The most common story tells of streetcar workers on strike in 1929.  A local restaurant owner and former streetcar conductor would bring the workers sandwiches.  Employees from the restaurant referred to the workers as “Poor Boys”.  Of course with our Louisiana slang they became known as PoBoys.

One thing for sure Po Boys are here to stay.  Here in Baton Rouge, there are several restaurants that serve wonderful versions of the Po Boy.  Many people in South Louisiana have at least one Po Boy a week for lunch.  I know that I do.  My favorite is a Catfish Po-Boy dressed.  Enjoy!

This particular Saturday night, we made Shrimp Po Boys and Catfish Po Boys – give it a try!

Ingredients for Catfish Po Boys

2-3 Thin Catfish filets (cut into strips)

Shrimp & Fish Fry mix or corn flour

½ cup All-purpose Flour

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Tony’s Creole Seasoning

1-2 eggs

Milk

Canola or Vegetable Oil

French Bread or Po-Boy Rolls

Shredded lettuce

Tomatoes (thinly sliced)

Slice Dill pickles

Yellow Mustard, Creole Mustard, Ketchup, Cocktail Sauce or Tarter sauce.

The Seafood: 

Prepare your Shrimp by peeling completely and slice the top open to remove the dark vein. 

Prepare Catfish by cutting into strips somewhat like chicken tender strips.

Seafood Batter: 

Prepare the egg wash by breaking an egg into a mixing bowl. 

Wisk in some milk (maybe a cup).  

Squeeze in a wedge of lemon or lime juice. 

In another mixing bowl, pour in the Shrimp & Fish Fry mix. 

Add ½ cup of flour, 1 tablespoon Sea Salt and 2 tablespoons Tony’s. 
Stir altogether well.

The Oil: 

Using a heavy bottom deep pot, skillet, or electric fryer, pour in fresh canola or vegetable oil. 

Always be careful to leave 2-4” from the top to leave room for the oil to bubble up. 

Optimal temperature is 350 to 375 degrees. 

An electric fryer either has an automatic temperature setting or a button to help you. 

If you are using a regular pot and do not have a thermometer, drop a small amount of the frying batter into the oil.  If it bubbles up quickly, the oil is ready.

Note: Oil and water DO NOT MIX! Keep water away from the hot oil. If you pour water on the oil, the mixture will explode. If the oil smokes or catches fire, cover it with a pan lid or cookie sheet. You can use baking soda to put out any grease fires, but be careful that you don’t spread the flames around.

Battering Seafood: 

Using your left hand, drop several pieces of catfish in the egg wash and cover completely. 

Pull out and drop in the Shrimp & Fish Fry mixture. 

With your right hand, toss the seafood around to fully coat with corn flour. 

Shake off excess and place on a platter. 

Continue this process until all catfish is coated.

Deep Frying: 

Once the oil is properly heated, carefully drop catfish into the oil.

Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Seafood should freely move around. 

Seafood will be ready in just a couple minutes.  It should be golden brown and probably will be floating to the top of the oil. 

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on layers of paper towels.

ServingSuggestions for Catfish Po Boy Sandwiches

Prepare French bread or Po’Boys by splitting open and spreading butter on the inside. 

Toast in the oven. 

Then, add desired amount of catfish, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise. 

Some people prefer mustard, cocktail sauce or tarter sauce. 

Fold it altogether and cut in half for easy handling.

Oh man – that’s some good eating Cher!

In tonight’s recipe, we made a Shrimp Remoulade Salad served over endive lettuce and mixed greens.  The Shrimp Salad could also be served as an appetizer with one Shrimp on a round water cracker or melba toast.  Give it a try and see how you like it.  Bon Appetite!

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients for Shrimp Remoulade Salad

Boiled Shrimp Recipe

1 1/2 – 2 pounds of large Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 medium sweet onion (cut in quarters)
2-3 stalks Celery (cut into several pieces)
Sea Salt
Lemon or Lime Juice
Liquid Shrimp & Crab Boil (substitutes are cayenne pepper or Old Bay Seasoning)
3 Bay Leaves

In a 6 quart pot or larger, fill with water leaving several inches to allow for all the ingredients. 

Add in all the ingredients except the shrimp. 

Bring water to a rolling boil. 

Add shrimp. 

Boil about 5 minutes. 

Turn off the heat. 

Let sit to soak up the flavor a few minutes. 

Drain and run cold water over the shrimp to stop the cooking process and cool down faster for salad. 

Set aside.

Remoulade Sauce Recipe

1/4 cup Lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped Green Onions
1/4 chopped Celery
2 tablespoons minced Garlic
2 tablespoons prepared Horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole mustard 
3 tablespoons Yellow mustard
3 tablespoons Ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped Parsley
3 tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish
dash of Sea Salt, Tony’s and Black Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. 

In another mixing bowl with the shrimp, pour half of the dressing and mix well.  

Chill for 1 hour prior to serving. 

Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Remoulade Salad

Serve Shrimp Salad over a bed of lettuce greens, cut in half Endive or Romaine lettuce.  Drizzle more dressing on top.  As desired, add boiled eggs, sliced cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, green olives, etc. 

Crawfish Bisque (some folks call it crawfish stew) consists of a rich sauce accompanied with stuffed crawfish bodies or crawfish balls.  For this recipe we made both.  This was so good we could not stop eating it.

Ingredients for the Crawfish Balls

1 – 1 pound bag of fresh crawfish tails (can substitute shrimp or crab if needed)
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 parsley flakes
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Cooking Directions for the Crawfish Balls

Blend all the above ingredients in a food processor or blender. 

Remove to a mixing bowl. 

Form into small meatballs. 

If you have access to crawfish bodies, just stuff the bodies with the mixture. 

Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes on a baking sheet.

Ingredients for the Crawfish Bisque

4 cups Cajun Trinity
2 sticks butter
1 cup All-purpose flour
3 cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons tomato sauce or ketchup
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1 – 1 pound bag of fresh crawfish tails (substitute shrimp or crab if needed)
1 cup rice

Cooking Directions for the Crawfish Bisque

Saute’ Cajun Trinity in 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large 6 quart pot. 

Make a Roux in a flat bottom stainless steel skillet or cast iron skillet. 

Melt the butter and gradually add in flour and continue to stir with a flat edged spatula until dark brown color. 

Transfer Roux to the Cajun Trinity pot.  Stir well. 

Add chicken stock, tomato sauce, minced garlic, crawfish tails and seasoning to taste.  

Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low (#3). 

Stir occasionally and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. 

Make 1 cup rice according to package directions. 

Add the stuffed crawfish and/or crawfish balls. 

Simmer another 5-10 minutes. 

Serving Suggestions for Crawfish Bisque

Serve Crawfish Bisque over rice and garnish with chopped green onions and chopped parsley. 

Bon Appetite!
.

Ingredients for Fried Crab Claws

1 pound fresh Crab Claws
1 bag of Fish & Shrimp Fry or substitute with corn flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
lime or lemon juice
ketchup
fresh prepared horseradish
Canola oil for frying

Start by pouring about 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottom saucepan or use an electric fryer.

Pour the Fish Fry, flour, and Tony’s into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.

In a smaller mixing bowl, crack to egg and add milk and 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice. Mix well.

Heat oil on a medium heat (#6).

Put several crab claws in the egg wash to coat. Then, toss crab claws into the Fish Fry mixture and coat well. Place on a clean platter. Repeat until all crab claws are battered.

Place crab claws in the fryer – maybe a dozen at a time. They only need to fry about 2 minutes or less. Really quick.

Move to a drain on paper towels.

Make Cocktail Sauce with one cup ketchup and 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish and a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Serving Fried Crab Claws

One pound of Crab Claws will likely serve 6-8 people. They are pretty addictive. Enjoy!

Surf & Turf

Ingredients for Surf and Turf

2 Lobster Tails (fresh or frozen)
2 Petite Beef Filets
1/2 stick butter
Chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Lime or Lemon juice

Cooking Directions

• Melt butter. Add Lime juice, green onions and garlic. Stir well. Turn heat to low.
• Take thawed lobster tails and using kitchen scissors cut the tails down the middle either on the belly side or the outside. We cut open the belly side since it was softer.
• With a sharp knife, cut the tail meat down the middle.
• With a brush or a spoon coat the tails with the lime butter sauce.
• Run a skewer through each tail for easier handling on the grill and keeps from curling.
• Place Lobster tails and Petite Filets on a platter. Season with Sea Salt, Garlic Powder and Tony’s.
• Place evenly on grill.
• Grill the Lobsters for 5 minutes each side.
• Grill the Filets for 10 minutes each side.
• Return to a platter and bring inside.
• Pour lime butter sauce over the lobster tails or pour the lime butter sauce in custard cups for dipping the lobster meat.

Serving Suggestions for Surf and Turf

Serve with a steamed vegetable, Twice Baked Potatoes or Homemade Macaroni & Cheese.

I first experienced She Crab Soup in Panama City Beach, Florida at the well renowned restaurant Captain Anderson’s. They serve She Crab Soup by itself of course, but my favorite is the She Crab Pie. She Crab Pipe is a grilled fish of the day stuffed inside a puff pastry with She Crab Soup ladled on top. Yum Yum.

In our version of She Crab Soup, we added cut asparagus and fresh sweet corn.

Ingredients for She Crab Soup

4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Cajun Trinity
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups Milk
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 pound White Crab meat
1/2 cup Sherry or White Cooking wine
1 bunch of fresh Asparagus stalks (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 ear fresh sweet corn (kernels cut from the cob)
2 boiled eggs (chopped egg yolks only)
Chopped green onions
White Cheddar Cheese (shredded for garnish)

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cut corn. Cook for 6-8 minutes.

In a deep 6 quart pot, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat (#5-#6).

Saute the Cajun Trinity until well cooked. Add the minced garlic and sauté another minute. Remove from pot and set aside.

In the same pot, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Blend in the 4 tablespoons flour stirring well. Cook about 2 minutes.

Slowly add the milk blending well with the white roux. Add the heavy cream. Stir constantly with a whisk to prevent scorching for 8-10 minutes. Mixture will become thickened.

Add all seasonings, Cajun Trinity, Crab Meat, Asparagus, Corn and chopped egg yolks. Stir well. (If a thinner consistency is desired, add 1 cup vegetable stock).

Cook another 5 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat.

Add and stir well the 1/2 cup wine.

Serving Suggestions for She Crab Soup

Serve in a deep flat bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions and a lump of white cheddar cheese; accompanied with crusty French bread or rolls.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients for Homemade Tartar Sauce (Serves 2-4):

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Sweet Pickle Relish
1 teaspoon Creole Mustard
Dash of each:
 Lemon Juice
 Tony’s Creole Seasoning
 Tabasco Hot Sauce

Mix all ingredients well. 

(If expecting a crowd, double or triple the tartar sauce recipe.)

Serving Suggestions for Homemade Tartar Sauce

Best served chilled in small dipping cups.

Tartar sauce is great for dipping most any seafood into (shrimp, fish, you name it).

It’s also a great sandwich spread.

Ingredients (Snow Crabs):

1-2 Snow Crab clusters per person (depends on the size)
1/4 cup Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab boil
Sea Salt
1 medium sweet onion
3 celery stalks
2 tablespoons Garlic Powder or several Garlic pods
1/4 white distilled vinegar
1/4 lemon juice
5 Bay Leaves

Fill a large 8-12 quart stock pot with water. Leave 5 inches or so from the top to allow for adding ingredients. Bring water to rolling boil.

Add in all the seasonings.

Add the Snow Crab Legs. Bring back to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let sit to soak up the seasoning for about 10 minutes.

Suggested Serving for Snow Crab Legs

Serve Snow Crab Legs on large platters with crab or nut crackers and small pick seafood forks.

We typically serve with boiled new potatoes by boiling the potatoes in the boiling seasoned water for 20 minutes before adding in the Snow Crab Legs.

Ingredients for Louisiana Crab Cakes (Serves 4)

1/2 pound fresh white crabmeat
2 cups finely chopped Cajun Trinity
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon oil olive
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups Bread crumbs
3/4 cup Mayo
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Canola Oil for frying
Lemon
In a skillet, saute’ the Cajun Trinity in butter and olive oil until well done. 

Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and Tony’s.  Move to a mixing bowl and stir in 1 cup bread crumbs.  Add mayo and creole mustard.  Mix well. 

Fold in crabmeat, blending well.  Add more mayo if too dry.  The mixture should be sticky enough to form patties.

Divide the mixture evenly to form 4-5 patties (like a hamburger patty).   Place on a platter and chill at least 30 minutes to an hour. 

In a small bowl make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg and 1/2 cup milk.  Add in a dash of lemon juice if you like. 

In another bowl, pour in 1 cup bread crumbs. 

Then, in a deep skillet, pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat on medium heat. 

Take the crab patties out of the refrigerator.  Dip each patty through the egg wash then dip through the bread crumbs coating the outside of the patty completely.  Place on a clean platter. 

Once the oil is properly heated, carefully place the patties in the skillet and fry for 2-3 minutes.  Flip each Crab Cake over and fry another 2-3 minutes.  Each side should be golden brown.  Don’t go to far from the stove – 2 minutes passes fast.

Remove Crab Cakes to several layers of paper towels to remove excess oil. 

Serving Suggestions for Cajun Crab Cakes

Serve the Crab Cakes on a platter with a side salad. 

A local restaurant has a wonderful Crab Cake dish where they serve the Crab Cake over a bed of Angel hair pasta with an Alfredo sauce.  You talk about some good groceries there cher!

You may think that Gumbo whether Chicken and Sausage Gumbo or Seafood Gumbo is only good in the cold weather. However, we enjoy Gumbo year round. We especially like to make it for Christmas Eve and enjoy with our daughters. It’s become a tradition at our house. Give it a try sometime. It’s really not hard and taste oh so good.

Ingredients for New Orleans Seafood Gumbo:

This quantity is for a 12 qt Stock Pot. If you’re using a 6 qt Large Pot, reduce all by half.

Step One: The Base

1/4 cup Canola Oil
8 cups Cajun Trinity
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
1 Large 28 oz can of Rotel tomatoes (substitute plain diced tomatoes if you prefer)
4 quarts fresh Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
3 pounds frozen Cut Okra
5 Bay Leaves

Step Two: The Roux

2 sticks Butter
1 cup All-purpose flour

Step Three: The Seafood

3 pounds fresh large shrimp (peeled and deveined (if needed)
1 pound White Crab Meat
1 pound Claw Crab Meat
1 pound Crawfish Tails (when available)
1 pint Fresh Oysters (optional)

Garnish: chopped green onions and Gumbo File’

Step One: The Base – begin by heating 1/4 canola oil in a large stock pot (medium high #7). Saute’ Cajun Trinity until vegetables are well cooked. Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic. Pour in the large can of Rotel tomatoes and 4 quarts chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Add okra and stir well. Reduce heat to medium (#6) and allow okra to cook 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.

Step Two: The Roux – when the okra is about done, start on the Roux. In a deep skillet, melt 2 sticks of butter on medium heat #6. Using a flat edged spatula, gradually stir in the 1 cup of flour. Continually stir – be careful not to splash on yourself. This is very hot and can burn you. Once you a achieve a dark carmel color, turn off the heat. Keep moving the roux so it doesn’t scorch. Carefully, pour into the stock pot and stir as you go. This is best done with two people if possible. Continue to simmer on #4 for 10 minutes.

Step Three: The Seafood – add Shrimp, Crab, Crawfish Tails and Oysters shortly before you are ready to serve. The seafood will only take about 5 minutes to cook.

Serving Suggestions for New Orleans Seafood Gumbo:

Serve over white rice and garnish with chopped green onions and Gumbo File’. A side salad and French rolls are excellent accompaniments.

Tip: If you have some Seafood Gumbo leftover, allow the gumbo to cool and then put in freezer containers for a quick supper.

Ingredients for Fried Shrimp Norman:

1 pound Large or Jumbo Shrimp
Crab Etouffee (see recipe)
1 package Fish/Shrimp Fry (or Corn Flour)
½ cup All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Canola Oil
1 egg
½ cup milk

Make Crab Etouffee according to recipe, but use less water or stock.  Etouffee should be a thick consistency. 

Peel shrimp leaving the tail on.  Slice deep through the top of the shrimp to both devein the shrimp (take out the black vein) and butterfly it for frying.  Set aside in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, prepare the Fish/Shrimp fry by blending ½ cup All-purpose flour, Sea Salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning. 

In another small mixing bowl, crack the egg and stir in ½ cup milk.  This is the egg wash. 

Take each shrimp and coat in the egg wash. 

Move shrimp to the Fish Fry mixture and coat with corn flour. 

Fan out the tail for a pretty presentation (be careful – there is a sharp point on the tail of a shrimp that can pierce your hand or finger).   Place a clean platter.

Heat oil.  Fry Shrimp a few at a time until golden brown or floating on top the oil.  Remove the shrimp to a paper towel lined platter to blot excess grease. 

Serving Suggestions for Fried Shrimp Norman:

To serve, arrange 6-8 shrimp with tails up on a plate. 

Spoon the Crab Etouffee over each of the tails or just place in the center. 

Adding a small mound of white rice is optional. 

To eat and enjoy, take a shrimp and scoop up a dollop of Crab Etouffee and take a big bite of some deliciously good groceries.

Easy Shrimp Dip Recipe:

This quantity will serve a party of 15-20.  Just double the ingredients if you’re having a larger party.

Ingredients for Shrimp Dip:

½ pound medium to large boiled shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 package cream cheese (softened)
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon ketchup
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 stalk celery (cut very small)
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Using a food processor, place all ingredients except the celery.  Pulse several times until mixed well leaving a bit of chunky shrimp. 

Remove mixture to a mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.  Carefully remove the mixture from the blade. 

Fold in the chopped celery.  The celery gives the dip a good crunch. 

Mix in a sprinkling of Tony’s Creole Seasoning.

Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Dip:

Pour into a pretty bowl or hollowed out Hawaiian sweet bread. 

I like to serve with Petite Mini Toast. 

Where’s a cracker?  I’m ready to eat some shrimp dip!

Why do they call them “PoBoys”? 

There many tall tails as to the origin of the name Po Boys.  The most common story tells of streetcar workers on strike in 1929.  A local restaurant owner and former streetcar conductor would bring the workers sandwiches.  Employees from the restaurant referred to the workers as “Poor Boys”.  Of course with our Louisiana slang they became known as PoBoys. 

There are many, many restaurants in New Orleans and surrounding areas where most of their menu is comprised of different kinds of Po-Boys – fried shrimp, fried catfish, fried oysters, and fried soft shell crab.  Are you seeing a pattern here?  Po Boys are nothing like your run of the mill healthy deli sub sandwich. 

Certainly we can’t forget to talk about “Do you want it dressed?”  What does that mean? 

Having it “dressed” means that you want your Po Boy with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise.  Otherwise, you just have it plain with either spicy Cajun Cocktail Sauce or Tarter Sauce. 

One thing for sure Po Boys are here to stay.  Here in Baton Rouge, there are several restaurants that serve wonderful versions of the Po Boy and all good.  Many people in South Louisiana have at least one Po Boy a week for lunch.  I know that I do.  My favorite is a Catfish Po-Boy dressed.  Enjoy!

This particular Saturday night, we made Shrimp Po Boys and Catfish Po Boys – give it a try!

Ingredients for a Shrimp or Catfish Po Boy Sandwich:

1 pound fresh medium to large shrimp (peeled completely and deveined)
2-3 Thin Catfish filets (cut into strips)
Shrimp & Fish Fry mix or corn flour
½ cup All-purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1-2 eggs
Milk
Canola or Vegetable Oil
French Bread or Po-Boy Rolls
Shredded lettuce
Tomatoes (thinly cut)
Slice Dill pickles

Optional: Yellow Mustard, Creole Mustard, Ketchup, Cocktail Sauce or Tarter sauce.

The Seafood:  Prepare your Shrimp by peeling completely and slice the top open to remove the dark vein.  Prepare Catfish by cutting into strips somewhat like chicken tender strips.

Seafood Batter:  Prepare the egg wash by breaking an egg into a mixing bowl.  Wisk in some milk (maybe a cup).   Squeeze in a wedge of lemon or lime juice.  In another mixing bowl, pour in the Shrimp & Fish Fry mix.  Add ½ cup of flour, 1 tablespoon Sea Salt and 2 tablespoons Tony’s.  Stir altogether well.

The Oil:  Using a heavy bottom deep pot, skillet, or electric fryer, pour in fresh canola or vegetable oil.  Always be careful to leave 2-4” from the top to leave room for the oil to bubble up.  Optimal temperature is 350 to 375 degrees.  An electric fryer either has an automatic temperature setting or a button to help you.  If you are using a regular pot and do not have a thermometer, drop a small amount of the frying batter into the oil.  If it bubbles up quickly, the oil is ready.
 
Note: Oil and water DO NOT MIX!! Keep water away from the hot oil. If you pour water on the oil, the mixture will explode. If the oil smokes or catches fire, cover it with a pan lid or cookie sheet. You can use baking soda to put out any grease fires, but be careful that you don’t spread the flames around.

Battering Seafood:  Using your left hand, drop several pieces of shrimp or catfish in the egg wash and cover completely.  Pull out and drop in the Shrimp & Fish Fry mixture.  With your right hand, toss the seafood around to fully coat with corn flour.  Shake off excess and place on a platter.  Continue this process until all seafood is coated.

Deep Frying:  Once the oil is properly heated, carefully drop seafood into the oil.  Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Seafood should freely move around.  Seafood will be ready in just a couple minutes.  It should be golden brown and probably will be floating to the top of the oil.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on layers of paper towels.

Serving Suggestions for Po Boy Sandwiches: 

This is optional – prepare French bread or Po’Boys by splitting open and spreading butter on the inside.  Toast in the oven.  Then, add desired amount of seafood, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise.  Some people prefer mustard, cocktail sauce or tarter sauce.  Fold it altogether and cut in half for easy handling. 

Oh man – that’s some good eating Cher!

Ingredients for Crab Etouffee:

½ lb Fresh Crabmeat (claw or white)
¼ cup of Flour
5 tablespoons butter
2 cups Cajun Trinity with minced garlic
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 cup white rice
1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Chopped green onions or Parsley for garnish

To begin, in a medium saucepan – boil 2 cups water. Add 1 cup rice. Stir. Cover and turn down the heat to medium low (#3) for 20 minutes.

Next in a large deep skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the Cajun Trinity and minced garlic. Set aside in a bowl. In the same skillet make a roux. Melt 4 tablespoons butter on medium heat (#6). Gradually add in ¼ cup of flour stirring constantly. For an Etouffee, continue to stir until golden brown caramel coloring.

Carefully add the Cajun Trinity back to the skillet. Add Rotel tomatoes and 4 cups water. Stir well and simmer on (#4) for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning or scorching.

Fold in the crab meat. Season with 1 teaspoon of Tony’s Creole Seasoning. Simmer another 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Serving Suggestions for Crab Etouffee:

Serve Crab Etouffee over rice in a deep plate. Garnish with chopped green onions or fresh chopped parsley for color and a side of garlic French bread.

Um Um that is some good stuff cher!

We had fun making these Stuffed Shrimp at home with my Godchild Ashley and her sister Amanda.  They love to help me in the kitchen.  I am glad they are interested.  My grown children do not know how to cook unless it goes in the microwave or comes out of a can.  So find time to spend with your kids or grandkids in the kitchen.  Let them get messy.  It’s all in good fun and they will remember you for taking the time with them.

Let get started because there are 3 steps here:

Ingredients for Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp:  

12-16 Large or Jumbo size Fresh Shrimp
½ pound white or claw crab meat
1 package Shrimp/Fish Fry
1 cup plain or Italian Bread Crumbs
2-3 eggs
1 cup Cajun Trinity with 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
½ Teaspoon each:  Worcestershire sauce, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, yellow mustard, and parsley flakes.
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Oil for frying
Lemon
Butter
Milk for egg wash
Platters
Mixing Bowls
Deep fat fryer

The Crab Stuffing

With a tablespoon of butter, sauté the 1 cup Cajun Trinity and minced garlic.  Pour into a medium size mixing bowl.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, yellow mustard, parsley flakes, and one egg.  Fold in the breadcrumbs and crabmeat.  Mix well.  Form the mixture in small meatball sized balls.  Place on a platter.  Refrigerate for approximately one hour to chill and become firm.

The Shrimp

Peel, clean and de-vein the shrimp.  Leave the tails on.  Carefully make a deep cut in the shrimp to butterfly it open.

Prepare your egg wash by mixing 1-2 eggs with a ¼ cup or so of milk and squeeze in some lime or lemon juice.  Prepare the Shrimp/Fish Fry by mixing in ½ teaspoon seal salt and 2 tablespoons Tony’s Creole seasoning.

Place a crab ball on the open shrimp.  Press firmly.  Dip in egg wash.  Shake off excess.  Place in the Shrimp/Fish Fry mixture and toss around to coat.  Place on a platter.

The Frying

Heat your oil.  Do not put drops of water in the hot oil to see if it’s hot enough like Mike Stokes does!  Carefully place 2-3 shrimp in the fryer (depends on what size fryer you have).  Fry the shrimp until golden brown.  Remove to a platter lined with an ample amount of paper towels.

Serving Suggestions for Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp:

Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon or lime and sides ketchup, tarter sauce, or my favorite hot cocktail sauce for dipping.  Um Um they were so good cher!

Occasionally, I travel for my job to places that have no clue what good Cajun cooking is.  So, the first thing I want to do coming from the New Orleans airport is stop in Gonzales, Louisiana at Mike Anderson’s and get some Fried Crab Claws and Crab Meat Au Gratin.

Mike likes the Shrimp Norman.  I’ll have to show you how to make that soon.  Anyway, here is my version of Crabmeat Au Gratin.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for Crab Au Gratin:

1 lb Fresh white or lump crab meat
4 Tbl butter
4 Tbl flour
2 cups Cajun Trinity
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 quart Half & Half
3-5 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
Green onions – chopped for mixture and garnish
Parsley – chopped
¼ teaspoon each
 Nutmeg, White Pepper, Sea Salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning
4-6 Oven safe baking dishes (4 cups)
Deep skillet
Baking sheet

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Place your baking dishes on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and sauté the Cajun Trinity and garlic until well wilted. 

Gradually add 4 tablespoons of flour and stirring for 2 minutes or so. 

Add in Half & Half mixing well. 

Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes to form a thick white sauce. 

Stir constantly to prevent scorching or burning.

Turn off the heat.  Stir in seasoning at ¼ teaspoon each, 3-4 cups of cheese, small amount of green onions and parsley.  Mix well. 

Fold in the crabmeat.  Spoon the mixture into individual baking dishes.  Cover with additional cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 

You can probably bake longer for a darker browning on top.  You just need to watch it to keep from burning.  Also, optional after the 15 minutes, turn the oven on broil to brown the cheese on top. 

Carefully remove from the oven and garnish with chopped green onions or a parsley sprig.

Serves well with a steamed vegetable or side salad and crusty French bread.

Note:  The leftovers reheated well and were fantastic served with crackers like an appetizer. 

Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:

12-18 Fresh Jumbo or Large Shrimp
Bacon
Lemon Juice
Orange Juice
1 cup Brown Sugar
¼ – ½ cup Honey
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Cooking Spray
Toothpicks
Non-stick baking sheet

Putting all together:

Turn your oven on Broil and keep the rack in the middle.  Peel the shrimp leaving the tail on.  Carefully slice the top of the shrimp and remove the black vein and discard on a paper towel. 

In a small saucepan and on medium-low heat, mix the lemon juice, orange juice, brown sugar and honey.  Simmer on low while the shrimp are prepared and cooked.

Cut bacon sliced into 2-3 inch pieces.  Wrap around the shrimp overlapping and secure with a toothpick.  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. 

Broil for 4-5 minutes.  Turn the shrimp and broil 4-5 minutes more.  Remove from oven.  With a basting brush, cover each shrimp with the honey glaze.  Broil for another minute.

Serving Suggestions for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:

Serve 4-6 shrimp per person.  Goes well with potato salad, pasta tossed in olive oil or a rice pilaf.  Don’t forget to sprinkle some Tony’s Creole Seasoning for a bit of spice.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Note: Honey Glazed Shrimp can also be cooked in the same manner on the grill.

Grilled Redfish

Ingredients for Grilled Redfish:

Fresh Redfish or Catch of the Day (skin on) – 1 filet for each person
Spray Canola Oil
Lime
Worcestershire Sauce
Garlic Powder
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Sea Salt

1 stick of butter
2 cloves minced garlic
Green Onions – chopped
Fresh or dried Cilantro

Prepare your grill along with soaking mesquite smoking chips. Please see our Grilling Tips video for details on proper grill preparation.

Lay fish filets out on a tray. Spray both sides of the filets with spray oil; especially the skin side. Squeeze lime juice over the redfish and shake out Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle on Tony’s, Garlic Powder and Sea Salt. Place skin down on the grill and put the lid on. We will not be turning the fish.

Next, prepare the Cilantro Lime Butter Sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan. Squeeze in another half lime. Add in the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and cilantro. Blend well. Spoon out a bit of the butter sauce in order to drizzle on the redfish while on the grill.

After about 20 mins, we checked the fish for a white flaky doneness. Bring the redfish inside and pour over the remaining butter sauce. If all that butter is too much for you, at least scoop out the green onions, garlic and cilantro to spoon over the fish.

Serving Suggestions for Grilled Redfish:

Serve with a fresh steamed broccoli or asparagus or whatever you like, and crusty garlic bread. It was so good!

On this sunny day in August, we visited the Folse & Company Seafood Market in Gonzales, Louisiana. It had been about 20 years since I actually boiled my own crabs. Usually, it is so easy to get boiled crabs at local restaurants.

We recommend about 2-4 crabs per person depending on the size. Of course, we only buy the best grade #1 crabs, so they are rather large and full of incredible meat.

 Getting Started with Your Louisiana Blue Crabs: 

Buy fresh local live crabs.  Once home place the crabs in a large basin or bucket and cover with ice.  The ice stuns the crabs and miraculously keeps the claws from falling off during the boiling process.  Soak for 30 minutes. 

Prepare a large stock pot with boiling water. 

Add seasonings:
  2 large sweet onions – chunked
  Several whole garlic pods
  3-4 Bay leaves
  2-4 tablespoons Zaterran’s Liquid Shrimp & Crab Boil
  Salt
  2 tablespoons White Vinegar (helps crabs peel easily)
  lemon or lime juice.

Carefully place the crabs in the boiling water.  Boil about 8-10 minutes.  The crabs instantly turn a vibrant red once placed in the boiling water.  Turn off the heat.  Place cold water or more ice on top of the crabs in order to stop the cooking process. 

Let the crabs soak in the water in order to soak up the wonderful seasonings for 30 minutes to an hour.

Eating Louisiana Blue Crabs:

You can do this in order you like, but this is just how I was taught to eat crabs as a little girl at the age of 8.  There would be about 10 family members sitting all around this large dining table in the dining room of my Aunt Linda’s house in New Orleans.  Newspapers were spread the entire length of the table and each person had a plate and a little bowl for dipping with either butter or ketchup.  What a wonderful memory. 

How to Eat Louisiana Blue Crabs:

Take the crab in one (be careful of the hard prickles on the shell). Carefully pull the legs out right at the join closet to the body. Some good meat will come out. Don’t be shy to pull the meat through your teeth and suck out the juice.

Next, turn the crab over and pull open the crabs private part. Grasp the bottom of the body in one hand and the top shell in the other and pull apart. Discard the top shell. Then, pull the lungs and other yucky guts items off. You should be left with 2 compartment separated by much thinner shell membranes.

Using a sharp knife carefully cut the compartment in half. Then, make a cut lengthwise on each compartment to reveal the sweet, savory white meat. Pull out the lump crab meat and work your way through the other smaller membranes.

Now for the legs – break apart the legs at each joint. Sometimes the meat will come right out. Other times you need to use crab crackers or nut crackers to open up the segments.

My favorite part is the claw. I always save it for last. Delicately crack right in the middle and once at the place where the claws start. You should be able to peel the shell off and reveal a big, full claw. Take the claw into your mouth and pull between your teeth. Now that’s some good stuff Cher!

P.S.: My first and last time that I cooked live crabs, I was 23 years old and still wet behind the ears when it came to cooking. We lived on a small island in northeast Florida – Amelia Island. A local seafood market had a sign for “Dozen Crabs – $12.00”. I thought, “Wow, I love crabs and I can figure out how to cook them.” So, I bought a dozen crabs. I didn’t realize that they were LIVE. I thought crabs were like fish and already dead.

Needless to say, to my surprise these things were all rustling about in the paper bag. I get them home and I no idea what to do with them. So, I call my mom back in Louisiana. She tells me to pour them in the sink and soak them in salt water. I thought that was just for crawfish, but I attempted it anyway. I took the bag and dumped them in the sink. Oh my gosh, they were rustling about and trying take off running on the counter.

One fell on the floor. I was hopping around like firecrackers were going off. My golden retriever was having a good time playing with one.

Well, I managed to boil and season some water and one by one placed the poor innocent crabs into the boiling hot cauldron and saying sorry to each of them.

They must have been good for I remember this crazy story. C’est la vie!

Ingredients for Shrimp Creole:

2 lbs Large Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 stick of butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups Cajun Trinity with minced garlic
6-8 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup rice
Olive oil
Green onions chopped for garnish
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
Tabasco sauce to taste

How to Make Shrimp Creole:

As with all Cajun recipes, you start with a Roux. But, first we need to sauté our Cajun Trinity and garlic. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or 6 quart pot. On medium heat, sauté the Cajun Trinity until vegetables are wilted and tender. Pour into a side bowl and set aside.

For the Roux – melt 1 stick of butter on medium heat. Gradually add ½ cup flour and stir constantly until a light golden color. Carefully mix in Cajun Trinity and stir as to not stick or burn. Add 6-8 cups stock. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Add Rotel, tomato sauce, and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Simmer another 10-15 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook another 10 minutes.

Make rice according to package directions.
1 cup rice + 2 cups water + 20 minutes = cooked white rice.

Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Creole:

Serve Shrimp Creole over mound of rice in a deep plate or bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions. Also, Shrimp Creole is wonderful with crusty French bread for dipping.

Remember cooking from scratch is so easy and very rewarding. Bon Appétit!