Shrimp Creole and Shrimp Creole Bubba

recipe soon to follow.....

Pan-seared Scallops with Avocado Kiwi Salsa and Couscous

            For the salsa (needs to be chilled an hour before the rest of the recipe is followed):

• 1-2  avocados depending on size
• 2  kiwis
• 1/4  cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4  cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1  seeded, finely chopped jalapeno
• 1  tbsp chopped cilantro or mint
•  juice of one lemon
•  salt and pepper to taste

             Chop avocados and kiwi into quarter to half inch cubes. Combine in mixing bowl. Add red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro or mint, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Lightly toss, cover with plastic wrap, place in fridge.

             For the scallops:

• 1 1/2  pounds sea scallops

• 2  tbsp olive oil

• salt and pepper

             Add oil to pan over medium-high heat. Allow oil to get hot, add scallops, cook two to four minutes each side, or until golden brown. Remove and salt and pepper to taste. Place on a plate.            

             For the couscous:

•  follow the recipe on the box, where else does couscous come from :)

             To plate: 

•  Lay base layer of couscous, top with three scallops,  add salsa.

Smothered Pork Bubba

Pork and sauce: • 1 1/2 pound thinly sliced pork loin • 2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper • 1 medium onion • 3 stalks celery • 2 medium carrots (peeled, quartered, chopped) • pint of cherry tomatoes • 1 dozen baby bella mushrooms • 1 bunch green onion • 6 cloves garlic (minced) • 3 cups beef stock • 3 tbsp olive oil • 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce • salt, pepper, hot sauce (all to taste) Dredge pork in seasoned flour, fry gently in a pan (we used a countertop fryer). In a dutch oven, cast iron pot, what have you, add olive oil, onions, celery, garlic, and whites from the green onions. Sauté for ten minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. Sauté for another eight to ten minutes. Add pork. Allow mixture to thicken.

Add beef stock, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Bring heat to low. Let simmer for an hour to two hours.

Chop remainder of green onion, add while simmering, turn off stove. This part of the recipe is ready. Cook and serve over rice.

To make anything in the southern "bubba" style, serve over cornbread or biscuits.

Colby Cheese & Corn Chowder with Eggplant Zucchini Cakes

• This recipe is one from the cookbook Cuisine: Soups, Stews & Chilies. The crabcakes have been changed to be eggplant zucchini cakes. It's a healthy take on a sumptuous meal. Colby Cheese and Corn Chowder: 5 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 cups diced onion 1 cup diced celery 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 6 cups chicken broth 2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced 5 cups kerneled frozen corn 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup shredded white Colby Jack -- minced fresh green onions as needed • Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp (about 5 minutes). Drain onto a paper-towel lined plate and set to the side. Pour off drippings, wipe out the pot used with a paper towel, and return to medium burner. • Melt butter with oil in the same pot, add onion and celery. Continue to sweat (comparable to sauté) until soft, which will be 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in the flour, thyme, salt, and cayenne. Cook for two minutes. • Combine broth, potatoes, and corn kernels. Bring chowder to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, around eleven minutes. • Stir in cream, Colby Jack, and reserved bacon. Simmer until cheese melts, about five minutes, but do not let the chowder boil, else it will curdle. Use green onions as garnish. Egglplant Zucchini Cakes: 2 cups Panko crumbs 2 cups shaved zucchini 1 cup shaved eggplant 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup minced green onions 1 tsp. Zatarain's seasoning 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 large egg Juice of 1/2 of a lemon 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided • Line baking sheet with wax paper. Sprinkle with a quarter cup of the Panko bread crumbs. • Combine the eggplant, zucchini, 1//2 cup of Panko crumbs, bell pepper, green onions, Zatarain's, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together mayonnaise, egg, and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Fold into a crab-like mixture. • Form into cakes using a generous amount. Press the cakes into the crumbs to flatten and shape. Sprinkle with remaining Panko bread crumbs. Chill for half an hour, or up to a couple of hours if necessary.

• Fry half the cakes in a few tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium to high heat until golden. Just a few minutes per side. Drain cakes on a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat til all cakes are cooked. Bon Appetite!

A Preview, Friends.

This will be an exciting year. We hope we can reach the kitchens who have not heard of the cajun genre of food, or are nervous to try it. Any questions can be directed to us, and we will enjoy answering them.

This all started with the most brilliant cajun cook I know (though he'd never admit it), and my penchant to take pictures when he invites me over to keep him company.

I hope I can provide proper history, pointers, and traditions as we go. There's much to share, and we look forward to it.