Dinner Last Night - Gumbo!

Gumbo w/Chicken, Andouille, Okra & Shrimp

I know it's not really gumbo weather, but I can eat gumbo anytime!  I love gumbo!!  I'm so excited that we will be going to New Orleans again in July.  I love everything about New Orleans, especially the food!  There really isn't any good place to get gumbo here in LA, so the next best thing is making it at home.  I'm slowly getting better at making it too;o)  The first time I made it several years back I couldn't get the roux to get dark.  I read in one recipe that you need to cook it on low heat for about an hour and make sure to stir it all the time.  I cooked it for about 1 1/2 hours and the roux stayed a blondish color.  I called it my "White Gumbo" and it tasted pretty good, but just didn't have that nice rich flavor to it.  When I told someone that lives in LA, but was from NOLA about my gumbo they rolled their eyes and looked at me like I was an idiot...lol  I am much better at making gumbo now!   I still don't make it the traditional way, so I don't want anybody out there that is from New Orleans to roll their eyes at my gumbo because it's not authentic, I know it's not;o)

The Trinity...Celery, Onion & Bell Peppers

Fresh Okra

I usually just get frozen okra, but I couldn't find it at the store.  They had fresh okra instead!  What a nice surprise.  A lot of times when I find fresh okra it's too big and too woody and is the reason I get frozen.  This batch was the perfect size and texture!

Sauteing Trinity in Chicken Fat...

I started by seasoning the chicken parts from a whole chicken and then browned it.  For some reason all the chicken skin stuck to the bottom of the dutch oven.  I'm not sure what I did wrong because I do this all the time and usually don't have this problem.  I started with oil and then browned it.  The problem may have been that I didn't wait for the pan to get hot, but the second batch stuck too:o(  After taking the chicken out I added the trinity to it and that got all the nice flavors from the chicken and skin off the bottom! After everything was softened I set it aside.  It's seasoned with salt, pepper & some Creole Seasoning.  I just use the packaged Tony Chachere's seasoning. 

Sauteing Okra...

I like to saute the veggies first, so it gets the nice fond from the chicken parts.  I sauted the okra until it was softened and also set that aside.  I cleaned the dutch oven after that, so I'd have a nice clean pan for the roux.

After about 2 mins...

In Paul Prudhome's recipe he says to make the roux on high heat and be careful not to burn it or yourself because it's like liquid napalm.  I make mine on med-high heat now and make sure to constantly stir it.

After 6 mins...

Cooking it on med-high gets it cooking fast!  Nothing like that 1 1/2 hours I spent the first time I tried to make roux...lol

Done at 12 mins...

I always wonder how people come up with certain recipes. Who would think to add equal parts flour & oil and then keep cooking it until it looks like it's burning...lol  

Roux w/Trinity...

After the roux reaches the color I like, I turn off the heat and then add the veggies to it.  You need to be very careful at this stage because the roux starts bubbling and it also gets darker.  It's like you are deep frying the veggies!  I made sure to add just a little bit at a time and was careful about not adding any liquid in the beginning.

Roux, Chicken,  & Crab Stock

Even though I don't make a "seafood" gumbo I like to use seafood stock...lol  I like the flavor that the crab stock and chicken make.  I had frozen crab stock on hand from the last time I made crab.  The only problem is that I always forget that the stock is a little salty since I salt the water to cook the crab in.  I just end up adding more water at the end of cooking to make it less salty. This time I didn't even put crab meat in the gumbo;o)

After the trinity cooked in the roux I slowly added the warm stock and put the heat back on.  I then add all the chicken parts and a bay leaf and let it cook for about 45 mins.  I then take out the breasts & thighs and leave the rest to flavor the gumbo and cook for another hour or so.  I took the breasts & thighs off the bone and put the bones back into the gumbo.  I add the okra the last 30 mins.

Andouille Sausage

I don't like the Andouille to overcook, so I brown it separately and then add it right before serving.  I also do the same with the shrimp.

Shredded Chicken

I add the chicken & okra at the same time...about the last 30 mins of cooking...  At that time I fish out the wings, drumsticks & bones from thigh and throw them out.

Gumbo...Yum!!

I just used frozen shrimp for this.  I make sure to get the type that still has the shell on and is uncooked!

Gumbo served with Long Grain Rice & topped with chopped green onions and I love Jalapenos with everything!  

My favorite Jalapeno!

I used to be able to get these at the grocery store around here, but not anymore for some reason.  Trappey's used to be based in Louisiana, but I think they had troubles after Katrina, so they may have sold the company to B&G.  I also love Trappey's Hot Sauce.  The story is that he used to work for Tabasco and stole some of the chile pepper plants and then started his own company.  

I mail order the jalapenos by the case now from My Brands.  I think I pay more for shipping than for the actual jalapenos, but so worth it for me!  They have a nice crunch to them where most pickled jalapenos are too mushy.

http://mybrands.com/Product.aspx?pid=321

Nov 2009 - Lasagna, Pot Roast & Pot Roast Sandwich

Lasagna Terrine

I was at my brother-in-laws for dinner one night when he served lasagna. I love lasagna, who doesn't right?  I was telling him that I don't like making it because you have to make so much and usually I'm just cooking for just the two of us.  A little bit of leftovers are fine, but I don't want to have to eat the same thing for a week!  He showed me his Le Crueset Terrine dish and said I should use this...  Of course, he didn't gift his to me, so I went out and got one for myself;o)  It's the perfect depth and width for the lasagna noodles!

I've tried making lasagna with both Bechamel Sauce and Ricotta Cheese. I like it better with ricotta, I think it's because that's what I grew up with!  I used leftover shredded beef from a previous dinner to make this.  I freeze everything, so if I dig around in the freezer, I can always find something to make dinner with :o)

 Pot Roast

I don't really understand Pot Roast and don't usually make it.  Why do people prefer this over stew?  It seems very similar, but I know that pot roast is braised whole and sliced & stew is cubed.  Stew is also quicker and easier to make.  This did turn out well, but I think Pot Roast "sounds" better than it really is...lol

To make this I used Chuck Roast and braised it for about 3 hours.  I added sauteed onions & garlic at the beginning and then added carrots, celery & potatoes in the last hour of cooking, so they wouldn't get too mushy.

Pot Roast Sandwich

The main reason I had made the Pot Roast was to make this sandwich.  I saw an episode of Diners, Drive-ins  & Dives and saw a delicious sandwich at one of the featured restaurants.  It's always a hoot to watch Guy!  I liked the leftover sandwich better than the main meal ;o)

Dinner Tonight - Shrimp & Grits, Grits Cooked in a Rice Cooker!

I love my rice cooker, I love it because it makes such good rice!  I recently started making Brown Rice and this rice cooker has a GABA setting which germinates the rice and makes it healthier for you.  I bought a Rice Cooker Cookbook for my Kindle and it has recipes to make grits, polenta, porridge, soups, beans, oatmeal and a ton of other stuff.  I hadn't cooked anything from it yet, so I thought it was time and decided to make grits tonight!  

 Zojirushi Induction Rice Cooker

I bought this rice cooker about 2 years ago.  My husband thought I was crazy when he saw how much it cost...lol  I told him that it's worth it because I'd use it so much, I use it at least 4 days a week.  He's a convert now seeing that a good rice cooker + good  raw rice = a good meal :o)  

 Stone Ground Grits

I found these grits at Surfas in Culver City.  They sell restaurant equipment and hard to find foods.  The last time I was able to buy good quality Stone Ground Grits was in Hilton Head a few years back.  I was excited then that I was able to get it there, so I was overjoyed that I was able to buy it locally.  I love grits!

 Finished Grits in Rice Cooker

The grits were very easy to make in the rice cooker, but they took forever!  The cookbook said that you need to cook the grits in 2 cycles in either the Porridge setting if you have it or the regular setting if you don't. On mine, the Porridge cycle is about 1 hr 20 mins and you have to do that twice!  You also need to stir it about every 20 mins.  The good thing is, if you forget to stir it, it won't stick to the bottom like it would on the stove top.  I tasted it after the first cycle and the texture seemed to be good, so if I make it again in the rice cooker I'd only cook it once.  It uses less liquid than on the stove top, 1 cup grits and 3 cups water, I added a little bit of chicken bouillon (I know, fake & salty, but good if you just use a tad) & pepper.  During the second cycle it seemed a little dry, so I added a little bit more water then at the end, butter was added.

 Voila!

I don't know what the problem was with the camera tonight, but I just couldn't get it to take good pictures...please excuse the low quality photos tonight:o)  

I thought I had frozen seafood stock, but I didn't.  I only had pork, beef & chicken, so I decided to use the chicken and put the shells from the shrimp in it to get the shrimpy flavor to it.  I make all my own stocks, so I always have some in the freezer.  I didn't have any fresh shrimp, but I had some frozen uncooked ones that work out in a pinch!  

To make the sauce I chopped up and cooked bacon then used the grease to saute onions, celery, seasonings & garlic then deglazed the pan with some white wine.  Flour was then added to thicken it with the shrimp infused stock, a bit of heavy cream, bay leaf, the bacon bits and some chopped tomatoes. I then cooked it for about 20 mins then added cut up shrimp the last 5 mins, but I saved one whole shrimp for each serving as a garnish and sauteed those.  Butter was added to finish it and then served over the grits with the rest of the bacon.

Oct 2009 - Grilled Local Lobster & Lobster Sandwiches

We go up to Carpinteria, CA quite often.  It's about 20 mins south of Santa Barbara.  We are fortunate and thankful  because my husband's parents has a vacation place up there.  One of our favorite things to do when we are there is to have cocktails on the beach while we watch the sunset.  Our first toast always goes to Mom & Dad:o)  

I love when local lobster is in season  It goes from October thru March.  They are spiny lobsters without claws and are much bigger than Maine lobster.  We go to the Harbor in Santa Barbara and buy lobsters & crabs direct from the fisherman.  They are there most Saturday mornings and the pricing is affordable compared to regular markets.

 Par Boiled Lobster

This one was a 4 lber!  We par-boiled it first then hubby cut it in half.  It's too hard for me to cut it!  I may have boiled it a wee too much;o)  Then I slather it with claried butter and put it on the grill for a few more minutes. 

Local Spider Crab

We also got a local Spider Crab or they also call them Sheep Crab.  I made a Crab Bisque out of it, but don't have any pictures of it:o(  It looks huge, but they were only about 2 1/2 lbs each...we got two of them.  I actually prefer the Local Rock Crab.  It tastes like Stone Crab from Florida.  I've actually seen on menus describing them as "local Stone Crab", which is a laugh because they charge exorbitant prices when you can get them from the fisherman for $2.50 a lb!  The Spider Crab didn't have much meat in it and the shell was hard to crack!

 Grilled Spiny Lobster

 Lobster Sandwich

I made sandwiches with the leftovers.  It has a little onion, celery & mayo in it on toasted garlic bread.

 The Crab Man

We got there a little late, so everything was back in the traps.  They usually have them in huge containers filled with water.  Sometimes they have a kiddie pool that has little shark or octopus swimming in it :o)

 View from Brophy Bros.

It's so beautiful in Santa Barbara!  Can you believe this was taken in October!  Our ritual is to buy the crab/lobster then go to Brophy Bros for lunch which is just a few feet from the fishermen.  This is the view from the restaurant.  We love sitting outside and have a Bloody Mary!  Our favorite things to eat there are:  steamed clams, clam chowder, oysters on the half shell & their cheeseburgers are the best!

Another View from Brophy Bros

The truck is the fishermen packing up to leave...

Dinner Tonight - Turkey Chili

 Ground Turkey Chili

It has sauteed onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce & spices. I actually put in left over Pico de Gallo I had made before.   I used a Masa Slurry to thicken it up.  I used turkey that was a mix of dark & white meat, I think all breast would have been to dry.  So the turkey doesn't get too mushy and over cooked, I added half the turkey to the chili mix and cooked it covered for 1 hour then added chunks of the rest of it and cooked it for another 40 mins uncovered.  The base recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated.  Since I've been so busy working on this blog, I forgot to soak the beans, so no beans in this chili;o)

I liked this chili, but I much prefer beef & pork in it, but it's good to try to be healthy sometimes.  Maybe next time I will try using Soyrizo!

 The condiments...

Oct 2009 - Roast Chicken, Stroganoff, & Green Chile Burger

Simple Roast Chicken

Hubby helps sometimes with my food photos and this is one of the first ones we did, so it's not perfect!  I'm too lazy to truss the legs of the chicken, I figure it doesn't make that much of a difference in cooking and taste :o)  I like to roast chicken and then save the bones to make stock later, it gives it such a nice rich taste!

The veggies were:  Zucchini, Celery, Carrots & Mushrooms.  I'd never used mushrooms before, but they turned out pretty well!  I love that you can roast just about any type of veggie that you like.

 Beef Stroganoff

I don't remember the cut of beef I used for this Stroganoff.   I usually use Chuck for all my braised dishes, but  it could be one of the Omaha Steaks that my hubby gets for Xmas every year from one of his vendors :o)  So, it could be Sirloin.  Sorry that I'm not too helpful :o(

I love everything on rice...

He loves everything on noodles...

I served this with Corn Off The Cob and Zucchini.  When I was looking at Straganoff recipes, I found that some people put Tomato Paste or Brown Sugar in it.  It didn't sound that good to me, has anybody ever tried it that way?  I basically just use onion, garlic, butter,  flour, home made beef stock, beef, mushrooms and sour cream.  I add peas to it sometimes too.

Posting food on Facebook really helped me get out of my food rut at the time.  It made me be a little bit more creative and therefore, didn't make the same dish for about 2 months!    That's pretty good since I cook at least 5 times a week!

Green Chile Cheese Burgers

I like to grind my own meat for certain dishes.  I love my meat grinder that Hubby got for me one Xmas!!  For the burgers, I ground Chuck with a little bit of Pork Shoulder then saved the pork scraps to make stock later....I can be frugal;o)

The Green Chiles were Pasilla, Anaheim & Jalapenos which I roasted, peeled, chopped then sauteed with onions, garlic & seasonings.

I couldn't quite duplicate the delicious Green Chile Burgers that we had in Santa Fe, but these were pretty good.  Actually, the leftovers tasted great!  Sometimes eating a meal after all the time cooking doesn't taste as good as it should ;o)

I should have made it a little bit more rare...

The fries were just ok.  I can't make the perfect crispy fries yet.  I double fry them too.  Sometimes they turn out well if I freeze it after the first fry...

Sep 2009 - Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie

From September 2009

Again, this is made from leftovers. This time I had made ground beef tacos and used the leftover cooked meat from it. I love to use leftovers and try to come up with a completely different dish.

This was my first attempt at making Tamale Pie, (I know, very retro) I'd never even eaten it before, only had heard about it! It was supposed to be a double crust...one on the bottom and one on the top, but the one on the bottom just stuck to the bottom of the casserole dish. I can admit my failures too;o)