Basic to Brilliant, Y'all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company by Virginia Willis

  • Chicken stock

    from Basic to Brilliant, Y'all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company Basic to Brilliant, Y'all by Virginia Willis

    • Categories: Stocks; Cooking ahead; American South
    • Ingredients: chicken wings; celery; Vidalia onions; carrots; bay leaves; parsley; thyme; black peppercorns
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Skillet-baked eggs with mushrooms and spinach

    • adrienneyoung on December 02, 2012

      This recipe is available online: see splendidtable.org.

  • Seafood jambalaya

    • sck on March 29, 2014

      Very good simple jambalaya! We used penzey's Cajun spice mix and uncle ben's rice and it came out beautifully.

  • Roasted lemon Cornish hens with thyme jus

    • adelina on February 23, 2021

      This was a simple but elegant dinner. I did roast longer to give it more color. It felt like it needed more seasoning. What i enjoyed more is the leftovers reheated in a cast iron skillet. The thyme juice was soaked with the meat and the direct heat from the skillet added and retained much more flavor whitewash not expected.

  • Peach Dijon-crusted pork tenderloin

    • Tinala523 on June 23, 2024

      I had a smaller loin and should have halved both the marinade and the sauce. It was delicious! Loved the contrast of sweet peach and Dijon - yum! I added scallion greens to the sauce for freshness.

    • nicolepellegrini on March 12, 2026

      I also made half the recipe for a single smaller pork tenderloin, halved the recipe and it worked great. Cooked in the oven at 425 since it's not exactly grilling season here. So simple and great flavor.

  • Sweet potato spoonbread

    • ellabee on September 22, 2017

      Compare "spoonbread of Bernie Lomax".

  • Sautéed Brussels sprouts with apples and bacon

    • nicolepellegrini on February 08, 2026

      The flavor was great, but I felt the texture was a bit...mushy. Next time I'll try the variation without blanching the sprouts but separating the leaves, I think I'd like it better with a more crunchy texture.

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Reviews about this book

  • Fine Cooking

    ...lets you easily elevate the dish to brilliant so that it suits a special occasion. Whichever route you choose, chances are you’ll return to these recipes time and again.

    Full review

  • Kitchn

    As a collector of Southern cookbooks (and cookbooks in general), it takes a lot to impress me...All in all, I'm a big fan of Basic to Brilliant, Y'all.

    Full review

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • Mushroom ragout

    • Dixie Caviar

      ...it was as delicious as you’d expect from a Virginia recipe. The creamy rice paired perfectly with the savory mushrooms. Who needs meat when a meal tastes this good!

      Full review

  • Savory rice gratin

    • Dixie Caviar

      ...it was as delicious as you’d expect from a Virginia recipe. The creamy rice paired perfectly with the savory mushrooms. Who needs meat when a meal tastes this good!

      Full review

  • Claire's dark chocolate cake

    • Fine Cooking

      This easy-to-make cake is super dark, moist, and not too sweet, and the silky bittersweet ganache is heavenly.

      Full review

  • Oven-roasted sweet potato and green bean salad

    • Fine Cooking

      Roasted sweet potatoes, red onions, and green beans, with a drizzle of honey and lemon, come together in a winning combination of flavors.

      Full review

  • Kale omelet

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      In the book, a kale omelet is baked in a hollowed out, big, round loaf of bread, and it makes a beautiful presentation. But, for a potluck brunch party, I thought individual omelets would be handy...

      Full review

  • Nathalie's Sally Lunn bread

  • Curried chicken wings with peach dipping sauce

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      Cutting the wings to form the lollipops did require some extra effort...However, it was absolutely worth it. They looked great...They tasted as good as they looked too.

      Full review

  • Shrimp rillettes

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      ...rich and decadent, and the wine and lemon zest added lovely flavor. This is an ideal item for a party since you’re required to make it in advance...Once it’s served though, it disappears quickly.

      Full review

  • Shrimp rillettes with fennel flatbread

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      The flatbreads were fragrant from the thyme and fennel seeds...those rillettes were rich and decadent, and the wine and lemon zest added lovely flavor. This is an ideal item for a party...

      Full review
  • ISBN 10 1607740095
  • ISBN 13 9781607740094
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 27 2011
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 288
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Ten Speed Press

Publishers Text

Virginia Willis’s legion of fans love her knack for giving classic French dishes a down-home Southern feel and reimagining homey Southern favorites en Français. In Basic to Brilliant, Y’all Virginia builds on her signature style, offering 150 soul-satisfying recipes and accompanying each with a new preparation technique, fresh presentation style, or creative recipe variation that transforms an already wonderful dish into an all-out show stopper.
 
In Virginia’s hands, a cozy Kale Omelet becomes sophisticated brunch fare when it’s baked in a sourdough boule; rich Gruyere Flans elevate a rustic red wine-infused Roasted Tomato Soup; and Spiced Skirt Steak with Shallot Marmalade is enhanced with just a few simple changes into a gorgeous roulade. Peach Dijon-Crusted Pork Tenderloin goes from elegant continental entrée to the pride of Dixie when it’s cradled between Chive Cornmeal Griddle Cakes, and a country dessert like Sweet Biscuits with Stewed Blackberries is kicked up a notch when served topped with Blackberry Fool.
 
Throughout Basic to Brilliant, Y’all, Virginia paints a vivid portrait of growing up in Louisiana and Georgia, spinning tales of close family and friends—and unforgettable food—interwoven with vignettes from her years living in and visiting France, drawing you in with vibrant accounts of cooking and eating at La Varenne in Burgundy.
 
Whether you choose the Basic or the Brilliant approach, this bounty of Southern flavors dressed up with time-honored French techniques delivers meals that will keep you and your kin coming back for more.

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