I’ve been thinking back fondly on our Cajun adventure and decided to put my own twist on the famed Crawfish Étouffée. I normally don’t like to gush about my own cooking, but I’d happily put my bowl of mudbugs up against many of the dishes I tried in the Crescent City. In short, I make a mean ass Étouffée and here’s how it’s done.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 1/2 cups fish stock (you can substitute chicken broth, shrimp stock, lobster stock or even water)
• 1 pound crawfish tails
• 1/2 large lemon squeezed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• Cooked long grain white rice

Preparation:
1. In a large, deep saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to take on the consistency of peanut butter. You’ll know it’s ready for the veggies when you smell a nutty flavor. (Note: These rouxs are often referred to as “peanut butter rouxs”). Add a teaspoon of cayenne and some of the Cajun seasoning.

2. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the roux. Keep cooking and stirring until the vegetables are soft, about 7 or 8 minutes.

3. Add the sherry and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and crawfish tails and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze in half of a lemon and the additional cayenne and Cajun seasonings. Simmer for another two minutes.

4. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat. Add a cup of rice to a bowl and ladel the spicy deliciousness overtop. You can adjust spices to your taste at this point. I like to add a little fresh flat leaf parsley overtop for garnish and extra color.

It really is fantastic and I’ve liked my own version of this recipe much better than some that I’ve had in the most authentic of restaurants. If you aren’t a fan of the spicy flavors, reduce the amount of Cajun seasoning and the cayenne. Have it with an ice-cold beer. You won’t be sorry.

If there’s one thing that I really love about the onset of warmer weather is the availability of some of my favorite herbs and vegetables and getting my own stuff right from our garden. While our little patch isn’t there just yet, we have been seeing some great ingredients in our local fruit and vegetable market.

This recipe is a flavor bomb of delicious green veggies and is incredibly quick. If you make the gazpacho ahead of time, you only need to season mahi-mahi fillets and give them a quick grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side and you’re at the table depending on what sides you’re looking to serve with it. Here’s how this one’s done.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped English hothouse cucumber (about 1/2 large)
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 to 3 cloves of peeled and smashed garlic
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 chopped seeded serrano chiles (i remove the ribs as well before chopping)
• 2 7-to 8-ounce mahi-mahi fillets
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 ounces small red and yellow cherry, pear, or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine cucumber, onions, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and chiles in processor. Use a combination of on off turns or grinds and chops, blending the mixture until finely chopped. The consistency should be a wet, loose paste that has the consistency of a thicker soup.

Transfer to bowl. Season with more vinegar, if desired, and salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle fish fillets on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook 5 minutes. Turn over, cover, and cook until fish is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes.

Use a serving spoon to create a pool of gazpacho on two plates. Top each with 1 fish fillet. Scatter tomatoes atop and around fish and serve.

And that’s all there is to it. This is a really refreshing, tasty dish that blends a good mix of heat and power punch of delcious green veggies. Let me know if you try it. If you use the amounts above, you’ll undoubtably have leftover Gazpacho sauce that will be a fantastic quick lunch or salad dressing. Enjoy!

If you’ve never made a Risotto before, it can be a little intimidating and leave you with lots of questions. Did the rice absorb enough stock? Is the cheese going to scald when it hits this pan? Is this texture ever going to be right? Risotto is really a waiting game, and it’s incredibly important to KEEP STIRRING! You have to beat that rice around the pan to be sure you give your infusion ingredients opportunity to work their way in. This is a marriage that takes a little time to make happy. But all that being said, it’s not the most difficult thing you could ever task yourself with making. Here’s how you make this slightly modified version of one of my favorite risottos from Tyler Florence.

Ingredients (2 big servings)

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound sea scallops
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz assorted mushrooms, such as portobello, crimini, and shiitake, stemmed
• 1 tespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cups Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
• 4 cups canned chicken stock, heated
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation:
1. Take a large deep skillet or saucepan and begin heating it over medium high heat. Be sure you pick one with some taller sides if you have one available, as you’ll make almost the entire meal in this single pan. As you heat the pan, put your quart of chicken stock into a sauce pan and begin heating it on your backburner. There’s no need to simmer it, just get it good and warm so that you can add it to your Risotto when the time is right.

2. Once your skillet is warm, give it two or three turns of olive oil. Salt and pepper your sea scallops and cook both sides until you start to see a nice golden brown color start to develop. It should take two to three minutes a side.

3. Remove the scallops from the pan to a plate or bowl and cover them with alumninum foil to keep warm while you make the risotto.

4. Reduce the heat to medium. Drizzle in another 2-count of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft.

5. Next, add the mushrooms thyme, and 2 tablespoons of parsley and cook until the mushrooms lose their liquid. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Season your pan contents with salt and pepper.

6. Add the rice and stir for about 2 minutes to coat with the oil. When the grains turn opaque it’s time to give them a drink. Stir in the wine and cook 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol.

7. Pour in 1 cup of the warm stock and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. It’s important to stir frequently and as much as possible.

8. Add another cup of stock. Continue this process until you’re done, stirring constantly and adding the stock 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. (You may not need all of the stock; the risotto is done when it is slightly firm but creamy.)

9. Fold in the scallops with the last cup of stock to warm them up. When the risotto is cooked, fold in the butter and cheese (it won’t scald, I promise!). Serve hot. Garnish with parsley.

It’s very creamy, gluten free (if you’re not using enriched rice) and reheats well if you pan warm the scallops. This meal takes about an hour or so to bring to the table, so it’s one to plan for. If you make it, be sure to let me know how it comes out, as this one has become a favorite for Dr. Wife.

These vegetarian enchiladas are packed wtih everything from black beans, to bell pepper to red onion, black olives and two different kinds of cheese. I use soft taco sized shells to fit a little more in. I’d be surprised if you needed to eat more than one in a single sitting. They’re very filling, have lots of great textures and can be done in 45 minutes to an hour depending on how quick you are with your knife.

Ingredients

• 3 bell peppers of your choice (I used red, orange, and yellow)
• 1/2 red onion chopped
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped
• 1 8 oz can black olives sliced
• 1 8 oz can black beans
• 20 oz enchilada sauce of your choice
• 3 tablespoons cayanne pepper
• 6 soft taco sized tortillas
• 1/2 cups quesadilla cheese
• 1 oz mexican blend cheese

Preparation
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, place beans, olives, peppers, onions and enchilada sauce in a large sauce pan. Simmer vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes. Add Cayanne pepper for a spicier filling. Once filling has finished, add half of your cilantro to the mix and begin preparing to fold your enchiladas.

2. Grease a large baking pan with cooking spray and lay out warm tortillas on a large plate or platter. Place quesedilla cheese on each tortilla and begin adding enchilada filling to tortillas. Fold and place folded side down in your pan. Reserve about a 1/4 of your filling to top the folded enchiladas for baking.

3. Top finished enchiladas with reserved filling and the 1 oz of Mexican cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cheese and tortillas begin to brown. Top with remaining cilantro as garnish. Serve with refried beans or Spanish rice.

Send me a note or leave a comment if you give them a try. Enchiladas at home are really easy and these cheesy, veggie filled flour shells are absolutely delicious.

Depending on the size of your chops, one is probably more than enough with a nicely portioned side. The recipe that follows should feed two.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Celery salt
• 2 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation
1. Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, lemon pepper, celery salt and pepper. Mix the seasonings into the flour to even out the mix. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.

2. Heat a large pan over high heat and then coat with two turns of olive oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

3. Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside.

4. Add about two large pinches of the remaining seasoned flour to the pan drippings. With a wooden spoon, mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and add a tablespoon of mustard (I used French’s Spicy Brown for this recipe). Mix the mustard quickly into the roux and add chicken broth.

5. Let the sauce cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken. Once the sauce begins to take on a thicker consistency, return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

It’s a great, quick meal. Serve with a side of potatoes or a long-grained wild rice.

This recipe came from the soon-to-be defunct Gourmet magazine, but I’ve modified it a bit for our tastes. Absolutely crucial to tying the whole dish together is the lime. So, if you’re going to give it a whirl don’t even think about starting to eat unless you’ve got the wedges of lime. The citrus really helps provide a balance to the heat and smokey flavor of the chipotle chili powder and also compliments the cilantro and bell pepper and onion that show up in the charred corn salsa.

Here’s what you’ll need and how to make this quick meal.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 1/4 pounds fresh turkey breast fillets (about 4 cutlets)
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
• 4 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges

Preparation
1. Heat a heavy medium sized nonstick skillet over a high heat. Once, it’s warm, add the corn and cook until it begins to char. Stir often during the process to prevent burning. You want the corn to develop color and the flavors of charring, but you don’t want it to scald and taste burnt. This process should take 5 to 6 minutes depending on your burners. Set the corn aside in a mixing bowl and cover to keep warm.

2. Sprinkle each turkey cutlet on both sides with chile powder, salt and pepper. Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil has warmed add half of the turkey cutlets and sauté until cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side for a thicker slice 45 seconds to 1 minute if you’re working with a skinnier bird. Transfer to plate. Repeat the process with the additional oil and remaining turkey. Set aside to allow meat to rest and the juices to redistribute.

3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to drippings in skillet and heat. Scrape up the drippings and add bell pepper and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Increase heat to high and add charred corn. Sauté until peppers begin to brown at edges, about 3 minutes longer. Then, stir in cilantro and lime juice.

4. Season salsa with salt and pepper; transfer to medium bowl. Return turkey to skillet and reheat, about 1 minute. Spoon salsa over turkey and serve with lime wedges.

I like to serve this dish with warm tortillas or just some tortilla chips to eat the remaining salsa. It’s very quick, very tasty and really simple. Give it a try!

They’re easy to make, albeit a tad time consuming. Since you’re getting a whole bell pepper, you’re getting a lot of veggies, and the ground chicken with melted Parmesan is really warming. Here’s how you make it.

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. Fresh Ground Chicken
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 1/2 cup chopped Spanish onion
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (gluten free)
• 4 medium sized red, green or yellow peppers
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Heat the oil in a pan; add garlic, onion, ginger and ground chicken; cook until chicken is cooked through and white in color.

2. Drain any grease from the pan add tomato paste, water and soy sauce.

3. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

4. Cut the tops off of the peppers; remove the seeds and the white inner fleshy parts (veins).

5. Stuff each pepper with the cooked chicken mixture, sprinkle stuffed peppers with Parmesan cheese. We layer our cheese throughout, building it the same way you would a layer cake.

6.Place your peppers on a non-stick baking sheet and bake at 325°F, until they are brown or the cheese melts (about 30 minutes).

Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional info:
Calories: 431
Total Fat: 19g
Sat. Fat: 8g
Cholest.: 139mg
Sodium: 2,800
Carb.: 20g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 44g

They’re absolutely fantastic and impossible to screw up.

I know it’s not gluten free, but I was feeling brave and had some Mission Carb-Lite tortillas. No problem to report.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 large pre-cooked turkey and chicken chorizo link cut into rounds and quartered
• 1/2 an orange bell pepper – diced
• Black and Manzanila Olives – sliced
• 1/4 Spanish onion – diced
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• A splash of milk
• 1/4 cup of your favorite Mexican blend cheese
• Two burrito sized tortillas
• Two tablespoons fresh salsa
• Fresh cilantro to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add diced onion, bell pepper and salt and pepper. Cook until onions become translucent.
2. Add olive and chorizo to the pan with your veggies and cook until your sausage is warmed through.
3. In a separate pan, crack eggs and mix with splash of milk. Heat over medium high until first of the eggs begin to solidify. Turn off heat and begin to scramble the eggs, adding chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Once most of your eggs have scrambled add the cheese.
4. Combine your ingredients in a tortilla shell, top with a spoonful or two of your favorite salsa. If you have it, a couple leaves of fresh cilantro make this a real treat.

It’s spicy, it’s hearty and it’s probably the best thing I’ve had for breakfast in a very long time.

First of all, deepest apologies for the blurry photo of the finished product. I’m think my camera may have not been properly set on my manual macro settings and I got camera shake. Unfortunately, wifey and I had already eaten said tomatoes before I noticed the error. Rest assured, they look fairly appetizing upon exit from your oven. We had these guys with grilled spinach and feta chicken sausages and side salads. The creamy Danish Blue Cheese melted nicely with the breadcrumbs and the beefsteaks held up nicely to the broiling process. I always think I’ve found a winner when my wife says, “I’d order this in a restaurant.” Those words make for one happy would-be chef.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium/large beefsteak tomatoes (buy them the day of to make sure you can get some reasonably firm specimens. If they’re too ripe, they’ll turn out stewed)
• 1/4 cup of dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1.5 to 2 ounces of Danish Blue Cheese
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Pre-heat your oven using your broiler setting. Low is fine, but if your oven forces a temperature on you, shoot for 350 to 400 tops.

2. Cut the top 1/4 of the tomatoes off. Use a pairing knife cut out a good portion of the ribs and seeds from the tomatoes and scoop them out with a spoon. Be sure to leave some of the seeds and juices so the breadcrumbs and cheese have some of those great tomato flavors to merry.

3. Mix breadcrumbs, herbs and olive oil in small bowl, mashing to coat. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper and place in a small roasting pan.

4. Top each with 1 or 2 tablespoons of blue cheese and top it off with as much of the breadcrumb mixture as you’d like.

5. Toss it under your broiler and and cook tomatoes until slightly soft and cheese melts. Mine took about 10 to 11 minutes. Just be sure to check on them to be sure they don’t get too soft.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about some of my new breakfast experiments, as I’ve found a chicken and turkey Chorizo that Vita can eat. That means breakfast burritos y’all.