Hot Boil!

Happy Labor Day Weeekend!  It sure was a beautiful night in Tiger Stadium!

     I love being around family and friends.  LSU football kicked off this weekend and I was blessed to catch a ride with my friends Scott and Dayna.  LSU won and the weekend tailgate went really well!  I was even able to meet one of my Puerto Rican cousins who pitches for Southern University.  Always great seeing my Louisiana peeps!

     On the ride back, we stopped in West Lake to pick up some shrimp from one of Scott's relatives.  If ever given the opportunity to buy fresh shrimp, DO IT!  I bought 10 pounds to boil for the holiday despite being a little tired from the weekend.  It was worth it!

First you need the set up: Propane burner and pot large enough to house potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, lemons, corn, sausage, shrimp, and whatever other stuff you deem fit.  I usually add artichokes, soy beans, and asparagus. And will sometimes boil a ham. Get creative.

Fill your pot a little less than 3/4 full of water.  Add the appropriate amount of shrimp boil and seasonings.  Add potatoes, onions, garlic, artichoke, lemons, and mushrooms .  Bring to a boil for 20 minutes.  

Add your shrimp to the pot.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Cut off fire and add corn, sausage, soy beans, and asparagus.  Let soak for at least 20 minutes.   Pull them out and spread them on a table for all to enjoy.  Pinch em, peel em, and eat em!

Happy Plates!

Shrimpy Isaac

I can only imagine how the shrimp handles the hurricane.  As humans, we can be hard-headed and reluctant to evacuate from the path of danger.  I hope everyone in the storms path is hunkered down and prepared for soon-to-be "Hurricane" Isaac.

A while back I took a week off work and had the opportunity to go down to the gulf for a day with my friend Alyssa.  I attempted to fish but we spent most of the day hanging out and enjoying the breeze.  One the way back we picked up some fresh gulf shrimp to grill up. (I owe her some!)

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.

large gulf shrimp

the mix of stuff

wrap them in love

put them on skewers

put em on the fire and slap dat sauce on dem

On the side, salad with blue cheese dressing, fruit salad with homegrown cantaloupes, and artisan bread from Kroger (whole garlic gloves)

Happy Plates.  

And may you be safe from the storm!

Food Therapy

Food Therapy is not sitting in front of the TV while gorging yourself with absurd amounts of chocolate, or ice cream, or both.  Food Therapy is feeling the sharp blade slide through the holy trinity of vegetables as you try to forget the chaos from the day.  It's methodically mapping out which ingredients to combine in order to make a divine meal worthy of forgiving all the madness of our human existence.  Food Therapy is recognizing the connection between our nutritional needs and spiritual hunger.  For me, cooking takes on a much more powerful meaning than something to fill your gut with.  For me, cooking soothes the soul and awakens my inner peaceful spirit.  That is unless...Chew Eat Yet?

After an eventful day with 75 sixth graders from (Blessed) JPII, I was more than ready to get into the kitchen for some food therapy.  Using some leftover crawfish tails from our 24 Hour Famine Crawfish Boil, I decided to make Crawfish (and Shrimp)  Étouffée.

The Recipe (for a 5 gallon pot)
As many pounds of peeled crawfish tails (or shrimp) as possible (roughly 5 lbs)
3 Bell Peppers
3 Large Onions
6 Tomatoes
2 Lemons (Juiced)
6 Celery Stocks
5 Garlic Cloves (minced)
2 cans of Rotel HOT
2 can tomato sauce
2 cans secret stuff (tweet at me for the secret)
1 stick of butter
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Dice the vegetables.

In your pot, add 1/3 cup oil and turn on medium/high heat.  Add flour and stir continuously until the flour browns.  This is your roux.  Be sure not to burn it.  Add the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic and cook this mixture down.  Add butter and cook until vegetables are "clear" or "soft".  Add roughly chopped tomatoes and lemon juice.  Allow this to mix well.  Then add ROTEL, sauce and secret cans.  I will call the secret "Mayonnaise" but like I said, you can tweet at me, email me, facebook me, call me, skype me.....anyways.  Mix this for a while.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Once this comes to a boil, add your crawfish tails. or shrimp, or oyster, or whatever you want really.  once again, salt and pepper to taste.  Served over rice.

Happy Plates!