World Recipes

Skillet Shrimp Creole

Serves 4.

1 cup long grain white rice
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon file powder
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine or no-salt-added tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Prepare rice according to package instructions. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and file powder. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes.

While vegetables are cooking, in a small saucepan, cook beans until heated through, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

Add tomatoes, wine, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.

Add shrimp; cook, stirring until just opaque, about 3 minutes.

Spoon rice and beans onto individual plates. Spoon shrimp mixture on top. Serve immediately.

The Big Easy

1 cup green olives, preferably Italian, pitted and chopped
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil, drained)
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or other red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large round loaf Italian bread, about 7 inches in diameter
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings
1/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella
1/4 pound thinly sliced salami
1/4 pound thinly sliced ham
1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone
1/4 pound thinly sliced Mortadella

Mix the chopped olives and the next 6 ingredients; stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to marry flavors. Olive mixture can be made up to a week ahead.

Cut bread in half horizontally; remove bread from bottom and top of loaf (discard or save for bread crumbs) to form a thick shell. Spread half the reserved olive mixture (with liquid) on the bottom half of the bread, then half the onion rings. Next, layer the cheese and cold cuts in the order listed. Top with remaining onion slices, then remaining olive mixture. Sandwich can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Wrap tightly; store in the refrigerator.

Return to room temperature before serving. Cut into 6 wedges.

Serves 6.

Shrimp Creole

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups sliced scallions
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 tablespoons red wine
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 slices fresh lemon
2 cups water or fish stock
2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled
4 cups cooked rice

In a very heavy kettle heat oil and flour, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until a medium brown roux is formed. Add onions, pepper, garlic and parsley to cool the roux, then lower heat and continue cooking until vegetables brown slightly. Mix in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add wine and seasonings and mix. Bring mixture to a low boil. Add water or stock to desired consistency. When mixture boils, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour. Add shrimp; cover, and simmer for 20 minutes more; do not overcook shrimp. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve over boiled rice.

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Hot Cajun Pickle Chips

1 gallon hamburger dill pickle slices
5 pounds granulated sugar
1 1/4 ounces garlic flakes
2 ounces Tabasco sauce

Drain pickles in a colander for at least 30 minutes, pressing out the juice.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, garlic flakes and Tabasco sauce.

In a wide-mouth gallon jar, tightly pack alternating layers of pickle chips and sugar mixture. Close lid tightly and set aside on counter. Every 24 hours for five days, turn the jar over.

Divide into pint jars and seal. Chill before serving.

Yield: 8 pints

Creole Swiss Steak

1 1/2 pounds round steak
Seasoned flour
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup thinly sliced bell pepper
3/4 cup onion, sliced into rings
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup hot water
3/4 cup tomato juice
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Roll meat in flour. Saute in skillet with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Place in baking dish. Melt remaining butter in skillet and saute the bell pepper, onion and mushrooms until onions are clear. Add remaining ingredients, blending well. Spread over meat in baking dish. Cover and bake for 1 3/4 hours.

This can also be cooked on top of the stove by covering tightly and cooking on low for 1 1/2 hours. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4 to 6.

Creole Snacks

3 cups corn and rice cereal squares
3 cups crispy wheat cereal squares
3 cups toasted oat O-shaped cereal
3 cups pretzel sticks
2 cups pecan halves
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large roasting pan; set aside.

Drizzle half of butter over cereal mixture. Combine cheese and seasonings; sprinkle half over cereal. Stir; repeat procedure with remaining butter and seasonings. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Makes 12 cups.

Crawfish Jambalaya

1 pound or 2 1/2 cups crawfish tails
1 1/8 cups uncooked rice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup fine chopped onion
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup green onion tops
1/4 cup crawfish fat (optional)

Brown flour in oil to a golden brown, but DO NOT burn. Add onions. Stir constantly until onions are almost cooked. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add crawfish tails and fat; cook until crawfish turns pink. Add about 2 cups water and bring to boil. When water is rapidly boiling, add remainder of ingredients. Stir to blend and cook on low heat, covered, for about 1/2 hour or until rice is tender.

Five minutes before serving, using a 2-prong fork, fluff up jambalaya so rice will have a tendency to fall apart.

Serves 4 or 5.

Cajun Sour Cream Cornbread

1 cup milk
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 (7.5 ounce) packages corn muffin mix
1/2 cup whole-kernel corn (frozen and thawed, or canned)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease bottom of 9-inch-square baking pan.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until well blended and all mix is moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly before cutting.

Serves 8 to 10.