More April Fools Day Funnies

For more April Fools Day hoaxes from the math and science geek crowd, hike yourself on over to one of my other blogs: The Soul Calendar - go here.

On that blog I place a lot of articles about the mind, how the brain works, some astronomy (killer eclipse photos) and anything else mildly geeky I enjoy when I read magazines like Discover. Enjoy!

Photo by Tambako the Jaguar @ flickr.

Recipe: Shrimp with Red-Eye Gravy and Grits

Image by protoflux via Flickr

From Denny: As is often said in south Louisiana: This dish is SO GOOD it will make you slap your dead dog! Or, as any good Cajun would tell you, It's all about the gravy, cher!

Photo of their version of shrimp and grits from another place in the South, the Low Country of South Carolina.


From: Mr. B's Bistro

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:


8 strips applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into thirds

20 jumbo shrimp (12 per pound, about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, leaving tail intact, and deveined

4 large wooden skewers, soaked in water for 10 minutes

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 1/2 tsp firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 1/2 cups dark chicken stock

2 1/2 Tbsp pepper jelly

1 Tbsp cold unsalted butter

3 cups Mr. B’s stone-ground grits

2 Tbsp minced fresh chives


Directions: Wrap 1 piece bacon around center of each shrimp (reserve leftover bacon) and line up on a work surface. Skewer 5 wrapped shrimp onto each skewer, leaving a little space in between each shrimp. Season shrimp with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until almost smoking. Add 2 skewers and cook 2 minutes each side, or until bacon gets crisp. Repeat cooking shrimp in same manner. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

To skillet add vinegar and brown sugar and cook about 1 minute, or until reduced by half. Add stock and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Add jelly and cook 1 minute, or until jelly is dissolved. Remove skillet from heat and add butter, stirring, until just melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

In a small skillet cook leftover bacon until crisp. Cool and crumble.

To serve, mound grits on plates. Remove shrimp from skewers and arrange around grits. Drizzle sauce over grits and garnish with reserved bacon and chives.

Recipe: White Chocolate Walnut Bread Pudding

Image by jwinfred via Flickr

White Chocolate & Walnut Bread Pudding

Photo of another version of white chocolate bread pudding. Awesome presentation, wow!


From: O'Donnell's Restaurant, Chef Phil O'Donnell

Ingredients:

1½ quarts milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 large eggs

3 cups sugar

1- to 1 ½ lbs. stale New Orleans style French bread

½ lb. white chocolate

1 cup chopped walnuts


Directions: Add milk and vanilla to a sauce pot and scald. Set aside.

Put eggs and sugar into mixing bowl and whip until doubled in volume.

Slowly whisk scalded milk into egg and sugar mixture.

Add this mixture to the bread in large mixing bowl and let soak for 20 minutes.

Fold in the white chocolate and walnuts.

Put into a 13” x 9” casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for doneness by placing a toothpick into the center of the dish. If it pulls out clean, the bread pudding is done. Serves 8-10.

Recipe: Seasoned Rump Roast

Image by mrlerone via Flickr

From Denny: Sometimes simple and rustic is best!

From: Cochon Butcher

Ingredients:

4 lbs rump roast

2 cups crimini mushrooms, chopped in ½ inch pieces

1 cup carrots, chopped in ½ inch pieces

1 cup onion, chopped in ½ inch pieces

1 cup par cooked potatoes, chopped in ½ inch pieces

2 cups red wine

1 cup stock (or water)


Directions: Place roast in a roasting pan or rack and cook at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes to form a nice brown crust. Add the chopped vegetables and the wine and reduce heat to 300 degrees. Cook for about one hour and 15 minutes for medium rare. Remove meat from pan and place the roasting pan over a medium high burner. Add stock and cook vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes to slightly intensify broth. Serve to accompany the roast.

Recipe: Fried Oysters on the Half Shell with Bacon Horseradish Hollandaise

Image by pieboy75 via Flickr

Photo of oysters getting ready to be fried

From: Mr. B's Bistro

Yield: Serves 4


Ingredients:

1 lb shucked oysters (1 pint)

2/3 cup Crystal hot sauce

1 large egg, lightly beaten

canola oil for frying

For 3-2-1 breading:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup corn flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tsp kosher salt

¾ tsp granulated onion

¾ tsp granulated garlic

¾ tsp paprika

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp white pepper

rock salt for serving

2 dozen oyster shells

1/2 cup bacon horseradish hollandaise sauce

Directions:

Drain oysters and toss with Crystal and egg. Marinate oysters, chilled and covered, 2 hours and up to overnight.

In a deep heavy saucepan heat about 2 inches oil until it registers 350 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer.

Make 3-2-1 breading: In a large bowl combine all ingredients.

Toss oysters in breading, shaking off excess, and fry in batches of 6 until golden brown, about one and a half minutes, making sure oil returns to 350 degrees before adding more oysters. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

To serve arrange rock salt on 4 plates. Arrange oysters on half shells and place over salt. Top each oyster with a teaspoon of hollandaise