Rockefeller Salad

3 eggs
1 10 oz package of Mr. Pete’s Seasoned Cajun Oyster Fry
20 oysters, shucked
1 pound baby spinach
1/2 pound mixed greens
8 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled

For Vinaigrette
2 egg yokes
1/4 cup blue cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon chives, chopped
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
black pepper, to taste

Separate two of the egg yokes from the whites.

In a food processor or steel bowl and whisk, beat the egg yokes, 1/4 cup of the blue cheese and Dijon. Slowly emulsify the oil into the egg mixture. When it begins to look creamy, add the lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk, pepper, and herbs. Set aside.

Whip the egg whites in a bowl. Dip the oysters in the egg whites, then into the seasoned flour mixture.

Deep fry in oil at 375ºF for about 1-2 minutes or until crispy.

Toss the mixed greens and spinach with the vinaigrette. Top with the fried oysters, bacon, and Parmesan cheese.

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.

SHRIMP AND EGGPLANT FRITTERS

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup onions

1/2 pound small Gulf White shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

3 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cups milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 cups solid vegetable shortening

creole seasoning

 Season the eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne. Heat the two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the eggplant until slightly soft, about two to three minutes.

    Add the onions and saute for about three minutes. Add the shrimp and saute until the shrimp turn pink. Remove and set aside to cool.

 Combine the eggs, milk, baking powder, and the remaining one teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating until the batter is smooth. Add the eggplant and shrimp mixture and fold to mix.

    Heat the shortening in a deep pot or deep fryer to 360 deg. Drop the batter, a heaping tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil. When the fritters pop to the surface, roll them around in the oil to brown them evenly. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with creole seasoning and serve immediately. Makes about 2 dozen.

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.

Stuffed Alligator Pears

Alligator Pears, also known as Miritons or Chayote squash are great for stuffing.

4 mirlitons

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup Trinity finely chopped (onion, bell pepper, celery)

1/2 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and chopped

1/2 pound claw crab meat

1 bunch scallions, thinly diced

1/2 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

4 slices precooked bacon chopped.

salt and pepper

cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve mirlitons lengthwise. Cook them until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes, in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove seed and discard. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, preserving the shell. Coarsely chop the flesh.

Measure out and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt remaining butter. Add Trinty and cook until translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mirliton and toss to coat. Stir in shrimp and cook until just pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in crab meat, scallions, 1/4cup of the bread crumbs and the Bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the shells on a baking sheet and fill with the stuffing. Sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with reserved butter and shake a small amount of Cayenne on each for taste and presentation . Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until heated through.

BREAD DUNKING GARLIC SHRIMP

2 dozen shrimp peeled and cleaned, tail on.

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic shopping list

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 cup cream

1/4 lb. unsalted butter

1 tsp. Worcesterhsire

1/2 c. shrimp stock (or vegetable stock)

1/4 c. Shock top or other citrus infused beer, room temperature

Rinse shrimp in cold water; drain. Combine stick of butter, Worcestershire, garlic, and seasonings in skillet. When butter is melted, add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes, shake pan instead of stirring. (Do not over cook.) Add cream and stock. Cook for 2 minutes, shake pan. Add beer, cook 1 minute. Serve in bowls with shrimp around the edge like a cocktail. Divide the cooking liquid evenly and serve with lots of Buttered and Toasted French bread for dunking. This recipe is a starter for 4 people.

Boiled Crawfish

1 (35-pound) sack live crawfish

1 (12-ounce) bottle Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 large jar of favorite Salsa

2 (26-ounce) boxes of rock or sea salt

4 ounces Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab Boil liquid concentrate

3 ounces cayenne pepper

2 bags small new potatoes,

4 -6 yellow onions, cut in half

1 bulb garlic, crushed

2 dozen ears of corn, shucked and halved

4 large lemons, halved

Find out if your crawfish have been purged. If they haven’t, soak in fresh water for 10 minutes (some people say you need to salt—you don’t).

While you’re waiting, fill an 80-quart pot (fitted with a strainer insert) halfway with water and bring to a boil over a large outdoor burner over high heat. Add hot sauce, salt, Zatarain’s, and cayenne pepper and Salsa. Taste the water, if the water taste good so will the Crawfish.

Water will seem too salty but that is a good thing.

Add potatoes and onions to the pot. (No need to peel the taters.) Boil for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cover a table with newspapers, for serving the crawfish.

Add the corn and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the live crawfish, lemons and cook for 5 minutes, turn off heat and let set for 15 minutes, Remove from pot and dump them out on the prepared table.  Remember a recipe like this is just a bases. Feel free to add any ideas. I add a good sausage to some boils.

Oyster Stew

It's getting chilly enough for me to start craving this dish!

2 slices bacon, diced

1/2 cup butter

1 medium onion diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tablespoons flour

salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 pinch cayenne

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice

1/4 cup dry sherry or a dry white wine

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 pint shucked oysters, with their liquor

few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

Saute diced bacon in a non-stick soup pot over low heat until rendered.

Add butter and heat until melted. Add onions, celery and garlic and continue to cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste, pinch of cayenne, thyme and flour, whisking steadily to make a roux. you want this to be light so don't cook to long as it will get darker. Slowly whisk in clam juice, whisking until smooth, then sherry, whisking until smooth. Whisk in cream, whisking until smooth, then whisk in evaporated milk, whisking until smooth.

Raise heat slightly, stir while bringing just until it starts to boil, then lower heat and whisk until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Note: you never know how thick a roux makes a dish until it comes to a boil.

Stir in oysters with their liquor, several dashes of Worcestershire sauce and the chopped parsley. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until oysters curl at the edges indicating they are heated through. 

I serve this with oyster crackers or toasted French Bread.