Broiled Parmesan Grouper

This is a quick fix meal.  My brother caught a huge grouper, so that's how this recipe is making an appearance on the blog.  I found this on www.allrecipes.com.  I made a few adjustments.  

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. fresh grouper fillets
• 2 T. lemon juice (juice of one lemon)
• ½ T. kosher salt
• 1 t. black pepper
• ¼ C. mayonnaise
• ½ C. Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ C. (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 T. Crystal hot sauce
• 2 T. fresh dill, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Cover a baking dish or cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
3. Place the grouper fillets on the sheet and squeeze the lemon juice over the fillets.  Season with the salt and pepper.
4. Broil for 4 – 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets (they should begin to flake with the pressure of a fork).
5. Combine the remaining ingredients together and reserve.
6. Remove from the broiler and spread the cheese mixture over the fillets and return to the broiler for 1 minute or until brown and bubbly.
7. Remove and serve hot.

Tips and Tricks:

• A 1 inch fillet is the perfect thickness for this recipe.  If your fillets are thicker (mine were), you may need to allow them to cook longer.
• Any fresh herb will work with this recipe.  Dill gives the fish a nice fresh flavor.

Crawfish Boil

This is my Dad’s recipe.  He liked the combination of the citrus and the liquid and powdered crab boil.  We like it, too!  

Ingredients:

• 5 onions, cut in half
• 5 lemons, cut in half
• 5 oranges, cut in half
• 5 heads of garlic, top cut off
• 1 C. Zatarain's liquid crab boil, concentrated
• 1 sack size container (4.5 lbs.) Zatarain's powdered crab boil
• 1 C. Kosher or Sea salt
• 3 lbs. new potatoes
• 30 - 40 lbs. crawfish
• 1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into bite size pieces
• 12 mini ears of corn, frozen
• 1 lb. of Crimini or button mushrooms
• 10 lbs. ice
• Cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the crawfish in a cooler and fill with fresh water, allow the crawfish to sit in the water for a few minutes while you prepare the boiling pot.
2. Fill the boiling pot with water, half-full.  Allow the water to come to a full boil while you squeeze the lemons and oranges into the water.
3. Drop the onions, garlic, liquid crab boil, powdered crab boil, salt, and potatoes into the pot.
4. Drain the water from the cooler, if it is murky; rinse the crawfish again with fresh water.  If the water is clear, the crawfish are ready for the pot.
5. Once the water comes to a boil, allow the potatoes to boil for 15 minutes, and then add the crawfish and the sausage.
6. Allow the water to come back to a boil and then cut the heat.
7. Add the frozen corn, mushrooms and the ice.  Put the cover on the pot and allow the crawfish to sit for at least 25 minutes, and then fish a few out of the pot to test their texture and spicy level.
8. If they are difficult to peel, they may need a little more time, if they aren’t spicy enough, you can add some cayenne pepper to the water at this time, maybe ½ C.
9. Drain the ingredients and serve hot!

Tips and Tricks:

• We use 4 boiling bags: one for the veggies and citrus, one for the potatoes, and one for the sausage, and one for the corn and mushrooms.  It makes it easy to pull the bags out of the pot and makes it easy to keep things separated.
• You will need about 4 lbs. of crawfish per person.
• If you are boiling more than 30 – 40 lbs. of crawfish, you can use the same water for the second boil.  We use the same recipe, but keep in mind the crawfish are usually salter and spicier on round two.

Shrimp Etouffee

This is Cajun comfort food.  It is my Mom and Dad’s recipe that I tweaked.  I like a creamy Etouffee, so that’s where the heavy cream come into the picture.  It’s spicy and rich and creamy.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter (8 T.)
• 1 C. of chopped onions
• ½ C. of chopped bell pepper
• ½ C. of chopped celery
• 3 cloves of minced garlic
• ½ C flour
• 1 can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies
• 4 C. shrimp stock
• ¼ C. of Crystal Hot Sauce
• 2 T. of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 2 lbs. of fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 C. heavy cream

Directions:

1. Season the shrimp with the Creole Seasoning and refrigerate.
2. In cast iron pot, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onions, bell peppers, and celery for 15 minutes
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add flour and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add Rotel, hot sauce, and shrimp stock and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
7. Add shrimp and heavy cream, cook for 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot over rice.

Tips and Tricks:

·     Peel the shrimp and save all the shells and heads to make your own Shrimp Stock. 

·     If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can make this in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven instead.  The trick is to stir constantly while making the roux.  You can NOT multi-task during this step.  This is where the base of flavor for your etouffee comes.

·     The ¼ C. of hot sauce might have you scared.  Don’t be!  The shrimp will soak up the flavor from the hot sauce and the heavy cream will mellow it all out.

·     This freezes well.

Shrimp Burgers

Don't let this picture fool you, it looks like a hamburger, but it's not.  It's a SHRIMP BURGER!  It is so flavorful.  I got this recipe from a Emeril's show, but it's really Marcelle Bienvieu's recipe.
She left out the breadcrumbs and they ARE necessary.  I used Panko.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
• ½ C. onions, finely chopped
• ¼ C. red bell pepper, finely chopped
• ½ C. celery, finely chopped
• ¼ C. green onions, finely chopped
• ¼ C. parsley, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• ½ t. kosher salt
• ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, plus 1 t.
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 C. Panko bread crumbs
• ½ C. all-purpose flour
• 1 C. vegetable oil, for frying
• 4 hamburger buns
• Shredded lettuce
• 1 Roma tomato, cut into slices
• Homemade Tartar Sauce

Directions:

1. In a bowl with a cover, combine the shrimp, onions, bell peppers, and celery with the beaten egg
2. Add the Tony’s, salt, cayenne, green onions, parsley, and baking powder and mix well
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
4. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and add the Panko
5. Form into 4 patties
6. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and the 1 t. of Tony’s
7. Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and place the skillet over medium heat
8. Dredge each patty on both sides through the flour mixture, then add to the skillet
9. Cook for 4 minutes on each side
10. Drain each on paper towels
11. Serve each burger on a bun with Homemade Tartar Sauce, lettuce, and tomato

Tips and Tricks:

• Make the Homemade Tartar Sauce first, the night before is best.  Don’t skip this!  The Shrimp Burgers are so good with this Tartar Sauce.
• Sometimes, I use a 1 lb. container of Creole seasoning from the produce section to speed up this recipe.  Creole seasoning generally has onions, green peppers, celery, garlic, green onions, and parsley.  The 1 lb. container is about 2 C.

Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Capers

This is quick and easy dinner.  Fresh gulf shrimp are the star of the show.  The lemon juice gives this a bright fresh flavor.  It's perfect with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb. of angel hair pasta
• 2 lbs. of medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 T. capers
• 2 T. olive oil 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ C. freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1 t. lemon zest
• ¼ t. red pepper flakes
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• ½ C. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Boil pasta as directed on package and strain
2. In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat a ½ T. of butter over medium heat, allow to cook until the foam is gone
3. Add the capers and crush ½ of them with a spoon, cook for 2 minutes or until they start to burst and smell nutty
4. Add the olive oil and allow to heat, and then add the garlic and cook for one minute
5. Add the lemon juice and cook until it reduces a bit 1 – 2 minutes
6. Add the shrimp with the salt, red pepper flakes, and Creole seasoning
7. Cook for 3 minutes
8. Remove from the heat, then add the remaining butter and stir, until all the butter is melted
9. Add the pasta and toss
10. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then serve

Tips and Tricks:

• Adding the butter to the lemon juice without the heat helps the butter to emulsify.
• This recipe makes 4 servings.  It is really easy to double.

Mini Crab Cakes

This is a great appetizer for a cocktail or dinner party.  They are bite size with a hint of spice.  I got the recipe from "Tracey's Culinary Adventures", but you know I tweaked it a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• ¾ C. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg
• ¼ C. sour cream
• ½ t. lemon zest
• ¼ C. chives, finely chopped
• 1 t. kosher salt
• ½ t. cayenne pepper
• ½ lb. of fresh lump crabmeat
• 1 C. panko breadcrumbs
• ½ stick (4 T.) butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a mini muffin pan (24) with cooking spray
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese until it is smooth
4. Add ¼ C. of the Parmesan cheese, the egg, sour cream, lemon zest, ½ of the chives, salt, and cayenne pepper
5. Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined, then fold in the crabmeat
6. In another bowl, combine the ½ C. of Parmesan cheese, the other ½ of the chives, and the panko
7. Add the melted butter and toss together with your hands until all the panko is evenly moistened
8. Spoon one teaspoon of the panko mixture in each well, and press to form a crust
9. Top each with a generous tablespoon of the crab mixture
10. Finally sprinkle the top of each with the panko mixture
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown
12. Allow the crab cakes to set for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin pan 

Tips and Tricks:

• Each muffin well will be full with this mixture!  Some may even overflow a bit, that’s OK.
• You can make the crab mixture the day before and refrigerate until ready to make.
• I serve these with my homemade tartar sauce.  Follow my link to find out how I make it.

Tartar Sauce

This is a great accompaniment to a Shrimp Burger or fried seafood.  It is a combination of a few recipes I've found.

Ingredients:

• 1 C. mayonnaise
• 2 T. dill relish
• 2 T. chives, finely chopped
• 1 T. capers
• 1 T. parsley, finely chopped
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 t. Crystal hot sauce
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• ½ T. lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for several hours before serving

Tips and Tricks:

• This is great to make when you are frying seafood. 
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice makes a big difference in this. 
• This can be kept refrigerated for about two weeks.

Shrimp Mold

This is a throwback recipe.  In the 70's, recipes to make Molds or Aspic were all the rage.  I know that it is no longer a must have at every party now, but it is still good.  I love the presentation.  I was given a special Tupperware as a shower gift to make Molds or Aspic.  The recipe is straight out of my cookbook that my sister-in-law Darlene made for me.

Ingredients:

•  1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
•  2 packs of gelatin
•  ½ C. water
•  1 can tomato soup
•  1 C. mayonnaise
•  1 C. shrimp, cooked, chopped
•  ¼ C. onions, finely chopped
•  ¼ C. celery, finely chopped
•  ¼ C. pimento stuffed, green olives, chopped
•  ¼ C. yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a small simmering pot, heat the soup to a boil, then add the cream cheese to the hot soup and stir until the cream cheese melts into the soup.
2. In a small bowl, add the gelatin to the water and whisk until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour the soup mixture into a large bowl and add the gelatin to the mixture and stir until incorporated.
4. Add the mayonnaise, then the shrimp, onions, celery, olives, and peppers
5. Grease a Bundt pan (or Tupperware makes a Jel-Ring, which is what I use) with mayonnaise, so the finished product will slide out easily.
6. Pour the mixture into the pan and refrigerate overnight.
7. When ready to serve, place a platter under the pan and carefully flip the pan to release the Shrimp Mold.
8. Serve with assorted crackers.

Tips and Tricks:

• This is great to make when you have some leftover boiled shrimp. 
• Yellow bell peppers is NOT necessary, but the different colors look nice. 

Shrimp Remoulade Salad

When I was little I got to help make the Shrimp Remoulade Salads for Thanksgiving Dinner at my friend Marianna's house.  The only addition to this salad is the feta cheese.  You MUST make the Remoulade Sauce.  It's the star of this show.

Ingredients:

• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• 2 lbs. of boiled shrimp
• 1 can of black olives
• 4 oz. of crumbled feta cheese
• Remoulade Sauce

Directions:

1. Boil and peel the shrimp
2. Cover four plates with the iceberg lettuce
3. Add several black olives that have been cut in half
4. Sprinkle 1 oz. of feta cheese over each
5. Add ½ lb. of shrimp to each plate, about 10 - 12 medium shrimp or 6 – 8 jumbo
6. Drizzle with the Remoulade sauce

Tips and Tricks:

• Follow my links for the recipes for boiled shrimp and the Remoulade Sauce.
• Traditional Shrimp Remoulade is served with iceberg lettuce.
• I recommend boiling the shrimp and making the Remoulade Sauce the day before and refrigerating them overnight.  Peel the shrimp when you are ready to make the salads.

Crabmeat Cheesecake

My sister-in-law, Donna made this for our family on Christmas Eve and we devoured it.  It makes a beautiful presentation and can be served as an appetizer with crackers or as an entree in slices.

Ingredients:

• 1 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 C. bread crumbs
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 C. onions, finely chopped
• ½ C. green pepper, finely chopped
• ½ C. red pepper, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T. Crystal hot sauce
• ½ T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
• 2 T. lemon juice, or the juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb. of lump crabmeat
• 3 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 4 large eggs
• ½ C. heavy cream
• 1 C. of smoked Gouda shredded (4 oz.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and butter until blended
3. Spray a 9 in. springform pan with cooking spray
4. Press the bread crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and peppers for 5 minutes
6. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, lemon juice, and crabmeat to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and reserve
8. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and eggs with an electric mixer until frothy about 5 minutes
9. Add the cream, Gouda, and finally the crabmeat mixture
10. Mix until incorporated well, about 2 minutes
11. Pour into the springform pan and bake for 1 hour
12. Allow cheesecake to cool, then release the cheesecake from the springform pan and serve at room temperature

Tips and Tricks:

• Put a cookie sheet under the springform pan while baking.  You don’t want to deal with the mess I had in my oven after baking this cheesecake!
• I use a 1 lb. container of Creole seasoning from the produce section to speed up this recipe.  Creole seasoning generally has onions, green peppers, celery, garlic, and parsley.  The celery and parsley added does really change the taste of this recipe.
• This recipe makes a big cheesecake.  I bought 2 (6 in.) springform pans and make two smaller cheesecakes with this same recipe.

Baked Crab Rangoon

This is a favorite at Chinese restaurants.  (Well, FRIED crab rangoon, not baked)  It is a easy to make recipe and it makes a great presentation.  I got the recipe from a blog I follow called "Tracey's Culinary Adventures".  She posts a new recipe everyday.  I can't do that and work a full-time job, but I get inspiration where I can.

Ingredients:

• 2 T. sour cream
• 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ t. ground ginger
• ½ T. soy sauce
• ½ t. sugar
• ½ C. crab meat, drained
• Wonton wrappers

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 415 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, combine each ingredient in order, folding in the crab meat last
3. Using a mini muffin pan, place a wonton wrapper in each and scoop a ½ inch scoop of crab meat mixture into each
4. Wet your fingertips with some water and gently pinch the tops of each wonton wrapper closed
5. Spray the tops of the wonton wrappers with some nonstick cooking spray
6. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crisp

Tips and Tricks:

• I serve these with a Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce.  Follow my link to get the recipe.
• This makes about 24 crab rangoon.
• I use light sour cream and reduced fat cream cheese.
• I use a kitchen shears to cut the green onions instead of knife.  It’s easier to get them the size you want!

Shrimp and Grits

This is a Paula Deen recipe.  I serve the Shrimp with my Garlic Cheese Grits.  I posted that recipe on Wednesday, February 9, 2011.  Rich and decadent, the perfect meal to serve to those special to you.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. shrimp, 20 count, peeled and deveined
• 2 C. tasso, chopped into small cubes
• ½ C. olive oil
• ½ C. onions, chopped
• ½ C. green peppers, chopped
• ½ C. celery, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• ¼  C. Crystal hot sauce
• ½ T. Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning
• ½ C. white wine
• 4 C. heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook tasso in olive oil until crisp
2. Add onions, green peppers, celery, and green onions and cook until onions are translucent
3. Add garlic and cook 1 minute
4. Add shrimp and sprinkle with Creole seasoning
5. Cook until pink about 2 minutes
6. Remove everything from the pan and add the white wine to deglaze
7. Slowly add the heavy cream and hot sauce and cook until the cream thickens
8. Add everything back to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes
9. Serve over Garlic Cheese Grits and garnish with chopped chives

Tips and Tricks:

• Serve in a shallow bowl and ladle the shrimp mixture over the grits.
• This can be made the day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, then reheated before serving.
• Follow my link to find out how I make the Garlic Cheese Grits.

Mirliton Dressing with Shrimp and Ham

This is my Mom's recipe that everyone LOVES. It is a Thanksgiving and Christmas MUST!   It is labor intensive, but you won't mind spending the time making this dressing knowing that your family will love you for it.

Ingredients:

• 6 mirliton
• ½ stick of butter, plus 2 T. for the top
• 1 C. of chopped onions
• ½ C. of chopped bell pepper
• ½ C. of chopped celery
• 4 cloves of mined garlic
• ½ bunch of green onions finely chopped
• ¼ C. of fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 lb. of  shrimp, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 lb. of ham, cut into small chunks
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ T. of salt
• ½ T. of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ C. bread crumbs, more or less depending on the amount of liquid the shrimp draw, plus ¼ C. for the top
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. In a large pot, boil the mirlitons for one hour or until tender
2. Drain and cut each in half, then carefully scoop out the seeds
3. Chop the mirlitons into small pieces and reserve
4. In a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven on medium heat, add onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until limp about 20 minutes
5. Add garlic for 1 minute
6. Add shrimp and cook for 10 minutes
7. Add ham and cook for 10 minutes
8. Add mirliton, green onions, parsley, Worcestershire, salt, Creole Seasoning, and cayenne pepper
9. Fold all ingredients together and cook for 5 minutes
10. Add the bread crumbs a little at a time, when it gets difficult to stir and the dressing starts to thicken up, you have the correct amount of bread crumbs
11. Cut the heat and allow the dressing to sit for 5 minutes
12. Then add the beaten egg, fold into the dressing
13. Transfer the dressing into a casserole dish
14. Sprinkle with extra bread crumbs and dot with butter
15. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

·        When you are removing the seeds of the mirliton, it is important to get the membrane that surrounds the seed also,  It is filmy and should be removed.  The bottom of the mirliton is the toughest part.  Run you hand along the bottom edge, if it still feels tough and kind of prickly, cut it off as well.

·        If you make this ahead of time, you can place the dressing in the casserole dish you wish to serve it in and freeze it until you are ready to use it.  (Don’t add the extra bread crumbs or butter until after you defrost the dressing)

Corn and Crab Soup

This is a "cheating" recipe.  You are cheating because of the canned soup, but it is a quick and easy soup and it tastes great.  I have my sister-in-law Donna to thank for this one.  It is a holiday favorite.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of lump crabmeat
• 1 can of cream of onion soup
• 1 can of cream of celery soup
• 1 can of cream corn
• 1 can of white corn
• 3 C. whole milk
• 1 pint of half and half
• ½ stick of butter
• ½ C. of green onions, chopped fine
• ½ T. concentrated liquid crab boil

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, sauté green onions in butter, until limp
2. Add each of the ingredients and cook on medium heat, DO NOT BOIL
3. When the soup looks like it is to a boiling heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 more minutes

Tips and Tricks:

• You can use heavy cream in the place of the half and half if you want a thicker soup.
• This is a great soup for the crock pot, low setting for a few hours.
• The cream of “whatever” soup is your choice.  I have made this with lots of different varieties.  Cream of potato is nice, and then it acts more like chowder. 

Crab Dip

Everyone LOVES this dip.  It is so easy to make! My friend Melissa shared this recipe with me. She makes it for a Christmas party she and Paula have each year.  Now you can make it for your Christmas party or any other occasion, too.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of lump crabmeat
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 2 (8 oz.) cream cheese
• 2 T. Crystal hot sauce

Directions:

1. In a skillet, on medium heat, sauté the onions and green onions in butter, until limp
2. Add the Tony’s, then add the cream cheese and stir until fully melted
3. Add the crabmeat, then the hot sauce and mix will
4. Serve in a chafing dish or shallow crock pot

Tips and Tricks:

• This can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. 
• I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese, when I make this dip.
• I serve this with crackers.  Flaky buttery crackers like Club or Ritz are good.

Crabmeat Au Gratin

This is another recipe from the cookbook that my sister-in-law, Darlene made me.  It is rich and creamy and we like to eat it with crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of lump crabmeat
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ C. flour
• 1 pint of half and half
• ½ stick of butter
• 1 t. kosher salt
• ¼ t. black pepper
• ½ t. cayenne pepper
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 C. grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a skillet, sauté the onions, celery, bell pepper in butter, until limp
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
4. Add the flour, then pour in the half and half gradually and stir constantly
5. Add the egg yolks, salt and peppers
6. Add the crabmeat and mix will
7. Spray a casserole dish with a cooking spray and transfer the mixture to the baking dish
8. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the mixture and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned

Tips and Tricks:

• This can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.  Don’t put the cheese on top until you are ready to bake it and serve it.
• I serve this with crackers.  Flaky buttery crackers like Club or Ritz are good.

Corn Macque Choux

This is my Mom and Dad's recipe for Macque Choux.  My Dad liked corn.  He made Macque Choux different ways, but this was a favorite because it is a one pot meal.  It serves like a soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. of finely chopped onions
• 1 C. of finely chopped bell pepper
• 1 C. of finely chopped celery
• 6 cloves of mined garlic
• ¾ C. vegetable oil
• 6 ears of fresh corn, cut off the cob and scraped
• ½ lb. of pickle meat or ham seasoning
• 3 lbs. of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 lb. of smoked sausage cut into semi circles
• 2 cans of Rotel
• 2 cans of Cajun stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans of yellow corn
• 2 cans of white corn
• 2 cans of cream corn
• 10 C. shrimp stock or chicken stock
• 2 T. of salt
• 1 T. of black pepper
• ½ t. of cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. In a gumbo pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until limp
2. Add garlic for 1 minute
3. Run the Rotel and stewed tomatoes through a food processer
4. Add both to the pot and cook for 10 minutes
5. Add the fresh corn, including the cobs, to the pot
6. Add the chicken or shrimp stock, sausage, ham, salt, pepper, and cayenne
7. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes
8. Add the can corn and cook for an additional 15 minutes
9. Stir then add the shrimp and cook for an additional 15 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

·        My Dad insists that the KEY to Macque Choux is scraping the corn cob to get the “milk” from the corn.  After you cut the kernels off the cob, you need to scrape the knife down the side of the cob and add the “milk to the bowl of corn. 

·        I use Bryan Cajun Smoke Sausage. 

·        I use Green Giant corn.

·        You can make shrimp or chicken stock.  It is easy! Follow my link to find out how I make mine. 

Everything Jambalaya

Everything, but the kitchen sink.  Yeah, that's about it.  Bacon, pork sausage, smoked sausage, chicken, and shrimp are all in there.  This makes a big gumbo pot full, so invite the family and friends over.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. of chopped onions
• 1 C. of chopped bell pepper
• 1 C. of chopped celery
• 6 cloves of mined garlic
• ½ lb. of bacon
• 1 lb. of fresh pork sausage, squeezed out of the casing
• 3 lbs. of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 lb. of smoked sausage cut into semi circles
• 1 can of Rotel
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes (3 ½ C.)
• 6 C. shrimp stock or chicken stock
• ½ C. of Louisiana or Crystal Hot Sauce
• 1 T. of salt
• ½  C. flour
• 5 C. parboiled rice

Directions:

1. Cut bacon into thin small strips
2. In cast iron pot, fry the bacon until crisp and remove
3. Add the pork sausage in crumbles and cook about 5 minutes and remove
4. Make a roux with the bacon and sausage drippings and flour over medium high heat until the color of dark peanut butter
5. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until soft, about 10 minutes
6. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
7. Add Rotel and crushed tomatoes then transfer to a gumbo pot
8. Add chicken or shrimp stock, smoked sausage, bacon, pork sausage, salt, and hot sauce
9. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes
10. While cooking cut chicken into 1 inch chunks
11. Add chicken and cook for 15 minutes
12. Add rice and cook for 15 minutes on low heat
13. Add shrimp and make sure they are all covered by the rice
14. Cook for an additional 15 minutes
15. Serve hot!

Tips and Tricks:

·     You can make shrimp or chicken stock.  It is easy!  Follow my link to find out how I make mine.

·      If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can make a roux in a heavy bottomed pot instead.  The trick is to stir constantly.  You can NOT multi-task during this step.  This is where the base of flavor for your jambalaya comes.  Be diligent, it takes about 15 minutes to make a roux the color you need.

·        I use Bryan Cajun Smoke Sausage. 

·        ½ C. of hot sauce might have you scared.  Don’t be!  The sausage, chicken, shrimp, and rice all absorb the hot sauce and give this jambalaya a great flavor.  It is spicy, but not tongue numbing.

·        This freezes well.