recipes of the day 04/29/04......tribute to the roux....

Shrimp Stew

This is one awesome plate of food and one of my favorites.

This recipe will feed about 6 people.

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. peeled shrimp 30 - 40 count
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbs. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp creole seasoning
3 drops liquid crab boil
2 bay leaves
2 slices of lemon (optional)
salt and pepper

Cooked rice

Make a roux using about 1/4 cup of flour. Add onions and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add celery, garlic and bell pepper and sauté another 15 minutes. Increase the fire and slowly add water a little at a time allowing the stew to come to a boil before adding more. You can use shrimp stock if you have it.

Continue to add water until a stew-like consistency is obtained (not to thin). Add cayenne, salt, pepper, creole seasoning, lemon, liquid crab boil and bay leaves.

Add shrimp and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Lower the fire very low, add green onions and parsley, cover and let sit for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste the stew and add salt and pepper to your liking.

Serve over cooked rice....

 

Poule d' eau Gumbo (pronounced Pouldoo) [an old Traditional favorite especially around Houma, LA]

For many years when our sons were in school, we took vacation time when they had holiday time out of school. Until they finished school, we spent a week at the camp for Thanksgiving nearly every year. One of our sons loved to duck hunt and I made gumbo with duck every Thanksgiving until one year when he couldn’t get duck and brought back Poule d' eau instead. The duck lovers may argue, but pouldoo is now my favorite wild game bird for gumbo.

During Thanksgiving week, each day he would bring in a few of the small birds. Each day I would use the same broth to simmer the birds until tender and de-bone them, putting the meat in a plastic zip bag in the fridge and the broth back in the fridge until the next day. This created a wonderful rich broth to make the gumbo. This method also provides a good opportunity to skim off the chilled fat for a leaner more healthy gumbo but not much fat comes from these birds.

Thanksgiving Day Poule d' eau Gumbo.

¾ cup oil
1 cup plain flour
3 cups chopped onion
1 ½ cups chopped celery
¾ cups chopped green peppers
4 to 6 quarts of Poule d' eau broth or chicken broth
3 to 4 quarts of cooked, de-boned Poule d' eau
salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup chopped green onion tops
½ cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon gumbo filet
Louisiana Hot Sauce
Cooked Rice

1. Using about a 10 quart black iron pot (or other large heavy pot), over medium heat whisk together the flour and oil. When the mixture starts to bubble, lower the fire to make a slow roux. Don’t forget to whisk now and then at first. You will have time now to chop all the seasonings.

2. When you’re through chopping, turn up the heat to medium on the roux and whisking often, brown it to the color of peanut butter or slightly darker. Add the onion, celery and green peppers all at once, switch to a spoon and thoroughly mix with the roux. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the seasoning are very limp, stirring now and then to prevent sticking.

3. Add 1 or 2 quarts of broth, stir thoroughly to incorporate into the roux, cover and slow simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add 2 or 3 more quarts of broth, add salt and pepper to taste, bring the pot back to a simmer, cover and slow simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Add the pouldoo and bring the pot back to simmer.

4. Add green onion tops and parsley, cover and turn off the fire. Let the pot cool for 15 or 20 minutes and sprinkle the filet over the top, do not stir, partially cover and allow the pot to cool another 20 or 30 minutes. Serve over hot rice with Louisiana Hot Sauce on the table.

Note: If cooking the raw birds in gumbo, after adding all the broth, add the birds and slow simmer for about 1 ½ hours or until the birds are tender. Proceed with #4.

Variations: Use chicken; chicken and smoke sausage; shrimp; shrimp and smoke sausage.

Tip: If you’re in a hurry to eat, don’t add the filet to the pot. Put the filet in a salt shaker and put it on the table for folks to add themselves to their bowl of gumbo. Stirring a hot gumbo with filet will make it slimy, that’s why the pot with filet needs the cooling time.

Tip: Gumbo freezes very well.

Serving: In South Louisiana, gumbo is traditionally served with French bread and potato salad. This big pot of gumbo will feed at least 12 or more people.

Submitted by C. Daigle - Bayou Blue, LA

 

Soupe a la Biere (Beer Soup)

Ingredients

150g light roux
1.5 litres of any light beer
Seasoning
Pinch cinnamon
2 teaspoons fine sugar
200 ml thick cream
Two slices of toast per bowl

Method

Dilute 150g of light roux made from butter and flour with 1.5 litres of any light beer (about 3 pints! or 6 cups). Mix well and season with salt, pepper, a pinch of cinnamon and two teaspoons of fine sugar.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes, then thicken with 200 ml of double cream.

Serve in a tureen pouring the boiling soup over thin slices of toast.

note: 150 g = 5.5 oz.

 

Oka Cheese Souffle

930 mL (3 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
160 mL (2/3 cup) butter
160 mL (2/3 cup) Parmesan cheese
125 mL (1/2 cup) Oka cheese
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
810 mL (3 1/4 cup) milk
1 L (4 cups) assorted mixed greens
32 small edible violets (4 per portion)
24 whole chives
10 mL (2 tsp) crushed black pepper

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

105 mL (7 tbsp) hazelnut oil
30 mL (2 tbsp) port wine
90 mL (6 tbsp) canola oil
2 mL (1/2 tsp) Dijon mustard
Salt and mill pepper to taste

Melt butter in a casserole dish and add cheese. Add flour and form a roux by adding milk gradually, making sure there are no lumps. Remove from heat and gradually add egg yolks. Allow to cool, taste for seasoning.

Whip egg whites and blend lightly with cheese mixture. Divide the mixture between eight ramekins and cook for 15 to 20 minutes at 205 C (400 F).

Arrange the salad in a nest on a large colourful plate using an empty ramekin as an example. Run a little of the vinaigrette over the salad and garnish with the whole chives and violets. Add crushed black pepper.

Remove the souffle from oven when cooked and place in the centre of the salad. Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 portions.

note: Semi-soft cheeses, such as the famous Oka, are surface-ripened, meaning that the ripening process starts at the surface and progresses toward the interior. This delicate operation takes place in a refrigerated room in which cheeses are periodically turned and washed with a saltwater solution.

 

Chicken Croquettes

ingredients:

2 cups finely diced cooked chicken or turkey
2 tblsp grated or very finely chopped onion
2 tblsp butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp chopped parsley
1 egg -- beaten
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
oil for frying

Mix together chicken and onion. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir briskly to make a roux. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until thickened and all lumps are dissolved. Cook three minutes but do not brown. Add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in chicken mixture, lemon juice, and parsley; combine well. Place in refridgerator until well chilled.

Heat oil in large fry pan over md-high heat. Form chicken mixture into cutlet. Dip each in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs. Fry until browned on both sides.

 

Cream of Broccoli with Bergkaese
Yield: about six cups

One large head of broccoli; cut into small pieces and blanched.
¼ cup flour
¼ cup butter
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 celery ribs, minced
2 cups cream
¼ pound grated Bergkaese

Melt butter and add chopped onion and celery ribs. Cook gently for 10 minutes.
Stir in flour to make a roux, then add stock and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Add broccoli, you may puree soup for a smooth finish or leave whole broccoli in.
Finish soup with cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg, garnish with cheese.

 

Baked Bean Soup

3 – cups cold baked beans
6 – cups cold water
2 – slices onion
2 – stalks celery
1-1/2 - cups canned tomatoes, chopped
1 – tablespoon chili sauce
2 – tablespoons butter
2 – tablespoons flour
1/2 – teaspoon salt
1/2 - teaspoon pepper

In a saucepan put the beans, water, onions, and celery. Bring ingredients to a boil and simmer 30 minutes. Add tomatoes, chili sauce, and seasonings.
In a skillet, make a roux with the flour and the butter. Then add to soup to thicken.

Simmer soup 10 minutes and serve.

 

Old Fashioned Tomato Soup

If you need to get canned tomatoes at the grocery store, use roasted tomatoes. This gives it a great flavor.

3 - tablespoons flour
1/4 - cup butter
4 - cups milk
2 - cups home-canned tomatoes
1 - teaspoon sugar
1 - teaspoon salt
1/8 - teaspoon pepper
1 - teaspoon parsley, chopped

For this recipe, you want to use a large saucepan. Set the stove’s temperature to medium and heat pan. When hot, add the butter and blend. Blend in the flour, to make a smooth paste (how they say "roux" in pennsylvania )
In another pan, scald the milk and add carefully to the flour and butter mixture. You need to stir. I would use a whisk to keep from getting lumps. Next, add the tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. The next step is to the add sugar. Again, you will want to stir the mixture.
Finally, pour mixture through a strainer and pour into another saucepan. Turn heat low and keep simmer for 10 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Pour into soup bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve.

 

Chicken-Fried Steak

Who does not love Chicken Fried Steak?

1 – large egg
4 – tablespoons butter
1 – cup breadcrumbs
1/2 - teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 - teaspoon ground pepper, fresh
2 - pound beef round steak, cut into four 8 - oz. pieces
2 – tablespoons flour
1 – cup milk

In a bowl, I add the egg and beat with my whisk.

In another bowl, I put in the breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. I mix the ingredients.

Dip steaks into egg and coat.

Then I dip the steak into the breadcrumb mixture.

I heat my skillet to medium temperature. Then I put in the butter and melt.

Then I brown the steaks in the skillet. The cooking time is between 10 to 15 minutes per side. When cooked, I set the steaks on warm plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Then I put in the flour to skillet drippings. I want the flour to become light brown (a light brown roux). I stir in the milk until it becomes thick.

I return the steaks to the gravy and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Picnicking or Tailgating

I have done this just before leaving for the picnic or tailgate party. I have done it also ahead of time. When I do it ahead of time, I warm it up in the microwave before packing it for the trip. Then I place Chicken Fried Steak in thermal container until I reach the picnic or tailgate site.

I make the gravy ahead of time and place in thermos to keep hot. Then at your site, I combine it with the steak. Also, if a grill is handy, heat in frying pan until hot and just simmer.

Makes 4 servings.

 

here is how to make a roux from one of the best......

Make A Roux (Justin Wilson)

The indredients are:
1 Part oil (shortening) bacon Drippings, olive oil, cook- Ing oil, lard or a combina- Tion of these 2 To 3 parts all purpose flour

The recipe yield is:
1 Batch

If I want a thick roux, I use 3 parts flour to 1 part oil. If I want a thin roux, I use 2 parts flour to 1 part oil. Mix the flour and oil in a heavy pot. A black iron skillet or a Magnalite skillet works best. Cook on medium heat slowly as the roux changes from a cream color all the way to a dark chocolate color. After the roux is past a medium brown, you've got to stir the roux constantly to keep it from burning. If you do burn the roux, throw it out, wash the pot and start over. The way I make a roux it takes from 45 minutes to more than one hour before it gets dark as I like it. I use a dark roux for all my gumbos and sauce piquants. For some gravies and sauces it is not as important to make the roux so dark. Some milk based soups call for a light colored roux. Even so, I usually make my lightest roux about the color of the water in the Mississippi at Baton Rouge. After my roux is cooked as dark as I want it, I add my chopped vegetables, like onion, bell pepper, and celery. I stir after each addition and love to hear the chopped onions sizzle in the hot roux. It starts to smell pretty good when the vegetables are added. Bell pepper and celery are taste killers, so don't use too much. You can use as much onion as you like. After the vegetables have cooked awhile and the onions are clear, put in the chopped parsely and green onions. I put in a little cold water or stock and then add fresh minced garlic, and stir all the time. After the garlic has cooked awhile, I stir in the liquids and all the other ingredients to make a gumbo, brown gravy hash or stew.

Note:
Cajun; Sauce