Shrimp and Grits a trip to the Big Easy

When I drove a truck for a living I visited a lot of places across this great country we live in. Every different region has their own specific flavors and styles of cooking. One of my favorite areas is Southern Lousiana and the Cajun style of cooking. Here is a dish that comes straight out of Cajun Country, Shrimp and Grits. Now you can get Shrimp and Grits from a lot of other coastal areas of the south but nothing like the ones with a Cajun twist. Here is my version of this classic dish.

Grits made into cakes and browned. See below.

1 Bell Pepper

1 Med. Onion

1/2lb Andouille Sausage Med. Heat

1/2lb peeled and veined shrimp 40-50 ct. size

3 cloves of Garlic

1 Can of Diced Tomatoes

1/2 cup Dry White Wine

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper, little more if you want to heat it up little less if you dont.

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Celery Seeds

1 tsp thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the grits, I used 5 min. quick grits made per the directions on the package. Added 1/2 cup Motzerella Cheese graed and 1 stick of butter. Spread the grits in a pan to about 1" thickness. let them cool and set up. When ready, just prior to serving slice them into about 4"x4" squares and then cut diagonally across the square to make a triangle. Add some oil to bottom of skillet and pan fry the triangles until browned on each side and hot all the way through.

Now for the Shrimp and Andouille. Dice up Bell Pepper and Onion and sautee in a little oil in the bottom of a 2 qt. pot. Dice the Sausage and add into the pot and let it cook for a few min. Once Onions and Peppers are softened add the chopped up Garlic, the can of Tomatoes and the wine, bring these back to a boil. Add the spices and reduce to a simmer stirring occaisionally for about 2 hrs. Cover for the first 1 1/2 hr and then finish with it uncovered. Add the shrimp a few min before ready to serve. Shrimp cook quick and will get tough if over cooked. I used already cooked and peeled shrimp so they didnt need but about 3-4 min to heat all the way through. If using uncooked shrimp then maybe 5-6 min.

Serve over the grit cakes. Awsome is all I can say about this dish.

Ribs of love

Here is s rack of ribs I cooked tonight. They are gonna be good at work tomorrow. Oven cooked but awsome, fall off the bone, tender. They are easy. Start with a good quality rack of ribs, good fat in the meat (it will cook out and help keep them moist). Coat them liberally with a spicce rub, I like Byrons Butt Rub. Wrap them with aluminum foil (not to tight just snug) place them on a cooking sheet and put them in a 300 degree oven for about 2.5 hrs. After they have been in for 2.5 hrs. open the tops of the foil up but dont remove them from the foil just open it up completely. Put on your BBQ Sauce, I used Sweet Baby Rays Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce. Let them go for another 30 min to an hour opened up. Then I like to turn on the broiler over them for a few min letting them brown on top a little. Awsome.

Nanny's Salmon Croquets

When I was growing up I used to stay the summers with my Grandparents on lake Martin near Alexander City Al. one of my all time favorite things my Grandmother used to make was Slamon Croquets. Not to be confused with Salmon Patties. Croquets are thick and fluffy not flat like patties. Nanny had a special technique to get them just right. After she mixed them up she would scoop out a good rounded tablespoon full of the batter and place it in here hand. It would be formed in to a ball and then with her fingers bent slightly she would press down on the top of the ball forming it into a triangle. Dropping them into hot grease in a skillet about 1/2 in. of oil in skillet. As they browned in one side she would flip them over to the next side, browning on all three sides. My hands are to big and I cant get the same triangle shape like hers but she taught my to make them the way she did. I can get them close but not exactly like hers. They still take me back to a time long gone but not forgotten. She has been gone for a while now and still miss her but she is still alive and well in my memory when I make the Salmon Croquets she made for me growing up.

1 can of Double Q Salmon, picked clean.

1 egg beaten

1/3 cup of flour

1/3 cup of corn meal

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1/4 cup milk added in a little at a time

Mix everything in a bowl adding the milk to the mix last until its a slightly dry dough that sticks together to form. If its to wet then add a little more corn meal or flour. Scoop out a rounded tablespoon full and drop into you hand. Form into a ball and press into a triangle shape by bending your hand at the knuckle and keeping your fingers straight and closed together, then press in top with your other hand. Drop them into about a half inch of hot oil in a skillet, cast iron if you have it. Brown them on all three sides. Really good served with home made mashed potatoes and gravy, Buscuits, fresh tomatoes and sliced onion. It doesnt get much better.