New Orleans-Style Barbequed Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds colossal shrimp, EZ-peel type (deveined and shells split down the back)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®) (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chicken stock
lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste
2 dashes hot sauce, or to taste
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into chunks
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh rosemary for garnish

Directions:

1.Peel shrimp and place in a mixing bowl; set shrimp shells aside in a saucepan.

2.Drizzle vegetable oil over shrimp and season with black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and seafood seasoning. Mix shrimp to coat with spices and cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate shrimp to absorb flavors, at least 1 hour.

3.Place reserved shrimp shells in a saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon butter; cook and stir until shells are pink and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in chicken stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low; simmer until shrimp shells have given off their flavor, 20 to 30 minutes.

4.Strain shrimp stock through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Stir to combine.

5.Place a large skillet over high heat until pan is very hot; sear shrimp in the very hot, dry pan until shrimp are browned, about 1 minute per side.

6.Stir 3 tablespoons cold butter, garlic, and minced rosemary into shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp are opaque in the middle and garlic is fragrant, 1 minute. Pour in shrimp stock.

7.Transfer shrimp from skillet to a bowl, using a slotted spoon; reserve sauce in skillet. Bring sauce to a boil and cook until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Return shrimp to pan, reduce heat to low, and warm through, about 1 minute. Serve shrimp drizzled with pan sauce; garnish with a rosemary sprig.

+8

Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients:

Spice Blend:
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cups chicken stock, or as needed 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dash hot sauce, or more to taste salt to taste
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 cups cooked rice, or to taste

Directions:

1.Whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl.

2.Drain shrimp in a colander for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels and dry shrimp for about 3 minutes. Remove paper towels from the bowl and season shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend. Toss to coat shrimp with the spice blend.

3.Heat vegetable oil a large heavy skillet over high heat until oil is smoking hot. Cook shrimp in the hot oil without stirring for 1 minute; stir, and cook 1 minute more.

4.Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until juice forms in the bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups, adding more chicken stock if necessary.

5.Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Saute onion, celery, and green pepper in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in remaining spice blend.

6.Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture and saute until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Whisk stock into vegetable mixture, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Season with salt to taste.

7.Stir shrimp into etouffee sauce; let simmer until shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent, about 1 minute.

8.Garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper. Pour over rice in large, shallow bowls.

Cajun Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, chopped
2/3 c. corn (frozen and defrosted or canned)
1 1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1.In a large skillet, heat about ½ tablespoon olive oil over medium. Add onion and bell peppers and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and corn and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.

2.Add remaining olive oil to the pan. Add shrimp in a single layer and season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Cook until no longer pink, about 1-2 minutes per side.

3.Add vegetables and lemon juice and toss until combined. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Roasted Split Turkey Breast with Cajun Spices

What You'll Need:

1 large carrot
1 rib celery
1 small red onion
1 split turkey breast, about 3 pounds
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon Creole or  Cajun spice blend or seasoning
salt and freshly ground black pepper*

How to Make It:

1.Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the turkey breast. Heat the oven to 350° F (180° C/Gas 4).

2.Cut the carrot and celery into chunks; peel and slice the onion. Put the vegetables in the prepared baking dish.

3.Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry with paper towels. Place on the vegetables, skin side up.

4.Combine the melted butter and Cajun seasoning.

5.Rub the mixture all over the top and sides of the turkey breast. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6.Roast for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the meat registers 165° F in the thickest part of the breast (not touching bone).  Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before carving.

7.Make 1/2 recipe of the Easy Turkey Gravy (or the whole recipe if using two split breasts) to go along with the turkey breast, if desired. If the drippings don't add enough flavor, add a little chicken base or bouillon granules. Or, use a jar of turkey gravy or make it from a packet.

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Catfish

What You'll Need:

2 to 3 catfish fillets
For Marinade:
1/3 cup (80 mL) ketchup
1/4 cup (60 mL) red wine vinegar
3 tablespoon (45 mL) horseradish
1 tablespoon (15 mL) brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (10 mL) fresh basil, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) black pepper

How to Make It:

1. Place catfish in a shallow dish. Mix together sauce ingredients and pour over catfish fillets. Cover and allow to marinate for 30 to 45 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Remove fillets from the dish, discard marinade.

3. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Place fillets on grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes (or until internal temperature reaches 145 to 150 degrees F), turning once.

4. Once cooked, remove fish from heat and serve with your favorite side dishes.

NOTES-These catfish are marinated in a delicious sweet and spicy mixture, grilled hot and fast, and served with your favorite sides like grilled vegetables and rice or a delicious potato salad and grilled corn. Either way, you'll have a fantastic meal.

Cajun-Style Spiced Pork Chops

What You'll Need:

4-6 center cut bone-in pork chops (about 2-2-1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon/15 mL paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons/12.5 mL salt
1 teaspoon/5 mL each onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne
3/4 teaspoon/3.75 mL each white pepper, black pepper, dried thyme, oregano

How to Make It:

1.Mix all ingredients except pork and store in an airtight container. Rub chops with the rub.

2.Prepare medium-hot fire and grill chops over indirect heat for 5-6 minutes on each side. Chops are ready when the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. (75 degrees C.), as measured with an instant-read thermometer.

Cajun Grilled Salmon

What You'll Need:

4 6-ounce salmon fillets or 2 6-ouce salmon steaks
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, use more or less to your liking

How to Make It:

1. Combine seasoning ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well. Place salmon fillets on a large plate or in a baking is. Rub with Cajun seasoning, turn and season the other side. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

2. Preheat grill for medium-heat. Oil grill grates well with a high smoke point oil folded paper towel and large outdoor cooking tongs. Make at least three passes across the grates.

This will create a non-stick surface so the fish does not become stuck on the grates and break.

3. Remove salmon from dish and place onto the grill. Grill salmon fillets for about 4 to 5 minutes per side for fillets, 6-8 minutes for salmon steaks. Be extremely careful and quite gentle when flipping the fish.  I suggest using two metal spatulas for this process. Remove once internal temperature at thickest part of fish reaches 145 degrees F.

4. Salmon steaks tend to have a large bone piece right in the center.  Once cooked through, place fish onto a large cutting board and let stand for 2-3 minutes.  If serving whole, use a small pair of tongs and extract bone piece.  Remove any small bones left behind and serve.


NOTE-This Cajun Grilled Salmon Recipe gives one of our favorite fish a bit of heat and a lot of flavors. This salmon can be served as the main attraction or grilled up and used in tacos. This is the recipe for you if you love Cajun spices!

Shrimp Étouffée

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Reserved shells from 2 pounds large shrimp (see below)

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons thyme leaves, finely chopped

3 dried bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved

2 tablespoons Crystal hot sauce, plus more for serving

6 large scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt

Steamed rice and lemon wedges, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.MAKE THE SHRIMP STOCK In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp shells and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until pink and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the vegetables have softened about 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep, covered, for 30 minutes longer. Strain the stock into a heatproof bowl through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Wipe out the pot.

2.PREPARE THE ÉTOUFFÉE In the same pot, melt the butter over moderately high heat until foaming. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, celery salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and slightly darkened about 3 minutes. Stir in the celery and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly softened.

3.Add the shrimp stock in 3 batches, stirring well after each addition. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, the 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and three-fourths of the scallions and cook just until the shrimp are pink throughout 3 to 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve with steamed rice, passing lemon wedges and hot sauce at the table.

MAKE AHEAD

The shrimp stock can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

Chicken Creole

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, minced
2 (16 ounces) cans diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 4 minutes). Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook this Creole sauce 3 minutes longer, stirring often.

3.Arrange the chicken breasts in an 8 x 11-inch baking dish. Pour the Creole sauce over the chicken.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken, is tender and white throughout.

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dry kidney beans

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 stalks celery, chopped

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced

4 cups water

2 cups long grain white rice

DIRECTIONS:

1.Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.

Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

2.Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. 

3.Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.