Crawfish Etouffee and Shrimp Piquant

I first ate Cajun and Creole food several years ago at a local Cajun restaurant and fell in love with it. When I really started getting into cooking I made a dish of crawfish etouffee with the goal of making it taste like the one I had at that restaurant. This recipe is pretty close and everyone I serve it to seems to love it, even those who aren't really into crawfish!

The recipe for shrimp piquant is much spicier than the etouffee but just as delicious. I use serrano peppers put you can substitute jalapenos or omit them altogether. Both recipes call for fish stock and normally, time permitting, I will make my own. You can do the same by boiling the shells of the crawfish and/or shrimp with onion, garlic, thyme and celery. Just strain out the solids before using.

Shrimp Piquant

2 tablespoons butter 

2 1/4 cups chopped onions 

1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers 

3/4 cup chopped celery 

3 cups chopped fresh peeled tomatoes 

1 cup tomato sauce 

2 serrano peppers, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp dried thyme leaves
5 1/2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/4 cups fish stock
1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 lbs peeled raw large shrimp

4 cups hot cooked rice

Melt the butter in a 4-quart non-stick saucepan over high heat; add the onions, bell pepper, and celery and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeno, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, ground peppers, and garlic, stirring well; cook about 3 minutes and stir often.

Stir in the stock, sugar and salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until flavors are married, about 20 minutes, stirring often.

Turn the heat up to high, and when the sauce is boiling, remove from heat

Add in the shrimp, push them down in the sauce, cover the pan and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Serve over rice.

 

Crawfish Etouffee 

1 pound peeled crawfish tails or one 16oz package frozen crawfish meat

1/4 cup stick butter 

3 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp tomato paste

1 1/2 cup fish stock
1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper

4 cups cooked rice

 

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add flour and cook until roux turns a golden color. Add the onions, garlic and celery, saute until the vegetables are wilted, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the stock and stir into onion mixture. Add tomatoes, crawfish, parsley and seasoning and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Serve over steamed rice.

I've Been Slacking!

Thanksgiving and family obligations has caused me to fall behind on blogging any recipes. However, I'm posting one tomorrow for Crawfish Etouffee, one of my favorite meals. I'm also working on some lighter dishes for the holiday season and some International dishes as well.

Here's hoping that you had a great Thanksgiving!

Spinach & Sausage Quiche

I got up this Sunday morning before anyone else so I could start making breakfast. I enjoy waking everyone up with the delicious smells of sausage, bacon, eggs and whatever else I decide to make.

This morning I decided on quiche. It's easy to make, easy to clean up, makes a pretty presentation and my family loves it. I made this one with sausage and spinach but you can throw in almost anything you want. If you are one of those that has to top everything with some sort of sauce then I suggest Hollandaise. It goes well with most egg and vegetable dishes.

1 Frozen deep dish pie shell

8 Eggs

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Dried mustard

1/2 Teaspoon Red pepper flakes

1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper

1 Link Smoked sausage, chopped

1 Cup Fresh Spinach, chopped

1/2 Cup Onion, chopped

1/4 Cup Swiss or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375°

In a bowl, whisk together eggs thru black pepper until frothy. Stir in remaining ingredients and carefully pour into pie shell. Bake until done, about an hour, or until a knife inserted into middle comes out clean. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Banana Muffins!

One of my husband's favorite things to snack on is banana nut muffins. I didn't have any walnuts around so I decided to make him banana muffins with a crumb top. These come out so moist you won't need any added butter, especially if you eat them about 15 minutes after they've finished baking.

1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Bananas, mashed
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/3 Cup Butter, melted

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 Teaspoon Ground nutmeg

3/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/3 Cup Brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375°

Grease or line a muffin pan, set aside

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. 

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Borracho Beans- A Texas Necessity

If you live in Texas you have to know how to make a good pot of beans. It's something you serve with brisket, enchiladas and basically any other BBQ or Mexican dish out there. I don't particularly care for beans, unless they're re-fried and in a taco with cheese, but I do know how to make them.

When making these, don't forget that you are using dried beans and will have to do an overnight soak. I don't like the quick-soak method, I don't feel you get the same results. However, if that is the method you prefer then hey, go for it!

2 Cups Dried Pinto Beans

12 Ounces Salt pork

4 Cups Chicken Stock

1 12 Ounce Can whole tomatoes, with liquid

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 Bunch Cilantro, chopped

3-4 Jalapeno peppers, sliced

5-6 Cloves Garlic

5-6 Tablespoons Fiesta Brand Pinto Bean seasoning

2 Tablespoons Ground comino (cumin)

Fresh Ground pepper to taste

The night before, pick through beans for any rocks and rinse. Place in bowl and cover with water, at least 2-3" over, and soak overnight. Rinse before cooking.

In a large pot with lid place all the above ingredients, reserving 1/2 of the cilantro and jalapenos, and bring to boil. Make sure beans have at least 1-2" of liquid above them at all time, add water or more stock if needed . Reduce to simmer and cover for about 2 hours or until beans are tender. When beans are tender, add remaining cilantro and jalapenos and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Before serving, mash a few beans and garlic cloves with the back of a ladle and stir. This will help thicken the broth and add extra flavor. Add salt as needed.

Eggplant Parmigiana

When I was little and my family would go to eat Italian food, my mom would order eggplant parmigiana the majority of the time. I would watch my dad make a face and say it was gross but she always seemed to enjoy it. She let me try it one day and after that, I was hooked. Actually, I like anything that has the ending "parmigiana." That includes veal, shrimp and of course, chicken. But my favorite will always be the eggplant.

When making this dish I slice the eggplant lengthwise and about 1/4" thick. I don't use shredded mozzarella for the layers, only for the garnish. I try to use fresh cheese whenever possible and I slice it thick for better texture. When layering, begin by putting two slices, side by side, horizontally and the next two slices vertically. If you build the layers in this fashion the dish will hold together much better.

1 Purple eggplant

2 Eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 Cup Regular breadcrumbs

Oil for frying

32 Ounces prepared traditional pasta sauce

12 to 14 Thick slices GOOD mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°

Put about 4-6 tablespoons of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish and set to side. In a shallow dish the same length of  eggplant, add beaten eggs and milk, stir. In another dish add Panko, breadcrumbs, basil and mix well. Remove eggplant skin with vegetable peeler and slice lengthwise into 1/4" thick pieces. 

Heat a skillet and then add oil for frying. Dip each slice of eggplant in egg wash then in breadcrumbs, coating each side. Fry in pan, 2 slices at a time, until sides are lightly golden. Place slices in bottom of baking dish and top with 6 tablespoons sauce, spreading evenly, then top with 2-3 slices of cheese. Continue breading and frying slices, two at a time, and layering until no slices remain. However, do not add cheese to last layer.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove foil, top with any remaining cheese and bake uncovered an addition 15 minutes. Let stand before slicing and serving.

Stuffed Chicken with Parmesan Crust- New Product Test

I had already planned on making a stuffed chicken dish when I came upon a new Kraft product, Parmesan Seasoning Blends-Hearty Tuscan Herbs. I decided to give it a try and use it in the crust part of the dish along with Panko bread crumbs.  It went well with the entire dish and you could taste the actual herbs and it wasn't overwhelmed with unnecessary salt. I will definitely use this product again and will be trying the other flavors in the future.

As for the stuffing part of the chicken, I used Prosciutto as the main ingredient. Do not add any salt to the stuffing, between the Prosciutto and Provolone cheese there will be an ample amount. I was going to make a nice risotto as a side but instead went with roasted root vegetables. However, risotto or creamed spinach would go well too. You can also top each each piece with a chunky marinara sauce for a little added color and flavor.

  

  

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Package of Kraft Parmesan Seasoning Blends- Heart Tuscan Herbs *

1 Cup Panko Japanese style breadcrumbs

2 Eggs, slightly scrambled

2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream

1 Cup Prosciutto, diced

1/2 Cup onion, diced

3 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Cup Baby Spinach

2 Tablespoons butter

4 1oz. slices Provolone cheese

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°

Grease bottom of  baking dish with olive oil

Make a "pocket" in each chicken breast. To do so, insert a knife in the thicker end of the breast piece and slice about an 1" or so, being careful not to pierce through. In a shallow dish add egg and milk. In another dish, or a Ziplock bag, add Panko bread crumbs and Kraft seasoning and mix well. Set all aside.

Heat a heavy skillet and add butter to melt. Add  Prosciutto and saute til fat begins to render. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until it starts to wilt. Take each chicken breast and place one slice of Provolone in each (you may have to slice in thirds to fit) and then stuff with Prosciutto mix.

Carefully dip all sides of each breast in egg wash and then in Panko/seasoning mix, coating each piece completely. Place each piece in baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake on center rack until done, about 30-45 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

* In place of packaged seasoning mix, add 1-2 tablespoon of the following to the Panko breadcrumbs: Grated Parmesan and Italian seasoning

Sausage Gravy!

I taught my daughter, Paige, how to make sausage gravy today. Afterward, she topped a split biscuit with scrambled eggs and the gravy. It's a classic breakfast or brunch item, completely filling and delicious.

When making the scrambled eggs, try adding a couple tablespoons of cream or milk, about 1/4 teaspoon each of paprika and ground mustard. You'll definitely have more creamier and flavorful eggs with these simple additions. 

Sausage Cream Gravy

2-3 Slices bacon, cut in 1/2" pieces

1/2 Cup uncooked pork breakfast sausage from a roll, like Jimmy Dean or Owens

2-3 Tablespoons flour

1 Cup milk

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Salt to taste

In  a saucepan, begin cooking bacon over medium heat. When bacon is almost done add sausage and cook til done, breaking up any larger pieces and being careful not to burn. Begin adding flour, a tablespoon at a time. You want to absorb all of the oil, stirring to make sure that all of the sausage is coated. When all of the oil has been absorbed begin adding milk, about half a cup at a time. Stir continuously until gravy starts to thicken. If too thick, add more milk. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

A few years back I tasted a roasted red pepper soup for the first time, I fell in love with it. I've developed my own recipe, while not identical to the one I originally had, is quite close. It's a little tasking to make, considering the roasting of the peppers, pureeing and the straining before serving, but well worth the effort. It's a soup best served warm but can also be served chilled, if you like. I serve it more as a side dish but it goes wonderfully with an artisan sandwich or simple salad.

3 Large red peppers

Vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 Cup onion, chopped

1/2 Cup shredded carrots, chopped

2 Stalks celery, with leaves, chopped

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

3 Cups Chicken stock

1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fresh ground pepper

1/2 Cup Heavy cream

Fresh basil for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°

Cut peppers in half, remove stem and seeds. Lay skin side up on baking dish and brush with vegetable oil. Roast in oven until skins begin to turn black. Remove from oven and place in resealable bag. When peppers are cool, about 20 minutes, remove skins and do not rinse. Roughly chop peppers and set aside.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add onion, carrots and celery cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add peppers, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, puree with hand mixer or blender. When mixture is smooth, return to heat and add cream. Return to a simmer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Before serving, strain soup though fine mesh sieve. Garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream and fresh chopped basil.

Sweet & Tangy Baked Beans

My 14yr old son, Sam, has always loved the classic Beanie Weenies. In a rush I'll usually make them with store brand hot dogs and a can of Bush's Baked Beans. But if I've got time, like I did today, I'll make the beans from almost-scratch and use a better hot dog or sausage. What follows is my recipe for tangy and sweet beans. However, here are a few things you want to remember. While I have put exact measurements, you want to taste the sauce as you build it. When using canned tomato products, especially cheaper brands, you never know how tangy or even metallic tasting the tomatoes will be. You might have to adjust sugar and/or apple cider measurements. Also, I use canned beans because sugar can sometimes cause fresh beans, no matter how long they have soaked or cooked, to be hard.

One last note. You can substitute the apple cider vinegar for a good bourbon. I would have, but my husband decided to finish off what I had hidden away!

6-7 Slices Applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 Medium onion, chopped 

3 Cloves garlic, minced

3/4 Cup Ketchup

3/4 Cup Tomato puree

1 Cup Brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Agave nectar or honey

1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

4  15.5 ounce cans Navy beans

Preheat oven to 350°

In heavy saucepan, cook bacon til almost done, add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add remaining ingredients except beans. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated thoroughly. Add beans and stir gently til evenly coated.

Transfer beans to a casserole or baking pan, cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove cover and cook an additional 15 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

**** NOTE****

If adding hot dogs, add at start of baking making sure to completely cover dogs with beans. Check dogs after 1 hour to make sure they have cooked through. Adjust time accordingly.

Homemade Amaretto

I saw a recipe for homemade Amaretto in the weekend newspaper, so I said, "I'm doing this!" I decided to do a little research on the drink and looked at a few recipes on the Internet. I took what I learned and what others had tried and came up with this recipe.

My first batch seems to have good color, fragrance and the initial taste is also good. I'm going to age it for about a week then taste it again. I warn you, this is a recipe that is a work in progress but I think you should try it and have fun with it.

1 3/4 Cup Water

1 3/4 Cup White Sugar

3 Tablespoons Brown sugar

1 Teaspoon Anise Seeds

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Almond Extract

1 1/4 Cup Good Vodka

Bring to simmer, in a heavy saucepan, the water thru Anise seeds until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cover to allow seeds to steep. When cool, strain into glass container and add vanilla and almond extract, set aside.

In clean glass decanter, add vodka and above sugar mixture, mix well. As drink sits, separation may occur. Just stir before serving.