Recipe # 38: Crawfish Etouffee

Crawfish Etouffee
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse


1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 cups shrimp stock or water
1 pound crawfish tails
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
Cooked long grain white rice, accompaniment

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sherry and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and crawfish tails and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice.

Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.

Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve over rice, garnished with additional parsley.

Recipe #37: Buttermilk Waffles

I watched a few shows on Food Network this morning to try to get ideas of what I want to make this week. An episode of "Down Home with the Neely's" inspired me to make waffles again. Last week's recipe was delicious, but it was also pretty time consuming. I am hoping that this recipe will be a little easier.

Buttermilk Waffles
from Food Network's Cooking with the Neely's

3 large eggs, separated
Pinch cream of tartar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sticks butter plus 1 tablespoons, melted
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a hand mixer until stiff peaks appear.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and 2 sticks of melted butter.

Into a large bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

Combine with the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold the whites into the batter, gently.

Grease the waffle iron with a small amount of melted butter and heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Ladle batter onto the waffle iron and cook until golden brown, about 3 1/2 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter

Last night's dinner

I was pleased with how all of the new recipes worked out last night. Pres especially liked the roasted shrimp and orzo. He has been asking me to make a cold pasta salad for a while. I had been worried that we wouldn't drink all of the white sangria, because it called for three bottles of wine (two whites and a sparkling). I was wrong; it went quickly. I used two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of extra-dry champagne (Pres wanted to save the Prosecco that we had because we bought it on our honeymoon). I was going to substitute a couple of mangoes for the apricots, but then I got lazy and just added a third peach instead. The peaches and pears soaked up the wine and were very strong tasting. The grapes did not taste as strong because of their skin. Next time I am going to cut half of the grapes in half to see how they taste with a little wine flavor.

Dinner with Wes and Roxi

Our friends Wes and Roxi are coming over for dinner tonight. I am making a few light dishes instead of a traditional meal with a main dish and sides. We are going to have an antipasto platter, roasted eggplant spread with pita bread, and roasted shrimp and orzo with white sangria. Then we are going to have the flourless chocolate cake that made in May (see Recipe #15) with coffee ice cream. All of the recipes that I am using can be made ahead of time, so that I can just releax and hang out tonight, even if we don't eat right away.

Recipe #33: White Sangria
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 (750-ml) bottles white Spanish wine, such as Albarino (Galacia), Viura (Rioja), Verdejo (Rueda), or Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 cup Spanish brandy
1/4 cup Spanish orange liqueur
1 cup pear juice
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup sliced pear
2 apricots, pit removed and sliced into thin wedges
2 peaches, pit removed and sliced into thin wedges
1/2 pound seedless white grapes
1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled

Combine the wine, brandy, orange liqueur, pear juice, and sugar in a large pitcher and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the fruit and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Stir in the Prosecco and serve the sangria in large wine glasses, over ice if desired.



Antipasto Platter

Manchego
Fresh mozzarella
Feta
Genoa salami
Proscuitto
Kalamata olives
Roasted red pepper
Roasted garlic

Arrange on a platter. Serve with french bread.



Recipe #34: Roasted Eggplant Spread
from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

2 medium eggplants, peeled
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, cayenne and salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.

Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the lemon juice and tahini, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped parsley. Garnish with extra parsley.



Recipe #35: Roasted Shrimp and Orzo
from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.



Recipe #36: Coffee Ice Cream
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
6 egg yolks
Chocolate curls, for garnish

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and coffee in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, to the hot cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream is made, transfer to an airtight container. Cover tightly and freeze until ready to serve. Garnish with chocolate curls.

Recipe #32: Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole (called "Chicken Dinner Elegante" in the cookbook)
from River Road II Cookbook


Typing it in soon...

Recipe #31: Belgian Waffles

One of the things that we bought with the Macy's gift cards that we were given as wedding gifts is a belgian waffle iron. We thought that waffles and fruit would be a fun weekend morning treat. None of the waffle recipes that I found online jumped out at me, so I used the Joy of Cooking's recipe for belgian waffles. It ended up being a longer process than I had expected, but the result was very good and was worth it. The waffles were also pretty good heated up a few days after.

Belgian Waffles
from The Joy of Cooking

Whisk together:

1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm (105 to 115 degree F) milk

Let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about five minutes. Whisk together in a large bowl:

3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

Whisk in the yeast mixture along with:

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add, in three parts:
4 cups all-purpose flour

Alternating, in 2 parts, with:
2 1/2 cups warm (105 to 115 degree F) milk

Beat until soft peaks form then fold into the batter:
3 large egg whites

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Stir to deflate the batter.Preheat your waffle iron. Follow your waffle iron's directions.

Recipe Ratings So Far....

When I started this blog, I planned to add comments about which recipes worked well and which recipes flopped. Since I have not consistently written about the results, I listed the recipes below with a rating on a scale of 1-10 (1 being inedible and 10 being delicious). I am willing to repeat recipes rated five and higher.

#1. Strawberry Cake: 8
#2. Pot Roast with Vegetables: 10
#3. Baked Pasta Casserole: 6
#4. Shrimp Scampi: 7
#5. Roasted Asparagus: 8 (Tip: Use thick asparagus.)
#6. Gorgonzola Pasta: 4
#7. Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts: 9
#8. Chicken Pot Pie: 10
#9. Oven Fries: 6
#10. Shrimp and Grits: 7
#11. Mexican Lasagna: 8
#12. Meatloaf: 4
#13. Mashed Potatoes: 6
#14. Chicken Andouille Gumbo: 8 (This recipe is for the gumbo that we had at our wedding.)
#15. Flourless Chocolate Cake: 10
#16. Crawfish Au Gratin: 8
#17. Shrimp Scampi #2: 6
#18. Coconut Cake: 10
#19. Lemon Aioli: 1 (Tossed it out. May have done it wrong.)
#20. Stuffed Peppers: 6
#21. Tortilla Soup: 9 (Does not reheat well.)
#22. Shrimp Fra Diavolo: 7
#23. Lemon Spaghetti: 6
#24. Carrot Cake Cupcakes: 9
#25. Crab Cakes: 7
#26. Remoulade Sauce: 10
#27. Zea Grits: 3
#28. Meatloaf #2: 5
#29. Peach Cobbler: 8
#30. Pasta Primavera: 7 (Especially good when topped with a little feta cheese.)

Recipe #30: Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Meatloaf #2 (Recipe #28), Mashed Potatoes (Recipe #13 from May), and Peach Cobbler (Recipe #29)

Meatloaf #2
from Food Network's Alton Brown

6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey


Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.


Double Crusted Peach Cobbler
from Stephanie March (wife of Bobby Flay and former Law and Order SVU ADA Alexandra Cabot) via Food Network

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping and rolling
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch salt
10 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (if peaches are out of season, use thawed frozen peaches)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Crust:
Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough just comes together.

Remove dough and knead lightly on a lightly floured surface until it just comes together. Divide the dough in half and form into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll each disk into a 9-inch square approximately 1/4-inch thick. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and return to the refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble.

Filling:
Melt butter in a large high-sided saute pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and water and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add nutmeg, salt, peaches, and flour and cook for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place half of the peach mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch square buttered baking dish using a slotted spoon. Top the peaches with 1 layer of dough. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is light golden brown. Remove from the oven and top the crust with the remaining peaches and cover with the other crust. Brush the top crust with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar, and return to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbly. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Crab Cakes (Recipe #25), Remoulade Sauce (Recipe #26), and Zea Grits (Recipe #27)

Crab Cakes
from Food Network's Paula Deen


1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed crackers (recommended: Ritz)
3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup peanut oil
Favorite dipping sauce, for serving

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.


Remoulade Sauce
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Use immediately or store. Will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Zea Grits
from Zea Rotissierie and Grill via Food Network

2 cups water
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup yellow grits
1/2 pound butter
1 tablespoon salt
1 ear grilled corn, kernels removed

Bring liquids to a boil. Stir in grits. Add butter. Cook at simmer until thickened. At end, stir in corn.

Recipe #24: Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I tried this recipe about a month ago but did not post it. I ended up making a cake, instead of cupcakes, because I could not find our muffin pan at the time (we were in the midst of reorganizing). I cooked it for much longer than the recipe recommended, because the middle would not cook. Then I turned the temperature up a little and it finished cooking after about 10 minutes. I did not expect the cake to taste good because of the timing problems that I had, but it was delicious.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
from the Barefoot Contessa of Food Network

2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 extra-large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

For the frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.