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ByJessicaYadegaran ContraCostaTimes ToimagineThanksgiving at Tanya Holland's house, just take a look around her bustling West Oakland restaurant, Brown Sugar Kitchen, where Nina Sim- one coos from the speakers as plates of smoky mashed sweet potatoes and steam- ing, cheddar-and-green- onion biscuits share space with collard greens, oh-so- lightly sauteed in extra-vir- gin olive oil. These reimagined soul food dishes are at the soul of Holland's Thanksgiving, but so is the overall spirit of Brown Sugar Kitchen, a magical gathering place that on a typical Saturday can draw more than 400 customers — from truckers and stock traders to Cal- ifornia's governor — to its 50 seats. Regulars, includ- ing Taj Mahal and Oakland City Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney, proba- bly have shared a bottle of Holland's dynamite apple cider syrup. "The thing I love about Thanksgiving is that it's nondenominational, so it really ties to Brown Sugar Kitchen's motto that every- one is welcome," says Hol- land, putting down a nibble of her lighter-than-air corn- meal waffles to hug a regu- lar. "This is food that every- one can relate to. It's com- fort food." Now, everyone can dip into Holland's culi- nary secrets via her new cookbook, "Brown Sugar Kitchen: New-Style, Down- Home Recipes from Sweet West Oakland" (Chronicle Books, $29.95, 224 pages). The book showcases more than 80 recipes for re-creat- ing the restaurant's sellout favorites, from Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo and Fried Oyster Po' Boys to Smoked Pork Hash and Creole Gaz- pacho. The cookbook recipes that aren't on the menu at Brown Sugar Kitchen come from Holland's early days growing up in New Or- leans, her French culinary training at La Varenne and her years as a chef in Boston and New York City. Herbed Mushroom Spoon Bread, for instance, a fluffy, cornbread-souffle hybrid, is delightful as a side dish to Thanksgiving turkey or as a main course for guests wanting lighter fare. There's only so much Tofurky one can eat. "Yes, it's a really nice veg- etarian dish," Holland says. "I also like to do layered roasted vegetable gratin for my vegetarians. It looks really pretty with sweet po- tato." And it tastes even pret- tier. Holland has a way with sweet potatoes: Her mashed variety, a virtual food group of its own at Brown Sugar Kitchen, get its savory depth from 13 minutes in the restaurant's oak-and- applewood smoker. You can do it just as easily on an electric grill with some aromatic wood chips, Hol- land says. "You'd be amazed how easy the smoking process is and how much flavor it adds to such a simple dish," she says. Flavor is at the core of Holland's centerpiece tur- key. Although you won't find the dish in her cook- book or restaurant, she will share her secret to a juicy bird: "I love traditional roasted meats, so I've always brined my turkey," she says. "Brown sugar, bourbon, herbs, salt, maple syrup. That's my fa- vorite." Her sides change from year to year, from roasted Brussels sprouts to a shaved Brussels salad; buttermilk cornbread to those ched- dar biscuits studded with bacon and a variation of cranberry sauce — always starting with fresh cran- berries. "I usually like to simmer them down with orange zest, some juice, chopped apples and ginger," she says. But the true pièce de ré- sistance, and the star of the Thanksgiving dessert table, is Holland's Down- Home Sweet Potato Pie. A splash of orange juice tones down the filling's sweet- ness, while the crust is the perfect balance of chewy tenderness and flakiness. It is the only item on the Brown Sugar Kitchen des- sert menu that is served ev- ery day. And here's a new spin on Thanksgiving leftovers: Holland is always surprised by how many customers eat that pie for breakfast. Smokedmashed potatoes Serves6 2pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered 6tablespoons pure maple syrup 1/4 cup heavy cream 4tablespoon unsalted but- ter, melted, plus a thin slice of unsalted butter, at room temperature Pinch of cayenne pepper Kosher salt 1. Preheat oven to 425de- grees. In an ovenproof bak- ing dish, spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer. Add just enough water to come 1/4 inch up the sides of the potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil; bake until the potatoes are almost tender, about 45minutes. 2. Ignite an electric grill and set to 200degrees, or start a small fire in a charcoal grill. If using an electric grill, place hickory, mesquite or other aromatic wood chips in a piece of foil and punch holes in the foil with a fork. Set the foil package on top of the grill grates. (If using a charcoal grill, place the wood chips directly on the charcoal.) 3. Set the baking dish with the sweet potatoes on the grate. Cover grill, then al- low the sweet potatoes to smoke for 13minutes. 4. Using a food proces- sor, combine the sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cream, melted butter and cayenne; process until smooth. (Or mix it by hand in a large bowl, mashing until smooth.) If the sweet potatoes are too thick, stir in a little water. Taste and season with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl, then top with the room-temperature butter. Serve immediately. Simply sauteed collard greens Serves 6 4pounds collard greens, large stems removed 2tablespoons olive oil 1red onion, sliced 4garlic cloves, minced 1teaspoon red pepper flakes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Stack 5to 7collard greens at time, roll them like a cigar, then slice into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining greens. 2. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and garlic are so ened but not brown, about 3minutes. 3. Add sliced collards to the pan. Using tongs, toss the collards with the oil and onions, cooking just until the collards are bright green, about 2minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately. (To make ahead, refriger- ate in an airtight container for up to 3days. Reheat in a small saucepan with a small amount of water over medium heat.). Herbed mushroom spoon bread Serves 6 4tablespoons unsalted but- ter, plus more for the pan, divided 3shallots, minced 1pound button mushrooms, sliced 1teaspoon fresh thyme Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 3cups whole milk 1cup cornmeal 2ounces cheddar cheese, grated 4eggs, separated 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 11/2-quart baking or souffle dish. In a saute pan, melt 2table- spoons butter over medium heat. Add shallots; cook until so ened, stirring oc- casionally, about 3minutes. Add mushrooms and thyme, then season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring oc- casionally, until the mush- rooms are cooked and any liquid has evaporated, about 8minutes. Remove from heat. 2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edges. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal; reduce heat to low and cook, whisk- ing constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the remaining 2tablespoons butter and the cheese. Add egg yolks, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addi- tion. 3. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form — the tips of the peaks should curl down slightly when the beaters are li ed. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until the spoon bread is puffed and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Serve immediately. HOLIDAYS Tanya Holland's down-home Thanksgiving DAN HONDA-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP Sweet potatoes from the kitchen at Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland. DAN HONDA-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP Tanya Holland shares a laugh at Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland. By David Pitt The Associated Press DES MOINES, IOWA Agro- chemicals giant Syngenta is facing a growing number of lawsuits challenging its re- lease of a genetically mod- ified corn seed that China had not approved for im- port, with losses to farm- ers estimated to be at least $1 billion. More than 50 lawsuits have been filed in 11 ma- jor corn-growing states, in- cluding Illinois, Iowa, Mis- souri and Nebraska with hundreds more being pre- pared. Some suits are from farmers represented by in- dividual attorneys, others are class-action lawsuits representing hundreds more. A federal court panel that manages complex lawsuits involving large numbers of plaintiffs has scheduled a Dec. 4 hearing in Charles- ton, South Carolina, to de- cide where to consolidate the cases. It's likely to be in Iowa or Illinois, accord- ing to Rick Paul, an attor- ney representing 13 farm- ers who filed suit in federal court in Iowa. The legal dispute cen- ters around Syngenta's sale of a hybrid corn seed called Agrisure Viptera, which was genetically al- tered to contain a pro- tein that kills corn-eating bugs such as earworms and cutworms. The U.S. Department of Agricul- ture approved it in 2010, and Syngenta first sold it to farmers in 2011. It has been industry practice for biotech seed developers to wait until major trade partners have approved new products be- fore selling it widely, Paul said. 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