Cooking great way to clear Black's mind - Philadelphia Neshoba Democrat

By JOHN LEE

For Cenika Black Sr., cooking is a great way to relieve stress and clear his head.

“People have things they do to clear their mind and cooking is that thing for me,” Black said.  

Black, a Neshoba County native, is a full-time carpenter and runs his own business called Black’s Carpentry. He lives in with his wife Jessica and three children, Centarain, Taren, and Cenika Jr., with a fourth child on the way.

Black said he began cooking when he was around eight years old and learned directly from his grandmother, Willie Pearl Black.

“My grandmother raised me, and she cooked every day, Monday through Sunday,” Black said. “She would have me in the kitchen with her and I took notes. She cooked soul food every day: two vegetables and meat. She’d make black-eyed peas, butter beans, field peas, greens, and would always switch the meat up and have things like fried chicken, ham hog, pig’s feet, meatloaf, and more.”

Black said his grandmother would also make big pot of cornbread and would freeze some of it and bring it back out later in the year for Thanksgiving and Christmas and make some great dressing with it.

He said his favorite things to cook are ribeye steaks and ribs.

“I love cooking things on the grill and following in my grandmother’s footsteps with vegetable dishes,” he said. “I was raised with that, and I can’t go without it.”

Black said he also has a sweet tooth and enjoys making things like tea cakes and pound cakes.

“My aunt used to make tea cakes all the time and I would help her with the ingredients and help her whip it up,” Black said. “I fell in love with tea cakes after that. I’m also a fan of making pound cake. I don’t eat chocolate and I’m not a fan of icing, so pound cake is ideal for me.”

Black noted that he plans on passing on his cooking skills to his kids.

TEA CAKES

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar for around five minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the creamed mixture (dough should be soft).

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls two inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for around eight minutes until the edges are golden brown. Place on racks to cool.

 RACK OF RIBS

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

2 racks of baby back ribs

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 cup barbecue sauce

Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl and rub the mixture on both sides of the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. In a roasting pan, combine the chicken broth and vinegar. Add the ribs to the pan. Cover with foil and tightly seal. Bake for two hours.

Remove the ribs from the pan and place them on a platter. Pour the liquid from the pan into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Add the barbecue sauce.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high. Put the ribs on the grill and cook for around five minutes on each side until browned and slightly charred. Cut the ribs between the bones and toss them in a large bowl with the sauce. 

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http://neshobademocrat.com/stories/cooking-great-way-to-clear-blacks-mind,58846

2022-10-05 21:18:24Z
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