Enjoy Louisiana Culture: Love Those Eggplant Recipes

*** Fun article about Louisiana food culture. 3 eggplant recipes and 4 cooking videos to get you on your way to cooking this great vegetable! Funny veggie photos of eggplants "in the wild." :)

Immigrants Blend to Create Food Culture

With our Sicilian and Italian immigrant cultures over a century old now in Louisiana we still love eggplant dishes. Eggplant pasta can be found in the humble Italian eateries, eggplant appetizers stacked high at the most elegant restaurants from New Orleans to Lafayette, eggplant in home-made casseroles for that creamy texture, and, of course, warm eggplant dips for social gatherings like football parties, weddings, christenings and family reunions!


Sauteed Eggplant with Honey and Cheese





Eggplant Bad Rap: Bitterness and Seeds

Some people frown at eggplant as it is a nightshade plant like tomatoes. The key to using eggplant in any dish is to sweat down the raw slices with some salt in a colander over a bowl to catch the bitter juices as they scurry out of the vegetable. That bitterness is difficult to digest and is often the main complaint people have about the vegetable. Some people soak their eggplant in milk to draw out the bitterness as in a recipe below.

The other complaint is the seeds. If you make sure to cook, bake, fry or sauté it long enough the seeds soften into the “no-bother” stage. Eggplant tends to absorb oil when you sauté or fry it so take care to watch how much you use for any dish if you are watching your calories.

My father used to like to coat eggplant slices with batter and sauté it in a pan and it sure did soak up the oil, enough to make me run for the Highland hills. Tasted great but if you cannot handle much oil which is acidic on the stomach you might want to try another method like baking the eggplant.

Japanese Style Eggplant Salad - scroll down to photo credits for link to photographer's flickr page for ingredients list









Louisiana Men Are Great Cooks!

When it comes to eggplant I’m part of the lazy cook crowd and prefer to peel and dice up the eggplant, sweat out the bitterness for about 30 minutes, rinse it and then throw it together with some spices, cheese and whatever else grabs me, shove it in the oven, covered, and let it bake away until soft, succulent and wonderfully tasty!

Louisiana men LOVE to cook and especially for large gatherings. They are often heads of law firms, newscasters, founders of a local phone or natural gas company and they still choose to cook for anyone and everyone. They can also be what we call “country boys” who may have a construction, factory or refinery job, love to hunt and fish in their off hours and cook for their families and friends whenever someone drops by for a visit. They often get on their new tech cell phones and call around and invite just to have an excuse to cook. Men who love to cook; does it get any better than that?


Eggplant Nixon Humor





Cajun Cookbook and River Road Recipes

One local newscaster in Baton Rouge, an extremely popular man, was Cajun Vernon Roger (pronounced French way, not Anglicized). He’d do the news in this metro market and then slide on over to the cooking segment to assist the local chefs or do his own dishes. He was full of personality and showmanship. Most of all the man could really cook! So many viewers liked his cooking segments that he eventually self-published a spiral bound cookbook that was instantly a big hit, enjoying several printings for many years. Though he is gone and the original cookbook is out of print there is still a newer version of his cookbook available where they reduced the calories for more modern tastes.

You can order from Barnes and Noble: Roger’s Cajun Cookbook Lite. The Number is ISBN-13: 9780681480049 if you desire to look elsewhere and retails for about $27. You can occasionally find an autographed version in the used book section and they run about $75 each. The original cookbook is hard to come by unless you check out a used book fair and hope you get lucky.

Amazon.com has the original cookbook and the newer version with far more available well-priced copies than Barnes and Noble.

Also, a real sacred cow here in Louisiana is the beloved charity organization of the Junior League that published the nationally popular cookbook series: River Road Recipes. Most people love the first two cookbooks. This eggplant recipe is from River Road Recipes II: A Second Helping, originally published in 1976, which is available from Amazon too from $3 to $18.

Here are several recipes to enjoy and maybe think again of trying this versatile much maligned but tasty vegetable!

Eggplant Medallions with Crawfish Cream Sauce

From: Vernon Roger – Roger’s Cajun Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 eggplant peeled and sliced 1/4–inch thick

2 cups corn flour (fish-shrimp fry)

1 cup whipping cream

½ teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce/other hot sauce brand you like, this one is not as hot as Tabasco brand

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1 Tablespoon brandy

2 Tablespoons butter

½ onion, chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped green onions

1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 cup milk

Vegetable oil for frying like peanut oil that can take a high heat

1 cup crawfish tails (you could substitute shrimp or other seafood you like)

1 cup sliced mushrooms


Directions for frying eggplant: Soak eggplant in milk 7 minutes. Remove and discard milk. (This is where the bitter juice of the eggplant went, so you definitely want to discard this liquid.) Season corn flour with salt, red pepper, black pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Heat oil. Dip slices in corn flour. Fry in hot oil till golden brown. Remove, drain on paper towel and keep warm.

Directions for Sauce: Melt butter in skillet. Add chopped onion, mushrooms and sauté 3 – 4 minutes. Add whipping cream. Simmer on medium to high heat till cream reduces by half. Add salt, red pepper, black pepper, oregano and hot pepper. Simmer 1 minute. Add crawfish, green onions, and parsley. Simmer 1 minute. Add brandy and simmer 1 minute. Lay 1 slice eggplant on plate. Spoon sauce over eggplant. Repeat with as many slices as desired.

Eggplant Parmesan - demos the layering technique





Eggplant Frittata - she shows you how to peel, slice, wash it if you are unfamiliar with eggplant





Eggplant Yuck or Yum! Poll

Do you like to cook and/or eat eggplant?

68% Yes, often
23% Yes, occasionally - it is a nightshade plant after all...
5% No, are you kidding? Yuck to the highest power!
5% Maybe - never gave it much thought but willing to try it now


Grilled Eggplant





Eggplant Tomato Curry - Louisiana elected 1st Indian-American governor, parents: Dems, he: Republican






Eggplant Ground Meat Casserole

From: River Road Recipes II: A Second Helping, published by the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1976. Recipe donated by Mrs. Arthur Keller

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

4 large eggplants

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

4 pods garlic, chopped

3 medium slices baked ham, cut into small pieces

1 cup butter (2 sticks)/you can substitute another oil of your choice like canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil as this is a 1970’s recipe and the Junior League has updated it for modern tastes in successive cookbooks.

1 ½ pounds mixed ground beef and pork

6 to 8 slices stale bread

½ cup cream

1 cup milk

5 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Bread, cracker, or potato chip crumbs to top

Directions: Peel, dice and simmer eggplants in small amount of water until tender. Does not take long. (I like to sweat the eggplant first to remove bitterness, and then proceed to boiling.) Sauté together onion, celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic and ham in butter/other oil you prefer until soft. Add all meat and cook until done. Combine bread with cream, milk and beaten eggs. Add this mixture to cooked meat and vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Pour into ungreased but wet, not too deep, large casserole. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes. When done, sprinkle top with your choice of bread or cracker or crumbled potato chips crumbs. Allow 2 to 3 minutes to heat. Remove from oven and serve.


Eggplant Man Humor




Savory Eggplant Tomato Butter

From: Chef Michael Flores from San Antonio, Texas that he uses for wedding menus

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and finely chopped eggplant

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped plum tomatoes

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon oregano leaves, crushed

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Directions: In a medium saucepan, combine eggplant, onion, tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper. Cook over very low heat; stirring frequently, until eggplant is brown and tender, 10 to 15 minutes; cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine eggplant mixture with butter until blended.

Divide butter in half; place each half on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into logs, 1 inch in diameter; wrap securely.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Use within a week or freeze up to 3 months. Serve with grilled chicken and fish or toss with pasta, rice and vegetables.


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe! Have a great weekend!

Creole Seafood Mixed Grill from New Orleans Famed Commanders Palace

Photo by pink_fish13 @ flickr



From Denny: The restaurant owners, the Brennans, are practically a New Orleans institution themselves! They are well loved by the public as much as by those who have worked for them.



The Brennans trained Emeril Lagasse when he was just starting out. Emeril didn't know much, nothing about Cajun cuisine, and his previous employer was so jealous he landed somewhere good that he gave him an ugly "recommendation."



What did he say? He sneered that Emeril was good with the customers and chatted them up too much. Uh... folks, in New Orleans, and Louisiana in particular, that's exactly what a restaurant owner wants: a friendly chef! :)



Like the Brennans said, "Oh, I'm so glad to hear he has good people skills. The rest is easy; we can teach him how to cook Cajun and Creole. Thank you very much!" The rest is history. When Emeril went off to start his own restaurants the Brennans could not have been prouder of him than if he was their own son.



In Louisiana, we frequently do seafood at holiday seasons, like seafood gumbo on Thanksgiving along with the turkey and Christmas Eve along with a turkey or ham!



Creole Seafood Mixed Grill



From: Chef Tory McPhail at Commanders Palace, New Orleans, Louisiana



*** Great American Seafood Cookoff Winning Recipe, featured in Country Roads Magazine (without photos)



Ingredients:



1 lb. Sheepshead fillets, boneless and skinless

1 lb. 10–15 count head on shrimp, peeled and deveined with heads and tails left intact

½ lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shells

4 oz. champagne or white wine

1 tbsp hickory sea salt

Black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp bacon fat, warmed

1 shallot, minced

1 jalapeño, seeds discarded and minced

1 oz celery, minced

2 cups corn—use a variety if available

1 cup milk

1 cup tomato concasse, small dice

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, picked and chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

1 oz basil oil

½ cup mixed herbs, or herb sprouts for garnish (optional)



Directions:



Prepare a grill to medium heat and place a medium sauté pan on the stove over medium flame. Season the seafood on all sides and reserve. Next place vegetable oil and bacon fat in the sauté pan and swirl. Add shallots, jalapeño and celery and sauté for 1 minute. Add the corn and continue to sauté for 30 seconds. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Next place ¼ of the corn into a blender and purée for 20 seconds. Add the puréed corn back to the pan and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes or until corn is cooked through, and at sauce consistency. Finish with fresh tomatoes, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and reserve.



To cook the seafood, place the crabmeat and champagne in a small saucepot and place on the hottest part of the grill. Heat the crabmeat for 3-5 minutes before placing the sheepshead and shrimp on the grill around the pot. Cook the fish and shrimp for approximately 3 minutes per side, until cooked. Make sure the crabmeat comes to a simmer also and swirl to make sure it’s hot all the way through.



To finish, spoon the corn into the middle of 4 hot entrée plates. Place the sheepshead down next and add 2-3 shrimp to the top of that. Spoon the warm crabmeat over the shrimp and into the corn sauce. Drizzle remaining corn sauce around the plate and garnish with basil oil and fresh herbs.



*** Thanks for visiting and have a great Thanksgiving! :)

Video and Recipes: 3 Fabulous New Orleans Sweets

To take a look or purchase, go here.

From Denny: From a pastry chef's old email address to the title of a book comes Dam Good Sweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth! (And good news: Amazon books has marked it down, along with free shipping. Would make a lovely holiday gift for that special baker in your life.)

We love Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese icing around here (and at our house especially). Individual apple pies are a national favorite; see how easy it is to make your own. Now this Sweet Potato Tart sounds like a divine new twist on how to use sweet potatoes this holiday for more than just as a mashed side dish or casserole. Recipes follow the video, enjoy!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Fried apple pies

From: David Guas, pastry chef

Makes: 18 mini pies

INGREDIENTS

For the dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) vegetable shortening, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk

For the filling

• 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 5 firm, juicy apples (preferably Braeburn), peeled, cored, and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 vanilla bean, halved widthwise
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Peanut oil for frying
• Confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

To make the dough

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer (use a large bowl if mixing by hand). Add the melted shortening, eggs and milk. Using the paddle attachment, mix the dough on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, about 2 to 3 minutes, adding more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough seems very wet or sticky. (If mixing by hand, it will take about 5 minutes to knead the dough.) Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour (because the dough turns gray, it is best used within 6 hours of making; see "Make Ahead" on the facing page for freezing instructions).

To make the filling

Meanwhile, make the apple filling. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk 1/4 cup of the apple juice or cider with the cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apples, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl. Wrap one-half of the vanilla bean well in plastic wrap, and reserve for another use. Slice the remaining half lengthwise down the middle. Open the pod and use the knife to scrape out the seeds; discard the pod. Add the seeds to the apples and toss with the sugar and spices.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once melted, let the butter simmer for 20 seconds, then stir in the apples. Cook with a lid askew until the apples start to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of apple juice or cider and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the mixture is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet (or a large bowl) and cool to room temperature, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.

To make the piecrusts

Once the apples have chilled, make the piecrusts. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a small dish of water next to your work surface. Generously flour the work surface and roll one dough ball into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Use a 3 1/2- to 4-inch biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out rounds from the dough. Place the circles on the prepared baking sheet, cover with a sheet of parchment paper and place them in the refrigerator to keep cool. Set the dough scraps aside and reflour your work surface.

Repeat with the second piece of dough and refrigerate the stamped-out rounds. Press all of the scraps together, roll them into a 1/8-inch-thick circle, cut out rounds, and refrigerate. Discard the leftover scraps. (Discard the scraps after rolling the second time; the dough gets too tough to roll a third time.)

To assemble the pies

Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of cold apple filling in the center of each dough circle. Using your finger or a pastry brush, moisten the edge of the bottom half of the circle with water and fold the top half over, bringing the edges together and pressing them tightly to seal. Using firm pressure, crimp the edges of the dough using an upturned fork. Refrigerate the filled pies while you heat the oil. (The pies can be made up to 6 hours before frying.)

Line a plate with paper towels. Pour enough peanut oil into a large pot to fill it to a 3-inch depth and bring to a temperature of 375°F over high heat. Fry a few turnovers (you don't want to fry too many at one time, otherwise the temperature of the oil will drop and the turnovers will become greasy) until all sides are golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, turning them over often. Transfer to the prepared plate to drain while you fry the remaining turnovers. Serve warm or at room temperature with plenty of confectioners' sugar on top.

Make ahead

The apple filling can be made up to two days ahead, and the stamped-out dough circles can be frozen for up to six months. Freeze the dough circles flat on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet (if you need to stack the dough, separate the layers with parchment paper). Once frozen solid, transfer the circles to a resealable freezer bag. To use, return the circles to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover them with another sheet, defrost in your refrigerator overnight, and then fill. The filled and crimped pies can be refrigerated for up to six hours before frying.





To take a look or purchase, go here.



Red velvet cake

From: David Guas, pastry chef

Makes: one 9-inch cake

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (1-pound) box light brown sugar (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 3 tablespoons red food coloring
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

For the frosting

• 1 1/4 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (2-pound) bag confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

To make the cake

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with 1 tablespoon of butter each. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour to each pan and shake the pans to coat the bottom and sides. Tap out the excess flour and set the pans aside.

Sift the remaining 3 cups of flour with the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) cream the remaining butter with the brown sugar, food coloring, and vanilla on low to combine. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition and using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and add one-third of the dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk. Repeat, finishing with the final third of the dry mix. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans, spreading it out as evenly as possible.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the center of the cake resists slight pressure, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then run a paring knife around the edges of each pan to release the cake from the sides; invert the cakes onto the cooling rack. Cool for 1 hour, and then wrap each cake in plastic wrap for at least a few hours.

To make the frosting

Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add a few cups of the confectioners' sugar, incorporating it into the cream cheese mixture on low speed until combined. Repeat with the remaining sugar, adding it to the mixer in two additions. Once all of the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

To assemble the cake

Unwrap the cake layers. Slice off the rounded top 1/8 inch of each cake and place the trimmed-away portion in the bowl of a food processor. Slice each cake in half horizontally (you'll end up with 4 layers), working over a baking sheet to catch any crumb. Add the crumbs to the food processor and pulse until fine.

Place one cake layer on a cake round or large plate (make sure that the diameter of the plate is at least 1 inch larger than the cake). Use an offset spatula to evenly spread a heaping 3/4 cup of frosting on the first cake layer. Repeat with the remaining three cake layers, ending with a bottom half of a cake on top, browned-side up (so you don't get cake crumbs in the frosting). Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake (the sides don't have to look perfect — you're going to cover them with cake crumbs anyway). Gently press a handful of the reserved crumbs into the side of the cake until all of the sides are evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Make ahead

You can make the cake layers up to three days in advance. The filled and frosted cake keeps for up to three days in the refrigerator. Let it stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Variation: Red velvet cupcakes

Follow the recipe above, making a half-batch of the batter (unless you have two 12-cup muffin tins, in which case you can make a full-size batch) and decreasing the baking powder to 1 teaspoon. Bake until the cupcakes are domes and resist slight pressure, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting with a half batch of the cream cheese frosting.





Sweet potato tart tatin

From: David Guas, pastry chef

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 sheet all-butter store-bought puff pastry, thawed
• 3/4 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon for pastry
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (try to buy potatoes of relatively even width and few bulges), peeled, ends removed, and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Ice cream for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry sheet on your work surface and cut out a 10-inch circle. Set the circle onto the prepared baking sheet. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and refrigerate.

Place 3/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and cover with 1/4 cup of water. Gently stir with a spoon to make sure all of the sugar is wet (it should have the consistency of wet sand), place a cover on slightly askew, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Keep the mixture covered until the syrup is clear and producing syrupy-looking medium-size bubbles, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook until the sugar is a light butterscotch color and its temperature reaches 320 degrees F. Turn off the heat (the sugar will continue to cook in the pan even though the heat is off). Once the temperature reaches 350°F (this will take only a few minutes), whisk in the butter, 1/2 tablespoon (1 piece) at a time, waiting until each addition is completely incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla and the salt, and pour the caramel into a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Cover the caramel with the sliced potatoes, starting in the center and overlapping in a spiraling outward circle as you go. Top with the puff pastry circle. Beat the egg and the milk together and brush over the pastry, and then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake until the edges are deep amber and the pastry is puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a large plate (make sure the diameter of the plate is larger than 10 inches!). Slice into wedges and serve with or without ice cream.

TIPS

To make life easier, I use store-bought puff pastry. Try to source an all-butter kind, like Dufour, which gives the tart a rich flavor and tender texture.



To take a look or purchase, go here.

*** Thanks for visiting and come back often! :)

Videos and Recipes: New Orleans Chef Cooks for The Today Show

From Denny: New Orleans Chef John Besh, who is from New Orleans as well, cooks up a classic Chicken and Dumplings dish Louisiana style! His use of ricotta cheese in the dumplings must harken to the Italian and Sicilian immigrants that came to New Orleans more than a century ago, making quite an impression on the local cuisine. He's also employing classic French fresh herbs like chervil, thyme and sage. My mouth is watering already! :)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Chanterelles, chicken and dumplings

From: "My New Orleans: The Cookbook" by Chef John Besh

Serves: 4

Often, when I roast a few chickens, I'll save those delectable chicken oysters (the little nuggets of the chicken back that look like oysters), or I'll use the meat from roasted chicken legs for this dish. For cooked chicken, don't brine the chicken first, reduce the amount of stock to one cup, and follow the process from step two.

INGREDIENTS

The chicken

• 1/4 cup sugar
• Salt
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups basic chicken stock
• 1 cup fresh chanterelle mushrooms, halved lengthwise
• Leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Leaves from 1 sprig fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 cup shelled sweet peas or shucked, peeled fresh fava beans
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Freshly ground black pepper

Dumplings

• Salt
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1/3 cup flour
• Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh chervil

DIRECTIONS

1. For the uncooked chicken, dissolve the sugar and 1/4 cup salt together in 1 quart cold water in a medium bowl. Add the pieces of chicken thighs and let them marinate in the brine, refrigerated, for 1 hour. Drain the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.

2. Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until it is no longer pink. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes, reduce the heat to moderate, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and simmer until the liquid has reduced by nearly half, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the chanterelles, thyme, sage, peas, and tomatoes to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the butter and season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low to keep the chicken and vegetables warm while making the dumplings.

4. For the dumplings, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate to maintain a very gentle boil.

5. Combine the ricotta with the egg yolks, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually stir in just enough flour to form a soft dough. Test the dumpling dough before adding more flour by dropping a small spoonful of the dough into the boiling water. Once the dumpling floats to the surface, let it poach for 45 seconds. If the dumpling breaks apart while cooking, you'll need to add a bit more flour to the dough and test again. Just don't overwork the dough, or it'll become tough.

6. Drop the remaining dough by teaspoonfuls into the boiling water and poach the dumplings for 45 seconds. As soon as they are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the dumplings to the pot of chicken and vegetables.

7. Serve the chicken and dumplings in bowls and scatter the chervil on top.

Recipe: Emeril Lagasse’s Beer Battered Fried Trout Tacos With Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

Chef Emeril Lagasse at a book signing

Emeril Lagasse’s Beer Battered Fried Trout Tacos With Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

From Denny: Louisiana in the summer is all about quick and easy, usually seafood. Chef Emeril Lagasse came down from New England, was embraced by the New Orleans food establishment when he was a young man and taught how to really cook.

Down South folks are willing to mentor to help someone develop. Nor do they get angry when the student is ready to mentor his own, starting up his own restaurants. Emeril has previous shows and recipes stashed at Food Network and now teaches on the green network. He's one busy guy! Below is one of his recipes he developed where he really captures the essence of Louisiana food.

To make the recipe you require two other recipes first: the Cajun seasoning and the coleslaw recipe so I'll put these up first.

Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning

From: “New Orleans Cooking” by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Makes: 2/3 cup

Ingredients:

2-1/2 tbls. paprika

2 tbls. salt

2 tbls. garlic powder

1 tbl. black pepper

1 tbl. onion powder

1 tbl. cayenne pepper

1 tbl. dried oregano

1 tbl. dried thyme

Directions: Combine all ingredients. Emeril sells this product in your grocery store too if you don't want to mix up your own.


Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Serves: 6

2-1/2 cups shredded green cabbage

2-1/2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

2 tbls. finely sliced green onions

1-1/2 cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumber

2 jalapeños, stem and seeds removed, minced

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 tbls. plus 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbls. sour cream

3 tbls. freshly grated horseradish or 1-1/2 tbls. prepared horseradish

1-1/2 tsps. Creole or coarse-grain mustard

Directions:

1. Combine cabbages, carrots and green onions in large mixing bowl. In a small bowl toss the cucumbers and jalapeños with the lemon juice and add to the cabbage mixture.

2. In small mixing bowl combine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

3. In small bowl, blend mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish and mustard. Add mayonnaise mixture to coleslaw and toss. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.



Emeril Lagasse’s Beer Battered Fried Trout Tacos With Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Oil for frying

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 tsps. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 cup beer

1/2 tsp. hot sauce

4 trout fillets, about 6 ozs. each

2 tbls. Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning

6 large, soft flour tortillas

Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

Hot sauce, if desired when serving

Directions:

1. Heat oil in deep fryer or in a large saucepan to 375 degrees.
2. Sift 1 cup flour, the baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper together into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beer and hot sauce. Stir until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Set aside.

3. Season each fillet with 1 teaspoon of the Essence. Cut each fillet into diagonal 1-1/2-inch strips. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour with the remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Dredge the fish strips in the seasoned flour then shake to release any excess flour. Transfer to a plate.

4. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Wrap the flour tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven to warm or warm according to manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Dredge each piece of fish in the beer batter, making sure the fish is completely coated. Allow any excess batter to drip into the bowl, and then slowly lower the fish into the hot oil. Repeat with remaining fish, working in batches if necessary.

6. Fry until fish is puffed, golden brown and crispy (4 to 5 minutes). Remove the fish with slotted spoon or tongs and drain on paper-lined plate. Place in warm oven while cooking remaining fish or until you’re ready to assemble tacos.

7. To serve: Divide the fish among the warmed flour tortillas and top with some of the Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw. Drizzle with hot sauce if desired.

Video and Recipe: Fried Shrimp with Crab Etouffee Topping

From CajunCookingTV.com:




Ingredients for Fried Shrimp Norman:

1 pound Large or Jumbo Shrimp

Crab Etouffee (see recipe)

1 package Fish/Shrimp Fry (or Corn Flour)

½ cup All-purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

Canola Oil

1 egg

½ cup milk

Directions:

Make Crab Etouffee according to recipe, but use less water or stock. Etouffee should be a thick consistency.

Peel shrimp leaving the tail on. Slice deep through the top of the shrimp to both devein the shrimp (take out the black vein) and butterfly it for frying. Set aside in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, prepare the Fish/Shrimp fry by blending ½ cup All-purpose flour, Sea Salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.

In another small mixing bowl, crack the egg and stir in ½ cup milk. This is the egg wash.

Take each shrimp and coat in the egg wash.

Move shrimp to the Fish Fry mixture and coat with corn flour.

Fan out the tail for a pretty presentation (be careful – there is a sharp point on the tail of a shrimp that can pierce your hand or finger). Place a clean platter.

Heat oil. Fry Shrimp a few at a time until golden brown or floating on top the oil. Remove the shrimp to a paper towel lined platter to blot excess grease.
Serving Suggestions for Fried Shrimp Norman:

To serve, arrange 6-8 shrimp with tails up on a plate.

Spoon the Crab Etouffee over each of the tails or just place in the center.

Adding a small mound of white rice is optional.

To eat and enjoy, take a shrimp and scoop up a dollop of Crab Etouffee and take a big bite of some deliciously good groceries.

Crab Etouffee



Ingredients for Crab Etouffee:

½ lb Fresh Crabmeat (claw or white)

¼ cup of Flour

5 tablespoons butter

2 cups Cajun Trinity with minced garlic

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 cup white rice

1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Chopped green onions or Parsley for garnish

Directions:

To begin, in a medium saucepan – boil 2 cups water. Add 1 cup rice. Stir. Cover and turn down the heat to medium low (#3) for 20 minutes.

Next in a large deep skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the Cajun Trinity and minced garlic. Set aside in a bowl. In the same skillet make a roux. Melt 4 tablespoons butter on medium heat (#6). Gradually add in ¼ cup of flour stirring constantly. For an Etouffee, continue to stir until golden brown caramel coloring.

Carefully add the Cajun Trinity back to the skillet. Add Rotel tomatoes and 4 cups water. Stir well and simmer on (#4) for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning or scorching.

Fold in the crab meat. Season with 1 teaspoon of Tony’s Creole Seasoning. Simmer another 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Serving Suggestions for Crab Etouffee:

Serve Crab Etouffee over rice in a deep plate. Garnish with chopped green onions or fresh chopped parsley for color and a side of garlic French bread.

Recipe: Simple Authentic Cajun Shrimp Creole

Assortment of famous Louisiana dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish bisque and more Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Cajun cooking has evolved over 244 years since the first Acadian settlers arrived in Louisiana. They were originally deported by the English from Nova Scotia and it was ten years later they migrated to Louisiana. For generations the French and English have carried on a cultural clash and divide so this deportation came as no surprise even in the New World. It did bring terrible hardships to the Acadians as they strove to develop a new life in an inhospitable environment.

The lines between Cajun and Creole cuisine have blurred over the past few decades ever since Justin Wilson popularized Louisiana cuisine back in the 1970's with what was locally known as "good hunting and fishing camp food." Wilson also was a fan of hot sauces and so the idea of Cajun food as "hot and spicy" stuck in the national mind ever since. The reality is that Cajun did not originate as one with fiery pepper sauces, cayenne pepper and spices but rather, to this day with the oldest generation, was a savory and flavorful cuisine style.

The authors of this regional cookbook offer up insight into the subtle differences from region to region in Louisiana because Louisiana is a lot like France in that respect. The 22 counties considered as Cajun Country (which includes some of the state of Texas), known as parishes here, are divided into cultural regions: Acadian Coast, The Wetlands, Upper Prairie, Lower Prairie, the Bayou Region, Southwest Louisiana and the Marshes and Coast.

French Onion Soup Image via Wikipedia

This regional, simple, 100 recipe cookbook (lots of illustrations but without photos) offers recipes from each region, so you get a look at six different versions of the celebrated and widely known gumbo dish. They include side dishes, traditional French soups like Belle Rose French Onion Soup and then on to desserts too, one known as Dark Sugar Pralines.

The cookbook has lots of great Cajun resources like listings for food festival events, Cajun web sites for food and events and tourism.

What this cookbook is all about is easy comfort food made by real people for home style cooking. It's also an easy pleasurable way to learn about a different culture through food!

*****



Photo by afagen @ flickr

Lily B's Shrimp Creole

From: “Cooking in Cajun Country” new cookbook by Karl Breaux with Cheré Dastugue Coen (Gibbs Smith, $16.99, paperback)

My Amazon store has the book for $12.74 and available for free shipping too! Check it out, go here.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp. dried basil

2 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined or 2 cups frozen shrimp*

(* Health Warning: try to buy Louisiana or American shrimp as Chinese and other Asian shrimp lives in heavily polluted waters, polluted with heavy metals! Check your package for country of origin before purchase.)

1/2 to 1 cup water

Cajun/Creole seasoning, to taste

2 cups cooked Louisiana rice

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, celery and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté 5 minutes more.

2. Add salt, pepper, basil and tomatoes and stir; add shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, add 1/2 cup water and simmer for 10 minutes. If using fresh shrimp, add shrimp and 1 cup water and simmer until shrimp turn bright pink, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overcook.

3. Add Cajun/Creole seasoning to taste.

4. Serve over 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving.


Have a great weekend, everyone, and thanks for visiting! Good eating!


Cajun, Creole, Louisiana, shrimp creole, Society and Culture, Soups and Stews, Justin Wilson, Acadian, Cajun cuisine, Nova Scotia, Cook, Home

Recipe: Fast and Easy Sloppy Joe Biscuit Pot Pies

Key West, Florida bar called Sloppy Joe's Image by bfraz via Flickr

From Denny: School season is fast approaching and busy moms need some easy recipes with little hassle to keep from being overwhelmed and over tired. Pillsbury always comes up with easy ideas at their site.

Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of frozen mixed vegetables. The only veggies that seem to do well in the freezer in my mind are things like peas or beans like lima beans and other normally dried beans. Okra doesn't do too badly either. Potatoes? Forget it! :) Seriously though, frozen veggies should work just fine here as the chili sauce will overpower any possible "freezer taste." The mustard and brown sugar will also help the flavor tremendously.

As to frozen biscuits that's your choice. I like to control what kind of fat, preferably that without cholesterol, that goes into my food so I make my own, cut them out and then freeze individually on a tray. When rock solid frozen I then place them in freezer baggies and they can last a good year if that were actually possible in our house! :)

This recipe is simple, fast and tailored to individual portions so if you want to spice up (for adults) or down (for young children or picky eaters) it can be done quickly. To make it more Cajun I'd add extra garlic powder and Cajun seasoning like Tony Chachere's (low sodium version).

Meat already has a lot of salt in it naturally, especially chicken as the sellers plump up that chicken you buy in the supermarket with injections of salt water. Sweet, huh? The up side is that salt does kill bacteria so in that sense it can be a good thing. Just watch how much salt you add to any recipe with chicken in it.

Fast and Easy Sloppy Joe Biscuit Pot Pies

From: Pillsbury.com

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef
(Denny: you could substitute ground turkey or chicken)

1/4 cup chopped onion (from a medium onion)

3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables (add some fresh chopped celery too)

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teapoon dry ground mustard

3/4 cup chili sauce

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Pillsbury Grands Frozen Buttermilk Biscuits (from 25-oz. bag)

2 teaspoons milk

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, if desired


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spray an 8-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add ground beef and onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until
beef is thoroughly cooked. Drain.

3. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables, brown sugar, mustard, chili sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

4. Spoon beef mixture into 2 (1-1/2-cup) ungreased ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Top each with frozen biscuit. Brush each biscuit with milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown.


Photo: Key West, Florida bar called Sloppy Joe's Image by bfraz via Flickr

Recipe: John's Cajun Pot Roast

Another version of Pot Roast Image by Offbeat Photography via Flickr

From Denny: Here in Louisiana we aren't shy about dining on meat even in hot weather. Pot Roast is a perennial American favorite and Cajuns have their spin on it. My father-in-law, John, was Cajun and a wonderful cook. He didn't have a wide range but what he cooked was awesome and everyone licked the plate! :)

He had been an Army cook in WWII. Originally, he was an infantry soldier in General Patton's pack. The story goes that Patton's troops were forever outrunning their supply lines. What that means to those of you who have never been in combat is that they often were on rations or went hungry. Everyone knows an army runs on its stomach.

Well, John was not about to be denied a good meal. Like any good Cajun country boy he just went out and shot himself a big plump rabbit. He soon had it skinned, skewered and roasting over an open fire. The whole camp smelled it and came moseying over for a friendly meal. John looked at them and yelled, "Ya bunch of Momma's boys! Go get your own damn supper!"

Of course, John was an only child and yes, a Momma's boy but at least he knew how to hunt and was independent enough to take care of himself. He had a real disdain and fear for those spoiled soldiers whose mothers did too much for them. Why? Because he saw them get shot first, killed and in large numbers during the war. He was upset they refused to be teachable in order to save their lives. "War is not a country club!" he often used to say.

It was then that the Army realized the man was resourceful and could cook better than anything listed for recipes in the Army handbook. John was taken off the field and placed on Kitchen Duty where he fed at least 4,000 men a day, three times a day.

He used to tell stories of what it was like to clean the Army cooking pots. We all would scratch our heads, wondering why that was such a big deal. Then he would describe how he had to get a ladder - he was a tall man too - to climb down into the pots to scrub them! Can you imagine how long it took for water to boil in pots that large? It must have taken hours for what we do in smaller portions for our families in only 15 minutes!

John used to cook a wonderful simple Cajun version of Pot Roast on Sundays, his favorite meal. As a new bride I was fascinated with his cooking. He also was a friend of the famous Justin Wilson who started the national obsession with Cajun and Creole food.

Justin Wilson was a fishing and hunting buddy of my husband's maternal uncle, J. B. Roux - yes, Roux really is his last name. Uncle J. B. was an incredible gumbo cook, a big bear of a man and terribly funny. He and John cooked together often, especially on Christmas Eve when they cooked gumbo together for everyone when they came by to visit during the holiday.

Anyway, Justin Wilson was interested in recording all the campfire recipes and Cajun style cooking he could. Uncle J. B. and the other friends were so used to their cooking they thought it was silly. They thought everyone knew how to cook like they did. In their minds, they could not conceive of anyone being a bad cook or not knowing how to cook the obvious.

Anyway, Justin recorded it, started up a local cooking show, wrote and sold books, made videos, went national and then international. If not for Justin Wilson, Uncle J. B.'s recipes and that of his friends would never have been published and perished with them when they died.

Over the years I've adapted John's recipe to make it my own.

John's Cajun Pot Roast

From: Denny Lyon

Total: 3 hrs 40 mins
Active: 40 mins
Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 teaspoons salt (or to your taste)

3 Tablespoons Tony Chachere's (Cajun seasoning, or to your taste)

2 teaspoons freshly ground cracked black pepper (or to your taste)

1 4-pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1 large red/purple/Cajun onion, coarsely chopped

4 medium celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced or sliced in strips

8 medium garlic cloves, slivered lengthwise in strips

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

4 fresh thyme sprigs

Optional: 8 dahes Tobasco sauce (John liked some heat!)

Optional: Fresh mushrooms

Directions:

Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the lower third or you can place this roast in an electric skillet on the kitchen countertop like John did to simplify cleanup.

Here comes the fun tactile part: Take a small paring knife and poke and dig lots of hole in the meat all over, including the fat area. Then push the garlic slivers into each hole with a little of the spice combination or a salt and pepper combination, your choice.

Combine all dry spices in a small bowl. Evenly rub spice mix on all sides of the roast; set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven/electric skillet or a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat until smoking, about 5 minutes. Add meat and sear it, browning on all sides, about 20 minutes total; remove to a plate.

Add onion, celery, bell pepper and leftover garlic to the pot, season with salt, and cook until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetables. Pour beef broth into the pot and scrape up any browned bits called "fond" from the bottom.

Add thyme, meat, and any accumulated juices to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add Tobasco sauce if you are including some spicy heat. Cover and cook in the oven/electric skillet until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. At the last 20 minutes, add the fresh mushrooms if you are including them. John loved mushrooms and used them often.

Melt in your mouth, exploding with flavor! Serve over rice or with fresh parslied and buttered new potatotes. It's quite awesome when you get a bite of roast with a mellow garlic flavor from the simple cooking technique of inserting those garlic slivers into the meat before searing. Enjoy!

Recipe: Fast and Easy Sloppy Joe Biscuit Pot Pies

Key West, Florida bar called Sloppy Joe's Image by bfraz via Flickr

From Denny: School season is fast approaching and busy moms need some easy recipes with little hassle to keep from being overwhelmed and over tired. Pillsbury always comes up with easy ideas at their site.

Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of frozen mixed vegetables. The only veggies that seem to do well in the freezer in my mind are things like peas or beans like lima beans and other normally dried beans. Okra doesn't do too badly either. Potatoes? Forget it! :) Seriously though, frozen veggies should work just fine here as the chili sauce will overpower any possible "freezer taste." The mustard and brown sugar will also help the flavor tremendously.

As to frozen biscuits that's your choice. I like to control what kind of fat, preferably that without cholesterol, that goes into my food so I make my own, cut them out and then freeze individually on a tray. When rock solid frozen I then place them in freezer baggies and they can last a good year if that were actually possible in our house! :)

This recipe is simple, fast and tailored to individual portions so if you want to spice up (for adults) or down (for young children or picky eaters) it can be done quickly. To make it more Cajun I'd add extra garlic powder and Cajun seasoning like Tony Chachere's (low sodium version).

Meat already has a lot of salt in it naturally, especially chicken as the sellers plump up that chicken you buy in the supermarket with injections of salt water. Sweet, huh? The up side is that salt does kill bacteria so in that sense it can be a good thing. Just watch how much salt you add to any recipe with chicken in it.

Fast and Easy Sloppy Joe Biscuit Pot Pies

From: Pillsbury.com

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef
(Denny: you could substitute ground turkey or chicken)

1/4 cup chopped onion (from a medium onion)

3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables (add some fresh chopped celery too)

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teapoon dry ground mustard

3/4 cup chili sauce

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Pillsbury Grands Frozen Buttermilk Biscuits (from 25-oz. bag)

2 teaspoons milk

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, if desired


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spray an 8-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add ground beef and onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until
beef is thoroughly cooked. Drain.

3. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables, brown sugar, mustard, chili sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

4. Spoon beef mixture into 2 (1-1/2-cup) ungreased ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Top each with frozen biscuit. Brush each biscuit with milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown.


Photo: Key West, Florida bar called Sloppy Joe's Image by bfraz via Flickr

Recipe: Shrimp and Grits

Image by frs via Flickr

From Denny: Shrimp and Grits is a favorite comfort food here in Louisiana! Here is their version of this simple dish from the Grillroom Restaurant.

Roasting Grits for Fuller Sophisticated Flavor

As to making grits, we love Quaker Quick Grits (never instant). Then, in a dry saucepan on medium heat I dry roast the raw grits. This is great for those who want to reduce gluten in their diet or may be non-insulin diabetics, eager to reduce too much starch in a favorite food. Dry roasting is great for using for most grains to accomplish that goal.

Don't over roast the grits or too much starch is burned off and then they won't stick together properly when cooking. If you do over roast them you can add raw grits to the boiling water to help pull it together. It's a fix but not as good as doing a lighter roasting. I go for the smell to tell me when it's roasted perfectly. It begins to lose the raw smell and develop that savory nutty scent of roasting.

Make sure the water is already boiling as the grits roast quickly and can burn if you are not ready to empty them into the cooking pot. Pour in a sifting motion and whisk the dry roasted grits into the boiling salted water. Make sure you use a wire whisk as you add the grits to the boiling water so you won't get any lumps. Then I add some clarified butter to the cooking grits. That's for the plain version.

To spice it up for a late breakfast, lunch or dinner meal I add some garlic powder, turmeric (turns it yellow for a festive look, especially on a white plate, and turmeric spice gives it a slight curry flavor), a bit of Cajun seasoning (a light touch as it is salty), some favorite chili powder and voila! yummy! You can always add your favorite cheese and turn it into Cheese Grits.

For the non-Southerners who are asking "what the heck is a grits cake?": What this restaurant is doing for the grits cake portions is pouring hot grits to cool in portion size shapes. Cooled grits are often cut into portions and fried or baked to heat for another dish. It's a great way to use up leftover grits. Of course, the ducks from the tiny pond in our back yard - otherwise known as the Locust Brothers when it comes to leftovers like grits - usually demand their grits meal for the day because they so love it! They also love cat food... :)

Shrimp and Grits


From: the Grillroom


Ingredients:

6 shrimp each, 16 to 20 count size

1 ounce olive oil blend

1 each grit cake portion

1/2 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning

2 ounces white wine

4 ounces oyster BBQ butter

2 ounces pepper mix

1 ounce Cajun tasso ham, 1/4" x 1/4" diced

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper mix

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 each lemon wedge

1 each thyme sprig

Directions:

Place the grit cakes in the oven to heat throughout.

Heat a saute pan over high heat and add the oil.

Add the shrimp, peppers, onions, and ham. Season with 1/2 Tbsp. of Cajun seasoning and the salt and pepper mix. Saute briefly. Add the white wine and reduce until dry. Add the BBQ oyster butter and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are cooked throughout.

Bank the grit cake pieces off of each other in the center of a square plate. Pour the saute mixture over the top of the grits, arranging the shrimp so they are on top.

Garnish with the chopped parsley, thyme sprig and the lemon wedge


Cajun cuisine, Shellfish, Shrimp and Grits, Fish and Seafood, Olive oil, Cook, Home, Grits, Shrimp, Barbecue, BBQ, Chili powder, Cajun

Video and Recipe: Fried Shrimp with Crab Etoufee Topping

From CajunCookingTV.com:




Ingredients for Fried Shrimp Norman:

1 pound Large or Jumbo Shrimp

Crab Etouffee (see recipe)

1 package Fish/Shrimp Fry (or Corn Flour)

½ cup All-purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

Canola Oil

1 egg

½ cup milk

Directions:

Make Crab Etouffee according to recipe, but use less water or stock. Etouffee should be a thick consistency.

Peel shrimp leaving the tail on. Slice deep through the top of the shrimp to both devein the shrimp (take out the black vein) and butterfly it for frying. Set aside in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, prepare the Fish/Shrimp fry by blending ½ cup All-purpose flour, Sea Salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.

In another small mixing bowl, crack the egg and stir in ½ cup milk. This is the egg wash.

Take each shrimp and coat in the egg wash.

Move shrimp to the Fish Fry mixture and coat with corn flour.

Fan out the tail for a pretty presentation (be careful – there is a sharp point on the tail of a shrimp that can pierce your hand or finger). Place a clean platter.

Heat oil. Fry Shrimp a few at a time until golden brown or floating on top the oil. Remove the shrimp to a paper towel lined platter to blot excess grease.
Serving Suggestions for Fried Shrimp Norman:

To serve, arrange 6-8 shrimp with tails up on a plate.

Spoon the Crab Etouffee over each of the tails or just place in the center.

Adding a small mound of white rice is optional.

To eat and enjoy, take a shrimp and scoop up a dollop of Crab Etouffee and take a big bite of some deliciously good groceries.

Crab Etouffee



Ingredients for Crab Etouffee:

½ lb Fresh Crabmeat (claw or white)

¼ cup of Flour

5 tablespoons butter

2 cups Cajun Trinity with minced garlic

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 cup white rice

1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Chopped green onions or Parsley for garnish

Directions:

To begin, in a medium saucepan – boil 2 cups water. Add 1 cup rice. Stir. Cover and turn down the heat to medium low (#3) for 20 minutes.

Next in a large deep skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the Cajun Trinity and minced garlic. Set aside in a bowl. In the same skillet make a roux. Melt 4 tablespoons butter on medium heat (#6). Gradually add in ¼ cup of flour stirring constantly. For an Etouffee, continue to stir until golden brown caramel coloring.

Carefully add the Cajun Trinity back to the skillet. Add Rotel tomatoes and 4 cups water. Stir well and simmer on (#4) for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning or scorching.

Fold in the crab meat. Season with 1 teaspoon of Tony’s Creole Seasoning. Simmer another 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Serving Suggestions for Crab Etouffee:

Serve Crab Etouffee over rice in a deep plate. Garnish with chopped green onions or fresh chopped parsley for color and a side of garlic French bread.