Bro. Curt enjoys cooking for church
The Rev. Curt Pace has a passion for cooking, which he demonstrated last week during Vacation Bible School (VBS) at New Bethel Baptist Church where he has served for 23 years.
He prepared a variety of lunches for the kids, including spaghetti and meatballs, grilled cheese with tomato soup, corndogs, macaroni and cheese, and more.
In the evenings, he served dishes featuring fresh produce from his garden for the youth and adults, such as okra patties, stewed squash and onions, and fresh snap beans with cornbread.
Originally from Collinsville, Pace was called to New Bethel in 2001 while was still a student at New Orleans Baptist Seminary.
“I love preparing meals and feeding people,” he said. “In the four gospels, there are ten different times where we see Jesus feeding people. From His first miracle at Cana to feeding the 5,000 with fish and loaves to the Last Supper. I think feeding people is a Jesus thing.”
Pace enjoys cooking for large groups at church, especially for Wednesday night meals and VBS. He also cherishes taking turns making Sunday lunch at his late grandmother Dorothy Nell Pace’s old house, a longstanding tradition where about 25 family members gather each week.
For Father’s Day lunch on Sunday, he smoked ribs and pork loins served with corn on the cob for his family after church.
“I’m learning how to use the smoker and have really enjoyed smoking a brisket once or twice a year,” Pace said. “It takes 12 hours and is a process to do it, but it’s a process of love.”
Pace doesn’t rely on recipes, often cooking Thanksgiving and Christmas dressing from memory, a tradition passed down from his great-aunt, the late Dorothy Jean Pace and his great-grandmother, the late Gladys Pace.
“I cook by memory and by taste and touch,” he said. “The fewer ingredients and simpler the process, the better.”
Pace said his best dish, besides his dressing, is meatloaf, which can feed 50 or 60 people during Wednesday night meals at the church.
His kitchen essentials include a good, sharp knife, a cutting board, and his grandmother’s old dressing pan. His advice to fellow cooks is to just cook, have confidence, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
“I enjoy watching people eat,” he said. “I grow a big garden with snap beans, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, several kinds of squash, and sweet corn.”
In early spring, Pace grows turnip greens, kale, mustard greens, and collard greens.
He also enjoys bringing two five-gallon buckets of either collard or turnip greens to the church’s commercial kitchen to cook with chicken drumsticks and thighs, which the congregation takes to the older folks in the community, along with cornbread.
“They love it,” Pace said. “That is food as love.”
DRESSING
1 turkey (cooked, broth saved)
1 fat quartered hen (cooked, broth saved)
4 pans of cornbread
1 pan of biscuits (from scratch)
2 bunches of green onions (chopped)
1 bunch of celery (chopped)
1 stick of butter
Black pepper (to taste)
Salt (if needed, depending on the saltiness of the broth)
1 pinch of poultry seasoning
8 large eggs
Preparation (Day Before): Cook the turkey and save the broth. Cook the hen and save the broth. Cook four pans of cornbread. Cook a pan of biscuits from scratch.
Chop up two bunches of green onions and one bunch of celery. In a pan, cook the onions and celery slowly with a stick of butter until they are softened.
Crumble the cornbread and biscuits into a large bowl. Add the turkey broth (including any chunks) to the crumbled bread mixture. Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring continuously, until the mixture reaches the consistency of thick chili. Be careful not to add too much broth. Add the cooked onions and celery to the mixture and stir well.
Taste the mixture and add pepper to taste (typically about five tastes to get it right, plus an additional four shakes). Add one pinch of poultry seasoning. Add eight large eggs directly into the mixture and stir thoroughly to ensure there are no lumps.
Spray a large pan with non-stick spray (e.g., Pam). Pour the dressing mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dressing is set and doesn’t jiggle much. Let the dressing cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
SNAP BEANS
4-5 small pork chops
1 onion, quartered
2 quarts of fresh snapped green beans
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet of powdered ranch seasoning
Water (enough to cover the ingredients)
Add the pork chops and quartered onion to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Add the fresh snapped green beans on top. Sprinkle in the salt and powdered ranch seasoning. Cover the ingredients with water. Use the “soup” setting on the Instant Pot for 35 minutes.
Note: This recipe can also be made in a regular stock pot on the stove. Double the cooking time or cook until the vegetables are tender.
FAMOUS GREENS
4-5 chicken drumsticks or thighs
1 onion, quartered
Turnip, kale, or collard greens (enough to fill the pot)
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vinegar (balsamic or apple cider work best)
2 tablespoons sugar
Water (enough to cover the ingredients)
Add the chicken drumsticks or thighs and quartered onion to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Fill the pot with the greens of your choice, pressing them down hard. Add the salt, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and sugar. Cover the ingredients with water. Use the “soup” setting on the Instant Pot for 35 minutes. If using collard greens, run two cycles.
Note: This recipe can also be made in a regular stock pot on the stove. Double the cooking time or cook until the vegetables are tender.