Club Food

Shrimp Creole

1/4 pound butter
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced shallots
2 cups chopped canned tomatoes
1 cup tomato purée or 2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
3 pounds peeled, de-veined shrimp
2 ounces cornstarch
1 pint cold water
1 ounce lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne

Melt butter; sauté peppers, onions, celery and
shallots for 5 minutes.
Add tomato purée or paste and
bay leaves, then simmer 15 minutes.

Add shrimp and simmer 15 minutes.

Dissolve cornstarch in 1 pint cold water, add and simmer 5
minutes.

Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste; add pinch of cayenne,
simmer 15 minutes.

Serve over steamed rice or creamed potatoes.

Shrimp Gumbo

2 pounds shrimp
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups chopped okra
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 can tomatoes
2 quarts water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves
Red pepper

Peel shrimp and de-vein.
Make a dark roux with flour and oil.
Add shrimp for a few minutes and stir constantly.
Set aside.

Smother okra and onions in oil.
Add tomatoes when okra is nearly
cooked.
Add water, bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add shrimp
and roux.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

“Some Good” Onion Rings

Peel and slice red onions into rings.
Use only red onions! The
amounts you use in this recipe will depend entirely upon the amount
of onion you use.

In a paper bag, mix about a cup of white flour with paprika and
1 tablespoon salt.
Dip the onion rings in buttermilk, then shake
them well in the bag of flour and fry them in hot, deep fat.

Sweet Potatoes in Praline Sauce (New Orleans)

This sauce is very rich, and you may want to save some for over
ice cream.

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
Salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Boil the potatoes in salted water until not quite tender, about
15 minutes.

Prepare the sauce by melting the sugar in a heavy saucepan over
medium heat.
In a short time the sugar will begin to turn to a
light golden brown.
Stir to prevent burning.
When light brown syrup
is formed, immediately add the corn syrup, followed by the water.
Blend thoroughly.
Allow to cool for just a moment and then stir in
the pecans, butter, salt and vanilla extract.
Place the potatoes in
a greased baking dish.
Pour some of the sauce over the potatoes and
bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

Taco Oysters

Many years ago, there was an immigration of Yugoslavians to
Louisiana, where they settled along the mouth of the Mississippi
River.
Many became oyster fishermen.
Since they are known by their
nickname, Tacos, there are a number of oyster dishes also known by
that name.

Oysters
Bacon
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash of Tabasco  sauce
Salt and pepper (sparingly)
2 teaspoons tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
American cheese, finely shredded

Arrange oysters on the half-shell in a pie pan of rock salt.
Prepare enough partially-cooked bacon so that there will be enough
to cover each oyster with a bacon strip.

On each oyster, place the above ingredients.
Cover each oyster
with finely-shredded American cheese.
Bake at 450 degrees F until
oysters are done and curl on the edges and the cheese is bubbly (10
minutes or less).

Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Tomatoes Creole

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan.
Add:

4 large skinned, sliced seeded tomatoes
or 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
1 large onion, minced
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 shredded green bell pepper

Cook the vegetables until they are tender —
about 12 minutes.
Add:

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon curry powder

Strain the juice from the vegetables and add to it enough cream
to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons flour.
Simmer and stir the sauce until it is thick and smooth.
Combine it
with the vegetables and serve hot on toast with
sautéed bacon.
Or you can use it to fill pepper or
squash cases.

Spinach Balls

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach
2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 eggs, well-beaten
3/4 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 to 2 teaspoons Tony’s Creole Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly grease a cookie
sheet.

Cook spinach according to package directions and drain well,
squeezing to remove excess moisture.
Combine with stuffing mix,
chopped onion, eggs, margarine, cheese, Cayenne and garlic salt.
Mix well.
Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on cookie sheet.
Bake
15 to 20 minutes.

These are successfully frozen by placing on a pan in freezer
until hard, then storing in airtight bags.

To serve, thaw slightly and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 dozen.

Spicy Gator Etouffee Sandwich

1 pound chopped alligator tail meat
1/4 cup water
Pinch of flour
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup yellow onion
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley
Garlic, as desired
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 pound crawfish tail meat
4 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Chardonnay
Fresh baked hoagie rolls

Herb Butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons parsley
Dash of basil

Wash alligator thoroughly and sauté in herb butter
for 2 minutes on each side.
Set aside.

Cook etoufee by combining butter, onion, celery, bell pepper,
bay leaves and garlic.
Sauté until tender, squeezing
lemon juice while incorporating Cajun spices, cayenne pepper, and
parsley.
Add water and flour; simmer.
Add crawfish, green onion and
a little chardonnay.
Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until crawfish is
done.
Blend in food processor.

Take your cooked alligator and place on skillet and top with
etoufee.
Top with Swiss cheese; melt cheese, and grill the hoagie
roll next to it.
Place hoagie roll on top, flip over, and finish
off sandwich by slicing in half and garnishing with a kosher
pickle.

Riz au Lait

This dessert was made with leftover rice in Cajun homes years
ago.

1 1/2 cups cooked rice
Water
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 egg, separated
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Boil cooked rice in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes.
Drain.

Mix rice, evaporated milk and 1 milk can full (12 ounces) of
water.
Heat, but do not boil.

Beat egg yolk well.
Add sugar and pour into rice mixture.
Continue to heat, but do not boil.
Add salt and vanilla
extract.

Beat egg white until peaks form.
Fold in and remove mixture from
heat.

Serves 4.

The Big Easy

1 cup green olives, preferably Italian, pitted and chopped
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil, drained)
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or other red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large round loaf Italian bread, about 7 inches in diameter
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings
1/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella
1/4 pound thinly sliced salami
1/4 pound thinly sliced ham
1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone
1/4 pound thinly sliced Mortadella

Mix the chopped olives and the next 6 ingredients; stir in 2
tablespoons olive oil.
Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator
for at least 12 hours to marry flavors.
Olive mixture can be made
up to a week ahead.

Cut bread in half horizontally; remove bread from bottom and top
of loaf (discard or save for bread crumbs) to form a thick shell.
Spread half the reserved olive mixture (with liquid) on the bottom
half of the bread, then half the onion rings.
Next, layer the
cheese and cold cuts in the order listed.
Top with remaining onion
slices, then remaining olive mixture.
Sandwich can be made up to 6
hours ahead.
Wrap tightly; store in the refrigerator.

Return to room temperature before serving.
Cut into 6
wedges.

Serves 6.

Petits Gateaux Secs (Little Dry Cakes)

Source: Eula Mae’s Cajun Kitchen: Cooking Through the Seasons
on Avery Island

Petits gâteaux secs is French for little dry cakes.
They are indeed nothing fancy since they are made with ingredients
- flour, butter, sugar – that were available on the farms in the
rural areas of Acadiana.

They were often made for young children when they came home from
school.
They can be accompanied with café au lait
(coffee milk) made with equal parts strong, dark coffee and hot
milk or cream.
For a heartier snack or dessert, they were served
with Creole cream cheese.

They are also ideal for packing in airtight containers to take
along on a boat trip, or to a picnic or any outdoor meal.
The dough
can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the
refrigerator for up to three days.
This basic dough can be used for
sweet tarts, sometimes referred to as turnovers, and can be filled
with fig preserves, baked sliced apples or blackberry jam.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream together the butter, mace, nutmeg and sugar in a large
mixing bowl until soft and fluffy.
Add the eggs and beat again
until thick and smooth.
Add the vanilla extract and beat again.
Add
the evaporated milk and blend.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking
powder and salt.
Add this to the butter mixture and stir in one
direction with a wooden spoon until it is all incorporated.
The
dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
Form it into a ball, wrap
in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour.
Divide the dough into 2
equal portions.
Gently pat one portion into a flattened ball and
put it on the flour-dusted surface.
With a lightly floured rolling
pin, gently roll out the dough into a circle about 9 inches in
diameter and 1/4-inch thick.
Cut the cookies with a 2-inch cookie
cutter and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch
apart.
Gather up the scraps, roll them out and cut more cookies.
You should have about 14 cookies per portion of dough.
Repeat with
the remaining portion of dough.
Bake until lightly golden, about 15
minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
Then, with a metal spatula, carefully lift the cookies off the pan
and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 28 cookies.

Variation: To make tarts, simply roll out the dough into circles
6 to 8 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick.
Fill with about 1/4
cup of the desired filling, fold the dough over and seal.
Press the
edges together with the tines of a fork.
Bake until slightly
golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Skillet Shrimp Creole

Serves 4.

1 cup long grain white rice
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon filé powder
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine or no-salt-added tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Prepare rice according to package instructions.
Cover and keep
warm.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Add
celery, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and filé powder.
Cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes.

While vegetables are cooking, in a small saucepan, cook beans
until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Cover and keep warm.

Add tomatoes, wine, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to
vegetable mixture.
Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 15
minutes.

Add shrimp; cook, stirring until just opaque, about 3
minutes.

Spoon rice and beans onto individual plates.
Spoon shrimp
mixture on top.
Serve immediately.

Pepper-Glazed Cajun Chicken

Source: Woman’s Day-Meals in Minutes, 01/02/03

Makes 4 servings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons vinegar
6 tablespoons hot pepper jelly
1/4 cup chicken broth

Sprinkle chicken with Cajun seasoning.

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add
chicken and cook, turning about 10 minutes, until chicken is brown.
Remove chicken; set aside.

To drippings in same pan, add green onions and cook 2 minutes,
stirring frequently.
Add vinegar, jelly and broth; cook, stirring
frequently, until jelly melts.
Return chicken to pan; spoon glaze
over chicken.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat, turning chicken
several times, about 5 minutes, until chicken is fork-tender.
Transfer chicken to serving platter.
Increase heat to medium-high
and cook glaze until it thickens slightly.
Spoon over chicken.

Pain Perdu (Cajun “French” Toast)

Posted by Cookin’Mom 7/1/01 10:12:37
pm

3 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
10 to 12 slices stale French bread

Mix first five ingredients together.
Soak the bread in this
mixture for about 30 minutes, turning once to make sure the bread
is completely coated.

Melt some butter in a skillet and cook the bread on both sides.
Serve with powdered sugar or Steen’s Cane Syrup.

Pot Roast Po’ Boys

Source: Frank Davis, New Orleans Channel

1/4 cup vegetable oil or margarine
1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless chuck roast
3 teaspoons salt and black pepper mixture
2 teaspoons Frank Davis Beef Seasoning
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Swanson’s Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
2 loaves New Orleans French bread
2 cups shredded lettuce
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Hellmann’s or Blue Plate Mayonnaise
1/4 cup dill pickle slices
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

This is quite possibly the ultimate in recipe simplicity.
Basically you heat the Dutch oven, you season and brown the meat,
you pour the soup mixture over the top, and you slow roast the
roast in the oven until it’s ready to fall apart.
Sounds easy, huh.
Here’s how it’s done step by step:

1.
Take a 5-quart heavy Dutch oven, place it on the stove over
medium-high heat, and drop into it about a quarter-cup of either
vegetable oil or real margarine.
(You want to avoid using the
vegetable spreads-they contain a lot of water and air.
Make sure
the label says “margarine.”)

2.
While the oil is coming up to heat, sprinkle the beef
thoroughly with both the salt and black pepper mixture (2:1 ratio,
salt to pepper) and the beef seasoning.
When the meat is completely
coated, rub the seasonings in well with your hands.
Then, using a
couple of meat forks, ease the roast down into the Dutch oven and
brown it uniformly on all sides until it turns nice and toasty.
Take your time and do is right-it’s what seals the pores of the
meat and keeps the juices locked inside.

3.
When the roast is seared all over, remove it from the Dutch
oven temporarily and set it on a platter.
Then in a large bowl,
whisk together until fully blended the mushroom soup and the
chicken broth.
When completely combined, pour it into the Dutch
oven (now set to medium heat), take a wooden spoon, and deglaze the
pot (being sure to scrape up all the bit of browned beef that may
have stuck to the bottom).

4.
At this point, bring to gravy mixture to a gentle bubble.
Then ease the chuck roast back into the pot, baste it thoroughly
with the gravy, put the lid on, slide the pot into a preheated 350
degree F oven, and bake the meat for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours until
ultra-tender.
The remainder of this recipe develops in the oven-do
not open the oven, do not lift the lid, do not peek in the pot, do
not stir…just leave it alone!

5.
Finally, when you’re ready to eat, warm the po’ boy bread,
slice it lengthwise, slather it down with mayonnaise, layer the
shredded lettuce, tomato slices, and pickle chips on one half of
the bread, then pile on the thinly sliced roast chuck on the other
half! It should be sliced against the grain for best texture.

6.
All that’s left now is to ladle on a generous serving of pot
gravy over the beef, bring both halves of the French bread
together, and cut them into sandwich-size portions.
Serve alongside
a frosty root beer and a stack of crunchy potato chips.

Chef’s Notes: To make your po’ boy the epitome of New Orleans
dining, you might also want to splatter on a light sprinkling of
shredded cheddar cheese between the two French bread halves.

Praline Powder

Posted by FootsieBear May 13, 2001

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Pinch cream of tartar
1/4 cup water
1 cup blanched whole almonds

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil the sugar with the cream of
tartar and water over moderately high heat, stirring and washing
down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a
brush dipped in cold water.
Cook the syrup over high heat without
stirring, swirling the pan until it is a light caramel.

Add the almonds and swirl the pan until the nuts are coated with
the caramel and begin to make a popping sound.
Pour the mixture
onto an oiled marble surface or jelly roll pan and let cool until
it is hard.

Transfer the praline to a cutting board, chop it coarse and use
a food processor or blender to pulverize it in batches.
Store the
praline powder in an airtight container.

William Bohannon’s Creole Cream Cheese

Posted by philocrates 5/15/02 6:37:04
pm

1/2 gallon skim milk
1 tablet rennet
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
1 1/4 cups nonfat dry milk
Pinch of cream of tartar

In a large microwave dish heat the milk to 170 degrees F (75
degrees C) and hold for 20 minutes, using the “Hold” function and
the microwave probe attachment.
Immediately stir in the other
ingredients to blend.
Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 24
hours at room temperature.

Drain and discard liquid from the cheese clabber.

Line a colander with 2 layers of cheese cloth and turn cheese
into colander.
Place colander over bowl for more draining.
Cover
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 36 hours.

Place finished cheese into bowl use as desired.
Keeps 2 weeks
covered in the fridge.

Makes 12 ounces.

NOTES: The cheese only took 3 hours to make.

After the Rennet tablet (crushed well) was sprinkled in the
slightly cooled milk mixture, it clabbered right away (about 1 1/2
hours).
I drained it in the colander then put it in the cheese
cloth and wrung it dry carefully.
The cheese needed several
wringings with rest in between for sufficient drainage.
The
finished cheese resembles Feta crumble cheese but the flavor is
like mild mascarpone.
I put it in the food processor on high speed
until it was very smooth and creamy like mascarpone.
I freshened
the taste with a few drops of lemon juice (store bought mascarpone
contains citric acid).

The cheese was not quite a smooth as the commercially whipped
kind but the flavor was very good.
This recipe is the closest thing
to mascarpone that one can make at home with ease.
A little
tinkering with the proportions should yield a very good clone.

Shrimp Quiche

Pastry
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white cornmeal
2/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/3 cup milk

Mix together the flour, cornmeal and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add
the shortening.
Using a pastry blender or your fingers, blend the
shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles
coarse meal.
Add the milk and mix together until the mixture leaves
the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
On a lightly floured
surface, roll out the pastry and fit into a regular-size quiche pan
or four small quiche pans.

Filling
1 pound boiled shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 pound Swiss cheese, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Distribute the shrimp evenly over the bottom of the quiche
pastry.
Arrange the cheese evenly over the shrimp.

Combine the cream, flour, eggs, cayenne, black pepper and salt
and mix well.
Pour over the cheese and shrimp.
Bake for about 35 to
40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out
clean.

Yield: 4 servings

Spicy Cajun Kabobs

1 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 ounces fully cooked smoked sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon minced garlic
1 dash freshly ground white pepper

Preheat gas grill for 10 minutes or light charcoal and allow to
burn down to a gray ash on top.
Soak 12-inch bamboo skewers in
water.

Remove fat from chicken and cut diagonally into 1/2 x 2-inch
strips.
Slice thicker areas in half horizontally so strips are
uniform in thickness.
Cut sausage into 1-inch chunks.

In small saucepan, heat olive oil, chili powder, thyme, cayenne,
garlic and white pepper over very low heat about 2 minutes, or
until fragrant.
Cool slightly.

Dip chicken and sausage pieces into spice mixture.
Thread,
alternating chicken and sausage onto skewers.
Grill over medium
heat about 8 minutes, or until chicken is done and juices run
clear.

Makes 3 servings.

Approximate values per serving: 299 calories, 22 g fat, 71 mg
chol, 23 g protein, 2 g carbo, 1 g fiber, 426 mg sod, 67% calories
from fat

Stuffed Crawfish Beignets (Cajun Pistols)

Source: "http://www.gulf-shores-alabama.net/">http://www.gulf-shores-alabama.net
- used with permission from Lundy Wilder

Close as I can tell, this recipe should make something very similar
to the delightful winning finger-food called the Cajun Pistol at
the Gulf Shores National Shrimp Festival

Filling
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup butter
Minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1 pound crawfish tails
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese or whatever cheese you like
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Shake or two of ground hot pepper

Dough
2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup water
Vegetable oil for frying

Sauté onion and celery in butter until tender.
Add
garlic, seasoning and crawfish tails.
Simmer 10 min or until all
liquid evaporated.
Set aside and let cool completely.

Add cheese, green onions and parsley.

Beignet Dough: Stir biscuit mix and water with fork.
On
well-floured surface roll out dough.
Cut with 4 inch circle cutter.
Place crawfish filling on half of dough.
Fold circle in half, seal
edges with fork dipped in flour.

In deep pot, heat oil to 350 degrees F.
Fry beignets until
golden brown.

Serve warm.

Makes about 16 beignets.

May be frozen before frying.
Thaw for 10 minutes and fry as
usual.

Pralines

2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3/4 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup water
12 large marshmallows
1 quart pecan halves

In a saucepan combine all ingredients except marshmallows and
pecans.
Cook until a small amount of the mixture forms a soft ball
when dropped into cold water.
Stir to prevent burning.
Add
marshmallows and stir until melted.
Remove from heat and add
pecans.
Beat until mixture loses some of its gloss.
Place wax paper
over cloth and drop pralines by spoonsful on the paper.

Makes 3 dozen.

Roasted Pecan Butter Pecan Pie (Louisiana Cajun)

Dough
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut up
1/4 cup ice water

Sift 1 cup of the flour and the salt into a large bowl.
Add
butter, and working quickly with a light touch, cut butter into the
flour with a spoon and fingertips until mixture is the texture of
coarse cornmeal.
Add ice water and stir until well blended.
Form
the dough into a ball and place on a flat surface floured with the
remaining 3 tablespoons flour.
With a floured rolling pin, roll out
dough to a thickness of 1/4 to 1/8 inch.
Place an ungreased 8
1/2-inch round pie pan face down on top of the dough and cut around
the pan, leaving a 3/4-inch border.
Lightly flour the top of the
dough and fold it in quarters.
Carefully place dough in the pie
pan, with the points of the folded dough centered.
Unfold dough and
line the pan bottom and sides, gently pressing dough into place and
draping a little over the rim.
Flute the edges.
Refrigerate
prepared pie shell until ready to use.

Pecan Filling
1/2 cup pecan pieces or halves, dry roasted until dark
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves

Process roasted pecans in a food processor until they become a
relatively smooth butter, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping sides down as
needed with a rubber spatula.
Place eggs in a medium-size bowl of
an electric mixer and beat on high speed a few seconds until
frothy.
Add sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla extract, salt and
pecan butter.
Beat on medium speed a few seconds until well mixed,
pushing sides down as needed.
Stir in the unroasted pecan halves.
Pour mixture into prepared pie shell.
Place on a cookie sheet and
bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake until filling is browned
on top and crust on edges is lightly browned, about 40 minutes
more.
Remove from oven and let cool at least 30 minutes before
serving.

Smothered Okra

2 pounds fresh young okra
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup tomatoes, canned or fresh

Wash whole okra and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Slice into
1 /8- to 1/4-inch rounds.
Sauté in oil over medium
heat until okra stops “stringing,” stirring frequently.
This could
take 20 to 30 minutes.
Do not let it brown.
Add onion and garlic
and sauté until they soften.
Add seasoning and
tomatoes (and some juice too).
Allow to simmer at least 10 minutes
or longer.

Serves 6.

Spicy Seafood Gumbo

1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 medium onions, chopped
8 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 (15 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (28 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen okra, sliced, thawed
1 pound crab claws
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
5 bay leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoons dried whole thyme
2 teaspoons dried whole basil
2 teaspoons dried whole oregano
2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds medium-size shrimp, unpeeled
1 quart oysters, undrained
1 pound crab meat
1 pound fish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
Hot cooked rice
File powder (optional)

Combine oil and flour in a cast iron skillet; cook over medium
heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until roux is brown, but
NOT black.

Stir in onion, celery, and garlic; cook 10 minutes, stirring
often.
Transfer mixture to a Dutch oven.
Add chicken broth,
tomatoes, okra, crab claws, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, bay
leaves, parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, sage and pepper; simmer 2
hours, stirring occasionally.

Peel and devein shrimp.
Add shrimp, oysters, crab meat and fish
to Dutch oven; simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove and discard bay
leaves.
Serve gumbo over hot rice and, if desired, sprinkle with
file.

Pepper Shrimp

This is a dish made famous by Pascal Manale’s restaurant on
Napolean Avenue in New Orleans.
It was known as “Barbecued
Shrimp.”

5 pounds large shrimp (7 pounds with head on)
1 pound butter
1/2 cup freshly-ground black pepper

Rinse and drain shrimp and place them, unpeeled, in a single
layer in a large shallow baking pan.
Cut each stick of butter in
two to make eight pieces and place on top of the shrimp.
Grind
peppercorns in a spice grinder or blender to make 1/2 cup and
sprinkle the pepper evenly over the shrimp.
Bake at 350 degrees F
for 45 minutes, turning the shrimp at least twice to absorb the
pepper-butter on all sides.

Serve directly from the pan with a loaf of sliced French bread
so that guests can peel the shrimp as they go and sop up the sauce
with hunks of bread.
Provide a platter of hot washcloths, also.

Serves 4 to 8.

Po’ Boy Oyster Loaf with Garlic Butter

This “po’ boy” is made to look like a pirogue, by hollowing out
the insides of a long crusty loaf until it looks like a wooden
canoe plying the bayou.

48 oysters, shucked
1 cup Masa HarinaÂ
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 loaf Italian or French bread (about 18 inches long)
1/4 pound butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Lard or oil (for frying)

Drain oysters well; if you like, save their liquor for another
use.
Mix Masa Harina with seasonings in a paper bag;
add oysters, and shake well to coat them on all sides.

Split the loaf of brad in half lengthwise.
With a sharp spoon,
scoop out the insides, top and bottom, laving a 1/2-inch thick
shell.
Melt butter with the garlic and brush on the inside, top and
bottom of the loaf.
Toast the buttered sides under a broiler until
golden brown.

Heat lard or oil in a wok or skillet until hot but not smoking
and add the oysters a few at a time to brown quickly, 2 to 3
minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place them in the bottom
crust until all are cooked.
Cover with top crust and present as a
loaf.

To serve, remove top crust, spoon out the oysters, and cut
slices of the crust to go with them.

Serves 4.

Shrimp Creole

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups sliced scallions
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 tablespoons red wine
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 slices fresh lemon
2 cups water or fish stock
2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled
4 cups cooked rice

In a very heavy kettle heat oil and flour, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir until a medium brown roux is formed.
Add onions,
pepper, garlic and parsley to cool the roux, then lower heat and
continue cooking until vegetables brown slightly.
Mix in tomatoes
and tomato sauce.
Add wine and seasonings and mix.
Bring mixture to
a low boil.
Add water or stock to desired consistency.
When mixture
boils, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour.
Add shrimp; cover, and
simmer for 20 minutes more; do not overcook shrimp.
Adjust
seasonings if necessary.

Serve over boiled rice.

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

South Louisiana Chicken Spaghetti

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons flour
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (4 ounce) can tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Meat tenderizer
AccentÂ
Season-AllÂ
Cayenne pepper
3 large onions
1/2 bunch celery
1 bunch shallots
1/4 green bell pepper
1 large can mushrooms stems and pieces
1 cup packed brown sugar
5 bay leaves
1/2 squeezed lemon, with rind
AccentÂ
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper
1 cup sweet red wine

In a large, iron pot, slowly heat oil and flour, very slowly and
stirring all the while.
Keep fire low as possible and stir
constantly with a spatula, for this roux burns easily.
Cook until
the roux is the color of milk chocolate.

Meanwhile, prepare an additional roux of tomato sauce and tomato
paste.
In another iron skillet, combine tomato paste and tomato
sauce and cook over very low flame, stirring constantly.
This
usually takes longer than the flour roux.
The roux will be done
when it turns a dark brown color.

While the roux is being cooked, season chicken that has been cut
into small pieces by sprinkling on salt and pepper, meat
tenderizer, AccentÂ, Season-All and cayenne pepper.
Dip
each piece in flour and brown on all sides.
Set aside.

Finely chop onions, celery, shallots and bell pepper.
Sauté in the finished flour roux until vegetables are
tender, stirring constantly.
If the roux begins to stick, add a
very small amount of oil.

Add the browned chicken, mushrooms, tomato roux and enough water
to give a good liquid consistency, but not watery.
Bring to boil,
then immediately turn down to simmer.
Add brown sugar, bay leaves,
lemon juice with rind, AccentÂ, oregano,
Tabasco sauce, and salt and pepper.
Simmer, stirring
occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours, or until chicken begins to fall off
the bone.

Fifteen minutes before the chicken is done, add 1 cup of any
sweet red wine, the sweeter the better.

Serve over cooked spaghetti.