JAMBALAYA
Yield 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1/4 small bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1/2 rib celery, diced
- 1/4 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 white onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup thinly-sliced okra
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat 1/4 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and sausage and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned.
- Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the stock pot.
- Add bell pepper, celery, jalapeño, onion and garlic.
- Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so along the way so that the rice does not burn.
- Add the shrimp, okra, and stir to combine.
- Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink.
- Stir in the chicken and sausage, and remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Taste season the jambalaya with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed.
- Remove from heat.
- Serve warm with your desired garnishes.
Mardi Gras King Cake
Servings:16 servings, 2 cakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ⅔ cup warm water (110 degrees F)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs for egg wash
FILLING:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup melted butter
- FROSTING:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions
- Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
- When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Make Filling:
- Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
- Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With a sharp knife make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners’ sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
French Baguettes
Makes 2 baguettes
Ingredients
- 1 cup water at 100 degrees
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions
- Place 1 cup water, sugar, and yeast into a bowl and gently stir to dissolve yeast
- Allow mixture to sit until bubbly around 10 minutes.
- Mix flour and salt together.
- In a bowl combine flour mixture and yeast mixture to form a dough. Knead for about two minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in lightly greased bowl.
- Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
- Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8×12 inch rectangles.
- Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
- Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Roasted Corn and Pepper Maque Choux
Yield Serves : 8
Ingredients
- 8 cups of corn
- 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 medium scallions, white and tender green parts thinly sliced
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Brush the corn with the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap each ear in foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, then unwrap the corn and, working over a bowl, cut the kernels from the cobs.
- In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, cook the bacon over moderately low heat, stirring, until it’s lightly crisp and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the corn, bacon and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the cream, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens and coats the corn, about 8 more minutes. Stir in the sliced scallions and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
