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More recipes for down-home barbecue sides

By JEAN PRESCOTT
jtprescott@sunherald.com

At the risk of raising some eyebrows, this foodie isn't overly fond of barbecue. Oh, we like the tenderness of the meat, even the flavor of some dry rubs, but we steer clear of meat - chicken, pork, beef, even game - floating in sauce and peppered to a fare-thee-well.

We gravitate instead to side dishes and desserts, and David Gelin's "BBQ Joints... " book has those to spare, though we decided to skip the pig's-sandwiches. Woody's prize-winning Barbecued Rice sounds like a keeper. The desserts, below? Well, we don't trust anyone who doesn't like sweet potato pie.

WOODY'S BARBECUED RICE

This won the grand prize at the Riceland Rice Cook-Off in Arkansas.

2 cups rice, uncooked

4 cups chicken broth

1 clove garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) tomatoes and green chilis

8 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons barbecue dry rub (preferably Woody's)

Combine ingredients in an aluminum drip pan and seal tightly with foil. Place on center rack and cook at 350 degrees until rice is done and liquid is absorbed (about 40 minutes). All ingredients may be mixed together and cooked in a rice cooker or on the stovetop over medium heat. Fluff and let set 5 minutes before serving.

SWEET POTATO PIE

This is from Smokehouse Bob's, 1100 N 11th St., Muskogee, Okla., 918-687-0275.

2 cups sugar

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (about 4 large)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons allspice

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon flavoring

1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

2 cups evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash sweet potatoes, mix all ingredients together well, and pour into a prepared pie crust. Bake 1 hour.

ELVIS' POUND CAKE

John Strickland, who offered David Gelin this recipe, said it was developed by Elvis' next-door neighbor in Tupelo. "I got the recipe from her at a food show in Houston," says Strickland. "It was later published in the Houston Chronicle. She said she would send one of these cakes to Graceland about every month."

3 sticks butter

3 cups sugar

8 ounces heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons vanilla extract (use the real stuff, no imitation)

1 teaspoon lemon extract

3 cups flour (Swan's Down cake flour)

8 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together butter, sugar and whipping cream. Add vanilla and lemon extracts. Add the flour, eggs and salt. Beat this batter for 10 minutes or more, until the batter seems to lighten in color. What is happening is the incorporation of air changes the color. Bake for 1-1/2 hours.

Note: The recipe doesn't specify a pan, let alone its size, but we'd go for a Bundt or tube pan or maybe a couple of loaf pans, and we'd butter and flour them, just to be on the safe side. Don't overfill; maybe 3/4 full, either pan.