World Recipes

Cajun Sausage and Shrimp Skewers

32 jumbo tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 (4 ounce) Cajun sausages, fully cooked
4 red onions
2 green bell peppers
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice from 2 limes
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
4 cups cooked rice

Marinate the shrimp in olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper for 1 hour.

Cut the sausages into quarters. Alternate the shrimp and sausage pieces on four bamboo or wood skewers; set aside.

Quarter the onions and peppers. Cut the pepper quarters in half. Arrange onions and peppers on four bamboo or wood skewers. Cook all eight skewers on a grill for 2 to 5 minutes per side or until shrimp turn pale white.

Serve one of each skewer over cooked rice on four dinner plates.

Serves 4.

Cajun Shrimp Tacos

Yield: 8 servings

Chili Sour Cream
2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salsa
3/4 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed,
    quartered (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unpeeled green apple
    (such as Granny Smith)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint

Shrimp
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, de-veined
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
16 taco shells
1 large bunch watercress, trimmed
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, cubed

Sour Cream: Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season with salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead.) Chill.

Salsa: Finely chop tomatillos, apple, basil and mint in food processor. Transfer to small bowl. Season to taste with salt. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Shrimp: Combine chili powder and paprika in large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp; saute until opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange taco shells on heavy large baking sheet. Bake until hot, about 8 minutes. Place shells in napkin-lined basket. Arrange half of watercress on platter. Top with shrimp. Chop remaining watercress. Place in small bowl. Place sour cream, salsa, avocados and chopped watercress in separate bowls.

Cajun Hash

5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups green onions, finely chopped, divided
3 cups diced ham
2 cups red bell pepper, finely chopped
6 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
4 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 cups green onions, the ham and the bell pepper. Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes.

Add potatoes, thyme, and Cajun seasoning; stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 8 minutes.

Uncover and continue cooking until potatoes are tender and crusty, occasionally scraping up browned bits. (add more oil if necessary).

To serve, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup green onions.

Pan Fried Louisiana Crab Cakes

1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
3 or 4 drops Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat
3 or 4 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 cups corn or peanut oil

Combine egg, mayonnaise and seasonings. Add crabmeat and enough bread crumbs to absorb excess moisture. Stir to blend well. Mixture should be firm enough to hold together. Adjust seasoning as desired. Form crabmeat mixture into 8 patties. Place on wax paper for about 20 minutes to dry slightly.

Pour oil into skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat to 350 degrees F. Fry crab cakes for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides. Do not crowd pan. Fry in several batches, if necessary. Drain on paper towel.

River Road Crawfish Stew

This is the most popular of all crawfish dishes cooked in Bayou country.

2 pounds cleaned crawfish tails
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable oil
3 quarts crawfish stock or water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped green onions
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped celery
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 cup chopped bell pepper
Dash of Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce
2 tablespoons diced garlic

Any shellfish stock or fish stock may be substituted, but the dish will be good even if plain water is used. In a two gallon stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add flour and using a wire whip, stir constantly until dark brown roux is achieved.

When brown, add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and saute until vegetables are wilted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add crawfish tails and cook until meat is pink and slightly curled. Stir in tomato sauce and slowly add crawfish stock stirring constantly until all is incorporated.

Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions and parsley and season to taste using salt and pepper.

When done, serve over white rice with a few dashes of Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce.

Shrimp Creole Cornbread with Creole Sauce

Cornbread
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces sour cream (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 to 3 teaspoons dried Creole seasoning
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 pound shelled, deveined uncooked medium shrimp
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

Creole Sauce
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet; place in oven to heat.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Blend in oil, sour cream and milk. Add remaining cornbread ingredients except cream cheese; stir until blended. Pour batter into hot skillet. Dot evenly with cubed cream cheese; press into batter. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add remaining sauce ingredients; mix well. Heat until bubbly; reduce heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

To serve, cut cornbread into wedges and serve with sauce.

Makes 8 servings.

Spicy Louisiana Baked Shrimp

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add shrimp, tossing to coat. Refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Bake until shrimp are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with crusty French bread.

Pork Chop Jambalaya

2 pounds pork chops
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup water
4 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups chopped green onion tops

Put 1/4 inch vegetable oil in bottom of pot. Brown pork chops that have been seasoned to taste. Remove chops from pot.

Saute onions, bell pepper and celery in oil in which chops were browned. Remove all oil from the pot that you can and add a small amount of water to form a gravy. Put chops back into the pot. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add cooked rice and onion tops and stir well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serves 4.