Sunday Dinner - April 4th (Easter)

When the Big Man and I got married, I wanted to have a holiday at my house. (This was before I knew all the work it took. :)) But all the major holidays were taken. Except for Easter.  And since Easter falls near both our birthdays, we snatched it.

Normally, we boil crawfish for Easter. But because of the El Nino/La Nina crazy weather we've had this season and last none of the suppliers could promise us crawfish. So we decided to mix it up and do the Cajun solution to a crowd to feed. Make a big pot of something.  The following recipe is easily double and freezes well.


Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients
2lbs shrimp
1/4lbs butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
2tbsps garlic, diced<
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup flour
1 quart water
1 ounce sherry
1 cup green onions, chopped
1/2cup parsley, chopped
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
2 cups white rice, steamed

Directions
In a large heavy bottomed pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves. 

 

Sauté vegetables for 3-5 minutes.

Add shrimp and tomato sauce and blend well into mixture.

Using a wire whisk, blend flour into the vegetable mixture to form a white roux. Slowly add water, a little at a time, until sauce consistency is achieved. You may need to add more water to maintain the consistency of the sauce.

Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and at least cook 30mins, stirring occasionally. (Normally, I cook for hours. The longer/slower you cook it the better the flavor.) Add sherry, green onions and parsley and cook an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste using salt and cayenne pepper.

Serve over steamed white rice using a few dashes of Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce.

I'm beginning to realize most of my cooking looks the same. Some sort of seafood (or other meat), red sauce  and rice or pasta. Dang! I thought I was a creative cook.



If you have any question/comments about this recipe, pls leave me a comment or email at megmehell at yahoo.

Sunday Dinner

Since today is race day (Yea!), this dinner was cooked on Friday. And it's Lent, which means no meat on Fridays. So here in NOLA that means seafood. I know, not much of a sacrifice. But I didn't make the rules.

Like I said last week, the idea have have for this post is healthier Cajun/Creole food.  The basis of the dish is a roux. Roux=half fat+half flour≠healthy. You can make a oil-less roux but I've only done that once before. Instead, I just reduce the amount of roux down drastically. I usually double this recipe as well.

Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
3 pounds shrimp
4tbsp vegetable oil
4tbsp flour
1 lg onion, chopped
3 celery, chopped
2 bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, diced
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cup diced tomatoes
1-1/2 quarts shellfish stock (or water)
5 green onions, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped 
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
couple dashes hot sauce 

Directions
In a heavy bottom pot, heat the oil on med high. When hot add the flour. Whisk continuously until roux in light brown.

Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic for 5mins.

Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir well.

 

Add shellfish stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly. If you don't have stock, water works too. (I just happen to have some frozen from a previous shrimp boil.) Add salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook for a min of 15mins. But as with most stews and soups, the longer you cook the better the flavor. If you plan to cook it longer, cover and drop the temp to med-low and stir every 20mins or so.

Increase temp back to med-high bring to boil. Add shrimp, green onions and parsley and continue to cook five 5mins.

Serve over rice. I add the hot sauce after I serve it because the girls are too little for food that's too spicy.

I hope y'all enjoy this recipe. It's a classic around here. It's more Creole than Cajun. But really that's just splitting hairs. Just a heads up, making a roux takes patience and practice. You can buy roux in a jar (I assume you can get it in every part of the country). But I find it to be too dark. Also, if you use jar roux, you can't control what's in it.

If you have any question/comments about this recipe, pls leave me a comment or email at megmehell at yahoo.