Crab Stuffed Halibut

4-12 Ounce to 1 Pound Halibut Fillets
8 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Cup Onion chopped
1/3 Cup Celery chopped
1/3 Cup Red or Green Bell Pepper (or both)-Chopped
1 Pound Crab Meat
2 Cups day old bread crumbled
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon mayo
1 Tablespoon Parsley Chopped
1 Tablespoon Sherry
Dash Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Juice of 1 Lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat 4 tablespoon of the butter in a large iron skillet to just foaming on medium.
Add onion when butter foams, celery and bell peppers and cook until the onion gets soft, about 5 minutes.
Set aside and let cool and wipe out the skillet
Toss the veggies with the crab meat, bread, eggs, parsley, mayo and sherry in a large bowl, seasoning with a few dashes of salt and pepper.
Cut a slit with a knife into the halibut along the side, making a pocket for stuffing.
Stuff the halibut with the mixture.
Add some of the melted butter and the halibut to the skillet.
Mix the remaining melted butter with the lemon juice, garlic and pour it over the halibut.
Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve immediately, and add some of the sauce left in the pan.

Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

 2 tablespoons butter
 2 cloves garlic
 2 cups chopped onion
 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1 pound okra, chopped
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1 pound chicken thighs
 1 pound andouille sausage links
 2 cups water
 6 cups chicken broth
 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
 1 sprig fresh thyme
 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 1/2 teaspoon file powder (optional)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery and okra; cook and stir until vegetables are tender and just browned. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Brown the sausage in the skillet over medium heat. Remove from the pan to drain on paper towels. Drain the sausage fat from the skillet, and pour in the vegetable oil to heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, and cook for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Remove chicken from the pan, and place on paper towels to drain, leaving the oil in the pan.

Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a deep brown color. This should take about 30 minutes.
Stir 2 cups of water into the roux, and add the onion, garlic and peppers. Set the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer over low heat. Cut the chicken into cubes, and add to the broth along with the sausage. Simmer for about 1 hour.

Add the shrimp to the gumbo, and season with thyme, parsley, salt, cayenne pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the file powder.

Serve with rice

Smothered Turkey Wings

6 turkey wings

  1 tablespoon salt

  1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

  1 teaspoon garlic powder

  1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

  1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  2 tablespoons of flour

 1/2 cup butter

 2 celery ribs, chopped

 1/2 medium onion, chopped

 1 small bell pepper,chopped

 1 teaspoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

 7 tablespoons flour

 3-6 cups turkey or chicken broth

 2 cups milk

 Heat the cooking oil in a medium pot.

 Thoroughly wash and dry turkey wings. Stir together 2 Tablespoons of flour salt, pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and onion powder in a medium bowl. Toss turkey wings into the bowl to lightly coat evenly.

Fry the wings in the oil, over medium heat, turning, until they are just brown on both sides.

 Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven; add celery, bell pepper and onion; cook over medium-low heat until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme and pepper, cook 1 minute add flour stirring constantly, until light brown, about 5 minutes; slowly whisk in half the broth.

 4 Heat liquid to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20 minutes slowly whisk in milk and stir constantly until sauce returns to a simmer. Add the wings and cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour adding more broth if necessary. Ground dried chili pepper can be added to the wing seasoning and the sauce if you want.

Smokey Duck Gumbo

3 smoked ducks

8 quarts water

2 large onions quartered

4 stalks celery quartered

3 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic diced

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil ducks in a large pot along with all ingredients above. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours until flavor is achieved. Remove ducks and de-bone. Chill the stock and reserve.

1 1/4cups flour

1 cup oil

2 cups sliced Andouille Sausage

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green pepper

5 cloves garlic minced

1 bunch chopped parsley

4 quarts duck stock

1/2 cup favorite red wine

Salt, black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon red pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 tablespoons Tabasco

In a large heavy pot make a dark roux with oil and flour . Add all vegetables and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Add stock, wine and seasonings then simmer for 30 minutes.

Add duck and sausage, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for 1 hour. Taste for seasoning and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Serve over rice and sprinkle with Chives. I also serve a side of fried orka and crusty bread.

Crab and Shrimp Stew

This recipe was shown to me when I spent my summers in Loxley, Alabama as a youngster. I always looked forward to going to the Bay to set out Crab traps and dragging a Shrimp net. The reason I call this a stew and not a gumbo is the lack of okra or file’. The owner of the boat we went out on was born in Norway and this was basically his recipe. I changed some of the spices as he gained the knowledge of making a roux and using the trinity from the Southern Coast. I am so glad that he took the time to teach the art of catching and cleaning the bounties the Bay.

1 dozen crabs, scalded

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (heads and shells reserved)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped bell peppers

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 bay leaves

Salt and cayenne to taste

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup cream

Cooked rice for serving

To scald the crabs wash them in clean running water. Drop in boiling water. You don’t want to leave them in the hot water too long — just until they start to turn light pink, since all you want to do is keep them from biting you as you process them.

Pull the backs off the crabs, and clean out the dead man fingers, lungs and centers of the crabs. If there is any fat in the crabs, scoop it out with your fingers and put in a small bowl. Crack the claws, but do not remove the shells. Break the crab bodies in half. Set aside.

Peel and devein the shrimp. Put the heads and shells in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the oil and flour in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a dark brown roux. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the bay leaves.

Strain the shrimp stock. You should have 4 to 5 cups of stock. Add enough water to make 6 cups. Add to the roux mixture and stir to blend. Season the stock with salt and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the reserved crab bodies (and any reserved crab fat) and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the lump crabmeat, shrimp, butter and cream. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the parsley stir well and taste for seasoning. If you needed to add more seasoning, return to low for about 5 min. so the flavors can marry.  

 Serve hot with rice in bowls.

Creamy Seafood Sauce

1/4 lb butter (melted)

1 medium diced green bell pepper

1 small diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

Tabasco, Cajun seasoning

1 quart heavy whipping cream

2 lbs small shrimp (peeled, beheaded, deveined) cleaned crab or crawfish tails

1/4 cup chopped green onions.

2 1/2 Tbs  blonde roux

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

 Put first 5 ingredients into medium sauce pan.

 Saute on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until vegetables are translucent (stirring occasionally)

 Add whipping cream to mixture and simmer for 10 minutes. (Stirring occasionally not to stick)

 Rinse and drain shrimp well, Add to mixture, cook for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp are cooked.

(If using crab or crawfish, these are already cooked)

Add green onion.  Add roux to mixture and stir well and Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add parmesan and mix well.  Taste for seasoning  and simmer 3 minutes

 Now sauce is ready to serve over cooked pasta, grilled fish, or steak.

Crawfish Pie

1/2 stick of real butter

1/2 cup of chopped green bellpeppers

1/2 cup of chopped celery

1 small onion chopped

2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 cup of canned tomatoes that are chopped

1 lb. of fresh Louisiana crawfish tails

2 teaspoons of chopped parsely

2 tablespoons of flour

1 cup of 1/2 water and crean mixture

1 pie crust (Frozen or your own recipe)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over a medium heat.

To the melted butter, add the onions, celery, bell pepper, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onions are a golden color.

Add the tomatoes and cook for another 7 minutes, stirring ocasionally.

Add the parsley and the crawfish, and cook for another 5 minutes.

In a seperate bowl, dissolve the flour into the water and cream. Add this mixture to the skillet. Stir this for about 4 minutes until it thickens.

Pour the ingredients that are in the skillet into a cool bowl. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Place the pie crust onto a 9" pie pan. Crimp the edges.

Pour the mixture from the cool bowl into the pie pan.

Place the pie on a baking sheet and into the oven.

Cook in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the edges are goelden brown.

Artichoke Tart

8-12 artichoke hearts

1/8 stick of butter

1 cup sweet onion chopped

1/4 cup red bell pepper, small diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon thyme

4 eggs

1 teaspoon creole mustard

1 teaspoon creole seasoning

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese

1 cup grated cheddar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced green onion

frozen pie crust thawed.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in for ten minutes while crust is baking.

Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, thyme and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove both from heat and cool.

Roughly chop the artichokes. Whip the eggs in a large mixing bowl, and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Spread the mixture into the pie. Bake 30 minutes.

Let cool to room temp

Crock Pot Fajitas

1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak

1 large onion, quartered and sliced

1 sweet bell pepper, cut into thin slices

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped tomatoes

12 flour tortillas

Optional Toppings:

Sour cream, guacamole, shredded Mexican blend cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, sliced black olives, etc.

Cut flank steak into 6 portions. Combine meat, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt in slow cooker. Add tomatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours.

Remove beef from slow cooker and slice into bite size pieces. 

Return meat to slow cooker. Stir. For the fajitas, spread meat mixture onto warm flour tortillas and add your favorite toppings.

CWP's Country Captain

This is a new recipe that was just recently tested and proven by my Friend and Foodie, Jim Linton. Thanks for the Habanero addition!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped sweet onions

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 bay leaf

1/2 tablespoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

2- 12 oz  jars of roasted red peppers with liquid rough chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 habanero pepper, seeded, ribbed and chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Cooked long-grain white rice, as accompaniment

4 ounces toasted slivered almonds, for garnish

In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper and stir to blend. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking to remove any excess.

In a Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the pan. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, crushed red pepper and tomato paste. Cook stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic,habanero and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the roasted red peppers and their liquid, the chicken broth, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to blend and reduce the heat to medium. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Add the apricots and cook for 15 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve hot over the white rice. Garnish with the almonds and serve.

My Crawfish Etouffee

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1 lb. crawfish tails with fat

2 Slices bacon chopped

1/4 link Cajun sausage chopped fine

1 medium white onion, chopped

3/4 cup bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup celery, chopped

1 1/2 cups clam juice or stock made from shrimp heads and shells

1/2 cup cream

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

the green ends of 4 green onions, chopped

1 TBSP chopped parsely

1 TBSP Tabasco pepper sauce

Salt, white pepper and Creole or Cajun seasoning

Render copped bacon and sausage in a heavy Dutch Oven on medium until crispy. Remove on to a towel and add celery, bell peppers and onions and cook on low until tender. Remove Trinity and reserve in a bowl. Melt the butter on medium low in the Dutch oven and add flour and stir slowly until the flour reaches a reddish brown color. ( Think of the color of a penny)

Add garlic and the reserved Trinity and stir on low for one minute. Add the clam juice or stock and and turn the heat up to medium high and stay with it stirring until it comes to a slow bubbling boil. ( you will not know for sure how thick your roux will make the dish unless you follow this step.) Turn down the heat to low simmer.

At this point it is time to check thickness and season. If it is to thick just add a little water or clam juice/stock if you have any extra. Once you are satisfied with thickness, add the Tabasco pepper sauce and reserved bacon, sausage and crawfish stir for a minute or so. Taste at this point and add salt, pepper and seasoning spice small amounts at a time until you are satisfied with the flavors.

Add lemon juice, cream and half the green onions and stir on low for 3 minutes. re-taste for seasoning. turn off heat, cover and let the flavors marry for about five minutes.

While this is happening, I get out the bowls, slice some French bread and place under the broiler and find my Ice cream scoop and ladle. Buy time I find the scoop and ladle it's time to check the toast!

I place a heaping scoop of rice in the center of the bowls and ladle the Etouffee over the top. Since Etouffee means smothered or covered, be generous! Garnish with remaining green onions and parsley and serve with the toasted French bread.

For a Creole twist to the above recipe. I render the bacon and sausage in a separate skillet. When I add the Trinity to the drippings, I add a heaping Tbsp of tomato paste to it as well. I just add the garlic and Juice/Stock to this and stir well and add to the roux to thicken. The finished dish calls for a side of fried okra!

Crab and Shrimp stuffed Eggplant

3 Whole eggplants (medium size)

1/2 Pound Lump crab Meat

1/2 Pound medium shrimp peeled

1/4 Pound butter

2 Medium onions (chopped fine)

1/4 Cup parsley (chopped)

1 Stalk of celery (chopped fine)

3 cloves garlic (chopped fine)

2 bell peppers (chopped)

salt and Pepper to taste

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 Cup bread Crumbs

2 tsp. olive oil

Place whole eggplants in large pot with enough water to cover the whole eggplants, and simmer until they are soft. When soft remove from heat and cool in cold water. When cool, cut the eggplants in half and scrape the eggplant out. Be careful not to tear skin. Next sauté onions, celery, bell pepper in butter until soft. Here in the South this is called the Trinity. Add the eggplant meat that you scraped out and the garlic cook until all the liquid had evaporated. Add shrimp and cook about five minutes. Turn fire off and fold in crab meat and parsley and enough bread crumbs to give the mixture consistency. Fill the empty shells with the mixture and lightly spread bread crumbs on top and sprinkle the olive oil on top of each half eggplant, and bake in 350 degree oven for about twenty-five minutes.

Crawfish Dressing

1 large 12" skillet of crumbled cornbread

4 slices bacon chopped, rendered and drained on a paper towel

1⁄2 pound Conecuh Cajun smoked sausage , diced and removed from casing

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 pounds peeled crawfish tails in fat, chopped

2 green onions tops, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper,seeded and chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

6 leaves fresh sage chopped

2 tablespoons cajun seasoning

2 cups chicken stock

1 8 ounce bottle clam juice

1⁄2 cup heavy cream + 1 cap full of Zatarain's liquid crab boil (stir well)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Mix cornbread eggs and all liquid ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

    Brown sausage in a large skillet that you rendered bacon in over medium-high heat, add the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the crawfish and chopped sage cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the large mixing bowl of soaking cornbread

    Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir together until well combined. Spoon the dressing into a large greased casserole.

    Bake the dressing in a preheated 350-degree oven until it is firm and golden brown, 15 to 30 minutes. Tooth pick will come out clean like when you check a cake.

Deviled Crab

On the Gulf Coast, the crabs are not very large. I always added a dozen to shrimp or crawfish boils to make stuffed or deviled crab.

4 tablespoons butter + 12 pats

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons minced celery

2 tablespoons minced bell pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon cajun spice

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Pinch cayenne

1 bay leaf

12 boiled crabs, meat removed and top shell cleaned and reserved

2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves

1/4 cup minced green onions

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch ground black pepper

A dash or two of Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce, to taste

1/2 loaf stale French bread, cubed (about 3 cups)

1/2 fine dried bread crumbs, + about 2 tablespoons or so for topping shopping list

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups of the liquid used to boil crabs, strained

Preheat oven to 375

Add the 2 cups of liquid to the french bread to soak

In a large skillet heat the butter and, when it begins to foam, add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cajun spice, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. remove bay leaf and add to soaked bread and stir well

gently fold in the crab meat, parsley, green onions, egg, salt, cayenne, sage and black pepper, 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs, and the heavy cream into the soaked bread and veggies. Stir well to combine. Transfer the crab meat mixture to the cleaned crab shells and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining bread crumbs. Top each crab shell with a pat of butter and bake until golden brown and thoroughly heated, about 20 minutes. Serve Warm