World Recipes

Chicken Creole

Posted by RackyRain at recipegoldmine.com 1/13/2002 12:56 am

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons light butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chopped stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup water
3 cups hot cooked rice

Sprinkle the chicken with paprika and cayenne pepper and set aside.

In a large frying pan, saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of the butter for 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove vegetables from pan.

Turn heat to medium high and melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in frying pan. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, turning to brown on both sides.

Add tomatoes with liquid, rosemary, marjoram, bay leaf, and half of the cooked vegetables.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Blend flour and water until smooth. Stir gradually into frying pan.

Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add remaining vegetables and heat through.

Remove and discard bay leaf.

Serve with rice.

Makes 4 servings.

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.

Cajun Potato Chips

Source: Adrianas Spice Caravan by Adriana and Rochelle Zabarkes

2 sweet potatoes
2 Idaho potatoes
1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup blue cheese
Peanut oil for frying
Variety of hot sauces

Peel and slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick. Soak in separate bowls of ice water in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Heat oil in deep fryer to 370 degrees F.

Drain and pat dry potatoes. Fry in oil in small batches until browned. Drain chips on paper towels and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. As you finish each batch, place in single layer on baking sheet and keep warm in oven. When all are fried, crumble blue cheese on top and heat 5 minutes.

Serve with hot sauces on the side.

Serves 4.

Cajun Sweet Dough Lemon Pies

Makes 12 single-serving pies

Sweet Dough
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup milk
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Sweet Dough: Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer beat butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in milk and vanilla extract (batter will appear curdled). With mixer on low speed beat in flour mixture, a little at a time, until it forms a dough. Halve dough and form each piece into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 3 hours.

Cut twenty-four 6-inch squares of wax paper. Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into 12-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Cut out 6 rounds with a 5-inch round cutter, sandwiching each round between 2 squares of wax paper, and stack on a baking sheet. If dough becomes to soft to work with, transfer it to a baking sheet and chill until firm.

Roll out and cut remaining piece of dough in same manner, sandwiching rounds between remaining squares of wax paper, and stack on baking sheet. Chill rounds until firm and wrap each stack carefully with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Dough may be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

Filling: In a heavy saucepan whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt and gradually whisk in water and milk until cornstarch is dissolved. In a bowl whisk together yolks. Cook milk mixture over moderate heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into yolks and whisk yolk mixture into remaining hot milk mixture. Bring custard to a slow boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, lemon juice, and zest until butter is melted. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Do not stir filling or it will break down.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F; lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Discard top square of wax paper from 1 dough round and spoon 1 tablespoon filling onto center of round. Using wax paper fold dough over to form a half circle, enclosing filling, and press edges together lightly. Transfer pie to baking sheet, discarding paper, and crimp edge with a fork. Prick pie with fork once. Make 11 more pies with remaining dough rounds and filling.

Bake pies in 2 batches in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until golden brown around edges (dough will crack open slightly), and transfer to racks to cool. Pies may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Serve pies chilled or at room temperature (do not let pies stand more than 30 minutes at room temperature).

City Cafe Spaghetti Sauce

Most small Louisiana towns have their "City Cafe." This is the recipe from the City Cafe in Plaquemine, Louisiana.

1 pound white onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cluster garlic, finely chopped
3 cans tomato paste
3 cans tomatoes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 heaping tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

In hot olive oil in a cast iron pot, saute onions, celery and garlic. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer at least one hour.

Cajun Lemon Sweet Dough Pies

Source: Gourmet, June 1996

Sweet Dough
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup milk
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest. grated

Make sweet dough: Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In bowl of a standing electric mixer beat butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in milk and vanilla extract (batter will appear curdled). With mixer on low speed beat in flour mixture, a little at a time, until it forms a dough. Halve dough and form each piece into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 3 hours.

Cut twenty-four 6-inch squares of wax paper. Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into 12-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Cut out 6 rounds with a 5-inch round cutter, sandwiching each round between 2 squares of wax paper, and stack on a baking sheet. If dough becomes to soft to work with, transfer it to a baking sheet and chill until firm. Roll out and cut remaining piece of dough in same manner, sandwiching rounds between remaining squares of wax paper, and stack on baking sheet. Chill rounds until firm and wrap each stack carefully with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Dough may be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

Make filling: In a heavy saucepan whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt and gradually whisk in water and milk until cornstarch is dissolved. In a bowl whisk together yolks. Cook milk mixture over moderate heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into yolks and whisk yolk mixture into remaining hot milk mixture. Bring custard to a slow boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, lemon juice, and zest until butter is melted. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Do not stir filling or it will break down.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.

Discard top square of wax paper from 1 dough round and spoon 1 tablespoon filling onto center of round. Using wax paper fold dough over to form a half circle, enclosing filling, and press edges together lightly. Transfer pie to baking sheet, discarding paper, and crimp edge with a fork. Prick pie with fork once. Make 11 more pies with remaining dough rounds and filling.

Bake pies in 2 batches in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until golden brown around edges (dough will crack open slightly), and transfer to racks to cool. Pies may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Serve pies chilled or at room temperature (do not let pies stand more than 30 minutes at room temperature).

Cajun Meat Loaf with Sweet Pepper Sauce

Source: Family Circle, February 1, 1997

Yields 8 servings

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 slices white bread, torn
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 egg
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Sweet Pepper Sauce
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup diced sweet red pepper
1 cup diced sweet green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds

Meatloaf: Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper, green pepper, onion and salt; cover and cook over low heat until very tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

Combine bread and milk in large bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Add beef, crumbs, ketchup, egg, hot pepper sauce and sweet red pepper mixture; toss gently to coat. Spoon and pat into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Top each serving with a dollop of Sweet Pepper Sauce and serve.

Sweet Pepper Sauce: Heat in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper, green pepper, onion, water and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until very tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in cider vinegar, brown sugar and mustard seeds; cook over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.

Cajun Ribs

4 pounds pork back ribs
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon oregano

Cut ribs into serving-size pieces.

Combine seasonings together well and rub on all surfaces of ribs. Place ribs on covered grill over indirect heat and cook, turning every 15 minutes, for 1 1/2 hours.

Yield: 4 servings