Veal On The Teche 12 veal scallops, 2-3 ounces each, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon fresh or dried thyme 1 teaspoon ground red pepper, Dash of nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 pound peeled crawfish tails ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging 1 pint heavy cream, 1 cup (½ pound) butter ½ cup chopped green onions, ½ cup chopped parsley Here's another Acadiana Culinary Classic gold medal winner. This is perhaps the easiest of our meat dishes with cream sauces. Pat the veal dry. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers. Sprinkle the veal with about a third of this mixture on both sides and set aside. Pour the cream into a large heavy skillet and place over medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer and stir in the green onions, parsley, basil, thyme, nutmeg, and the rest of the salt-pepper mixture. Let the sauce reduce until the cream thickens; it should fall from the spoon in large heavy drips, and the last drop should cling to the spoon. Stir in the crawfish tails. The liquid in them will thin out the sauce considerable, so continue to let it simmer until it regains a thick consistency. Dredge the veal lightly with flour on both sides. Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the veal and sauté, turning once until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. To serve, place two scallops on each plate and top with a generous amount of the crawfish sauce, dividing the crawfish tails evenly. Serves 6.
Soft-Shell Crabs Elizabeth 1 ½ cups heavy cream, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons fresh basil, or ½ teaspoon dried, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper , 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried, ½ recipe Fried Soft-Shell Crabs (recipe follows), 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, ¼ cup chopped green onions, 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon ground red pepper Place the cream in a large heavy skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often. Stir in the herbs and seasonings and let reduce until you have a nice thick sauce that coats the spoon heavily, 10-15 minutes. While the cream sauce is reducing, fry the crabs as directed above and drain them on paper toweling. As soon as the crabs are finished, add the lump crabmeat and the green onions and parsley to the cream sauce and let simmer 2-3 minutes more. Stir gently - you don't want to break up the crabmeat too much. Place one crab on each plate and spoon the sauce equally over each. Serves 4-5. Fried Soft-Shell Crabs 8-10 fresh soft-shell crabs, 12 ounces beer (not too dark), 1 tablespoon salt, 2 cups milk, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons ground red pepper, 3 cups corn flour, 1 teaspoon ground white pepper Vegetable oil for deep-frying, 3 eggs One of the sea's real treasures, to my mind, is soft-shell crabs, which are abundant along the Gulf Coast around April and September and at other times of the year in other parts of the country. For a real gourmet treat that plays up the sweetness of the crabs with a creamy lump crabmeat sauce, try the Soft-Shell Crabs Elizabeth. Clean the crabs: Lift the pointed sides and remove the lungs or gills on each side with a small sharp knife, then remove the mud pockets located between the eyes. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, beer, milk, and one third of the salt-pepper mixture. Divide the rest of the salt-pepper mixture equally between the flour and corn flour and place them in a large flat pan. Pour oil into a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot to a depth of at least 3 inches. Place over medium-high heat and heat to 350°F. Working with three or four crabs at a time (that's all the pot will be able to handle), dredge them gently in the flour on both sides, then dip in the beer batter, then dredge in the corn flour, lifting immediately in the hot oil. (Don't try to batter the crabs ahead - their high water content will destroy the coating in no time.) Fry the crabs until they are nicely browned, 4-5 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper toweling and serve immediately, plain or with cocktail sauce or Tartar Sauce (see recipe). Serves 4-5.
Shrimp Ms. Ann 2 pounds large shrimp, heads off ¼ cup dry vermouth, 2 teaspoons of salt, ½ cup lemon juice or 2 fresh lemons, ½ teaspoon ground red pepper, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ cup chopped green onions, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, ½ cup chopped parsley, 1 cup (½ pound) butter This delectable dish is named for my mother, who created it at our "camp" at Cypremort Point. It's very adaptable-you can saute¢ the shrimp, or broil or bake them. Peel the shrimp and devein them, but leave the tails on. Sprinkle generously with the salt and peppers, mixing well, and arrange in a single layer in a baking pan. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the vermouth, lemon juice, Worcestershire, green onions, and parsley. Simmer for 3 minutes, then pour over the shrimp. Bake the shrimp in a preheated 375 F oven just until they turn pink, 10-15 minutes. (You can also broil them, which will take less time.) Serves 6-8 as a first course, 4 as a main dish.
Maw Maw's Chicken Stew 1 hen, fresh if possible, about 5 pounds 2 large bell peppers, chopped fine 2 tablespoons salt 2 celery ribs, chopped fine 1 tablespoon ground red pepper 2 quarts good chicken stock 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 2 teaspoons ground white pepper 2 cups chopped green onions 5 cups dark roux 1 cup chopped parsley 3 large yellow onions, chopped fine Pull off the neck and back fat from the hen and reserve; cut the hen into small serving pieces. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers. Season the chicken pieces well with about a third of this mixture. In a large heavy skillet, preferably iron, render the chicken fat (if your skillet is not well seasoned, you may need to add a little oil). Add the chicken pieces and brown well on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove. It's best to make the roux in the pan at this point, using the fat that remains in the pan as part of the oil. If you have made you roux ahead, add it to the skillet now and get it good and hot. Add half the onions, bell peppers, and celery to the hot roux, remove from the heat, and let cool, stirring occasionally. Place the chicken stock in a heavy 6-8 quart stockpot, add the rest of the onions, bell peppers, and celery, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and begin whisking or stirring in the roux, a cup at a time, making sure it dissolves completely before you add more, until you have a medium-thick stock (it should be a little heavier than a gumbo stock). Stir in the rest of the salt-pepper mixture and let simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add the chicken pieces and continue to simmer until the hen is tender, 1½-2 hours, depending on the toughness of the bird. Remove from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes, to allow the fat to rise to the top. Skim off and discard the fat and return the stew to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, green onions, and parsley and let simmer 3-5 minutes more. Serve the chicken on plates with rice alongside and gravy over all. Serves 5-6.
Grillades 2 pounds round of veal or beef 1 large bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon salt 2 celery ribs, chopped 2 teaspoons ground red pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and 1 teaspoon ground white pepper roughly chopped (optional) 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 5 shots Tabasco sauce 1 cup vegetable oil ¼ cup red wine 2 medium onions, chopped 1 cup beef stock or water Cut meat into rough squares, about 1 inch thick and 4 inches square. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers. Sprinkle the meat with half of this mixture on all sides and sprinkle with flour. Pound the meat with a mallet to work in the flour. Pour the oil into a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven and place over high heat. Add the meat and brown well on both sides (you will probably need to do this in batches). Remove the meat from a platter and pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the oil from the pan. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, tomatoes, the rest of the salt-pepper mixture, and the Tabasco sauce to the pot and sauté over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Return the meat to the pot, stir in the wine and stock or water, cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the meat is very tender, about 1 ½ hours. Serve with buttered yellow grits or hash browns. Serves 4-6.
Boston Butt Pork Roast 1 Boston butt pork roast, 5-6 pounds 2 medium onions, chopped fine 3 garlic cloves 1 medium bell pepper, chopped fine 1 tablespoon salt 2 cups water 2 teaspoons ground red pepper 1 tablespoon dark roux 1 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ cup chopped green onions 1 teaspoon ground white pepper ½ cup chopped parsley Trim the roast of any excess fat. Mince the garlic very fine and combine it with the salt and peppers in a small bowl. Make 5 or 6 incisions in the roast and stuff some of this mixture into them. Rub the remainder on the surface of the roast, wrap well in plastic, and place in the refrigerator several hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Transfer the roast to a pan or roaster, cover with the onions and bell pepper, and add the water. Cook uncovered in the oven until the meat reaches 165 F on a meat thermometer, 5-7 hours (it should be not at all pink inside, but still juicy.) If you want to speed up the cooking process, you can cook the roast at 350 F, which will take 3-4 hours, but the longer, slower cooking will give a more tender and flavorful result. Transfer the roast to a serving platter and pour the pan juices into a saucepan, being sure to scrape loose any particles that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let stand for 15 minutes, then skim the grease from the top and discard. Bring the gravy to a simmer over the medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and stir in the roux, being sure it dissolves completely. Let simmer for 15 minutes; if it becomes too thick, add a little water. Stir in the green onions and parsley and remove from heat. Serve the sliced roast with rice alongside and gravy all over. Serves 6-8.
Fudge Cake This cake is for chocolate lovers, and is delicious topped with vanilla ice cream. The recipe is one of the first that was used in my father's restaurant at the Hotel Frederic in New Iberia, and it was served every day until the restaurant closed. ½ cup (¼ pound) butter 2 eggs 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13 x 7-inch baking pan. Melt the butter and chocolate over very low heat. Stir to combine and let cool. Beat together the sugar and eggs until very light. Mix in the chocolate-butter mixture. Then stir in the flour, vanilla, and pecans. Pour into the prepared baking pan and place in the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan. Icing 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa ¼ cup milk 2 tablespoons butter Sift together the confectioners' sugar and the cocoa into a mixing bowl. Heat the mild and butter together in a small saucepan until the butter is melted, then stir it into the sugar-cocoa mixture until the icing reaches the consistency of heavy cream. Spread the icing on the cooled cake. Serve cut in squares. At least 2 dozen servings.
Cajun Baked Tomato Casserole 8-10 large very ripe tomatoes 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ teaspoon sugar Salt ½ pound ground beef Ground black pepper 2 medium bell peppers, chopped 2 cups bread crumbs 2 medium onions, chopped Grated Parmesan cheese 1 celery rib, chopped (optional) Take full advantage of fresh tomatoes when they're at their late-summer peak with this recipe, which can be prepared in advance and even frozen for cooler seasons. Try using the tomato dressing to stuff individual whole tomatoes - you'll get double the tomato flavor and a gorgeous presentation, too. Peel and seed the tomatoes and roughly chop them. Mix in the sugar. Place a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, ad the ground beef, and brown well. Pour off the excess fat, then add the bell peppers, onions, celery, and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour more. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in all but ¼ cup of the bread crumbs. The dressing should be fairly stiff, so add additional bread crumbs if necessary. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a medium casserole or ovenproof dish. Pour in the tomato mixture and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese, if desired. (You can prepare the casserole in advance and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake. Simply increase the baking time to allow extra time to heat it through.) Place in the oven and bake until hot through and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve as a side dish, to accompany just about anything. Serves 8-10.
Boiled Crabs 2 lemons, quartered or sliced ½ cup ground red pepper 8 new red potatoes ½ cup ground white pepper 4 small ears fresh corn ½ cup ground black pepper 4 small yellow onions 1 dozen live blue (or other small to medium) crabs 1 cup salt Fill a large (10-quart) stockpot one-third full with water. Add the lemons, potatoes, corn, onions, salt, and peppers. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil for 10 minutes. Add the crabs, cover, and return to a boil. Once steam starts to escape from under the cover, let cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes more. We like to lay out the crabs and vegetables on a large table covered with lots of paper and have a feast. Serves 2-4.
Cajun Pâté 2 cups (1 pound) butter ½ pound chicken livers 2 or 3 shallots, minced 1 teaspoon Cognac ¹/8 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon fresh Salt and pepper 1 bay leaf, crushed Tabasco sauce This pâté is a bit different from most of the French varieties -- it's actually closer to Jewish chopped liver. We like to make it at Christmastime, pack it in crocks, and give it as gifts. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme, and bay leaf and cook until the shallots are soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the livers and cook for 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to a blender or a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree until smooth. Blend in the Cognac and salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to taste. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature. Beat thoroughly two or three times during the first hour to keep the ingredients from separating. Then refrigerate until cold. Pack into jars or crocks and chill again. Serve cold, with Melba toast or crackers. Makes about 2 cups.
