GUMBO
Shrimp, Chicken, and Andouille Gumbo
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 large onions, chopped (about 12 cups)
3 red bell peppers, seeded, chopped (about 7 cups)
4 celery stalks, chopped (about 3 cups)
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 pounds andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 16-ounce packages sliced frozen okra
2 pounds peeled deveined medium shrimp
Minced fresh Italian parsley
Steamed rice
Heat oil in heavy 13-quart pot over medium-high heat until very hot and almost smoking. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is dark reddish brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped onions, chopped bell peppers, and chopped celery and cook until onions are soft and brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and stir 2 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and bay leaves; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes with juice, clam juice, broth, sausage, and chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add okra and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Do ahead Gumbo base can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring base to simmer before continuing.
Add shrimp to pot and cook shrimp until just opaque in center, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season gumbo to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with minced parsley and serve with steamed rice alongside.
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 large onions, chopped (about 12 cups)
3 red bell peppers, seeded, chopped (about 7 cups)
4 celery stalks, chopped (about 3 cups)
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 pounds andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 16-ounce packages sliced frozen okra
2 pounds peeled deveined medium shrimp
Minced fresh Italian parsley
Steamed rice
Heat oil in heavy 13-quart pot over medium-high heat until very hot and almost smoking. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is dark reddish brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped onions, chopped bell peppers, and chopped celery and cook until onions are soft and brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and stir 2 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and bay leaves; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes with juice, clam juice, broth, sausage, and chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add okra and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Do ahead Gumbo base can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring base to simmer before continuing.
Add shrimp to pot and cook shrimp until just opaque in center, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season gumbo to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with minced parsley and serve with steamed rice alongside.
Bacon-Wrapped Cajun Jalapenos
Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home
Ingredients
This is very good advice!
Ingredients
- 8 large jalapeno peppers
- 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 8 thick-sliced peppered bacon strips
- Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise; remove seeds and center membranes. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Cajun seasoning. Stuff about 1-1/2 teaspoonfuls into each pepper half.
- Cut bacon strips in half widthwise. In a large skillet, cook bacon until partially cooked. Wrap a bacon piece around each pepper; secure with a toothpick. I didn't bother to wrap them -- just laid a half slice of bacon across the top of each pepper. That way there was some bacony-goodness in every bite.
- Place on a wire rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Discard toothpicks. Serve immediately. Yield: 16 appetizers.
This is very good advice!
Fried Grit Cakes
Fried Grit Cakes
Courtesy of our Special Guest Diva.
1. Cook grits according to package instructions. Add grated cheese and diced green chilies or jalapenos to taste.
2. Pour grits into baking dish, about 1.5 inches thick. Set aside to cool.
3. When grits are completely cool, cut into slices--rectangles or triangles.
4. Roll each slice in flour, then egg, then flour. Fry in vegetable oil, about 3 minutes per side
Courtesy of our Special Guest Diva.
1. Cook grits according to package instructions. Add grated cheese and diced green chilies or jalapenos to taste.
2. Pour grits into baking dish, about 1.5 inches thick. Set aside to cool.
3. When grits are completely cool, cut into slices--rectangles or triangles.
4. Roll each slice in flour, then egg, then flour. Fry in vegetable oil, about 3 minutes per side
Hurricane Cocktails
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse
Ingredients:
12 oz. light rum
12 0z. dark rum
10 oz. grenadine
10 oz. fresh orange juice
10 oz. sour mix or fresh lime juice
1 large orange, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a tall pitcher. Serve in tall glasses over ice garnished with orange segments.
Note: I added an additional 5 to 10 oz. of orange juice because I thought it was too syrupy/sweet when I tasted it the first time.
Ingredients:
12 oz. light rum
12 0z. dark rum
10 oz. grenadine
10 oz. fresh orange juice
10 oz. sour mix or fresh lime juice
1 large orange, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a tall pitcher. Serve in tall glasses over ice garnished with orange segments.
Note: I added an additional 5 to 10 oz. of orange juice because I thought it was too syrupy/sweet when I tasted it the first time.
King Cake
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
NOTE! You may NOT prepare and serve this before Twelfth Night (Jan. 6) or after Mardi Gras Day!
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 2 cups of the confectioner's sugar. Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.
Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn't a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.
Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the top of the risen cake with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the icing. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons milk, the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups confectioner's sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.
The cake is traditionally cut into 2-inch-thick slices with all the guests in attendance.
YIELD: 20 to 22 servings
NOTE! You may NOT prepare and serve this before Twelfth Night (Jan. 6) or after Mardi Gras Day!
- 2 envelopes active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 plastic king cake baby or a pecan half
- 5 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sugar sprinkles
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 2 cups of the confectioner's sugar. Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.
Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn't a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.
Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the top of the risen cake with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the icing. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons milk, the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups confectioner's sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.
The cake is traditionally cut into 2-inch-thick slices with all the guests in attendance.
YIELD: 20 to 22 servings