Courtesy of Justin Girouard

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

·         36 large gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

·         2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

·         1 tablespoon ground cumin

·         1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

·         4 large romaine hearts, halved lengthwise

·         ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

·         ½ cup thinly sliced red onion

·         1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

·         Caesar Dressing, recipe follows

1. Preheat a grill to medium-high

heat (350° to 400°). In a large bowl,

combine shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil,

cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt; let stand

10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, drizzle romaine

hearts with remaining 1 tablespoon

olive oil, and season with remaining

¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.

3. Place romaine hearts, cut side

down, on grill over direct heat. Grill

45 seconds to 1 minute; remove from

grill, and set aside to cool. Add reserved

shrimp to grill, and cook until pink and

firm, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

4. Chop lettuce, discarding stems. In

a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes,

onion, cheese, and desired amount of

Caesar Dressing. Toss to combine.

5. Divide lettuce mixture among 6

plates. Top with shrimp, and serve

immediately.

CAESAR DRESSING

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

·         3 anchovy fillets

·         3 cloves garlic, peeled

·         3 large egg yolks (see note)

·         ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

·         ¼ cup red wine vinegar

·         1 cup vegetable oil

·         ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

·         1½ teaspoons sugar

·         ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

·         ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. In the work bowl of a food processor,

combine anchovies, garlic, egg yolks,

lemon juice, and vinegar; blend until

completely smooth, about 1 minute.

2. With machine running, add oil in a slow,

steady stream until all is incorporated.

Add cheese, sugar, pepper, Cajun

seasoning, and cayenne; blend until

smooth.

Note

According to the USDA, people with

health problems, the very young,

the elderly, and pregnant women

should avoid eating foods containing

raw eggs. Pasteurized eggs can be

substituted, if necessary.

Courtesy of Norma Harrison,

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

·         ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons

extra-virgin olive oil, divided

·         4 teaspoons salt, divided

·         1 (12-ounce) box orzo

·         ½ cup fresh lemon juice

·         1 teaspoon ground black pepper

·         2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled

and deveined

·         1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning,

such as Tony Chachere’s

·         1 bunch green onions, chopped

·         2 cucumbers, seeded and diced

·         1½ cups crumbled feta cheese

·         1 cup chopped sweet onion

·         1 cup chopped fresh parsley

·         1 cup chopped fresh dill

·         ¾ cup sliced kalamata olives

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Fill a large pot with water; add

1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons

salt. Bring to a boil; add orzo, and

simmer until tender, about 9 minutes.

Drain orzo, and transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together

lemon juice, pepper, ½ cup olive oil,

and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Pour

over hot pasta; stir to combine.

4. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss

together shrimp, Cajun seasoning, and

remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; arrange

in one layer. Bake until pink and firm,

about 6 minutes.

5. Add cooked shrimp, green onion,

cucumber, feta, sweet onion, parsley,

dill, and olives to orzo, stirring well to

combine. Set aside for 1 hour, or cover

and refrigerate overnight. Serve at

room temperature.

SHRIMP RÉMOULADE-STUFFED

CREOLE TOMATOES

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

·         2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

·         ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         1 pound cooked medium shrimp,

peeled and deveined

·         1½ cups Herbed Rémoulade, recipe below

·         6 medium Creole tomatoes

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

1. In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice,

salt, pepper, shrimp, and Herbed Rémoulade.

2. Remove tops from tomatoes, and hollow

out enough flesh to spoon shrimp mixture

into tomatoes. Garnish with parsley, and

serve immediately.

HERBED RÉMOULADE

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

·         ¾ cup mayonnaise

·         1 tablespoon chopped capers

·         1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

·         1 tablespoon chopped cornichons

·         2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

·         2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

·         2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

·         1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

·         1 teaspoon paprika

·         ½ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. In a medium bowl, stir together,

mayonnaise, capers, shallot, cornichons,

parsley, dill, chives, Worcestershire,

paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator

for up to 1 week.

Makes 12 SERVINGS
Courtesy of Chef Zac Watters, Zachary’s, Mandeville

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced smoked andouille
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 8 large Louisiana shrimp, roughly chopped
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Crawfish Corn Maque Choux, recipe follows
• Ravigote Sauce, recipe follows
• Chopped green onion, for garnish

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, and add flour and baking powder to water mixture. Stir thoroughly until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let cool.

To dough, add eggs slowly, and gently mix until combined. The dough might look like it will break, but keep mixing until it comes together. Set dough aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, and cook onion, bell pepper, celery, and remaining 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning for 2 minutes.  Add andouille and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add shrimp, and sauté until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

In a Dutch oven or deep fryer, pour oil to a depth of 3 inches, and heat to 350º. Stir shrimp mixture into dough and mix until well combined. Drop dough, 2 tablespoons at a time, into hot oil. Fry until balls of dough float to surface, turning as necessary for even browning. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm until serving.

To serve, spoon Crawfish and Corn Maque Choux onto plates, and top each with one Andouille Shrimp Beignet and spoonful of Ravigote Sauce. Garnish with green onion, if desired.

Crawfish and Corn Maque Choux

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 8 ounces Louisiana crawfish tail meat
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper, and cook about 3 minutes. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, and cook 1 minute.  Add corn, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Add crawfish tails and remaining 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning; cook 1 minute more. Add cream and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce has reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Ravigote Sauce

• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Combine onion and next 6 ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor, and blend for 30 seconds. With food processor on, slowly drizzle in the oil. Cover and chill until serving.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Courtesy of Marguerite Broussard

·         1 tablespoon butter, softened

·         ¼ cup vegetable oil

·         ¼ cup all-purpose flour

·         ½ large onion, chopped

·         1 stalk celery, chopped

·         ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper

·         ¼ cup chopped yellow bell pepper

·         6 ounces large shrimp, peeled,

deveined, and chopped

·         ⅓ cup chicken stock

·         4½ teaspoons butter, melted

·         1½ teaspoons hot sauce, such as

Crystal

·         4½ cups cornbread crumbs (about 1 pan)

·         ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano

·         ½ teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

·         ¼ teaspoon filé powder

·         ¼ teaspoon Creole seasoning, or more to taste

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         ½ pound lump crabmeat, picked free of shells

·         ¼ cup chopped green onion

·         ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

·         ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

·         4 medium bell peppers of assorted

colors, halved lengthwise and seeded

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a

13x9-inch baking dish with softened

butter, and set aside.

2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, whisk

together oil and flour over low heat; cook,

stirring frequently, about 15 minutes

until golden brown in color. Add onion,

celery, and chopped bell peppers; cook

5 minutes or until softened. Add shrimp,

and cook 5 minutes or until opaque.

3. In a medium bowl, combine chicken

stock, butter, and hot sauce. Add

cornbread crumbs and chicken stock

mixture alternately to shrimp mixture,

stirring well. Fold in basil, oregano,

rosemary, filé, Creole seasoning, and

lemon juice. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir

in crabmeat, green onion, parsley, and

Parmesan; remove from heat.

4. Fill bell pepper halves with shrimp

mixture, and top with additional Parmesan,

if desired. Arrange peppers in baking

dish, and bake 25 minutes or until

golden brown and heated through.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Courtesy of Chef Jacques Leonardi

Jacques-Imo’s, New Orleans, Louisiana

·         1⅓cups Japanese bread crumbs

(panko)

·         6 tablespoons unsalted butter,

melted, divided

·         3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

cheese

·         2½ cups finely diced yellow onion

·         2½ cups finely diced tri-color bell

peppers

·         2½ cups chopped alligator sausage

or andouille sausage

·         ¾ pound peeled and deveined

shrimp, chopped

·         3½ (8-ounce) packages cream

cheese, softened

·         3 large eggs

·         ⅔ cup shredded smoked Gouda

cheese

·         ⅔ cup all-purpose flour

·         ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream

·         ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

·         2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Creole Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 325º.

2. In a small bowl, stir together bread

crumbs, 4 tablespoons melted butter,

and Parmesan. Press mixture firmly

into the bottom of a 9-inch springform

pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until

crumbs are set and golden brown.

Set aside, and let cool.

3. In a large skillet, heat remaining

2 tablespoons melted butter over

medium-high heat. Add onion and

bell pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes,

stirring occasionally, or until tender.

Add sausage, and cook until browned,

3 to 5 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook

2 minutes or just until pink. Remove

from heat, and set aside.

4. Transfer shrimp mixture to a large

colander to drain and cool. Let stand

for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally

(see note).

5. Preheat oven to 350º. Wrap

bottom and outside edge of prepared

springform pan with aluminum foil,

and place on a baking sheet.

6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese

at medium speed with an electric

mixer until smooth, about 1 minute.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well

after each addition and stopping to

scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add

Gouda, fl our, heavy cream, ground

chipotle, and Cajun seasoning. Mix

on low speed just until combined.

Add drained shrimp mixture, and mix

on low speed just until incorporated.

Transfer batter to springform pan,

and cover with aluminum foil.

7. Bake 75 to 90 minutes or until

almost set. The cake should wobble

a little when you gently shake the

pan. Remove foil, and bake 15 to 20

minutes more or until golden brown.

8. Let cheesecake cool on a wire

rack for 60 to 90 minutes. Cover

and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Let cheesecake to come to room

temperature before serving. Gently

run a knife around the interior edge

of pan to release sides. Serve with

Creole Sauce.

NOTE

Mixture can be prepared in advance

and refrigerated up to 12 hours at

this point in step 4. Cheesecake

can be baked 1 day in advance and refrigerated

CREOLE SAUCE

MAKES 11⁄3 CUPS

·         ⅓ cup tomato sauce

·         ½ cup sour cream

·         ½ cup Creole mustard

1. In a small bowl, combine tomato

sauce, sour cream, and mustard.

Cover and refrigerate until serving.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Courtesy of Elizabeth M Williams

·         2 ounces dried shrimp (see note)

·         1 (12-ounce) bottle pale lager beer

·         2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat

or vegetable oil

·         2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         ½ bunch green onions, chopped

·         2 stalks celery, chopped

·         ½ large green bell pepper, seeded

and chopped

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         2 quarts seafood stock

·         1 bay leaf

·         ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

·         ¼ teaspoon ground thyme

·         1½ teaspoons lemon zest

·         1 pound large fresh shrimp, peeled

and deveined

·         2 cups shucked fresh oysters with

liquor

·         ½ pound lump crabmeat, picked

free of shell

·         1½ teaspoons filé powder, plus more

if desired

·         1½ teaspoons salt

·         ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         ½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped

·         4 cups hot cooked rice

Hot sauce

1. In a medium bowl, combine dried

shrimp and beer; let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven with

rendered fat or oil over medium heat.

Add flour, and cook, stirring frequently,

for 15 minutes or until roux is the color

of dark chocolate. Stir in all onions, and

cook about 6 minutes or until onions are

soft. Add celery, bell pepper, and garlic;

cook 4 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.

3. Stir in seafood stock, bay leaf,

cayenne, thyme, lemon zest, and dried

shrimp with beer. Bring to a boil; reduce

heat to a simmer, and cook 30 minutes.

4. Stir in fresh shrimp, oysters, crabmeat,

filé, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes

or until seafood is cooked through. Stir

in parsley. Serve over cooked rice with

hot sauce and additional filé, if desired.

NOTE

Dried shrimp can be found in Asian

and some Hispanic markets.

MAKES 10 SERVINGS
Courtesy of Katie Leithead

·         8 mirlitons*, halved

·         ¼ cup Louisiana pecan oil

·         ½ cup butter

·         1 cup chopped sweet onion

·         1 cup chopped celery

·         1½ teaspoons minced garlic

·         1 pound small Louisiana shrimp, peeled

and deveined

·         1 teaspoon ground black pepper

·         1 teaspoon ground white pepper

·         1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon ground ginger

·         ½ teaspoon dried basil

·         2 tablespoons quick-mixing fl our, such as

Wondra

·         2 quarts chicken broth

·         1 cup half-and-half

1. To a large pot, add mirlitons and enough water to

cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until fork-tender, about

45 minutes. Transfer mirlitons to a colander, and let stand

until cool enough to handle.

2. Remove and discard seeds and fibrous membranes

from mirlitons, and scoop out as much flesh as possible.

Place flesh in a large bowl, and mash until smooth.

3. In a large Dutch oven, heat pecan oil and butter over

low heat until melted. Add onion, celery, and mirliton;

cook until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and

shrimp; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers, salt, ginger, and

basil. Add fl our, stirring well.

4. Stir in broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce

heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, and add half-and-half. Serve immediately.

*Mirliton is labeled as chayote in some supermarkets

MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Courtesy of JoAnn Cazedessus

·         2 pounds large shrimp in shells

·         1 tablespoon salt

·         1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

·         ½ teaspoon oregano

·         ½ cup dry white muscadine wine, such

as Casa de Sue Carlos Dry

·         1 large onion, thinly sliced

·         2 lemons, thinly sliced

·         2 garlic cloves, sliced

·         4 bay leaves

·         ¾ cup canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 450°. In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet,

arrange shrimp in a single layer. Sprinkle salt, Italian

seasoning, and oregano over shrimp. Pour wine over

seasonings, then layer onion, lemon, garlic, and bay leaves

over shrimp. Pour oil over. Bake until shrimp are opaque

and onions are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve with

warm French bread and salad.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS
Courtesy of Katie Leithead
January-February 2013 issue 

·         ½ cup butter

·         3 tablespoons Louisiana pecan oil

·         1 cup chopped yellow onion

·         ½ cup chopped green bell pepper

·         ½ cup chopped celery

·         1 teaspoon minced garlic

·         1 pound medium Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined

·         1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails

·         ½ cup quick-mixing flour, such as Wondra

·         3 quarts chicken broth

·         3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch chunks

·         4 ears yellow corn, kernels cut off and cobs scraped (see note)

·         1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, such as Southern Cajun All Purpose Seasoning

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·         ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

·         ½ cup half-and-half

·         2 green onions, sliced

1.   In a large stockpot, heat butter and oil over
medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add onion,
bell pepper, and celery, and cook until onion is soft,
about 8 minutes. Add garlic, shrimp, and crawfish;
cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

2.   Add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after
each addition. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, corn,
and corncob liquid. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes
or until slightly thickened. Add Cajun seasoning, salt,
and peppers.

3.   Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes
or until potatoes are soft. Stir in half-and-half; simmer
5 minutes more. Garnish with green onion, if desired.

NOTE
Scraping corncobs extracts the starchy liquid left after cutting
off the kernels. To do this, hold cobs over a large bowl and run
the blunt side of a large knife firmly against them. Let the
milky liquid collect in the bowl, and reserve it for the recipe.