et Sall e Pok s cipe e Re ok ast P P fs om Of Fr ok- Co FRIED POKE

Look it then cut up and wash. Let drain. Put salt and corn meal in mixing bowl. Work in real good. Fry in hot oil or pure lard until brown.

Sibyl Forrester

SPICY POKE BREAD

3 cups sugar 1 teaspoon allspice 1 cup cooking oil 1 cup chopped walnuts 3 eggs (beaten) 2 cups cooked pureed pole stalks 3 ½ cups plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine sugar, oil, and eggs. Mix well. Add poke stalks. Sift together all dry ingredients and add gradually to poke mixture. Beat thor- oughly, blend in nuts. Pour into 2 large (spray with cooking spray before filling) loaf pans. Bake 1 hour in preheated oven. May glaze with powder sugar, water and vanilla glaze. Nancy Mills POKE QUICHE

4 eggs 1 small onion 2 cups milk 4 strips of bacon 1 cup baking mix (bisquick) ½ cup cooked poke ; water squeezed out 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon, onion (till onions clear and bacon done). Break bacon into small pieces. Blend 1st four ingredients into mixing bowl. Stir in bacon onion and poke. Pour into 9” deep pie pan, sprayed with cooking spray (glass is best). Let stand 10 minutes. Place in preheated oven. Bake 40-50 minutes or till center sets. Let stand for 5 minutes. Lorene Griffith Poke Sallet Squares

½ cup cooked poke Sallet 1 cup cooked rice ¼ cup sliced green onions 1 cup (4oz) shredded Swiss cheese 1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon dried basil 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano ¼ cup breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon margarine melted

Drain poke well, pressing between layer of paper towels, chop. Combine poke and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. Combine mushroom soup and next 5 ingredients; add to poke mixture, stirring well. Spoon into a lightly greased baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter, sprinkle over poke mixture. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heat- ed. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares; serve immediately.

Poke Sallet Cornbread

½ cup cooked poke Sallet 1 (6oz) package Mexican cornbread mix ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup margarine, melted ¾ cup cottage cheese 1 cup chopped onion 4 eggs lightly beaten

Drain poke well, pressing between layers paper towels, chop. Place poke in a bowl; add cornbread mix and remaining ingredients, stirring until blended. Pour into a lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately. Crustless Cheese Poke Pie

2 cups small cottage cheese 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 4 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons butter melted 4 oz can chopped green chilies 2 tablespoons chopped ripe olives ½ cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt chopped tomatoes additional olives

Combine first 7 ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cheese. Mix well. Transfer to greased 9” pan. (pie plate) Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Bake 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and olives. Yield: 6-8 servings. Poke Mania

2 ½ cups milk ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup chopped onion 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup mozzarella cheese 3 cups cooked poke, squeezed dry ½ teaspoon dry mustard 1 tablespoon butter 3 tablespoons melted butter 2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)

Preheat oven to 350°. Over low heat combine milk mustard and garlic. Bring to boil then simmer 2 minutes. In skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat sauté onion till brown, stir into milk. In skillet cook 3 tablespoons butter with flour. Cook over medium-low heat till thick, stir into milk. To milk mixture add cheddar and mozzarella cheese (Keep out 1 cup for topping). Stir to mix and till thick sauce. Stir in poke. Pour into sprayed casserole pan. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in 350° oven for 10 minutes or till heated through. Sausage and Poke Balls

1 lb sausage ½ lb (2 cups) cheddar cheese, shredded ½ cu Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 3 cups bisquick ¼ cup onions ½ cup cooked, squeezed, chopped poke

Combine all ingredients. Roll into balls. Bake in 350° oven for 15-20 minutes.

Twice Baked Poke Cheese Pinwheels

1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded 1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese ½ pkg. (4oz) feta cheese, crumbled ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon parsley ½ cup poke 2 pkg. crescent rolls

Mix all ingredients well. On cutting board spread out crescent roll dough. Seal- ing seams. Spread cheese filling on dough. Roll up in pinwheel style. Bake on 400° for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, cool. Slice, return to oven, bake 10 more minutes till browned, crisp. POKE AND CHICKEN BISQUE

1 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast, approx. 1 lb. 4 cups water ¼ cup chopped bell pepper ¼ cup chopped onion 2 cups cooked poke Sallet, chopped and drained 1 can whole kernel corn, drained 1 can tomatoes with green chilies, don’t drain 1 can cream of chicken soup ½ soup can of milk Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Chop cooked chicken into bite size pieces. Combine all ingredients except cream of chicken soup and milk. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for a few minutes. Add soup and milk last to keep bisque from scorching. This is very good served with crunchy cornbread sticks.

Lucy Helton POKE FRITTATA

2 cups cooked poke – drained 1 cup baking mix ½ cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove, minced ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper ½ cup grated parmesan or cheddar cheese ½ cup vegetable oil ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning 4 eggs, beaten

Combine poke, baking mix, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, vegeta- ble oil and eggs in bowl and mix well. Pour into buttered 9” X 13” baking dish. Bake at 350˚ for 25 minutes or until brown. Cut in 1” squares.

Jenny Jones POKE SALLET CAKE

1 cup poke Sallet (blanched & finely chopped) 2 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring 2 cups plain flour 2 large eggs ½ cup buttermilk ½ cup margarine 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients. Then fold in Poke Sallet (well drained). Bake at 350˚ for 35 minutes or tooth pick test- ed. Glaze for Cake: Mix 1 ½ cup brown sugar, 1 stick butter, ½ cup cream & 1 teaspoon vanilla. Boil 5 minutes. Then stir in 1 cup powdered sugar with wire whip till mixed good.

Lois Manning

POKE SALLET CRACKLIN BREAD

2 cups self-rising corn meal 1 large egg 1 cup or a little more buttermilk ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon margarine 4 slices bacon crisp and crumbled ½ cup Poke Sallet blanched and cut fine

Combine all ingredients, except poke Sallet and bacon. Stir batter 5 minutes with wire whisk. Then put in Poke Sallet and bacon. Heat oven to 450˚. Bake in very Hot Iron skillet, greased and floured.

Lois Manning POKE QUICHE

1 9” pie crust Bake at 375˚ until lightly browned

Mix together ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside. Lightly brown ½ lb crumbled sausage and ¼ cup chopped onion. Drain. Spread on pie crust. Sprinkle cooked, drained and chopped poke over sausage. Beat 4 large eggs and ½ cup cream together. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pep- per. Add floured cheese to egg mixture. Pour over sausage/poke mixture. Bake at 375˚ for about 30 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean. Jeanette McDaniels DEEP DISH POKE PIE

4 wheat tortilla shells 1 can pinto beans, mashed ½ cup chopped onion 16 oz. cooked poke, drained and chopped 8 oz. salsa 11 oz. Pepper & Onion relish or 16 oz. salsa 16 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Overlap two tortilla shells in deep casserole dish. Spread ½ of mashed pinto beans on shells. Layer ½ salsa, ½ poke, ½ onion and ½ cheese. Repeat second time. Bake at 350˚ for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Jeanette McDaniels POKE DIP

10 oz. Poke (cooked and drained) 1 pkg. Knorr soup mix 1 ½ cup sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise 1 pkg. shredded monetary jack cheese 5 green onions Salt, pepper, onion powder to taste 1 loaf Hawaiian round bread

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, soup mix, poke and green onions (chopped) in mixing bowl. Add enough shredded monetary jack cheese for thickness. Add salt, pepper and onion powder to taste. Hollow out the bread and fill with dip. Use the extra bread to place around the bowl for dipping. Jennifer McDaniels POKE PIZZA

2 cans crescent rolls 1/3 cup shredded carrots 1/3 cup fresh mushrooms 1/3 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese 16 oz. poke (cooked and drained) 2 pkgs. (8 oz.) of cream cheese 1 pkg. ranch dressing mix ¼ cup bacon bits Salt, pepper and onion powder to taste

Roll out crescent rolls onto a pizza pan. Spread with cream cheese mixture (cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, bacon bits and salt, pepper and onion powder). Sprinkle poke, carrots, mushrooms and cheese. Jennifer McDaniels

A POKE SALLET BREAKFAST Lois Manning

1 cup cooked poke Sallet 2 tablespoons red sweet pepper chopped 2 tablespoons onion chopped 6 slice bacon fried crisp & crumbled 6 eggs, scrambled 1 roll crescent rolls

Cook poke till tender, chop fine with onions and pepper. Fry in 1 tablespoon oil. Beat egg with salt and pepper, till white and yolk are mixed. Fry in 1 tablespoon oil till just set. Add rest of ingredients. Roll out crescent rolls and pinch seams together to make a flat sheet. Cut long side 1 inch apart. Fill center with poke Sallet mixture and lap each strip over to make a braid. HAM & POKE PINWHEELS Jan Stringer

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix 1 small can chopped black olives 1 small can chopped green chilies 1 tablespoon chopped pimientos 1 cup cooked poke (squeezed dry) 10 slices ham (sliced thin) 10 large flour tortillas

LEMON- POKE LOAF Nancy Mills

Cook enough poke so that you will have 1 1/3 cup chopped, cooled, chopped poke for recipe. Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease and flour (or spray with cooking spray) a 9” X 5” baking pan. Sift together and set aside.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ginger

In a medium-sized bowl beat 2 eggs. Beat into eggs, in this order: 1 cup sugar, ½ cup canola oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir into egg mixture, in this order: Zest of 1 lemon, cut into thin strips (If you remove the zest of the lemon with a tool called a lemon zester, the thin yellow peel will be in the size of strips needed, be sure to cut only the bright yellow part of peel, the lighter part will cause it to be POKE SALLET PORKY PINES Lois Manning

1 box corm muffin mix 1 large egg 1/3 cup milk (can use ½ butter milk & ½ sweet milk) 1 cup poke Sallet 1 tablespoon chopped onion 6 slices bacon fried & crumbled

Par boil poke 20 minutes. Rinse in cold water. Chop poke and onion real fine and cook in 1 tablespoon oil for a few minutes. Cool and add to corn muffin mix. Bake at 350° till brown. “A Real Mountain Supper”: Good with pinto beans, poke Sallet and mustard greens cooked together and salt bacon fried crisp. Poke Sallet Bake

¼ cup vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cups chopped poke 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 3 eggs well beaten salt & pepper to taste 1 cup biscuit mix

Combine oil, poke, eggs, cheese, salt & pepper. Stir in biscuit mix. Pour into greased 1 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

Pam Holcomb Poke Sallet Brownies

1 cup flour, all purpose ½ cup chopped onions 1 teaspoon salt 14 ½ oz. can poke Sallet 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 stick butter, melted 1 cup milk 1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in bowl. Beat eggs then combine with milk, chopped onions, well-drained poke Sallet. Add to bowl with flour, salt and baking powder. Stir in melted butter and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix well. Pour into 9” X 13” pan and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Cut into larger squares if using as main dish. Marilyn Kirking

Poke & Gourmet Chicken Salad

Boneless skinless chicken breast Mayonnaise Sweet pickle relish Apples Celery Seedless grapes Phyllo cups Poke

Cook 4-5 chicken breast. Shred. Add mayonnaise to desired consistency. Add a small amount of sweet pickle relish, chopped celery, diced apples and grapes. Add cooked shredded poke. Spoon tiny amounts into phyllo cups. Walnuts are extremely good as well, but due to food allergies you may not want to use them.

Joy Harris Deviled Eggs With Poke

1 dozen eggs (boiled) 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon mustard 3 tablespoons pickle relish 4 leaves of (cooked & chopped fine) poke salt & pepper to taste Pinch of garlic powder

Mix & fill whites. Jean Ransdell

Poke Sallet Tarts

TART SHELLS:

½ cup butter 3 oz cream cheese 1 cup all purpose flour

Mix butter, cream cheese and flour together; mix well. Put in greased tart pans and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or until light brown.

FILLING:

½ lb. bacon 1 teaspoon onion 1 teaspoon green, red or yellow pepper 1 cup cooked poke Sallet 6 eggs

Fry bacon real crisp and crumbly. Chop onion real fine. Chop green pepper real fine. Cook poke Sallet . Cool and chop. In a electric skillet scramble eggs till almost done; add top ingredients and fill cups. This filling is great with corn bread or biscuits.

Lois Manning “Hot” And Sweet Poke Spread

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon mined onion 1 tablespoon dried crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon minced cilantro ½ teaspoon seasoned salt 1 cup cooked poke, drained 1 small jar hot pepper jelly

Blend cream cheese until smooth. Add onion, crushed red pepper, cilantro and seasoned salt. Mix well. Squeeze all water from poke and chop fine. Add to cream cheese mixture and blend. Refrigerate until firm. Spread onto serving plat- ter and form into shape of leaf using knife to make leaf indentations. Spoon red pepper jelly over top. Serve with crackers.

Janice Stinger Poke Taken from “Garden Lore” By: Nevyle Shackelford

In the opinion of wild greens enthusiasts, poke which also goes by the name Phytolacca decandra is a potherb without peer. In early spring the tender shoots are gathered from the wild gardens of the land, cooked like asparagus or rolled in meal and fried like okra. This makes a dish that for many gourmets is delicious, nutritious, and fit for a potentate — especially so when served up with rashers of country-cured bacon, cornbread, onions, and sassafras tea. A spoonful of good apple cider vinegar also enhances the taste.

Besides being good to eat, poke has long been regarded as good medicine. For generations, sliced poke root soaked in whisky has been used in the treatment of rheu- matism and arthritis. The ripe berries, by the way, steeped in whisky will be just as effective. Old herbals list these prescriptions, when taken in doses of “two sips a day,” as being beneficial as a “cathartic, alternative, and blood purifier.”

According to an old 19th century home doctor book, very few, if any, alternatives (drug that gradually change a morbid state of health into one of well being) have superior powers to poke if properly gathered and prepared for medicinal use. Adding to these medicinal virtues, some old home remedy books also state that a brew made from boiling poke root in water is a quick and certain cure for itch.

A native plant common to dry fields, hillsides, and roadsides through out the United States, poke has a large perennial root, fleshy, fibrous, and sometimes exceeding a man’s arm in diameter. The stems are annual, pithy, and often grow from 5 to 10 feet in height. The flowers are small, greenish-white in color, and in the fall, mature into long clusters of attractive dark-purple berries that provide excellent food for several species of birds. The berries can be fermented into a wine also said to be “good medicine.”

Modern chemists say that in chemical composition, poke is very peculiar. Among other things, it contains an alkaloid, a little formic acid, a bit of potassium, and some saponin which causes a lather some-what like soap. The roots and seeds are poisonous, but not the tender, light-green shoots that spear up from the roots in early spring and which, when cooked, tastes somewhat like spinach.

Over the years considerable fun has been poked at poke and the poke lover, but these jokesters couldn’t know what they were missing. Since poke becomes edible at a time when, in the old days, fresh fruits and vegetables were virtually nonexistent, this plant In these olden times, as one whimsical story goes, it was necessary to have officers known as “poke wardens.” It was the duty of these officials to protect and save this good weed from extermination. Patrolling the countryside, they prevented avid poke eaters from jumping the gun and forcing premature and unseasonable growth by pouring boiling water around it roots.

This method of garnering an early mess of greens not only deprived law-abiding poke lovers of their just share, but also weakened the roots and kept them from producing bountifully come another spring.

But actually poke is no joke and is now much more than a plebian food only by back country folk. Poke lovers are in greater number than every before and the validity of this statement is attested by the fact that the plant is now grown commercially in several southern states. No longer do connoisseurs of this wild weed have to comb the outdoors for it when spring comes by. It can be purchased in cans in most well- stocked food markets.

POKE RECIPES

First wash poke real good and peel. Chop it up into small pieces. Place it in a kele with enough water to cover the sallet. Let it parally boil for half an hour.

Meanme, fry some salt bacon unl it is crisp. Remove from the skillet aer the sallet is cooked for half an hour. Drain off the water and rinse. Put it in the skillet used to fry the salt bacon, leaving some of the grease in the skillet.

Crumble the bacon into the poke sallet. Take two eggs and break them into the sallet. Salt and pepper them. Sr unl the eggs are completely cooked.

Serving suggeson: serve with corn bread, green onion and buermilk.

PIG IN THE POKE Place slices of country ham, fried. Place ham on a large plaer and surround it with well cooked and seasoned poke. Then, garnish it with sliced‐hard boiled eggs.

POKE n’ EGGS

Boil poke unl tender. Place it in a skillet with about on tablespoon of bacon fat. Beat six eggs well, add to poke and scramble unl eggs are cooked. Add salt. Serve hot.

POKE SALAD SPECIAL

Cut two slices of bacon into small pieces. Fry unl crisp and pour off part of the drippings. Complied By: Harlan County Extension Office 519 South Main Street Harlan KY 40831 573-4464 [email protected] http://harlan.ca.uky.edu

Theresa G Howard County Extension Agent For Family & Consumer Sciences June 2011