Recipe: Opelousas Oyster Loaf

A less messy way to fry those tasty oysters! Do it in the microwave. Tony Chachere is well cherished here in Louisiana, after all, he was the first to start selling a Cajun seasoning. It was popular here with Louisiana cooks and spread out to the national palate and they cook Cajun all over the world now!


Opelousas Oyster Loaf

From: Tony Chachere’s Microwave Cajun Country Cookbook

Yield: 4 – 6 servings


Ingredients:


1 loaf French bread, unsliced

1 dozen select oysters, large

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, can use crumbs from inside of loaf of French bread

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

½ cup cream

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

Dill pickles

Lemon

Catsup

Butter


Directions: Slice off top of the French bread and reserve. Scoop out insides and toast the bread under the broiler. Butter inside generously and wrap in terry cloth towel to keep warm.

Dry oysters on paper towel. In small bowl, combine salt, pepper and egg. Beat well. Add cream and mix well. Place oysters in egg mixture.

Place bread crumbs in plastic bag, add oysters, and shake to coat each piece.
Preheat microwave browning skillet on HIGH FOR 8 MINUTES. Pour cooking oil into preheated skillet. Place oysters in oil.

Microwave on HIGH 1 MINUTE. Turn over.

Microwave on HIGH for 1 to 1 ½ MINUTES or until browned. Drain on paper towel. Fill in hollow of French bread with fried oysters. Garnish with sliced dill pickles, lemon wedges, and dabs of catsup. Replace top, wrap in terry towel and place in microwave.

Microwave on 70% POWER FOR 45 to 60 SECONDS or until warm. Serve at once.

If It Crawls, Slithers, Swims, or Walks

If It Crawls, Slithers, Swims, or Walks: "It's said that if it crawls, slithers, swims, or walks -- we Cajuns eat it. That's a stereotype characterization that is well deserved. Actually, my Grandpere's exact instructions were always, 'If it moves, we might eat it.'

He had a large family to feed and not much money. However, don't be fooled, not everything that walks, crawls, and slithers, can or should be eaten." 3 videos.

By Jerilee Wei

Funny Chocolate Quote

Chocolate Definition - "After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of what women want. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate." - Mel Gibson

Recipe: Alberta Fudge Cake

Basically, this cake has a thick layer of real pecan fudge laying on top as the icing. This cake is so very rich you might want to serve only in very small portions or keep it for the holidays.

Note: Be specific about cooking the fudge until it registers 236 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Alberta Fudge Cake

From: Michael Doumit, from Lafayette, Louisiana, originally featured in Travelhost Magazine.

Yield: Makes a 9x13-inch cake.

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1-1/2 cups flour

6 tbls. cocoa

2 tsps. vanilla

2 cups chopped pecans

Fudge Icing

4 cups sugar

1 stick butter

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

12 ozs. semisweet chocolate chips

1 (7-oz.) jar marshmallow crème

3 cups chopped pecans

1 tsp. vanilla


1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a (9x13x2-inch) baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In mixer, blend butter and sugar until thoroughly mixed and creamy. Add eggs one at a time and blend.

3. Sift flour and cocoa together and add to above mixture. Add vanilla and chopped pecans.

4. Pour into greased or parchment-lined pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool, then top with Fudge Icing.

Fudge Icing

1. In heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture registers 236 degrees on candy thermometer.

2. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and marshmallow crème. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in pecans and vanilla and pour over cake. Cool until fudge sets.

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.