bake. Prepare crab cakes.
Crab Cakes
16 oz canned Lump Crab Meat
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon Parsley Flakes
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Bank Breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Pick through crab meat to make sure there are no shells. Flake meat, set aside. Cut a quarter section from the bell pepper. Seed and finely dice.
In a bowl mix mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Old Bay, Parsley Flakes, Salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper to create a dressing. Stir in the bell pepper and parsley flakes.
Gently fold in crab meat and Panko until just combined. Form into patties and chill 25 minutes.
While the crab cakes are chilling, make the Red Potatoes.
Red Potatoes
3/4 lb small Red Potatoes
2 small Serrano Peppers
1/ Red Onion
2 tablespoons Bacon Drippings or Oil
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Scrub potatoes, Cut in half. Place potatoes in a steamer basket for Instant Pot. Place a cup of water in the pot. Place basket over water. Select PRESSURE COOK, POTATOES, HIGH, 3 MINUTES. Press Start.
While the potatoes are cooking, dice the peppers and onions. Set aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until almost smoking. Add bacon grease, swirl to coat the hot pan in oil. Add the peppers and onions to the hot pan, arrange potatoes over the onion mixture cut-side down. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Fry over medium heat undisturbed for about 10 minutes. With a heavy spatula or masher, press down on the potatoes to smash just a bit. Keep warm until ready to serve.
While the potatoes are steaming and frying, place the biscuits in the heated oven to bake for about 15 minutes and prepared the eggs.
Steamer Poached Eggs
4 Eggs
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Fill an egg-poaching pan with 1/2 inch water, set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Lightly brush the poaching cups with a little butter and crack an egg into each cup. Cover and cook until the whites are firm and the yolks are glazed over but still soft, about 3-4 minutes, or until done to your liking.
While the eggs are steaming, make the Shallot Beurre Blanc.
Shallot Beurre Blanc
1 Shallot
2 tablespoons fresh Chives
8 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup White Wine
2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
Peel and finely mince the shallot. Snip fresh chives. Dice the well-chilled butter into 16 small pieces.
In a small saucepan combine shallots, wine and vinegar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes or so. Reduce heat on the burner to low; remove pan from the heat to allow burner to cool for a minute or two.
Return saucepan to low heat. Whisk in the pieces of butter, one at a time. Add the next piece once the previous piece has been fully incorporated into the sauce. Once all the butter has been added, remove pan from heat while keeping the burner on low.
Finish and Assemble
Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet. Sear crab cakes about 3 minutes or so per side until golden and crispy.
Split open biscuits and arrange 2 split biscuits on each plate. Top biscuits with the steam-poached eggs. Arrange crab cakes around the biscuits with eggs.
Drizzle eggs and cakes with the Shallot Beurre Blanc. Serve Southern Eggs Benedict with the Smashed Red Potatoes.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
