Cathy's Shrimp, Corn and Tomato Stew with Cheese Crackers

I found this recipe in a recent issue of Country Living and knew immediately I would love the finished product. I was so right; this stew is divine; rich, thick and perfectly summer. This is one of the recipes in the newly released Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana by Donald Link of Cochon and Paula Disbrowe. I haven't read it yet, but after this stew graced my dinner table, I can't wait to get my hands on it.

I thought the perfect accompaniment to this beautiful stew was these cheese 'cookies' from Costa Rica. My friend Steve (please see his beautiful work here: www.stevenlucasart.com) shared the recipe on he and his wife's return home from a vacation in Costa Rica where he had these. They are very similar to cheese crackers I make to serve with chicken stew, so I knew they would be just right with this. It needed translation, but Google Translate, Ben of What's Cooking? and Bren at Flanboyant Eats were more than happy to do that for me - Thanks, Steve, Ben and Bren!

The only thing I did differently here was to leave the vegetables a little larger than the recommended 'finely chopped'. Either way, this is fabulous.

Cathy's Shrimp, Corn and Tomato Stew
Printable Recipe
Makes 8 Servings

4 pounds medium (16-20 count) shrimp
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
5 cups shrimp stock or chicken broth
2 tablespoons salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking almost constantly, just until the roux is a light peanut butter color and the aroma of the roux starts to fill the room, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, stock, salt, bay leaves, basil, thyme, pepper, and paprika and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the peeled shrimp, parsley, and scallions. Bring the stew back to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow stew to stand for 15 minutes to meld flavors, taste and adjust seasonings as desired, and serve.

I used cheddar cheese for the crackers and simply flattened them with my hand instead of using a fork. I also didn't get the 80-100 cookies that the original recipe says it should yield - I got about 50.

Original Cheese Cracker Recipe:

GALLETAS DE QUESO CON RICE KRISPIS

- 230 gramos (8 oz) mantequilla
- 1/8 cta. pimienta
- 1 cta. sal
- 1cda, paprika
- 5 gotas tabasco
- 2 tazas harina
-230 gramos (8 oz) queso gouda rallado
- 2 tazas Rice Krispis sin azucar.

Cremar la mantequilla con pimienta, sal, paprika y tabasco. Luego agregar queso, mezclar bien y agregar harina, , apartar de la batidora y agregar el Rice Krispis. batir para mezclarlo. Apretar la masa con la mano. Hacer bolitas del tamafio de una mora. Poner en cazolejas engrasadas, presionando con un tenedor cada una. Hornear a 350 degrees(F) por 11 o 12 minutos. Enfriar bien para envasar. Pueden prepararse con various dias de anticipacion para bocas. (80-100 unidades).



Translation:

Cheese Biscuits with Rice Krispies
Printable Recipe

8 oz. butter
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. paprika
5 drops of Tabasco sauce
2 cups flour
8 0z. grated Gouda cheese
2 cups Rice Krispies without sugar

Cream butter with salt, pepper, paprika and Tabasco. Add cheese, blend well while adding flour. Add the Rice Krispies and knead mixture with hands. Make balls the size of a blackberry. Grease your baking sheet and place balls on them, giving them enough room to separate. Using fork, press each ball down. Bake on 350 (f) for 11-12 minutes. Refrigerate. You can make these a few days in advance.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Reminiscent of pho, I find this soup just as satisfying with far less work. There are versions all over the 'net and in countless cookbooks. I like my own version, packed with bok choy, sno peas and rice noodles.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

4 cups chicken broth or stock
1 clove garlic - minced
2 Tablespoons mirin
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
4 large green onions - sliced thinly
12 ounces cooked chicken breast - diced
2 cups bok choy - chopped (I like more green than white)
4 ounces sno peas - each cut in half
8 ounces rice noodles - soaked for 15 minutes in cold water

1. In a large stock or soup pot add stock, garlic, mirin, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
2. Add remaining ingredients and continue simmering until bok choy is just tender - about 15 minutes (I like mine to have a little bite left to it).

Ravioli, Spinach and Pesto Cream Soup

What to do with leftover pesto and heavy cream? Combine it and do something delicious with it! That's what the impetus for this soup was. Gotta love leftover moments.

Ravioli, Spinach and Pesto Cream Soup
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

4 cups chicken stock
2 cups frozen ravioli
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb or 1 clove minced garlic

1. Heat stock to a rolling boil and drop in ravioli.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and add spinach and Mrs. Dash.
3. Cook for 15 minutes until ravioli are heated through.
4. Combine pesto and cream in a jar and shake well.
5. Remove soup pot from heat and stir in pesto cream.
6. Serve immediately.

Soupe Au Pistou

Soupe au pistou is a classic Provencal soup made with Provence's version of pesto; pistou. Rather than pine nuts and Parmesan, pistou is made with basil, garlic, olive oil and often times tomato. If you want authentic pistou you must grind the ingredients by hand with a mortar and pestle; hence the name pistou - which means 'pounded'. The soup itself is white bean and vegetable, most commonly made with zucchini, but sometimes with a dark leafy vegetable such as kale.

There are many variations on this soup, but this is the one I made today.

Soupe au Pistou
Printable Recipe
Serves 8

1 Tablespoon minced shallot
1 clove garlic - minced
1 cup onion - diced
1/2 cup celery - diced
1/2 cup carrot - diced
2 quarts water or stock of your choice
2 medium red potatoes - peeled and diced
4 cups cooked white beans - preferrably small navy beans
2 cups fresh green beans - cut in 1-inch lengths
3 plum tomaotes - peeled, seeded and diced
2 cups zucchini - diced
1 cup small pasta such as small shells
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 cup grated cheese such as Gouda or Parmesan

Pistou:

4 cups basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomato
1/4 cup olive oil


1. In a large heavy soup pot saute garlic and shallots in olive oil briefly.
2. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for several minutes until onions are translucent.
3. Add water and potatoes, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender - about 20 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Keep warm.
5. To make pistou, combine basil, salt, olive oil, tomato and garlic in a blender. Puree until smooth.
6. Add 1/3 cup of pistou to soup along with grated cheese. Stir well to combine.
7. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with remaining pistou and goat cheese topped rounds of French baguette.

Rich Meatball Stew

Stew is a favorite around here when the weather turns cooler and meatballs are a constant favorite, so this stew is well received. Any red wine can be used, but try not to get the store-bought 'cooking wine'. It's full of sodium and lacks the body of a good wine. Buy something you like to drink because this only uses a cup of wine and you'll want to put the rest to good use.

Rich Meatball Stew
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

2 lbs meatballs 2" in diameter each
2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters
1 lb baby carrots, peeled
1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I like a large grind)
2 cloves garlic - minced (if not already in the meatballs)
5 cups beef stock or broth
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
several sprigs of fresh thyme
flour and water to thicken, if necessary

Brown meatballs and drain well. Add remaining ingredients except flour and water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover. Cook until vegetables are tender and meatballs are done, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove bay leaf and thyme and thicken liquid with flour and water if needed.

This was first posted at Cooking with Anne on September 25, 2008

Anne's Chicken Gumbo

This is the gumbo I've been making for over 15 years. It was something my dad liked and everyone who has had it raves about it. I'm not sure how it would stand up in NOLA, but up here in the northeast it's pretty good chow. This one has an addition of hot sausage to it, add that in to the beginning vegetables and it will work well.

Anne's Chicken Gumbo
Printable Link

1/2 cup butter or oil
1/2 cup flour
1 large onion - medium dice
4 stalks celery - medium dice
2 large green peppers - medium dice
1 red pepper - medium dice
1 yellow pepper - medium dice
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup tomato puree
4 tomatoes concasse (peeled seeded diced)
2c. okra cut in 1" slices
1 pound boneless skinless chicken (breast or thigh) cooked and diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano
pinch Thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 Tablespoon filé powder (ground sassafras leaves)
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
cooked rice for serving

1. Heat butter or oil in a large pot - add flour and cook until mixture is the color of a copper penny - not a new penny - an old one - nice and dark.
2. Add onion, celery and peppers - cook for several minutes until they begin to 'weep'.
3. Add stock slowly while stirring and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender - about 20 minutes.
4. Add all tomato products and simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Add chicken, okra and all seasonings except filé powder.
6. Bring to a boil - reduce heat and simmer 15 min.
7. Turn heat off and add filé powder - stir well, remove bay leaf and serve.

For seafood gumbo:

Use 1/2 pound shrimp and 1/2 pound scallops in place of
chicken. Add during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Use fish stock if available (otherwise chicken is fine) and replace parsley with chervil and add 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning.

Originally posted at Cooking with Anne on September 15, 2005.

White Bean and Sausage Chili

White Bean and Sausage Chili

If you missed the Illick's Mill Winter Nook and Chili Cook-Off held at Bethlehem's Municipal Ice Rink, I'm really, really sorry. There were some awesome chilis there this year and although I wasn't in it to win (that honor rightfully went to The Tally Ho Tavern) I made a terrific chili anyhow and wanted to share the recipe here.

I have to share with you the fact that there were also three kick-butt bands there this year, too: Steve Brosky (still doin' his thing as great as ever after all these years), Eighteenth Hour (they started off the night and I didn't hear as much of them as I wanted as I was buried back in the chili-tasting room) and my favorite, the Paul Thiessen Band - man are those guys tight! Self-proclaimed 'Face-Melting Folk Music', they deliver just that and more. I missed my chance to pick up one of their cd's at the last Illick's Mill function so I laid in wait this time (and probably looked like that, too between trying to enjoy the band and watch the kids from the window as they ice skated) and got their 'Stop. Hear.' CD. Awesome and awesome - can't say more. All of this was broadcast LIVE by WMUH as well.

The whole event benefits the Illick's Mill Project, of which my daughter, Megan is a part.

On to chili - this isn't a very spicy one, it's more mellow and smoky, but so full of layered flavors that it's hard to stop at one bowl.

White Bean and Sausage Chili
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

2 slices bacon - diced
1 cup diced tavern ham
1 shallot - minced
1 white leek - sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 medium onion - diced
1 large green pepper - diced
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 pound bulk sausage
4 cups cooked white beans such as cannellini, northern or navy
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried and crushed oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sliced and fried green onion (a.k.a. scallions/spring onion) and leeks and sour cream for garnish

1. Heat a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp.
2. Add ham, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add shallots, leeks, garlic, onion and peppers. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Crumble sausage well and cook until no longer pink - stirring often to break up.
5. Add stock and beans and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
6. Stir in oregano and cayenne and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Serve with sour cream and fried green onion and leeks.