BY JOYCE WHITE

Editor’s note: Every year before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday observance, New York-based author and soul food expert Joyce White graciously shares her recipes with the Florida Courier.

I always celebrate the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a symbolic meal that I think he would have enjoyed although Dr. King blessed all settings with his gracious manners and class act. But I know that he reveled in the camaraderie of the table, and I made this discovery a decade or so ago when I was doing research for my first cookbook, "Soul Food," which is a collection of recipes from Black churches across the country.

Several sisters at Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta, Dr. King’s family church contributed both recipes and memories to "Soul Food," and I can still hear the hope and levity in their voices when they talked about our beloved Prince of Peace. And in my mind’s eye I can see him chuckling over my Spirit Braised Chicken, which is simmered with a little brandy or rum, mushrooms and onions, a dish that adds a jazzy edge to our down-home Sunday smothered chicken. Apple cider can replace the brandy or rum, if desired.

As always, my menu features both old favorites and new inspiration. For example, Mama’s cheese straws are dusted with ground coriander seeds for a lovely citrus like flavor. Fresh greens such as watercress or arugula add a tangy bite to shrimp salad, and the spirited braised chicken is a bracing delight.

Dessert is a delectable ginger cake served topped with a fruit sauce, either mango or papaya for a Caribbean note, or berries of choice, our improvisation always on the table.

And as we honor our incomparable Prince of Peace, I always strive to keep an eye on the past while looking keenly to the future, his legacy our just reward.

Joyce White can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

SPIRIT BRAISED CHICKEN

• 12 small white onions or two large white onions cut into wedges
• 1 cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 1/2 pounds frying chicken pieces (your choice)
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 or 4 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, divided
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy, dark rum, dry vermouth or apple cider
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme, fined chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups chicken broth, about

Rinse and peel the onions. Pour 1 cup water into a small saucepan and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and drop in the onions and boil or blanch for just 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the onions, saving the bay leaf. Set aside.

Trim away and discard any excess fat and skin from the chicken pieces. Rinse the chicken well under cold running water and pat very dry with paper toweling.

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and black pepper. Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet or heavy pot that has a lid or cover and heat until quite hot.

Add several pieces of the chicken at a time and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Don’t crowd the pan.

Remove the chicken to a platter or dish when nicely browned and brown the remaining pieces the same way. When all the chicken is browned and on a platter, pour over the Cognac, brandy or rum or vermouth and set aside.

Meanwhile, add a little more oil to the pan if needed, and stir in the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and the reserved onions and bay leaf. Sauté the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring a couple times.

Then sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and cook over low heat stirring for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato paste, and mix well.

Pour in the chicken broth, stirring until the sauce is well blended. Return the chicken with its drippings to the skillet or pot, stirring well, and bring the gravy to a gentle boil, turning over the chicken several times.

As soon as the gravy is bubbling, cover the skillet or pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pieces are fork tender and the juices run golden when pierced with a fork, turning over occasionally.

At serving, place the chicken in a warm serving dish and set aside. Bring the sauce to a boil again, and cook for a few minutes, stirring until the gravy is the consistency of heavy cream. Pour the spirited sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. Makes six servings.

CORIANDER CHEESE STRAWS

• 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 8 tablespoons 1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
• 3 cups finely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 to 8 tablespoons buttermilk or whole milk
• Lightly beaten egg white

Coarsely crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle or whirl in a coffee grinder for a few seconds. Then, scatter the seeds in a small heavy skillet and set on low and heat, stirring for 4 or 5 minutes, just until the seeds are warm and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Cut the butter into inch-size pieces and combine in a large bowl with the cheese. Mix until well blended.

Sift into the bowl the flour, salt and cayenne, and stir in about half of the coriander seeds. Using fingers or two knives, cut in the flour with the cheese and butter until the mixture resembles tiny peas or very coarse cornmeal.

Sprinkle the milk over the flour mixture a tablespoon at a time, using a fork to lift up the dough so all portions are moistened. Quickly form the dough into a ball, squeezing firmly to make it hold a shape.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a flat-side cookie sheet and set aside. Scatter the work surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough into 4 pieces.

Roll out 1 piece of dough at a time into about a 5 by 10-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/2 -inch wide strips.

Twist the strips like a candy stick and place on the baking sheets, at least an inch apart. Brush the tops lightly with the egg white, and sprinkle lightly with the remaining seeds.

Set the pan on the lower shelf of the hot oven and bake the cheese straws 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning over with a metal spatula at least once.

Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Let cool a few minutes, and then remove the straws from the pan with a thin metal spatula.

Roll out and bake the remaining dough in the same way. If not serving immediately, reheat in a hot 350-degree oven for a few minutes before serving.

Makes about four dozen straws.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL WITH ARUGULA OR WATERCRESS

• 2 cups arugula or watercress
• 2 large red or yellow bell peppers (or 1 of each)
• Boiling water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 small dice null pepper, such as jalapeño or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 11/2 lb. shrimp, shelled and null
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil
• 2 or 3 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 tsp. dried dill, finely crumbled
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• Black pepper, if desired
• Lemon wedges

Rinse the arugula or watercress, drain and pat dry. Wrap the greens in a towel and chill until ready to serve. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, remove the core, and cut into thin strips. Rinse the peppers well and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Stir in the salt, null pepper or red pepper flakes. Drop in the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are tender, stirring a time or two with a large spoon.

Using a strainer or large slotted spoon, immediately remove the shrimp from the water and set aside, saving the cooking water.

Bring the cooking water to a boil again. Stir the bell pepper strips into the water and cook for about 2 minutes.

Immediately pour the peppers into a strainer, flood with cold water and ice cubes and then drain well.

In a large bowl combine the shrimp, peppers, sliced onions and arugula or watercress.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, dill, mustard and black pepper in a small bowl, beating briskly with a fork. Pour about half of the salad dressing over the shrimp and vegetables. Cover the bowl and chill the shrimp and vegetables for about 1 hour, or longer if desired.

To serve, arrange the shrimp cocktail on a platter with lemon wedges and drizzle over a little more salad dressing, if desired.

Serves 6 or more as a first course.

BUTTERMILK GINGER CAKE

This light but aromatic cake is fragrant with nutmeg and fresh ginger. A dab of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit or berry sauce turns it into a delight.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground or grated nutmeg
• 3 inch-size piece fresh ginger, to make 1/4 cup
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (3/4 cup), softened
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, about room temperature

Butter generously a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan, or 7-cup fluted pan, or an 8 1/2 by 21/2-inch springform pan. Dust the pan with flour and shake out excess flour.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg.

Peel the ginger and chop rather coarsely. Then add tablespoons of the sugar, and chop very finely with a large knife or pulverize in a coffee grinder or food processor.

Combine the ginger, remaining sugar, and softened butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Cream the mixture at medium-high or creaming speed until pale and fluffy, for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula two or three times.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat 30 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Reduce the mixer to low speed. Add the flour and spices, alternately with the buttermilk, mixing only for a few seconds until blended.

After the last addition, beat the batter on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed.

If the batter is a little thick, add a little more buttermilk and stir to mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread the top evenly with a spatula. Shake the pan gently to settle the batter.

Place the cake on the lower oven rack and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, place on a wire rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a metal spatula around the inside edge of the pan, invert the pan onto the rack, tap gently, and remove the pan.

Place the cake top side up on the rack and cool completely. If using a springform pan, unfasten the sides of the pan and remove.

Carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack. Run the tip of a metal spatula between the bottom of the pan and the cake. When loosen, lift off the bottom of the pan.

Place the cake top side up on the wire rack and cool completely. Serve with Caribbean Fresh Fruit Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Caribbean Fruit Sauce

• 2 mangoes or papayas to make about 3 cups diced fruit
• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, or a mix
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar or plain honey or to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons dark rum or brandy

If using whole fruits, rinse, drain, peel and cut into 1/2-inch size pieces. Discard pits. If using berries, rinse and remove stems.

Combine the lemon juice, sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the mixture thickens slightly, for about 3 minutes. Add the fruit, reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the vanilla extract and liqueur if desired, remove from heat and cool the sauce completely before serving with the cake.