Cajun Shrimp Pilau (Pilaf)

A quick and easy main dish shrimp and rice dish that is loaded with familiar Cajun flavors that you are gonna love.

Cajun Shrimp Pilaf

Now, this is a rice cooker recipe that goes way back and that's just frankly how I've always known it to be made. With rice a predominant menu feature in this part of The South, rice cookers of some form are very common in the southern coastal states.

This dish is so easy, it's ridiculous. To make it a true pilau, the rice should be cooked in a skillet first. Just  add the butter to the skillet and melt it, then add the rice, cooking and stirring it for about 5 minutes (you can saute the veggies here too if you prefer) before adding to the rice cooker. Add everything else and mix.

To be honest, you can just throw everything into the rice cooker all together and skip browning the rice, give it all a good stir, turn on the cooker just like you're cookin' up a batch of rice and when it's run it's cycle, it's ready to eat! It's just as good, either way. My cooker generally takes about 40 minutes or so. You don't have to stand over it, you don't have to touch it and you don't have to heat up your kitchen with the stove. You can't beat that with a stick! Make a nice mixed garden salad on the side for everyone and you have one mighty fine meal. This should serve somewhere around 4 to 6, depending on appetites.

If you don't happen to own a rice cooker, you could adapt this easily to the stove top. Just put everything into a heavy pot, bring it up to a boil, reduce immediately to a low simmer, cover and check it at about 20 minutes to see if the rice is cooked. The rice cooker does a perfect job of it though, and if you don't have one already, I highly recommend putting a nice electronic rice cooker on your Wish List. I love mine and use it all the time, not only for rice, but for steaming vegetables and even for steaming hard cooked eggs! Mine even has a small slow cooker insert that I have used a few times. They really are fantastic cookers and they make perfect rice - so get yourself one! You deserve it.

Besides shrimp, you can mix this up and add in smoked sausage, andouille sausage, diced ham, cooked chopped chicken, crumbled cooked bacon, or any combination.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 to 40 min
Total time: About 30 to 50 min, depending on method used
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Cajun Shrimp Pilau (Pilaf)
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter
1-1/2 cups of long grain rice, uncooked
1 pound of small to medium raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
Handful of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
Pinch of kosher salt
8 turns of the pepper grinder
1 (14 ounce) can of beef broth
1(4 ounce) can of sliced mushrooms, drained

Add the butter to a skillet and melt. Add rice, cook and stir about 5 minutes (you can saute the veggies here too if you prefer) before adding to the rice cooker. Add remaining ingredients, set timer for the regular rice setting and cook. Fluff before serving.

Serve with a mixed garden salad.

Variation: Add everything to the rice cooker, slicing the butter on top, and give it a good stir to mix well. Set the timer for regular rice and when it stops, dinner is ready! Okay to use different proteins too so try this with smoked sausage, andouille sausage, diced ham, cooked chopped chicken, crumbled cooked bacon, or any combination.

Stovetop:  If you don't happen to own a rice cooker, you could adapt this easily to the stove top. Just put everything into a heavy pot, bring it up to a boil, cover, reduce immediately to a low simmer and check it at about 20 minutes to see if the rice is cooked. Fluff before serving.

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Check These Out Too!

Southern Red Rice with Shrimp
Cajun Dirty Rice
Creole Jambalaya

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Deep Fried Sweet Vidalia Onion Strips

Strips of sweet Vidalia onions, deep fried and crispy.

Now I know those skinny onion "strings" are all the rage across the blogs these days, and I love those too. On a burger. Or on top of a salad. 

But when I want a side of onion rings, first I want the onions sweet - and that calls for a sweet Vidalia onion - but then, I want them nice and thick. And they must be crunchy. And, light. And not at all greasy. Hey, I have my standards, even with onion rings.

I prefer cutting the onion in half from top to root, and then cutting nice thick slices, mostly because they work better that way in my deep fryer, and they are easier to eat, but you can certainly cut them into thicker rings. I also like to give mine a double dip in the flour tub once I've gotten them all coated the first time. I just dump them all back into the flour bowl all at once and give 'em a quick toss, back to the plate and into the fryer. Do them in batches, add just a bit more salt right when they come out and eat 'em right away.

And don't you just hate it when you bite into an onion ring and the whole onion comes out leaving behind an empty shell of coating? Well, the buttermilk really helps the coating to adhere to the onion great, so you won't have that problem with this recipe. Us southerners, we love our buttermilk, and down here it is a kitchen staple. I realize a lot of folks use the soured milk method when something calls for buttermilk, well frankly ... while it may be an 'okay' rare emergency replacement, it's just not at all the same as real buttermilk to me. The texture is different, the flavor is different and the properties are different. Get you a small carton of buttermilk to keep in the fridge and besides the usual uses, when it comes time to coating things, use that instead of milk. You will notice the difference immediately.

Oh my goodness do I love these onion rings. They are light, and crisp, and crunchy, just the way a good onion ring should be.

Delicious. The secret - well, besides using sweet Vidalia onions of course - is in the addition of cornstarch.  Of course, if they are out of season or you don't have access to Vidalias, use another type of sweet onion, or you can also substitute a regular yellow onion instead.  Give it a try sometime! Yum.

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Deep Fried Sweet Vidalia Onion Strips
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1-2 Vidalia or other sweet onions, cut into thick rings or
   halved & cut into thick strips
1 egg
1 cup of buttermilk
Couple dashes of hot sauce
1 cup of self rising flour
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)

Preheat the deep fryer to 355 degrees.

Cut the onion in half and then cut into thick strips; set aside.

Set up your dredging bowls. In one bowl, add the egg and beat; add in the buttermilk and hot sauce; blend together. In another bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, salt and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.

Dip the onion strips into the buttermilk mixture, let excess drain off and dredge into the flour mixture. I like to dip them back into the flour mixture one more time. Add carefully to the fryer and deep fry, in batches, for about 2-3 minutes or until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle right away with some additional salt, if desired. Serve hot!

Note:  Can substitute regular yellow onion as well.

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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Deep Fried Bread and Butter Pickles
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A seafood dressing casserole, made with fresh shrimp, crabmeat and eggplant.

Seafood and Eggplant Dressing

I was introduced to eggplant by my first mother-in-law. Eggplant was something that I do not ever recall my mother preparing, in any form, not one single time ... but my mother-in-law did cook it, and often. One of the ways, was in a wonderful seafood dressing.

Miss Ursula, that's what everybody called her, has passed on now, but she was a sweetheart. Actually my father in law was too - even after The Divorce, despite the fact that they were a staunch Catholic family, they never treated me any different and to the day they both passed away, they were always kind and welcoming to me anytime they saw me.

I used to love to sit and drink coffee with my father-in-law and listen to his war stories. And let me tell you, he liked his coffee. With chicory and super strong. My mother-in-law used to say you could stand a spoon in it! Didn't bother me - I just poured lots of cream in there and listened intently to his tales, of which he had many. A machine gunner in the Marines during World War II, he was one of thousands of young sailors who saw the American flag raised over Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima.  He had fought in many battles though - Saipan, Guam, and Okinawa - and was even recalled to active duty during the Korean War. You would never know that his eyes had ever seen a single war though. He was the kindest southern gentleman you could ever possibly meet, and full of obvious love for his wife. 

I will never forget my first experience having dinner at their house when I was dating my ex-husband, because you see, Miss Ursula had a slew of sons and not a single daughter. My ex-husband was 1 of 7 boys. Can you imagine? How they managed to do that between all of his tours of duty is beyond me.

I gotta say, the first time I had dinner at their house, goodness was it crazy! All the way up to Grace, things were calm and the boys were all very well mannered and polite, which I am sure they were warned to be, but at Amen all bets were off! There were arms slinging, and dishes passing, and hands flying and, little ole me, coming from a small family of 3 very quiet children - 2 girls and only 1 boy who was 7 years younger than me - well, I had just never experienced such a thing!  I got used to it very quick though, which led to many such meals around that very large table.

I remember the first time that I tasted Miss Ursula's eggplant dressing. I had no idea actually what it even was that I was eating, but it was different and delicious and when I later asked and discovered it was eggplant I was stunned.  Having never consumed it before, I guess I really didn't know what to expect from an eggplant, but after experiencing it in a few other ways, that eggplant immediately grew on me.

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These little biscuit cup treats are filled with bacon, cheese, tomato and basil are like little mini-BLTs in a bite sized form, perfect for parties!

Bite Size Bacon and Tomato Cups with Basil

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Published: September 23, 2009

I went to a party recently where one of the guests brought some little cups similar to this. Well, they were delicious! When I asked the person what was in them, she said they had bacon, tomatoes, Swiss cheese and mayonnaise.  Well, of course, I came home set on recreating them!

I thought the only thing missing to make them like a BLT is some kind of green ... and what better to go with tomatoes than fresh out of the garden basil, which I happened to have plenty of.  Now this appetizer would be pretty forgiving for adjusting in my opinion - more or less bacon, more of less mayonnaise, more or less basil, and whatever your favorite cheese.  Experiment! 

Be sure to thoroughly clean the tomatoes so that you have only the ribs and the meat of the tomato left - you want the tomato dry before you chop it up so you won't carry a lot of water into the filling. I didn't happen to have any Swiss cheese in the house when I decided to make these, so I used the remainder of a block of white American cheese that I needed to use up anyway.

I wanted to split my biscuits into three layers but the brand I had on hand wasn't being very agreeable and only wanted to easily give me two even layers.  As it turned out the two layers worked out fine, but if I were making these up for a crowd I think I'd go for stretching it out by separating each biscuit into three layers to end up with 24 cups, and to have a thinner cup.

I'm thinking these would also be great with cooked and drained sausage, or some well drained ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, and pepperoni too! There's a lot of room for variety with these, and I'm sure it's all been done before - but I can tell you one thing ... okay two things.  They are easy and because they are made in mini muffin pans, they are a perfect finger food for parties, and for game time, which is what I made these for.

Serve them warm or at room temperature - either way they are yummy.  Once cooled, they travel well and also reheat well. Enjoy!

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Bite Size Bacon and Tomato Cups with Basil
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

10-12 slices of bacon, about one (12 ounce) package
1/2 of a Vidalia, sweet or yellow onion, chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
Chiffonade of basil, about 6 leaves, more or less, to taste
1 cup of shredded cheese (Swiss, American, Cheddar), divided
1 can of flaky biscuits (about 8 biscuits), divided into thirds
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
24-count mini muffin pan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the bacon to crisp, remove, drain and set aside. To the bacon fat, add the chopped onion and cook until tender; toss in the tomato and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove, drain and set aside to cool. Stack basil, roll like a cigar and thinly chiffonade; set aside.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the cheese and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the bacon, onion and tomato mixture, the shredded cheese and the basil. Combine until well mixed; add mayonnaise and blend in.

Separate each biscuit into thirds, or halves or if you can't get three pieces easily, so that if you start with 8 biscuits, you have either 16 or 24 thin biscuits. Spray mini muffin pan with butter flavored non-stick spray and press biscuits into each tin. Spoon 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of filling into each biscuit, depending on how many you have. Sprinkle each biscuit top with just a bit of the reserved cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, remove and serve, warm or at room temperature.

Note: Can substitute one can of well drained, diced tomatoes or Rotel diced tomatoes. 

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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Pimento and Pecan Cheese Finger Sandwiches
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Images and Content ©2011 Mary Foreman/Deep South Dish. All rights reserved.
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Mary's Basic Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Published: September 20, 2009

I was feeling a bit under the weather this weekend so I decided to put on a pot of chicken noodle soup.  Funny thing about this stuff ... I can get a pot going, leave it warming on the stove along side a pot of cooked egg noodles, snatch a cup of it several times throughout the day and feel all better before nightfall. Often referred to as "Jewish Penicillin" for its known powers of healing, it really does work and that's not just an old wives tale either!

Not only do the steam and warmth of the soup help with nasal congestion, but the chicken itself and all of the seasonings typically used - garlic, onion, & ginger to name a few - are known to have certain anti-inflammatory properties that appear to offer some real respiratory benefits too, according to a University of Nebraska Medical Center study.

Plus, I don't care who ya are... it's just a darned good comfort food for when you aren't feeling well.

Make it even easier using leftover roasted or cooked chicken. Somewhere between 2 to 4 cups of chopped up chicken is good. Now, if only I could convince my husband that he can make it too and then serve me. On a tray. In bed. While I don't have to worry over anything but where the remote is.

Starting to get in the mood for soup yourself?  You can try my homemade beef veggie soup, or my favorite hamburger soup, or just go and look over all my soups, stews and gumbos.

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Mary's Basic Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Homemade Stock:

1 whole chicken *or parts that you've saved up!
Water just to cover (or use stock for richer flavor)
2 large pinches of salt
1 celery rib with leaves, cut into large chunks
1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
1 medium onion quartered
1 large bay leaf

Cut up chicken coarsely, splitting back and breasts. Place the cut up chicken in a tall stockpot, add the water or chicken stock only to cover chicken plus about an inch. Cover pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat, remove the lid and simmer (do not boil!!) uncovered, skimming off any foam that accumulates. When foam subsides, add the salt, celery, carrot, onion, and bay leaf. Cook, uncovered, at a steady, slow simmer for about 2 hours.

Strain, but reserve the broth - don't pour the broth out!! Discard the vegetables. Put the broth back into the stockpot and set the chicken aside to cool.

*If you are using chicken parts, you'll want some additional chicken to add to the soup since the parts have done their job! Throw a few chicken thighs in the pot - they give off a great flavor to the soup.

Soup:

8 cups of reserved homemade stock, or 2 (32 ounce)
   cartons of chicken stock/broth
1 tablespoon Orrington Farms chicken base, or
   Better Than Bouillon, optional
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 stalks of celery, halved lengthwise & sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 parsnip, chopped, optional
1/2 a large onion, diced
2 tablespoons of diced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper
Large handful of frozen peas
Large handful of frozen corn
Optional veggies: mushrooms, diced potato, diced turnip,
   chopped leeks, sliced scallions, green beans, etc.
2 tablespoons of dried parsley, plus additional for garnish
Cooked egg noodles or cooked rice

To the stock add in the chicken base, garlic, celery, carrot, parsnip, onion and ginger. Sprinkle in thyme and pepper. Allow to low simmer until vegetables are tender.

When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and debone the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Tear the chicken into bite size pieces and add back to broth. Add the peas and corn, and any additional veggies you like; add parsley and simmer until tender. I prefer to cook the noodles or rice separate from the soup itself so that the noodles do not absorb most of the soup broth.

Spoon cooked noodles or rice into a serving bowl and ladle the soup on top. Sprinkle each serving with a bit of additional parsley.

Freezes great, but do not freeze with the noodles! Just make fresh noodles when you reheat it.

The chicken base is optional, but I like the richness that it gives to soup. If you use the base, you will not likely need to add any additional salt to the soup. If you don't use the base, you may need to salt.  Either way, be sure to taste it before adding salt.

Tip: If you are making this ahead and have time, you may also let the broth cool and refrigerate. Once well chilled, the fat will rise to the surface and harden and you can easily scoop it off.

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Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Spicy Cajun Sausage and Corn Soup
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Health Benefit Source: CNN Health
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Weekend Cocktails - Pat O'Brien Hurricane Cocktail Copycat

A homemade copycat version of the famous Pat O Hurricane using two kinds of rum, grenadine, orange & fresh lime juice & a little simple syrup. Watch out - these sneak up on you!

Hurricane Cocktail

I can't even count the number of times that I have been to Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans, both as a tourist from Mississippi and as a resident of New Orleans, but one thing is for sure. It is a ritual for most everybody to have at least one Hurricane when you go there.  One is generally enough for me, because the fruity sweetness of this drink is very deceiving. Like drinking shots of tequila on a barstool and then suddenly standing up and thinking ya might have wanted to stop 2 or 3 shots back! Not that I would know anything about that...


Originating at Pat O'Brien's bar on St. Peter Street - yeah, slap in the heart of the French Quarter {oh my do I have some memories of down there} - back in the 1940s when it was difficult to get bourbon, whiskey and scotch, but rum was plentiful.  Bar owners were forced by liquor salesman to purchase large sums of rum in order to get the other liquor they needed.  Looking for something to do with that rum, and then pairing that drink creation up with a glass shaped like a hurricane lantern, and well, the Hurricane cocktail was born.

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How to Cook Corn on the Cob

Fresh on the cob sweet corn is still tasting pretty good down south so I'm gonna get my fill while it's at its peak flavor, even though it's pretty much available year round these days.  Me, I just love the stuff, though honestly, I don't care much for grilled corn - meaning corn that has been fully husked and then charred on the grill. I know a lot of folks do, but to me, corn cooks so quickly that I find that the biggest mistake many people make with corn on the cob is frankly just over-cooking it. With char-grilled corn, there is such a very fine line between a cob that is cooked just right and one that is dry and over-cooked, that when I do corn on the cob on the grill, I guess I do more of a steamed corn - allowing the cleaned corn to steam inside the protection of the husks.

My preference though? Simple, and pure, boiled corn on the cob, done just right and only long enough to cook the kernels yet leave them crunchy, with a generous sprinkling of salt, and butter. Butter. Now that's where you can really mess around with some flavor combinations.

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✍HOW TO COOK CORN ON THE COB

➵Boiled Corn

Husk and clean corn of silks. Fill a large pot with a couple quarts of water, enough to well cover. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on the number of ears you're boiling - never add salt! Salt will toughen the corn, so wait to salt it after you have cooked it. Bring water to a boil, drop in the corn and once it comes back to a boil, turn down to a gentle boil let it boil only for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Really Sinful Boiled Corn

Husk and clean corn of silks. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover corn and add in 1 stick of butter, 1 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on the number of ears you're boiling, and a cup of heavy cream, half and half or whole milk. Remember - NO SALT.  Bring to a boil, drop in the corn and once it comes back to a boil, turn down to a gentle boil let it boil only for about 10 to 15 minutes.


➵Steamed Corn

Husk and clean corn of silks and, if you have a rack that will fit inside a pot, put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of the pot, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, add the rack and set the ears on top.  If you have to stand the ears up, try cutting the wider end of the ear of the corn flat to help it stand up. Put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of a tall lidded pot, add the sugar and stand the ears upright in the pot. If you don't have enough corn to fill the pot, just cut the ears in half.  Bring to a boil and let the corn steam, covered, for about 30 minutes.


➵Microwaved Corn

Clean corn and wrap the ears in microwave safe plastic wrap.  Microwave on high for about 2 minutes per ear, depending on your microwave.


➵Oven Roasted Corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pull back the husks but do not remove them. Remove all of the corn silk and pull the husks back over the corn. Place the corn into a large pot of cold water to soak for at least 30 minutes. Remove and let drain.  Place the corn wrapped in the husks directly on the oven rack and bake for about 30 minutes. To serve, pull back the husks and either leave them on to serve as a handle or remove them if preferred.


➵Steamed on the Grill Corn

Pull back the husks but do not remove them. Remove all of the corn silk and pull the husks back over the corn. Place the corn into a large pot of cold water to soak for at least 30 minutes, putting another heavy pot on top to hold them down in the water. Preheat grill to medium high heat and put the corn directly on the heat. Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes or until tender, turning several times.  Let cool slightly. Pull back the husks and remove or use as a handle. Spread the compound butter mixture evenly on corn while it is hot and season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also completely clean the corn and wrap it in aluminum foil.

You may also, of course, char-grill corn directly on the heat of the grill.

Flavored butters are so easy to make and make an impression with your guests. Check out some of our Compound Butter Blends!

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Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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How to Strip Corn Off of the Cob
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How to Make Flavored Compound Butter

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✍COMPOUND BUTTER COMBOS

Compound butters. Or as Chef Anne Burrell - Executive Chef at New York's Centro Vinoteca, and sous chef to Mario Batali when battling in the Iron Chef Kitchen Stadium - would say, "butter with stuff."  I just love her ... don't you?

Start with about 1/2 cup of real, pure butter, soften it to room temperature, and then stir in some goodies. Smear that over your cooked corn on the cob and dig in. It's heaven, I tell ya! Flavored butters are also excellent when topped over a steak, chicken and fish, right before serving, or even used as a spread for toasted bread.

For a more uniform presentation, you can also spoon the butter mixture into a piece of plastic wrap, or parchment, and roll it into a tight, log shape. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to harden before using. Cut slices.

If using the butter right away, keep at room temperature. If not using until later, store in fridge and bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before using. Can also roll up cookie roll style and refrigerate to slice. Freeze leftovers.

Herbs listed are given in dried measurements, but absolutely use fresh herbs when you have them.  See my guide to substituting dried/fresh herbs for each other.

Take 1/2 cup of butter, either salted or unsalted, softened at room temperature, and add one of the following combinations. If you use regular salted butter, omit the salt.  Either way you will probably want to give it a taste. You can also double all of these and make a half pound roll.

➵Cajun Blend Compound Butter - Great for seafood, burgers and steaks

1/2 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama, or your favorite
   Cajun/Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
Pinch of kosher salt


➵Bleu Cheese Compound Butter - Yummy on steaks, burgers & veggies

1/2 cup of strong Roquefort or Stilton Bleu cheese,
   crumbled (for milder flavor, try Gorgonzola instead)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
6 turns of the pepper grinder


➵Dilly Lemon Thyme Compound Butter - Perfect for fish & veggies

The zest of 2 lemons
1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped
1/2 bunch lemon thyme, stripped and finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
Pinch of kosher salt


➵Cheesy Lime Compound Butter - Excellent on corn

1 tablespoon of olive oil
Zest of one lime
2 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or a mild feta


➵BBQ Compound Butter - great on steaks & burgers too!

2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1/4 of a sweet Vidalia onion, finely minced
2 teaspoons of chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic, finely minced


➵Herbed Compound Butter - great all purpose for just about anything.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of fresh chives, snipped fine
1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, chopped


➵Sun-Dried Tomato Herb Compound Butter - great all purpose for pork and meat.

1 tablespoon drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama, or your favorite
   Cajun/Creole seasoning
Pinch of kosher salt

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Cajun Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Wow. I still cannot believe that summer has practically got it's foot out the door and fall is literally just around the corner!  The weather here was very mild there for a bit, but the past few days have proven that summer is definitely not gone just yet, not that we ever really put our grills away down here anyway.

Now, for the grill, unless you're gonna do a quick stir on one of these kinds of trays, I usually pick the larger sized shrimp. There's nothing wrong with these trays ... I have one myself. But small shrimp cook super fast on the grill and frankly just aren't worth the work it takes to skewer them as far as I'm concerned, so this pan is great if you want to throw smaller shrimp on the grill.  Or if you want to sort of stir-fry some grilled veggies. So, for this recipe, go ahead and get the jumbo babies.

Don't be scared if you pull out your shrimp from the marinade to find that they look a bit pink and sort of cooked in some spots. That the acid in the lemon working and it's perfectly fine! Just skewer them up and get 'em on the grill.This is my favorite marinade for grilling shrimp - hope ya like it!

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Cajun Grilled Shrimp Skewers

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail tips intact
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama, or your favorite
   Cajun/Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
1 bell pepper, quartered
1 red onion, quartered
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 tomato, quartered (or cherry tomatoes)
Lemon wedges, optional
Tiger Sauce, optional

Put shrimp into a zipper storage bag or glass bowl, add the smashed garlic and toss. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, Cajun seasoning & Old Bay. Pour mixture over the shrimp, cover and refrigerator for one hour.

When ready to grill, alternate 3 shrimp with the bell pepper and onion on metal skewers, leaving room at the end for tomato. You'll add the tomatoes toward the end of cooking. Sprinkle skewers with salt & pepper. Place on hot grill and cook until just about done, basting often with the marinade. Add a tomato wedge to the end of skewer and return to the grill just until roasted.

Sprinkle with Tiger sauce and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. Makes 4 skewers.

Can also be prepared under the oven broiler.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com


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Well, Slap Ya Mama! The Winner is....

Thanks to everybody who participated in the Slap Ya Mama giveaway!  It was fun to see what recipe that each of you would like to try and at some point in the future I'm gonna borrow your suggestions and try each one of those because, well frankly, they all sounded pretty darned good!

If you didn't win and you still want to try Slap Ya Mama seasonings go to their website and order some!  I really do think you'll love it - heck, y'all see how much I use it. There are some great ideas for gifts there too, so if you know somebody who loves Cajun cookin' a gift basket from there would make a terrific Christmas present.  Be sure to check them out. 

So, down to business ... the winner of the Slap Ya Mama gift basket is ....

Laurie over at Guessing all the Way: Tales from a Clueless Mama! Congratulations Laurie!!

Laurie is a new to me friend that I recently met and hope that we'll be seeing more of each other. She's got a great blog and hosts lots of giveaways, so be sure to visit her blog and add her as a friend!  Laurie was one of the multiple tweeters (extra entries work) who I am certain also brought over a few new followers to me, and I am grateful for that - thanks Laurie! She has the sweetest Grandparents Day post up today, that is so sentimental, it brought tears to my eyes as I thought of my own parents and grandparents. Go check it out here.

Oh, and Happy Grandparents Day to all of you Grandma's and Grandpa's out there too!

Special thanks to the good folks over at Walker & Sons in Ville Platte, Louisiana for providing the Slap Ya Mama gift basket for this giveaway! I know you have some fans at this blog!

Laurie, email me at mary @ deepsouthdish dot com with your full name, mailing address and phone number asap, so that I can get your Slap Ya Mama gift basket out to you. I can't wait to hear what you think of the seasonings!  Congrats to the winner!!

How to Make Homemade Gravy and Some Tips for Perfect Gravy!

Chicken Gravy made with bacon drippings & homemade stock

How to Make Homemade Gravy

If you want to learn how to make homemade gravy, here's another for the "how-to" series of posts here. I know of lot of my regular readers are foodies and certainly know how to make gravy, but I hope that those in search of info will happen across this and find some help. We all had to learn somewhere! I recently made a casserole in need of chicken gravy and just today made roast beef po'boys and needed a beef gravy, so a "how-to" seemed fitting.

Don't be intimidated by homemade gravy! It really is not at all difficult - if you arm yourself with a few tips and techniques - and guess what? Mistakes are generally easily corrected - meaning that unless you burn your roux or dump in a whole shaker of salt, you can fix them!

In a nutshell, you take equal parts of fat and flour, and cook the flour in the fat to make a roux, and then add somewhere between roughly 4 to 6 times that amount of liquid, depending on the thickness desired. Simmer for a bit, then add just a bit of seasoning and you've got a fantastic, flavorful homemade gravy.

The first picture above is a chicken gravy made with bacon drippings and chicken stock leftover from boiling chicken, then seasoned with kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, poultry seasoning and Cajun seasoning.

Working on holiday gravy? Click here for the how to on How To Make Homemade Giblet Gravy in the Roasting Pan.

Beef Gravy made with canola oil & boxed beef broth

This second picture is a beef gravy, made with canola oil and boxed beef broth and seasoned with kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, Cajun seasoning, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. I often use a bit of Kitchen Bouquet to give my beef gravy a richer color, but didn't do that this time. I know that they look similar, but they certainly have their own distinctive flavors. 

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Recipe Tutorial: How to Make Homemade Gravy

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 10 min |

Yield: About 1 cup

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Ingredients

• One good quality heavy stainless or heat resistant non-stick skillet
• One long handled wooden spoon
• 1/4 cup of fat
• 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of room temperature or warmed liquid
• A whisk
• Salt, to taste
• White or black pepper, to taste
• Additional seasonings, as desired & to taste
• Kitchen Bouquet, optional (for brown gravies)

Instructions

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING THE TIPS BELOW, BEFORE STARTING! Making a gravy is easy, but it is a fast moving process.

Heat fat in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Have your measured liquid at the ready, plus extra in case you need it.

Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time with one hand, while stirring briskly and constantly with the other hand, until all flour is incorporated and lumps disbursed. Reduce heat to just slightly over medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly and moving the flour mixture all around, including from the outside edges. Continue cooking until roux is a light to golden tan color, moving on and off the burner as needed to prevent burning.

Turn the burner down to just under medium and remove the skillet from the burner. With the wooden spoon at the ready in one hand, begin to slowly but steadily pour all of the liquid into the pan with the other hand, stirring briskly and constantly until it is blended in well.

BE CAREFUL! The roux will immediately bubble up and there will be a puff of steam, so unless you want a roux facial, don't be leanin' over the pan! The pan and the flour are very hot at this point, so you need to quickly disburse the flour and liquid around the pan so as not to burn it. Once all of the liquid and flour have been incorporated, return the skillet to the heated burner, grab your whisk and continue cooking on a medium simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened.

Add seasonings, and Kitchen Bouquet if desired, taste and adjust as needed. Keep warm over very low heat, or transfer to a gravy bowl for the table.

Directions are for 1 cup of medium thick gravy - use a bit of additional liquid for a thinner gravy. Double or increase ingredients as needed for desired amount of gravy. See tips below for info on fats, liquids and seasonings.

Tips

1. Suggested fats include canola oil alone or mixed with pan drippings, shortening, pure butter, or bacon fat. Pure butter works best, rather than margarine or whipped butters. Butter is the best fat base if you are making a cream sauce or gravy.

2. When using pan drippings, a fat separator comes in very handy and will keep your gravy from having too much fat in it. Pour off all of the fat from the skillet into the separator. Deglaze the pan with just a tiny bit of stock and pour that off into your intended liquid so that you have the pan scrapings in the broth or stock you are going to use.

3. Suggested liquids include bouillon or base, stock, or broth. Water works as well but should always be enhanced with either a base or bouillon. Never use water alone as it will dilute the flavor of your gravy.

4. Homemade stock resulting from cooked meats, such as a stewed or boiled chicken make an excellent and flavorful liquid base. Be sure to strain it before using it for your gravy.

5. To make a creamy gravy use whole milk if possible or a diluted evaporated milk, using equal proportions of water and evaporated milk works well. A combination of milk with another liquid such as base or bouillon enhanced water, stock or broth, also work well for a cream gravy.

6. If your gravy is too thick, continue stirring in additional liquid a little at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

7. If your gravy is too thin, make a slurry of flour and water, placing a tablespoon of flour in with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Mix well with a fork. Add a couple of tablespoons of the hot gravy in with the slurry and blend. Whisk or stir the slurry into the hot gravy but take care not to drop in any undissolved flour lumps! Cook longer, about 8 to 10 minutes, so that the flour is cooked. Repeat if needed to reach thickness desired.

8. If your gravy has lumps, just strain it! Place a strainer of some kind over another container and stir to push it through. Return the strained gravy to the original skillet and heat it back up.

9. Be light with seasonings! Especially salt, and especially when using bouillon or packaged broths & stocks, since most already contain salt. Add a little at first, then taste and adjust. You can add more seasonings if needed, but you can't do much to take it away if you overdo it.

10. Suggested seasonings to use either alone, or in combination, might include, thyme, sage, tarragon, rosemary, parsley, chives, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, dry mustard, horseradish, onion powder, onion salt, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, paprika, curry powder, lemon juice and white wine.

11. A splash of Worcestershire sauce can be added for a more robust flavor.

12. A splash of Kitchen Bouquet can be added to achieve a deeper color.

Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/

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©Deep South Dish

Check These Out Too!

Homemade Southern Sausage Gravy
Chorizo Sausage Gravy
Southern Style Milk Gravy
Southern Homestyle Tomato Gravy

Posted by Mary on September 10, 2009

Images and Full Post Content including Recipe ©Deep South Dish. Do not repost or republish elsewhere without explicit prior permission. All rights reserved.
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Old Fashioned Southern Bread Pudding

A southern bread pudding using leftover bread and a can of fruit cocktail and finished with a drizzle of whiskey sauce.

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding

Ah, old fashioned bread pudding. A dessert born out of economics and the need to use up stale bread, turned into a delectable, delicious plate of total comfort. You cannot consume a slice of this and help but feel like you just got a big ole hug. And I just so happened to have a half a loaf of French bread leftover from this weekend! Lucky me. Oh. My. Goodness. Y'all. This is soooooo good.

Before you scoff at the use of fruit cocktail in this recipe, I challenge you to give it a try first. I got the idea from a recipe shared by Paula Deen for Bill Nicholson's Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding. I even made my own version of glazed doughnut bread pudding! You can substitute other kinds of fruit, just be sure to drain it well and then just pulse it up a bit to crush it. I also happen to love this bread pudding with raisins and I prefer mine with golden raisins - some folks just leave them out all together. But... I do always like my bread pudding with a bit of Whiskey Sauce. It's just the perfect finish! Mine uses no eggs, so no worries with the raw egg thing.

This doubles fantastic for a larger pan and what a southern favorite! Can I get a collective yum? Oh, and before you leave pop over and check out my New Orleans Creole Style Bread Pudding. It's extra rich and decadent and it has meringue y'all! Don't worry - I'll hold your place.

Now, let's go make some bread pudding - here's how!

Click Here to Read More & to Get Recipe »

Caramelized Onion Dip

Caramelizing the onions in this classic sour cream and onion dip really takes it up a notch.

Okay. This is like the best onion dip you will ever put in your mouth. Seriously.  If you don't believe me, just make a single batch of it and see how fast you regret only making one. I'm as serious as can be - if you are having a gathering of the football variety like this weekend, or of any kind, at the very least double this recipe. Probably better to just go ahead and triple it. This dip will vanish fast ... and everybody is going to ask you where you bought it. It's all in the intensity of the caramelized onions - who knew? Oh, and make sure you have plenty of dipping vehicles aka chips and such.

You can also substitute lower fat sour cream and mayo as well, or even swap out the sour cream for Greek yogurt - even your own homemade version. What? You've never made your own Greek yogurt? Well, go here and check it out! In the meantime, here's how to make this classic onion dip over the top.

Click Here to Read More & to Get Recipe »

Mary’s Mint Infused Southern Sweet Iced Tea

I cannot believe that Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, has just about arrived! Is it just me, or did it seem that the summer pretty much flew by this year?

This year was the first year that I grew mint in my garden and I have to say that I have really enjoyed it.  Now, yes, I did heed the warnings about growing it in a container so that it would not grow wild and take over the garden, though I did also think what a fragrant ground cover that would be!

Now I admit, more than a few of those mint leaves might have been harvested more so for a mojito here and there than for anything else, but, I also do love a good minted iced tea.  This recipe is basically my Southern Style Sweet Iced Tea, except with an added infusion of mint, but the mint is just enough for a subtle hint without over-powering the real star here, the southern sweet iced tea.  You can, of course, use as much mint as you like.

You can also add freshly squeezed lemons and a can of orange juice concentrate to turn it into a French Mint Iced Tea.  Either way, what a great way to honor the unofficial end of summer!

Mary’s Mint Infused Southern Sweet Iced Tea
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

5 to 7 individual Luzianne brand tea bags
1 quart of cool filtered or bottled water
1 (4-cup) glass Pyrex measuring cup for steeping
1 cup of loosely packed mint leaves
2 quart glass pitcher filled with ice
1 to 1-1/2 cups of sugar, more or less to taste
Fresh lemon wedges and mint sprigs, to garnish
(See below for notes to make French mint tea)

Grab a pot and pour in one quart of cool filtered or bottled water, bringing to a full, rolling boil. For a milder tea, use 5 bags; for a more robust tea, go with 7. Put the mint leaves in the bottom of your steeping vehicle - I like to use a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup to steep my tea in. With the handle of a wooden spoon, muddle the mint leaves a bit just to begin releasing the oils. Spin the tea bags so all the strings wrap together and set them inside a 4-cup glass Pyrex measuring cup with the tags hanging on the outside.

Pour boiling water into the container and dip the tea bags in and out to begin releasing the tea leaves. Stick a plate or some kind of a cover on top and set the timer for exactly 9 minutes; let the tea bags steep. Do not go longer than 9 minutes or you risk burning your tea leaves and will end up with a bitter tea.

After the steeping time is up, take a wooden spoon and press the tea bags up against the side of the container and toss the tea bags into your compost pot. Leave the mint leaves in there though.  Replace cover and let the tea steep with the mint for at least 45 minutes.

After that period of time, stir, strain the tea, and put the mint leaves in your compost.  Mix the sugar into the warm tea and stir until dissolved.  Fill a glass pitcher with ice and slowly pour the infused tea over the ice.  Stir well.

Fill glasses with ice, pour tea over top, garnish with a sprig of mint leaves and a nice juicy wedge of lemon. Makes 2 quarts.

Southern French Mint Tea:

Use 8 teabags and a 1 gallon pitcher.  After you have removed the tea bags, steeped the mint leaves alone, and then strained them out, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Squeeze in the juice of 4 lemons and add in 1 (12 ounce) can of thawed, unsweetened frozen orange juice concentrate.  Mix until everything is well blended.  Fill pitcher halfway with ice and pour tea mixture over the ice, add water as needed to make a gallon. Garnish individual glasses with orange slices and mint springs.

Tea Tips:

1. For perfect tea always start with fresh filtered cool water - never tap water!

2. Cloudiness is often caused by putting hot or still warm tea directly into a cold refrigerator. My method prevents this since you are pouring your steeped tea directly over ice cubes.

2. Bitterness in tea is caused by overcooking and burning the tea leaves - that is why it is important not to boil the teabags and not to steep them too long in boiling water. To counter, a pinch of baking soda - only about 1/8 of a teaspoon - can be added to the hot, steeped tea after you remove the bags and strain the mint leaves out. It will not affect the taste of your tea, and provides insurance against bitterness.

3. Use wooden spoons to squeeze your tea bags, a glass container - like a large Pyrex measuring cup - to steep your tea, and store it in a glass pitcher, not metal or plastic. After all that it seems proper to serve it in a tall, iced tea glass and not plastic, but that's up to you!

4. If you prefer your sweetened tea more on the sweet side, you'll probably want to go with 1-1/2 cups of sugar.

5. Of course, substitute artificial sweetener per glass, or use one Splenda Quick Pack for the entire pitcher, if you don't want to use sugar.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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My Perfect Southern Iced Tea
Overnight Cold Pressed Iced Coffee
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GIVEAWAY!! Well, Slap Ya Mama! - CLOSED

UPDATE:  THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED - GOOD LUCK!

Yep. You read that right! Finally, after all this time of y'all hearing me talk up the Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning I use so much, I'm here to tell ya, that those fine folks at Walker & Sons, right slap in the Heart of Cajun Country in Ville Platte, Louisiana, have kindly provided me with a fantastic gift basket so that you can give this seasoning that I love so much a try. Woohooo!

Y'all know how much I love this stuff - heck it's been in most of my recent recipes just here lately; the Crab Martini, the Angel Hair Pasta with Crab, the Hamburger Hot Dish Casserole, the Crab Stuffed Potato, the Comeback Sauce, the Deep Fried Okra, and my Absolutely Perfect Shrimp and Crab Boil.  I could of course go on, but y'all already know that.  I love this seasoning - it just enhances everything and so, I use it regularly and often and in near about everything!

I'm so excited because I can't tell you how many comments and emails and links out to Slap Ya Mama website there has been.  Everybody wants to know more about this seasoning!

Included with the gift basket is a nice, canvas covered, square basket as pictured above, plus a nice, roomy Slap Ya Mama cook's apron.  You will get a kick out of wearing this apron I just know it and it'll sure be a conversation starter!

You are going to get to finally try this fantastic seasoning in not just one variety, but you get THREE different Slap Ya Mama signature seasonings to try!

FIRST, of course, you'll get to try the original Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning that y'all see me use the most. Slap Ya Mama Original Blend is a unique blend of salt, red pepper, black pepper, and garlic that will make your cooking explode with Cajun flavor. And Slap Ya Mama contains no MSG.  It is sure to enhance any dish, from popcorn to seafood, breakfast to late night snacks, gourmet foods to french fries. If you can eat it you pretty much can "slap" it!

ALSO included is a canister of Slap Ya Mama Hot blend. Slap Ya Mama Hot Blend is sure to set your mouth on fire, but at the same time it will add that unique Cajun flavor to any dish.

AND ONE MORE! Also included in this gift basket is Slap Ya Mama White Pepper Blend!  Slap Ya Mama White Pepper Blend is an excellent Cajun blend for those who can't or don't want to consume black pepper, or if you just want a change! It's a little spicier than the original blend and provides a unique taste because of the use of the white pepper.

And these are no little sample sizes ya'll.  I use about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon in most of my dishes and these are nice, hefty, full sized 8 ounce canisters that will last you awhile! 

I know that once you try this seasoning you will understand why I love it so much and why I use it so much.

Here's how to enter:

1.  Pop on over to Slap Ya Mama Recipes and take a quick browse through the recipes, come back here and let me know what you might consider using these amazing seasonings with. Be sure to check the recipe categories to the right of those featured recipes on that first page so you can see the rest of the recipes for Appetizers, Sides, Soups, Slap Recipes and such.

And don't worry if you win and want more Slap Ya Mama, or you don't win and want to try it, but can't find it in your area. You can purchase it online! Just check out the Slap Ya Mama store. While you're there, have a look at the cool gift packs because you know, Christmas is just around the corner and I know that somebody you know would love something from there.  And, with any order between now and September 30th, you'll receive a free Cajun Pepper Sauce too.


2.  For extra entries, follow Deep South Dish on Twitter and tweet the following message.

Bring out your inner Cajun with a Slap Ya Mama giveaway @DeepSouthDish!  Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/np5afd 

Tweet as many times as you want for extra entries (just not in a row though please) and be sure to come back here and leave a comment and link for each tweet so you get credit. You don't have to leave a new recipe each time, just that you tweeted and the link! *click on the "xx minutes ago" to get the direct link

That's it - good luck!

Some legal stuff:

1. Due to shipping issues, giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only please.

2. Winner will be selected by a random draw.

3. Winner will be announced on Deep South Dish blog and must claim their prize within 48 hours of the time their name is posted or the prize will be forfeited.

4. Winner must send an email to mary @ deepsouthdish . com {remove spaces}, and include their name, mailing address & telephone number in order to collect their prize.

5. GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED - GOOD LUCK!!

That's it! Good Luck!

Spicy Crab Martini

These are amazingly fantastic as an appetizer for a dinner party and can also be done in small shot glasses as crab shooters, meant to be consumed in one bite. Super spicy, they actually do contain vodka, so make sure that all of your guests imbibe in alcoholic beverages first before serving them, or you can choose to go non-alcoholic. Add spears and chunks of avocado, toothpick speared olives, and insert a small cocktail spoon or fork before serving. Also excellent when made with boiled shrimp.

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Spicy Crab Martini
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

2 cups of West Indies Crab Salad
2 shots of citrus vodka
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 teaspoons of hot sauce
2 teaspoons of horseradish
1 cup of chili sauce
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
Sliced avocado
Chopped avocado, to garnish
8 manzanilla olives

Combine the crab salad with the vodka, lemon juice and lemon zest. Let sit for 15 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix the chopped celery, hot sauce, horseradish, chili sauce and Cajun seasoning. Add the crab, mix. Place slices of avocado in a martini glass, add the crab mixture, sprinkle top with chopped avocado. Skewer the olives and add cocktail spoons or forks.

Can also substitute boiled shrimp.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Stuffed Crab
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West Indies Salad in Avocado

Serve on a bed of mixed baby greens, in a tomato, spooned onto a cracker or like here, in an avocado, this is a pretty simple vinegar and oil dressed salad, likened to the popular sweet & sour cucumber salads so loved in the south, but made with crab instead.

Another popular southern creation that was born right down here in Mobile, Alabama back in 1947, created by restaurateur Bill Bayley, owner of Bayley’s Restaurant.  One of the popular legends about how this dish came to be, involved Mr. Bayley's stint as a former merchant marine, where he served as a ship's stewart. After purchasing a bag of lobsters at a West Indies port, he cooked them and then tossed them in a concoction consisting of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Years later, after opening his own restaurant in Mobile, he sought to recreate that recipe, but having better access to crabs than to lobster, he used crab instead and the West Indies Salad was born.

This is the basic salad, which I confess, while downright tasty all on its own, I really make primarily so I can make these.

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West Indies Salad in Avocado
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1 cup of crushed ice and water to cover
1 medium onion, minced
1 pound fresh, cooked lump crabmeat
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 ounces canola or vegetable oil
4 ounces of apple cider vinegar
Avocado, halved but unskinned

Put ice in a measuring cup in add enough water to cover. Meanwhile, in a medium sized glass bowl, place half of the onion into the bottom of the bowl.  Sprinkle the crab on top of the onion and put the remaining onion on top of that. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove the ice and place on top of the onion, mix together the iced water, oil and vinegar and pour that on top of the crab and onion mixture. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight. Serve over salad greens, stuffed in a tomato, spooned onto a cracker or like here, in an avocado.

Serves 4 to 6

Note: Can use a mild red onion if desired. The crab that is predominantly used in the Gulf Coast area is blue crab.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Spicy Crab Martini
Crabmeat Quiche
Angel Hair Pasta with Crab
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A nice light pasta dish with crab, that is made with fresh garden tomatoes, fresh basil, butter and olive oil. Great with other proteins or even all on its own too!

Angel Hair Pasta With Crab

This is truly one of my most favorite pasta dishes, if not the most favorite. It is so fresh and light and for the pasta & seafood lover, so satisfying. Many, many years ago, I once had a dish similar to this at Alberti's Italian Restaurant when it was in Biloxi - in the old Goofy Golf building with the landmark gorilla out front. The dish was so delicious that I set out to immediately recreate it!

Alberti's relocated to Ocean Springs after Hurricane Katrina, gorilla and all, and frankly, I don't even know if they have this pasta on their menu. Come to think of it, I'm not sure it was really a menu item back then, but on that particular day, I happened to be with friends who were regulars of Alberti's, and I think this was something that the owner, Mama Yvonne, had Mr. Moe whip up when I mentioned I was in the mood for "something light with crab."

This recipe feeds The Cajun and me with leftovers. Serve with some hot, buttered french bread or rolls and a side garden salad and you'll probably feed 4 adults easy. You could also double up on just the pasta and increase the crab to as much as a full pound for more than 4 people. Really you can use as little or as much crab as you want! I just love the combination of the buttery garlic flavor with the crab, but if you want to reduce fat and calories, just use the olive oil alone. Yes, it's still a fat, but it's a heart healthy fat, a cancer inhibitor and rich in Vitamin E. Make sure you are using a first pressed extra virgin olive oil because this dish deserves that!

I also prefer to use fresh, lump crabmeat from the seafood market when I make this, but even here where crabs are plentiful, that stuff can go for $12 or more a pound. Hey, if you think that's expensive, sit down some time and pick a pound's worth of crabmeat! You'll totally know it's worth every single penny. Fortunately, my in-laws, who have the shrimp boat, also set out crab traps and I am sometimes the lucky recipient of freshly picked crabmeat from my mother-in-law. Gotta love that! Grocery stores sell 6 ounce fresh pouches of crab, usually located in the seafood section, that work just fine for this dish and are pretty reasonable, or you could substitute a quality canned crabmeat if that's all you have access to.

You can substitute well drained, canned diced tomatoes in a pinch when tomatoes are out of season, but definitely use fresh Roma tomatoes in this dish when they are available or even those you have put up yourself. You could also substitute shrimp instead, or even crawfish or oysters, though for this recipe I always have used crab.

If you love pasta and crab like I do, this is easy, quick and really is so totally yummy - give it a try. Enjoy!

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Angel Hair Pasta With Crab
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep/Cook time: 20 min |

Yield: About 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of angel hair pasta
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 extra large Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped, retaining the juices
• 1 tablespoon of fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 15 turns of the pepper mill
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
• 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
• 1/2 pound to 1 pound, lump crab meat
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 of a fresh lemon
• Grated Parmesan, optional

Instructions

Bring water to a boil for pasta, add lots of salt, and boil for according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and set it aside.

Meanwhile heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the green onion, garlic, and chopped tomatoes to the skillet and sauté until soft. Stir in the basil, Old Bay, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and chicken broth (or wine); simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the pasta to sauce and stir to mix thoroughly. Add the crab and parsley to the pasta and just gently toss, enough to warm the crab through; squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Add some of the reserved pasta water if the pasta seems too dry; turn out into a lovely pasta bowl. Garnish each serving with parsley and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately with fresh hot bread and a side salad. About 3 to 4 servings when served with sides.

Note: This is a fresh pasta sauce, different from a spaghetti sauce. It's a fairly light sauce recipe, so if you prefer a heavier sauce to pasta ratio, you'll need to increase the sauce portion. Can substitute with drained canned diced tomatoes when fresh tomatoes are out of season. If you can't get fresh lump crab, try the freezer section, use the pouches, or use a quality canned product. Can also substitute cooked shrimp or other proteins, as well as make this as a stand alone pasta with fresh tomatoes.

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com/

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Check These Out Too!

Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Eggplant Josephine with Crab
Crabmeat Au Gratin
Seafood and Okra Gumbo

Posted by Mary on September 02, 2009

Images and Full Post Content including Recipe ©Deep South Dish. Do not repost elsewhere without explicit permission. All rights reserved.

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