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


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel free to leave comments, a big shout out to current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!

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! :)

Pumpkin Risotto, Crispy Bread Soffritto, and Pumpkin Chile Recipes

Photo by Nesster @ flickr

From Denny: There are only so many pumpkin pies and pumpkins breads a cook can make before they are wondering if there is any greater creativity that can be done with a pumpkin. Pumpkins are such a great food resource of vitamins and minerals. Look no further as these Southern chefs have been busy creating new and tasty recipes for the revered pumpkin, raising it to the table status of vegetable royalty! :)

They were featured in Country Roads Magazine - a Louisiana regional arts, culture and cuisine magazine (no photos for their recipes).

Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Bread “Soffritto”

From: Chef Alon Shaya of Domenica Restaurant, New Orleans, Louisiana

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

6 tbsp. butter, unsalted
1 cup yellow onion, diced a quarter inch thick
3 cups pumpkin, skinned and seeded, diced quarter inch thick
12 1/2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups risotto (rice), Vialone Nanno or Arborio
2 cups Castelmagno cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano is a fine substitute), grated
8 tbsp. bread Soffritto (recipe below)
Salt to taste

Place rice in a large saucepot and turn the heat on medium. Continuously stir the rice until it is very hot, but not turning brown. This will release the natural oils in the rice and give the dish much more flavor. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

In a different saucepot, place half of the butter, onions and half of the pumpkin and cook until onions are tender. Add vegetable stock and bring to simmer. Simmer until pumpkin is tender and purée mixture with a hand blender. Add the other half of the diced pumpkin and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until it is tender.

Place the pot with the rice back on a high heat and add half of the pumpkin infused stock. Simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding one ladle of stock at a time while stirring until each addition has been absorbed and all of the stock is gone. This will take 18-20 minutes.

About 5 minutes before the rice is completely cooked stir in the cheese. Keep stirring over the heat until the rice is tender with a slight al dente bite to it. Add the butter and serve with the crispy Bread Soffritto on top (recipe below).

Bread Soffritto

Ingredients:

2 cups ciabatta bread, no crust, diced an eighth of an inch thick
¼ cup shallots, sliced thin
2 oz. dried cherries, rehydrated in warm water
2 oz. extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
Salt to taste

Directions:

In a sauté pan, place oil, rosemary and onions on medium heat and cook until onions just begin to turn golden. Add diced bread and cook until bread is crispy. Toss mixture with salt and cherries. Remove rosemary sprig and set aside for the garnish.



Roasted Pumpkin Chile

From: Chef Regina Charboneau of Twin Oaks, Natchez, Mississippi

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 tbls. olive oil
1 medium diced onion
1 medium diced sweet red pepper
2 fresh jalapenos
1 lb.yams
1 lb. pumpkin or squash
4 small new red potatoes
8 garlic cloves
2 zucchini
2 cups cooked pinto beans
2 10 oz. cans Rotel tomatoes (diced tomatoes with diced jalapenos)
1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tbls. ground chile powder
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

To roast pumpkin (or squash):

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut yams in half and cut pumpkin into eighths. Leave new potatoes, jalapenos and garlic cloves whole. Place on large baking sheet. Salt and pepper the tops and drizzle just a touch of olive oil on top of the pumpkin. Place in hot oven. Roast for 30 minutes then remove the Jalapenos and garlic cloves. Let cool and cut jalapeno into strips removing the seeds. Cut garlic into quarters. Continue to roast but every ten minutes, using a fork, check for doneness of vegetables. They should be firm but the fork should go through without excessive effort. Let vegetables cool. Peel the yams and pumpkin and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Leave the skin on the Potatoes and dice into 1/2 inch cubes.

To complete chile:

In 4 quart pot add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Dice zucchini into 3/4 inch cubes and set aside. Add diced onion and peppers to hot oil and sauté for two minutes to brown. Add diced zucchini and sauté for one minute. Add roasted vegetables, garlic and jalapenos. Add cooked pinto Beans, Rotel tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Stir in chile powder and stir well. Taste and adjust salt, begin with 1/2 teaspoon. Simmer chile for 30 minutes.

Serve Chile in shallow soup bowls, topped with sour cream. Top sour cream with Spicy Corn.

Ingredients for Spicy Corn Topping:

Makes: 3 cups

2 ears yellow corn
1 16 oz. jar Mrs. Renfrows Spicy Green Salsa or any brand you like of spicy salsa verde
Sour Cream is optional

Directions:

Shuck yellow corn and remove kernels with a sharp knife. Get a cast iron skillet or sauté pan very hot. Place corn kernels into skillet and brown. Use a metal spatula to move the corn around to roast the kernels. Mix roasted corn kernels with green salsa. Serve on top of Roasted Pumpkin Chile.

*** Thanks for visiting and have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

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! :)

Cajun Joke: Boudreaux and Thibodeaux Fix Destroyed New Orleans Levee

Gentilly, New Orleans, after the huge levee failure in 2005 - Photo by Infrogmation @ flickr.

Good News, everyone!

We hear the New Orleans levee is finally fixed properly. Worry no more about whether the Army Corp of Engineers and the federal government will get it right this time. Our own local boys, Boudreaux and Thibodeaux have solved the problem.

What did they do the feds couldn't do? Well, we all know that Boudreaux and Thibodeaux are well known for how smart they are. They fixed the levee by erecting a hurricane fence!

Thanks, y'all, we all feel so much safer now...


Denny Lyon
Copyright 2009
All Rights Reserved

3 Oyster Recipes: Awesome Louisiana Food From National Food Conference

The famous Chef Poppy Tooker from New Orleans

From Denny: Food writers from America's newspapers, magazines and web sites descended upon New Orleans this past week to experience the best of the city's culture and cuisine at the Association of Food Journalists annual conference, held at the New Orleans’ International House Hotel.

Lucky you and me that the people hosting it were from my own Baton Rouge newspaper, The Advocate, as well as the New Orleans Times-Picayune so, of course, they decided to share some of the recipe goodies! (Too bad they didn't provide more photos.)

True to Louisiana they named their food themes for panel discussions in an amusing fashion: The New Orleans You Don’t Know, Beyond French, Spanish and African-American Hands in the Pot, The Sicilian Connection or Why Do All the Neighborhood Restaurants Serve Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Creoles Are Not a Fairy Folk: An Updated Definition, With Food.

At their discussions came some history of the Louisiana cuisine. German immigrants of the peasant farmer class began settling in Louisiana as early as the 1720's, just north of New Orleans. They soon intermarried with the French, eventually assimilating seamlessly into the Cajun and old Creole families.

Because of the negative overtones of the conflicts with Germany during World Wars One and Two, recognition of the culture and their cuisine faded. Only recently has there been renewed interest. Weird fact about New Orleans: There is not one German restaurant in the entire city!

The more recent Vietnamese immigrants have yet to influence Louisiana cooking in any noticable way. What we do see is the Vietnamese have lovingly embraced Cajun and Creole products like our fish and seafood: shrimp, crawfish, oysters, redfish and gar. Instead of incorporating Vietnamese products into Louisiana cooking, most Louisiana people prefer to dine on Vietamese food on its own terms in its pure state: noodle bowls, steamed vegetables, fish patties and stuffed bread rolls called banh mi.

Since Hurricane Katrina when neighborhood ethnic grocery stores were devastated, New Orleans Vietnamese families now have the goal of self-sufficiency. They operate neighborhood-based communal gardens and markets so they will no longer have to wait months for a store to reopen in order to feed their families.

Another immigrant group that came to Louisiana were the Italians. While most of America thinks of the Deep South associated with African-American slavery, there were white slaves as well. Even after slavery had officially been abolished in America it still existed in another form for immigrants as the indentured servant. Italian indentured servants came in the 1890's to work on the sugar plantations for two years as payment for their passage to America. Even after all that hardship they have managed to pass down through the generations their culture and recipes to the next generation.

Tuesday's post will pick up with more from this conference. Right now, let's get down to the yummy oyster recipes they gifted us!



Photo of another version of charbroiled oyster, the nacho style from cgkinia @ flickr

Drago’s Charbroiled Oysters

From: Tommy Cvitanovich of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant

Makes: 18

This is the perfect dish for those who want to enjoy oysters in their unadorned form, but can’t or won’t eat them raw. Once you start eating these charbroiled ones, you won’t be able to stop. Don’t attempt this without freshly shucked oysters and an outdoor grill.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. butter, softened
2 tbls. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
Pinch dried oregano
1-1/2 dozen large, freshly shucked oysters on the half shell
1/4 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, mixed
2 tsps. chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Mix butter with the garlic, pepper, and oregano.

2. Heat a gas or charcoal grill and put oysters on the half shell right over the hottest part. Spoon the seasoned butter over the oysters enough so that some of it will overflow into the fire and flame up a bit. The oysters are ready when they puff up and get curly on the sides, about 5 minutes.

3. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan and Romano and the parsley on top. Serve on the shells immediately with hot French bread.



Photo of another version of baked oysters by boo_licious @ flickr

Baked Oysters Rio Mar With Chorizo and Spinach

From: Adolfo Garcia of Rio Mar and La Boca restaurants

Serves: 12 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

4 links Spanish chorizo (dried, not the uncooked Mexican chorizo), about 24 ozs., peeled and chopped
Olive oil as needed
1/2 medium chopped onion
3 tbls. chopped garlic
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese
2 cups cooked, well-drained spinach, about 1 lb. fresh
Salt and pepper, to taste
24 shucked oysters
Butter, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Process chorizo chunks in a food processor until finely ground, about 4 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, brown chorizo with onions and garlic in a little olive oil, about 10 minutes. Cool mixture.

2. Combine bread crumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Chop cooked spinach, and
add all but 3 tablespoons of the cheese-bread crumb mixture.

3. Combine cooled chorizo mixture with the spinach mixture; season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Place 12 (8-ounce) ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Portion half of the chorizo-spinach mixture among the ramekins. Place two oysters in each then cover equally with remaining mixture. Garnish with reserved cheese-bread crumb mixture then dot with butter. Bake until brown, about 8 minutes.



Uncle Frank’s Oyster Dressing

From: Chef Chiqui Collier from the New Orleans Cooking Experience

Serves: 12-15

Chef Chiqui Collier says that this recipe, her family’s version, is probably the school’s most requested. Oyster dressing is a New Orleans tradition. This recipe freezes well and improves in flavor when made a couple of days ahead.

Ingredients:

3 tbls. olive oil, plus more as needed
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion/scallion, sliced
3 tbls. minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 dozen large freshly shucked oysters and reserved liquor
2 to 3 sprigs thyme or pinch of dried thyme
Pinch salt
Pinch lemon-pepper
1/4 loaf stale po-boy French bread, cubed (about 2-1/2 cups)
Couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet

Directions:

1. Fill a medium frying pan over medium heat with about 1/4-inch of olive oil. Add white onions; cook until softened and transparent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and green onions; cook 5 minutes more. Stir in parsley and cook an additional 2 minutes. Set onion mixture aside.

2. Place oysters and the liquor in a saucepan. Cook until the edges curl, about 5 minutes. Remove oysters with a slotted spoon, and coarsely chop; reserve cooking liquid. Add thyme, salt and lemon-pepper to the liquid; add bread to soak up the liquid.

3. Place the cooked onions, soaked bread and cooked, chopped oysters together in a large bowl. Toss well to mix. In the same skillet that the onions were sautéed in, add more olive oil. Over high heat, fry the dressing in two batches for about 5 minutes. Add a drop of Kitchen Bouquet to each batch.

4. Spread the cooked dressing in a large baking pan. The recipe can be made ahead to this point. Bake at 350 degrees until warmed through, about 40 minutes or longer if cold from the refrigerator. If desired, spoon some of the turkey drippings over the dressing before serving.



Baked Tomatoes are very tasty to serve as a side with an oyster dish.

Baked Tomatoes

From: New Orleans Times-Picayune food editor Judy Walker

Makes: 4 to 6 servings as a main dish

This recipe is adapted from the Christian Women’s Exchange “Creole Cookery,” published in 1885 and republished as a facsimile in 2005. The dish was served at the Hermann-Grima House.

Ingredients:

12 large tomatoes (2 to 2-1/2 lbs.)
1/2 loaf French bread, thinly sliced
2 tbls. unsalted, softened butter, plus more as needed
1 tbl. salt, or to taste
1 tbl. black pepper, or to taste
2/3 cup fine bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Heat a saucepan of water to boiling. Plunge tomatoes into it to loosen peels. Remove peels.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take 6 to 8 of the most solid tomatoes and place them in a medium-size buttered baking dish. Butter the bread, using it to fill spaces in the dish.

3. Purée the remaining tomatoes in a food processor, adding the 2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper. Pour the purée into the baking dish over the tomatoes. Cover evenly with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

*** For part two of the food conference - 5 Cajun, Creole Recipes: 2 Gumbos, Dirty Rice, Pickled Shrimp, Shrimp Stuffed Vegetable Pear

*** Thanks for visiting, everyone, have a great day!

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.

Shrimp Festival: In Delcambre, Louisiana Starts on August 12

Shrimp Festival is from August 12th to 16th outside Lafayette

From Denny: Looking for more Louisiana Bloggers. One new blogger friend posted up today on one of my blogs. She had a problem being able to leave a comment - turns out Blogger now knows about the issue. Same goes for the Followers from Blogger widget acting weird and not showing your friends and links to their blogs.



Anyway, put Marguerite on my blog list so you can visit her blog, Cajun Delights. She lives in Lafayette, about a 45 minute drive from Baton Rouge. That's the beauty of south Louisiana for a tourist: you can fly into New Orleans, drive to the capital city Baton Rouge (Red Stick)in an hour 15 minutes, stay over a day or so and visit various attractions and eat well, then take a day drive to Lafayette in 45 minutes and definitely eat well when you arrive there! :)



Delcambre Shrimp Festival, go here. Delcambre is about 20 miles outside Lafayette where this time of year they perform the annual blessing of the ever so productive shrimp fleet. Many other attractions like yummy cook-offs (there goes my diet: again...) and as is typical in Cajun Country there is fun toe-tapping live music the whole family can enjoy!

Recipe: Lighter Simple Summer Seafood Gumbo

Photo from 2theAdvocate.com

From Denny: This summer version of beach vacation gumbo was featured in our local newspaper in this week's food section. The family dilemma was there were a lot of people to feed for each meal, fifteen to be exact. The cooks did not have a lot of time to cook and also wanted to take advantage of the fresh seafood as they were vacationing in Florida. It would have been a culinary sin not to enjoy the local freshest seafood! :)

So, they came up with some shortcuts for cooking gumbo using some convenience foods. They also thinned the roux (nothing like the traditional excessively thick New Orleans roux you will get in every tourist restaurant in New Orleans) to lighten the feel of it for the heat of the summer. Sometimes, when you have been at the beach all day the last thing you want to eat is food that is too heavy on spices, heat or texture.

The cooks saved time and heat in the kitchen by using a prepackaged powdered roux and gravy mix. As per their advice, "As with any thickening agent, always stir it with cool liquid before adding it to a skillet or gumbo pot to prevent clumps from forming."

They also saved time again by using pre-chopped bag of Creole seasoning mix of onions, bell peppers and celery. Make sure you check the date for optimum freshness of this kind of convenience food.

OK, this is where I'd draw the line and chop my own. Why? Because vegetables lose their energy quickly and start leaching water, breaking down within an hour or so of chopping them. So, yeah, I'd take the time here to chop my own; the flavor will be a lot more intense and wonderful if you do!

Use low-sodium chicken broth as seafood has enough natural salt on its own.


Lighter Simple Summer Seafood Gumbo

From: Tracey Koch

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:


4 Tablespoons canola oil

3 cups chopped Creole seasoning blend of onions, bell peppers and celery

1/2 cup instant roux and gravy mix (I use Zatarain’s or Tony Chachere’s)

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon gumbo filé, if desired

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1 pound fresh claw crabmeat or half claw and half lump

1 pound raw, shucked oysters (optional)

Cooked rice


Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, heat the oil and sauté the vegetables over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the roux and gravy mix with the chicken broth until all of the mix is dissolved.

3. Pour the broth into the stock pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add filé, if desired.

4. Add shrimp, stir and cook for 5 minutes, then fold in crabmeat, stirring occasionally. Stir in optional oysters, at this point. When shrimp are uniformly pink, the seafood is cooked, and the gumbo is ready to serve.

5. Ladle over hot, cooked rice.

Kitchen Helpers: Kids can help out in several ways with this dish. They can measure the ingredients, whisk together the gravy mix, pick through the crabmeat for shells and even help peel the shrimp. Just make sure they wash their hands well before and after handling raw seafood.

From Denny: They suggested a simple Greek salad to round out the meal. Besides, all those raw veggies like tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers are cooling to your liver which, in turn, will cool down your body from a hot day in the beach sun. Win-win!

Summer Greek Salad

From: Tracey Koch

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 head butter lettuce or mixed greens

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 small cucumber, diced

1/2 cup kalamata olives

Greek dressing:

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried mint

Directions:

1. Toss lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives in a large salad bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, oregano and mint until all ingredients are uniformly incorporated.

3. Add dressing to salad according to taste and toss.

4. Serve immediately.

Kitchen helpers: Younger children can help measure the dressing ingredients and toss the salad, and older ones can make it by themselves.