Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans Chef Recipe: Jambalaya For A Crowd

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans Chef Recipe: Jambalaya For A Crowd: From Denny:  Need an easy recipe for a crowd during Mardi Gras season?  Chef John Besh of New Orleans paired with Zatarain's to create this faster version of jambalaya using Zatarain's Dirty Rice mix.  In fact, the famous chef has a lot of great recipes on their site.

What makes jambalaya so tasty is the browning of the chicken and andouille sausage, mixing in the veggies like celery and onion, some liquid (some people like to use chicken stock in place of water) and then the rice to cook in all those tasty seasonings and juices.

It's a fabulous one-pot meal that is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser.

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Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans Recipe: Crescent City Shrimp Jambalaya

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans Recipe: Crescent City Shrimp Jambalaya: From Denny:  Not in the mood for the chicken version of jambalaya?  No problem; make it with shrimp and andouille sausage for a change of pace.  Shrimp is ridiculously popular down South that we are forever creating new dishes to keep up with the demand.

Louisiana cooking is based off of French cooking and with the same mindset of employing whatever food sources are at hand.  From the bayous or spillways teeming with yummy crayfish to the gorgeous shrimp and oysters from the Gulf of Mexico we create recipes around our bountiful food.

Louisiana Seafood Reusable Shopping Bag

Check out awesome Louisiana eating: oysters, shrimp, crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans: Creamy Seafood Jambalaya Pasta

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans: Creamy Seafood Jambalaya Pasta: From Denny:  Need a quick pasta dish finished in 30 minutes?  Zatarain's created a product using the traditional jambalaya seasonings but with pasta noodles instead of rice!  If you want to include more than shrimp, like some tilapia or other fish, then cook these first and set aside.

Cooking shrimp separately to be added by the diner is also a good idea if you have diners who don't like shrimp or are allergic.

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Tell the world how you really feel about coming back to work

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans Chef Recipe: Jambalaya For A Crowd

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans Chef Recipe: Jambalaya For A Crowd: From Denny:  Need an easy recipe for a crowd during Mardi Gras season?  Chef John Besh of New Orleans paired with Zatarain's to create this faster version of jambalaya using Zatarain's Dirty Rice mix.  In fact, the famous chef has a lot of great recipes on their site.

What makes jambalaya so tasty is the browning of the chicken and andouille sausage, mixing in the veggies like celery and onion, some liquid (some people like to use chicken stock in place of water) and then the rice to cook in all those tasty seasonings and juices.

It's a fabulous one-pot meal that is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser.

Funny Friday Weekend iPhone 5 Case

Tell the world how you really feel about coming back to work

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

9 Easy Marti Gras and Super Bowl Eats

Photo of Bourbon Street at night in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana by Lyndi & Jason @ flickr

From Denny: New Orleans and all of Louisiana is heating up for this weekend's Super Bowl to watch the Saints play in Miami. People are so excited you would think it's already Marti Gras season a bit early! :)

Featured today are favorite Cajun recipes for easiest versions of gumbo and jambalaya and Creole potato salad - along with appetizers like chicken wings, a warm dip for your chips, puff pastry appetizers, little pizzas and grilled shrimp with three sauces.

Zatarain's company from New Orleans packages a lot of quick dry spice mixes to make your own Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Seafood Gumbo and more Cajun dishes without the long wait. We all enjoy those food shortcuts and this century old New Orleans company is a well loved company here. Did I mention their products also taste good?

Zatarain's also put out a fun pdf file Party Guide to Marti Gras and a few simple craft projects that are kid friendly:

* Want to print out your own Marti Gras mask fun? Zatarain's has a fun one for kids, go here.

* Marti Gras fun trivia cards to print out, go here.

* Print out your own fun float for the parade, go here.

* Download Zatarain's free Party Guide to Marti Gras, go here.

Recipes:

Carnival Jambalaya
Creole Gumbo
Creole Mustard Potato Salad
Oysters Rockefeller Pizza
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings
Shrimp Cocktail with Three Sauces
Baked Artichoke and Corn Dip
Nacho Cheese Bites
Pepperoni Bites


The Cajun version of cheering on the home team: GEAUX SAINTS!!!

Carnival Jambalaya

Throwing a party, but you're pressed for time, then this dish is for you. It's quick, easy and is sure to satisfy a variety of appetites.

From: Zatarain's

Makes: 12 (1-cup) servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

5 cups water
1/4 cup oil (optional)
2 packages ZATARAIN'S® Jambalaya Mix
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring water and oil to boil in large saucepan. Stir in Rice Mixes, chicken and sausage; return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

2. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Nutritional Info per 1 serving

Calories: 305
Sodium: 965
Fat: 13
Carbohydrates: 30
Cholesterol: 41
Fiber: 1
Protein: 17



Creole Gumbo

From: Zatarain's

Like a traditional gumbo, this one is prepared without rice. Instead, prepare Zatarain's® Long Grain Parboiled Rice to serve with the gumbo.

Makes: 8 (1-cup) servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1 package ZATARAIN'S® Gumbo Base
2 tablespoons oil
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch cubes
ZATARAIN'S® Gumbo Filé (optional)


Directions:

1. Bring water, Gumbo Base and oil to boil in large sauce pot on medium heat, stirring to dissolve any lumps. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in shrimp and sausage; cover. Simmer additional 30 minutes.

3. Serve over rice and sprinkle with Gumbo Filé, if desired.

Nutritional Info per 1 serving

Calories: 350
Sodium: 1627
Fat: 22
Carbohydrates: 12
Cholesterol: 193
Fiber: 1
Protein: 26



Zatarain's® Creole Mustard Potato Salad


Ingredients:

3 pounds red potatoes

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup ZATARAIN'S® Creole Mustard

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon ZATARAIN'S® Creole Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion


Directions:

1. Cook potatoes in lightly salted water to cover in large sauce pot. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain, then quarter potatoes.

2. Mix mayonnaise, Creole Mustard, sour cream, Creole Seasoning and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add warm potatoes; toss to coat well. Add tomatoes, bacon and green onion; toss lightly. Cover.

3. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.


Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Refrigerate Time: 2 hours
Serves: Makes 12 (2/3-cup) servings.




Oysters Rockefeller Pizza

From: Food Focus Encore 1997 recipe booklet, “Louisiana Food Lover’s Holiday”

Makes: 12 small pizzas

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks), plus 2 tbls. butter for sautéing oysters

4 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped (use the packaged pre-washed leaves)

2 cups parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 pint Pernod

24 to 36 oysters, lightly sautéed in 2 tbls. melted butter (can be cooked covered in a microwave for 1 minute)

Pizza dough, use a readymade dough to form into 12 small pizzas)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Combine 2 sticks butter, spinach, parsley, celery, salt, peppers and Pernod in a bowl. Mix with a mixer on medium speed or by hand until well blended.

2. Transfer spinach mixture to a colander to drain off excess liquid. Let set for 30 minutes.

3. While spinach mixture is draining, partially cook pizza doughs, according the dough product’s directions. Cool for 15 minutes. Spread spinach mixture evenly over the 12 small pizzas. Top each pizza with 2 or 3 sautéed oysters.

4. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over each pizza. Bake pizzas on a cookie sheet or pizza stone in preheated 400-degree oven until topping is bubbly, about 5 minutes.


Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings

From: Pace Kitchens

Makes: 24 pieces

Ingredients:

12 chicken wings or 24 chicken drumettes
1 cup picante sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Directions:

1. Cut off wing tips and discard. Cut wings in half at joint. and put in foil-lined pan.

2. Stir picante sauce, honey and ginger in large bowl. Pour 1/3 cup of sauce over wings in pan. Toss wings with sauce.

3. Bake in the oven at 500 degrees on lowest oven rack for 35 minutes or until crispy and cooked through, turning over once halfway through baking.

4. Remove from oven and toss chicken wings with the remaining picante sauce. Serve.



Zatarain's also partners with Martha Stewart Living:

Shrimp Cocktail with Three Sauces

From: Martha Stewart Living, August 2009

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

FOR THE SHRIMP

Coarse salt
1 pound (about 25) large shrimp, heads (optional) and shells on

FOR THE MANGO-BASIL SAUCE:

2 small mangoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 lemon, peeled and rind finely chopped (2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground white pepper
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced


FOR THE TOMATO-HORSERADISH SAUCE

1 cup chili sauce, such as Heinz
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE REMOULADE sauce:

3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon spicy stone-ground mustard, preferably Creole (zatarains.com)
3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped scallion
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make the shrimp: Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Boil shrimp until opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, and transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Drain, and refrigerate.

Make the mango-basil sauce: Pulse mangoes, lemon rind and juice, vinegar, salt, and white pepper in a food processor until smooth. Fold in basil. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)

Make the tomato-horseradish sauce: Stir together chili sauce, horseradish, and lemon juice. Season with black pepper. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Make the remoulade: Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. Stir in celery, parsley, and scallion. Season with black pepper. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 1 day).

Place shell-on shrimp in a large bowl, or peel shrimp and arrange in small serving dishes. Serve with the 3 sauces on the side.



Baked Artichoke and Corn Dip

From: “Big Taste of Little Rock” cookbook published by The Junior League of Little Rock. The cookbook, a finalist in the Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards, can be ordered from the League’s Web site at http://www.jllr.org/.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (16-oz.) can corn kernels, drained

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 to 1 (4-oz.) can chopped jalapeño chilies, drained (See Testing Note.)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Corn chips (Frito Scoops work well)

Directions:

1. Combine the artichoke hearts, corn, green onions, jalapeño chilies, Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and garlic salt and mix well.

2. Spoon into a lightly greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

3. Serve with corn chips. You can substitute fresh garlic for the garlic salt and fresh jalapeño chilies for the canned chilies if preferred.



Nacho Cheese Bites

From: Pepperidge Farm

Makes: 20

Ingredients:

Half of a (17.3-oz.) pkg. of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed

1 egg

1 tbl. water

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Pace Chunky Salsa

5 pitted ripe olives, cut into quarters, optional

Chili powder

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Stir together the cheese and salsa in a separate small bowl.

2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Cut into 20 (3-inch) squares.

3. Place about 1 tablespoon cheese mixture in the center of each pasty square. Top each with 1 olive piece, if desired. Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg mixture. Fold the pastry over the filling to form triangles.

4. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal.

5. Place the filled pastries onto baking sheets. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture and sprinkle with chili powder.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.



Pepperoni Bites

From: Hormel

Makes: 40 appetizers

Ingredients:

1 (3.5-oz.) pkg. sliced pepperoni, chopped

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or a blend of Italian cheeses if you can’t find the Swiss)

1 tomato, chopped into little pieces

1 small onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

2 (10-oz.) pkgs. refrigerated flaky biscuits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, combine pepperoni, cheese, tomato, onion, mayonnaise and basil.

2. Cut each biscuit in half. Place biscuit halves into greased miniature muffin cups, pressing gently to fit cups.

(Note: Miniature muffin tins come in several sizes. This recipe works with a muffin cup that is about 17/8 inches in diameter. You may have to adjust the size of the biscuit dough piece and amount of filling depending on the size of your muffin tin.)

3. Spoon 1 tablespoon (or the amount that fits in your muffin tin) of filling into each cup.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.


*** ALSO: Be sure to check out what's happening over at Romancing The Chocolate blog for more great easy party recipes, 4 Fun Marti Gras and Super Bowl Recipes


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New Orleans Saints Celebration Menu: Jambalaya and Crawfish Gold

From Denny: It's been so long coming that Saints football fans in New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana are downright giddy. Here are some of their contributions to Louisiana recipes to enjoy the moment and the glory.

We have a preference for cooking with iron skillets here for long and slow cooking. These recipes are a perfect fit.





(Black-iron pot) Jambalaya

From: Mrs. W.R. Smith is from “River Road Recipes” published by The Junior League of Baton Rouge in their 50th anniversary edition

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. sausage or cubed beef
Salt and pepper for seasoning beef, if beef is used
3 tbls. bacon drippings
3 tbls. all-purpose flour
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tbls. parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 cups water
2 cups rice
2 tsps. salt
3/4 tsp. red pepper

Directions:

1. In a heavy, black-iron pot, brown sausage or seasoned beef in bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Remove browned meat from pot and set aside.

2. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a dark roux. Add onions, parsley and garlic and cook until soft.

3. Add water, rice, salt and red pepper. Return browned meat to the pot and stir.

4. When mixture comes to a boil, lower heat to lowest point and cook about 1 hour, covered tightly.

5. When rice is done, remove lid and let cook for a few minutes until rice dries a little.

Crawfish in Gold

From: Nancy Marionneaux

Serves: about 8

Ingredients:

1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced jalapeño, seeds removed, if desired
1 tbl. olive oil
1 tbl. butter
1 (8-oz.) pkg. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tbl. minced garlic
3 tbls. flour
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. dried, crumbled thyme
1 (18-oz.) can chicken broth
1 (18-oz.) can water
1 lb. peeled crawfish tails
1 (24-oz.) pkg. yellow potatoes, sliced
2 to 3 tbls. whipping cream (optional)
Parsley

Directions

1. Sauté bell pepper, onion and jalapeño, if desired, in olive oil and butter over medium heat until translucent. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook until softened.

2. Add flour and sauté 3 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, chicken broth, water and crawfish. Turn up heat a little; stir until sauce thickens slightly.

3. Add sliced potatoes and reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens and potatoes are fork tender.

4. Add whipping cream, if desired. Garnish with parsley.


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, huge hug to current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!

Recipe: Jambalaya Grits

Another version of a dinner with grits: Cajun Shrimp, Cheddar Cheese grits and sugar peas, yum! This is a typical weekend meal in south Louisiana when shrimp are fresh.

Photo by Bethany L. King @ flickr

From Denny: In Louisiana and throughout the American South we just love grits the way folks in Italy love their polenta. It's similar as both are a type of soft cornmeal dish. Their name sounds better! :)

Here, with our French influence, we always cook with the Holy Trinity: onions, bell pepper and celery. I like to add garlic.

Try this different version of grits if you don't like them plain with salt and butter. We serve them any time of day or night. We even eat breakfast all times of the day and night. Americans love breakfast foods!


Jambalaya Grits

From: Jambalaya Cookbook

Yield: Serves 6


Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon bacon grease

2 Tablespoons flour

½ cup chopped onion

1 green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup chopped celery

1 cup quick grits

3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup ground ham

Bacon, cooked to crispy and crumbled


Directions: In a heavy skillet, heat bacon grease and gradually add flour, stirring constantly, until roux becomes light brown. Add onion, green bell pepper and celery; cook 5 minutes. Cook grits according to package directions and add to roux and vegetable mixture. Add tomatoes and ham. Sprinkle with bacon and serve immediately.

Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya

Image via Wikipedia

Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya

Here’s a different twist on a yummy Louisiana dish: using black-eyed peas! These peas are very popular here, usually as a side dish.

From: Frances Durham

Yield: Serves about 12


Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya


Ingredients:


1 (16 ounce) can Trappey’s black-eyed peas with jalapeños, undrained

1 ½ cups Uncle Ben’s uncooked rice

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (14 ounce) can beef broth

1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained

½ cup butter

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

Chopped garlic to taste

Salt and pepper to taste


Directions: Combine the black-eyed peas, rice, onion, beef broth, mushrooms, butter and sausage in an electric rice cooker. Season to taste with garlic, salt and pepper.

Cook according to directions from the rice cooker, gently stirring once when the cooker reaches the warm mode.