New Orleans Overview

Last weekend was my birthday!  Well, we were already planning a trip down to the gulf-ish area, so we decided to tie it into my birthday as well.  We started our trip in Baton Rogue to see my aunt, she made us some fantastic gumbo for our arrival, then loaded me down with bacon for breakfast.  Then we headed down to New Orleans.

It had been about 7-8 years since either of us had been there.  So we were pretty damn excited to be able to carry adult beverages down the sidewalk.

St. Lawrence Bar & Restaurant--Our first meal in New Orleans was chosen out of convenient location to the Aquarium.  On the edge of the French Quarter (on N. Peters), we were drawn to it because it smelled like garlic.  It ended up being a really great lunch!  It was a little late so they were out of about 1/4 the menu while prepping for dinner, but there were still plenty of delicious sounding things to choose from.  I had a crawfish "lobster" roll: sweet and spicy crawfish in a lite mayo dressing with celery and a tiny bit of red onion on a buttered hot dog bun.  Louis had the fried oyster bahn mi po'boy: basically a po'boy with pickled radishes and carrots.  And the hand cut fries, well, any good french fry can win over my heart.  I also had their (incredibly strong) daiquiri of the day--pumpkin pie daiquiri. Yeah, you read that right.

Cafe Amelie--Go here.  Just do it!  We chose this as my birthday dinner because the menu sounded good and it was about a block from our hotel.  But, seriously, GO HERE!  We couldn't decide what we wanted, so we got several appetizers to share.  Satsuma chili glazed shrimp, shrimp and grits, and Cajun poutine.  Oh! the cajun poutine--crispy oven roasted gold potatoes loaded with asiago and cochon (a highly seasoned roasted pork).  Absolutely order the Cajun poutine!!!  They make a really great tomato bisque as well (a little on the salty side, but I still ate every drop).  For dessert we had the doberge cake of the day; it was a creamy 9 layer cake with strawberry cheesecake mousse.  And I cant forget about the cocktails!  They are a little on the expensive side, but worth it.  Order any of the house cocktails--you will not be disappointed.  (Reservations suggested, especially if weather doesn't permit courtyard seating.  We just hung out and had a drink, we had no where to go.)

Stanley--Right on Jackson Square at the corner of St Ann and Chartres overlooking St. Louis Catherdral, this is at the "institution" level of dining.  A place everyone seems to go.  And for good reason.  We were there on a Sunday... after church hours.  But since there were only two of us and we were willing to sit at the bar or table (we got a table), we only had to wait about 20 minutes.  Enough time to walk around the square and look at the art for sale displayed along all the fence lines.  I had the Breaux Bridge Benedict; the eggs could have poached about 30-45 seconds longer for my taste, but the homemade boudin and hollandaise more than made up for that.  Louis had the benedict po'boy that also looked divine.  (There is an upscale sister restaurant called Stella... just needed to throw that in there.)

French Market Restaurant--The Central Grocery is closed on Sundays and Mondays.  That was a huge bummer.  This was just down the street so we assumed they had to have good muffalettas.  Wrong.  Don't order the Italian muffaletta here.  The crawfish fritters were really good, so maybe we if we had ordered something else it would have been good, but the oily, hamburger bun muffaletta and frozen french fries were a gigantic let down.

Felix's--Chargrilled oysters.  That is why you should go here.  Fresh shucked oysters cooked over an open flame with parmesan, breadcrumbs, and butter.  The crawfish etouffe and seafood gumbo are also really good.  The roux for the gumbo was way darker than I am used to, and I make my roux pretty dark, so that is saying something. It threw me off at first, but the more I ate, the more sense it made.  It's simple Louisiana food done right, what more could ask for?

The last day we made an obligatory stop at Cafe du Monde.  It was Monday morning so it was only half full.  I know it is the big place everyone goes.  But let me just say that I've tried quite a few other beignets and I've had some that are as good, but none that have been better.  (If you know of a place with beignets that surpass Cafe du Monde, please let me know!)

I feel I should mention a daiquiri that I had as well.  Most people know of the 24 hour to go daiquiri stands in New Orleans.  After Felix's, we walked down Bourbon St. to get back to our hotel on the other side of the French Quarter and decided we needed drinks to go.  We stopped at one of the places that has a wall of frozen drink machines.  (And they offer samples, so that was fun.)  I settled on a thing called the Cajun Storm.  It is dark rum, 151 rum, brandy, and grain alcohol (with some unknown fruit juices and sugar).  And it is delicious.  It is also a bargain at less than $9 for ~20oz.

Cajun Fried Okra

I could most likely eat my body weight in fried okra.  There are about 3 lbs of fresh okra in my refrigerator right now.  Growing up, I didn't care for the vegetable.  My grandma likes boiled okra, and that slimy bowl of vegetal bits adorning the dinner table was gag-inducing.  Because of that, I stayed away from okra in all forms.  I don't know when I started to eat fried okra, but it was a turning point for me.  When handled properly, there is almost no slime!

Cajun Fried Okra
1 lb okra
~1 C coarse ground cornmeal
vegetable oil
1 Tbsp bacon fat (optional)
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

   Slice okra into ~1/3 inch thick disks, discard the fibrous tops.  After it is cut, wash it.  (Doing things in this order cuts down on slime if you are concerned about that.)
   Put cornmeal in a plastic container or bag of some kind.  Add okra and shake to coat.
   In a cast iron skillet (important)*, pour vegetable oil about 1/4 inch deep and add bacon fat. Heat over medium/med-high to ~350 deg F.  (When a wooden toothpick is is dipped into the oil, bubbles should rise rapidly from it.)
   Place a single layer of okra in skillet.  Fry until golden brown.  Drain.  Liberally sprinkle with Tony Chachere's when still hot and a little wet with oil.  Continue in batches until it is all cooked (you may need to add more oil to maintain 1/4 in depth.)
   Serves 2-4.

*You can use a deep fryer if you have one, but nothing beats a well season cast iron skillet.

Alfresco's Crawfish & Andouille Ravioli

I love Alfresco's pasta.  Is there a word stronger than love?  Because, really, that is how I feel about these pasta artists.  I was first introduced to this company a few years ago at the Franklin's Farmers' Market.  Last year, when I started frequenting the Murfreesboro Saturday Market, I was so happy to see they had a little booth there as well.

The product list is larger than you may expect from an artisan company.  There are seasonal offerings, gluten free pasta (which I do not believe in, but whatever... I'll share my feeling on that subject at a later time), and they strive to use as-local-as-possible ingredients.  Quality is their focus and I have yet to eat anything less than spectacular from them.  I am not entirely sure if they ship, but the people I have met from the company are really nice and it never hurts to ask!

 
Alfresco's Crawfish & Andouille Ravioli w/ Cajun Cream Sauce and Shrimp 
1/2 lb crawfish and andouille ravioli*
1 tsp bacon fat (or olive oil)
1/2 C chopped andouille sausage
1/4 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, tossed in salt and pepper (I used a 56/60 count)
1 C diced tomatoes (canned or fresh, peeled if fresh)
1 clove garlic, minced
~ 1/2 C half and half
1/4 tsp dried thyme
dash of Tabasco

   In salted boiling water, cook ravioli for about 3 minutes.  (This is will not cook them all the way through.)  Drain.
   Heat bacon fat over medium heat in a non stick skillet.  Saute sausage until the edges start to brown.  Add tomatoes and garlic.  Cook for ~2 minutes, stirring constantly.
   Add thyme, Tabasco, and half and half.  Bring to a simmer and cook ~3 minutes.  Toss in shrimp and ravioli.  When shrimp are done, the ravioli should be done too.
   Serves 2.

*You may have noticed in the picture that there are only three ravioli on the plate and 1/2 lb doesn't seem like much.  Yes, I could eat an entire 1/2 lb by myself, but these babies are little pricey.  Also, they are huge (the size of my palm), so really, three is good...  I always hear you don't need to much of a good thing.

Smoked Chicken and Corn "Creole Chowder"

I love a rich hearty soup... especially one you don't have to feel guilty about.  Cooking the vegetables down then pureeing them gives you a thick creamy base without adding cheese or cream or anything fattening.  The okra acts as a natural thickener.  Don't scoff even if you think you don't like okra.  It's pureed so there are no slimey chunks, and it adds a hint of grassy sweetness and earthiness that is so wonderful.  Fresh is better, but frozen will work just fine.  And if you are really hesitant about the okra, use frozen because the flavor isn't as strong as fresh.  But the smoked chicken and fresh corn are the real stars of this "chowder".

I wrote this recipe using leftover smoked chicken.  It is so so sooo delicious!  However, if you aren't into smoked flavor or don't have a smoker or whatever, a store bought rotisserie chicken will work great.

Smoked Chicken and Corn Creole Chowder

1 lrg onion, chopped

1 lrg green bell pepper, chopped

1 lrg carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 1/2 C sliced okra (roughly 1/3 lb)

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 Tbsp minced garlic

~1 lb shredded smoked chicken (4 lrg thighs, save the bones)

2 lrg ears of corn, kernels removed (~2 C corn)

6-7 C water

2 Tbsp Worcestershire

2 bay leaves

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp cider vinegar

hot sauce

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

oil

   Heat about 1 1/2 Tbsp oil over medium in a large pot.  Saute onion, pepper, celery, and carrot with a sprinkle of Tony's for about 10 minutes.  When the veg starts to stick to the bottom of the pot and turn golden brown, Add garlic, jalepeno, okra, a few chicken bones, 1 Tbsp worcestershire, and 1 C water.  Simmer over med until most of the water is evaprated.

   Add 2 C more of water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 

   Remove bones. Add another cup of water and puree using an immersion blender.

   Add last 2-3 C water so soup is at desired thickness.  Add bay, thyme, second Tbsp of worcestershire, vinegar, hot sauce to taste, and Tony's to taste.  Cover, simmer over low for 30 minutes.

   Add corn and chicken.  Adjust final seasoning to taste.  Cover and simmer over low for 7-10 minutes until corn and chicken are hot.

   Serve over rice.  Garnish with chopped green onions and parsley.

   Serves 6

Shrimp Creole

   Shrimp Creole is one of those incredibly easy dishes that has somehow been mystified into a complicated endeavor.  How it happened?  I have no idea.  But I do know that if people knew how easy it really is to make, it would disappear from a lot of menus.  We are talking 12-14 ingredients... for a complete meal.  I love loading the sauce up with veggies so I don't even have to make a salad (even though I usually do.)



Shrimp Creole

1 lrg onion, diced

2 lrg stalks celery, diced

1 lrg green bell pepper, diced

2 lrg cloves garlic, minced

~2 C (1 1/2 cans) petite diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 lb peeled, deveined shrimp

extra virgin olive oil

Tony Chachere's seasoning salt

Tabasco and chopped parsley (optional)

   Heat about 1 Tbsp of evoo over medium heat.  Saute onion, celery, and bell pepper until soft.  It will take about 13-15 minutes, be patient.  Add tomatoes (liquid and all), Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaf.  Sprinkle with a little bit of Tony's, actual amount will depend on sodium in the tomatoes.   Cover, reduce heat to med-low, simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

   Toss shrimp with some Tony's Creole seasoning.  (This is used just like salt, so you know.)

   Uncover sauce, return to medium heat.  When sauce is bubbling, add shrimp and cook through, 5-7 minutes.  If sauce has reduced too much and seems sticky and thick, add a little bit of water to loosen it.

   Serve over cooked rice.  (I suggest using parboiled rice.)  Top with parsley and hotsauce.

   Serves 4.

Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage

   For some reason, yesterday afternoon I just crashed.  I don't know why.  I didn't want to do anything except curl up and sleep while dreams of Eureka danced through my head.  (Love me some correctly discussed theoretical physics!)  Anyway, I slept on and off after a very busy morning/early afternoon from 3-6 ish.  The only time cooking is a chore for me is when I have slept away the afternoon.  Last night I was not up to the task, so my mom made red beans and rice.  Then it occurred to me that this dish is so simple I could have mindlessly thrown it together even in a post sleep stupor!  And her recipe is a little less complex than mine so this is a great meal for a busy weeknight or days you just don't feel like attempting anything complicated.  You can use any sausage you like with this, but in my opinion a smoked variety gives the best flavor.  (Vegans, I know I have seen some smokey, herby tofu sausages out there!)  The only real stipulation with this is I encourage you to use organic canned dark red kidney beans because they are much lower in sodium and don't have any of that dreadful sugar added.  (Why do companies feel the need to ruin perfectly beautiful kidney beans with sugar?)

Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage
1 C rice (plus 1 3/4 C water for cooking), I suggest looking for parboiled rice
1 tsp oil
1 small green bell pepper (1 C chopped)
1 small onion (1 C chopped)
2 large ribs celery (1/2 C chopped)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 7-oz link smoked turkey sausage
2 14-oz cans organic dark red kidney beans
1/4 C water
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp lemon juice (or mild vinegar)
Tabasco
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

   Cook rice according to package directions.
   Heat oil in a non stick pot over medium heat, saute pepper, onion, and celery until tender.  Add sausage, brown slightly.  Add garlic, saute for about 1 minute.  Add beans (with liquid), 1/4 C water, and worcestershire.  Allow liquid to reduce by about 1/2 (it will take roughly 15 minutes.)  Stir in lemon juice and a dash of Tabasco.  Serve over rice, garnish with green onions.  Add more Tabasco if you like.  (I like!)
   Serves 4.

Total Ingredient Cost:  $6.25
Per Serving:  Calories 430, Fat 6.5g, Total Carb 81g, Fiber 12.25g, Protein 24g
Daily Values:  Vit A 4%, Vit C 57%, Vit K 8%, Vit B6 8.25%, Calcium 16%, Iron 17%, Thiamine 25%, Folate 25%, Niacin 15%

  

Crawfish Stuffed Mushrooms Appetizer

   Crawfish are amazing.  Don't know what a crawfish is?  Ever heard of a Crayfish or a craw dad.... same thing.  However, they are not widely eaten outside of the deep south near the gulf where the swamps provide literally tons of these tasty little crustaceans each year.  Louisiana cooking is most famous for their use.  Crawfish boils are a community event.  When I was at LSU (let's not talk about the over all experience) there was a HUGE boil in the quad.  Some restaurants even discard their regular menus on certain nights and serve only boiled crawfish (with corn and potatoes, of course).  The tables are covered with newspaper and the whole pot is literally just dumped on to the table.  Think of it as the Southern equivalent to a New England clam bake.  This is a wonderful part of my childhood that I remember fondly, if not a little grossly (head sucking was beyond my kid-gut's comprehension.)

  picture from FoodNetwork.com

   Unfortunately this meal time phenomenon is not often found or experienced outside of Louisiana.  But I can get my crawfish fix when I need it.  Many large grocery stores carry peeled, cooked, frozen tails.  Look in the frozen seafood section.  Even my local Walmart has them.  Can't find them or don't want to order them (see link at the bottom of page)?  You can just as easily used chopped shrimp for this recipe.

Crawfish Stuffed Mushrooms 

6 oz crawfish tails, thawed if frozen

8 stuffing mushroom caps (3" diameter)

1/2 small onion, diced

1/2 small green bell pepper, diced (1/4 of a large pepper)

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp thyme

2 tsp butter

2 tsp flour

1/3 C chicken or seafood stock

3/4-1 tsp Tony Chachere's (or any seasoning salt, or just salt and pepper)

Dash of hot sauce (to taste)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

oil

   In a tiny bit of oil, saute onion and bell pepper until soft (5 min.)  Add garlic, thyme, and Tony Chachere's.  Cook 1 min.  Melt in butter.  Add flour.  Stir constantly to avoid lumps.  Cook 2-3 minutes.  Add stock.  Stir constantly.  Mixture will thicken.  If it gets too gummy and thick, add a little more stock.  Add hot sauce and crawfish tails.

   Clean mushrooms.  Scrape gills out from the underside.  Even distribute filling between mushrooms.  Sprinkle a little bit of grated parmesan cheese over the top of each mushroom.  Place on a baking rack inside a roasting pan (this will catch all the liquid released from the mushrooms.)

   Bake 350 deg F for 15-20 min.

   Serves 4 (2 mushrooms for an appetizer)

Order Crawfish Here:
Louisiana Crawfish Co.
Kyle LeBlanc Crawfish Farm

Rosemary Mint Julep Pear Turnovers

   There is such a thing as being overly inspired.  The way these little pastries came about is crazy and comes from way too many sources.  But they are good!

   My friend, Sarina, said we should do a Disney Princess inspired dinner.  I thought it was a great idea but had no idea what to do.  I ran through the list of princesses in my head and couldn't settle on one.  Then I remembered seeing that The Princess and the Frog was available through Netflix Instant.  It is set in New Orleans/Southern Louisiana.  I know that food!  Done.  Crawfish stuffed mushrooms started the meal.  The lemon-thyme game hens and shrimp with stewed tomatoes over polenta comprised the main course. And rosemary mint julep pear turnovers rounded out the meal for dessert.

   Pies are popular in the south, especially fried pies.  I didn't want to fry them (but you could) so that is how the turnover came about.  Pears are in season-- pear turnover.  The mint julep portion evolved out of the mint that was already going into the pies and mint juleps, while most often associated with the Kentucky Derby, are an iconic Southern cocktail.  And the idea of rosemary mint... brace yourself, you are going to think I am insane... came from my shampoo.
   Yes: Suave Naturals Rosemary Mint.
   I may be the only person who smells her hair her just washed hair and thinks, "Hey, I should make this into a dessert!"

 

Rosemary Mint Julep Pear Turnovers
1 recipe single crust pie dough (below)
1/2 Tbsp butter
2 1/2 C diced pears
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 C bourbon
1-2 tsp flour
1 heaping tsp mint jelly or 1 1/2 tsp fresh mint
1 egg, beaten
extra sugar (raw sugar if you have it)

   Cook 2 C of the pears in melted butter with the sugar, salt, and rosemary.  The pears will being to break down after about 5 min.
   Add bourbon to center of pan.  Flambe (This link is a really good flambe demo video from Alton Brown.)  Cook mixture for about 5 more minutes (until the consistency of applesauce.)  Transfer to a bowl.  While the filling is still warm, add the mint jelly.  It will melt in.  (If using fresh mint, allow mixture to cool first, then stir in mint.)  Add a little bit of flour to thicken filling.  The amount of flour will vary depending on how much water was released from the pears.  Fold in uncooked 1/2 C of pears  Cool.
   Roll out pie dough to 1/4" thick.  Cut out 5" circles.  Place about 1 Tbsp of filling in the center of each circle.  Fold over.  Crimp edges with a fork.  Cut a small vent in the top.  Brush with egg.  Sprinkle with sugar.
   Bake 350 deg F for 20-25 min on a lined baking sheet.
   Makes about 10 turnovers.

Single Crust Pie Dough 
1 1/4 C flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 butter (diced and very cold!)
4-5 Tbsp ice cold water

Combine flour, sugar, and salt.  Add diced butter.  Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles wet sand.  Add ice water (just the water, not the ice) 1 Tbsp at a time until dough just starts to come together. On a lightly floured surface, quickly knead dough (less than 1 minute.)  Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 min. (up to 2 weeks).
*You can use store bought pie dough.

Lemon Thyme Roasted Game Hens

   I hate roasting chickens.  HATE it.  I have only ever made one attempt to roast an entire chicken in my life.  I was 14 and it was Mother's Day.  I wanted to make something really special.  At the time I was madly in love with Tyler Florence (Ok... I still kind of am....), I found his recipe for tarragon lemon roasted chicken.  Whole roasted chicken wasn't something we did in our house so I thought it was a great idea.  I think it would have turned out fine, except that I let my dad help.  He left it in the over longer that he should have because he didn't think the stated time was long enough.  I was showering and not there to prevent him from changing the timer.  Not to mention I was totally preoccupied with the other components of the meal.  Needless to say the white meat was dry... really dry.  That kind of dry where a single, tiny, lone bite will suck all the moisture out of your mouth and leave you feeling like the Mojave Desert for days after.  Then my dad had the gall to complain about it!  He complained about the acidity from the lemons, the slight licorice flavor or the tarragon, and the dryness.  I was mortified.  I haven't roasted another chicken since.

   However, about 5 years ago, I discovered the  wonders of Cornish Game Hens (sometimes called rock hens).  They are fantastic.  Don't let "game" scare you; there is no gaminess at all.  The meat tastes like a good chicken (as opposed to the hormone jacked, watered down chicken the US is used to.)  A normal game hen is 20-24 oz. and they are sold individually.  Usually they are right at $2.50 each.  Never seen a Cornish hen.... just look a little harder in your regular grocery store.  Obviously near the poultry, they are individually wrapped and usually frozen.  The last time I bought Cornish hens (last week....) I got them at Walmart.... seriously.  Because they are so small, they are very easy to roast whole.  Not to mention impressive.  The lemon thyme flavor is great because it is season neutral  and may be paired with a variety of cuisines like French, German, Cajun/Creole (which is what I did), American, and even Spanish.

Lemon Thyme Roasted Cornish Hens  
2 Cornish game hens, thawed if frozen
4 Tbsp butter, room temp
1 Tbsp dried thyme
zest of 1 large lemon (about 2 tsp)
lemon wedges
salt and pepper

   Mix butter, thyme, and lemon zest together.
   Liberally salt and pepper the hens.  Remember to do the cavity too.  Place a lemon wedge inside the cavity.
   Fold the wings of the hen underneath the bird.  They may fight a little, but just use gentle pressure to fold the first joint (wing tip) back and under.  Tie the legs together with a little bit of kitchen twine.  Or you can fully truss the hens.
   Smear the butter mixture over the hens.  Use a finger to separate the skin from the breast to create a pocket.  Smear the butter inside that pocket.
   Place on a roasting rack in a pan.
   Bake at 350 deg F for 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min, until the juice between the thigh joint and the main body runs clear.  Let rest for about 10 min.  Serve.  (Carved into 4 pieces each: breast/wing and thigh/leg)
   Serves 4
 

Bourbon Peach Bread Pudding

   This was my first foray into making bread pudding.  Yeah, I know... I live in the South and am in love with the South but have never made bread pudding.  There are quite a few Southern things I have not made:  fried chicken, sweet potato casserole, fresh green beans that have been boiled to straight to hell....  But bread pudding can be checked off the Southern dishes I want to make.  I knew the texture was going to be much softer than my preference, but I was really excited about the flavors!

   For our New Orleans night, we needed a dessert to compliment the gumbo.  So I searched through our rather extensive collection of Louisiana cook books.  In The Ox Bow Carriage House Restaurant (the on-site restaurant for The Myrtles Plantation) cook book, I came across Peach Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce.  I took the idea and adapted it to a much easier version where you don't have to bother with a sauce.  I used bourbon instead of rum because when I was in the liquor store, it just sounded good.

Bourbon Peach Bread Pudding
6 C cubed bread, 1 inch pieces (french bread is best)
1 C milk
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 C bourbon (or rum)*
2 eggs
1 C brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp cinnamon
4 C chopped peaches, 1 inch pieces**
1/2 C raisins
1/4 C raw sugar (optional)

   Cut bread 1 day in advance and spread it on a baking sheet to dry out.  Or cut bread the day of and lightly toast in the oven at 300 deg F for 5 minutes.
   Mix milk, cream and bourbon in a large bowl.  Soak the bread cubes in the mixture for about 10 minutes (or however long it takes you to finish the following steps.)
   Whisk together eggs, sugar, extracts, and cinnamon.
   Combine egg mixture, peaches, raisins, and soaked bread.  Spread into a greased baking dish.
   Bake at 325 deg F for 1 hr. 15 min.  Halfway through baking, sprinkle the top with raw sugar for a little texture on top.
   Serves 8.

* If you want to make it liquor-free, replace alcohol with additional cream.
**Fresh peaches are best, but if they are out of season or don't look too great in the store, use thawed frozen peaches. 

Photos by Heather Clemons Photography!!! <3

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

  Going with our themed nights, after our Italian Dinner, we had a New Orleans night.  My friend Chase brought us a muffaletta from Jason's Deli (an awesome sandwich, though not terribly authentic).  We made gumbo and a pretty stellar bourbon peach bread pudding (recipe to come in the near future!)  Gumbo is really easy once you get the technique down... and really, the only technique is making a proper roux.

   A proper roux is a thing of beauty.  For my gumbo, I use a "peanut butter" roux.  All that means is that it is the color of peanut butter.  It thickens the broth and adds a wonderful depth of flavor.  You can use premade roux if it is available near you (which it isn't in TN, as far as I know), but it is simply butter and flour (or butter, oil and flour).  You can't get much cheaper than that.  Also, it isn't hard to make.  It just takes time.

The pan in the upper left corner is a peanut butter roux.

The large pan is what your vegetables will look like with the worcestershire sauce.

 

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

1 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 C flour

1 med. onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 lrg stalks celery, diced

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 C worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce (optional)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

6 C water

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (or any seasoning salt)

2 tsp thyme

2 bay leaves

1/8 tsp cayenne

12 oz smoked turkey sausage (1 package), cut into half moon shapes

12 oz-1 lb peeled, deveined raw shrimp (thawed if purchased frozen)

   In a small pan over med-low heat, melt butter into oil.  Add flour, whisk constantly to avoid lumps and burning.  Cook until it is about the color of peanut butter.  This will take roughly 20 min, but can be done ahead of time and cooled.

   Heat a little oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.  Cook onion, pepper, and celery (You can use a bag of the frozen mix, if you can find it.) until everything is very tender.  It will take 15-20 minutes (same time as the roux, so you can stir both at the same time!)  Add garlic, worcestershire, and soy sauce. Stir quickly for 1 min so as not to burn anything.  Add water and roux; whisk quickly to avoid lumps.  Add spices, lemon juice, and sausage.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Stirring occasionally.

   Stir in shrimp 5-7 minutes before serving.  Cook through.

   Serve over rice.  Top with Tabasco and filé, if you like. 

   Serves 6.

 Pictures of finished Gumbo by Heather Clemons Photography!