Crawfish Enchiladas

It's Lent and being a Cajun, I have to get my fill of crawfish in any way, shape or form I can.  These enchiladas are like no other enchilada you have experienced before.

The ingredients for the crawfish filling and the sauce contain a lot of the same ingredients.  Chop once and divide it up.

 So are you ready to make some dinner?

Crawfish Filling:

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeno peppers

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (I used a combination of red and green)

1/2 chopped green onions

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 lb. Louisiana crawfish tails

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack/Colby cheese mixture

Crawfish Enchilada Sauce:

1-1/2 sticks butter

1/2 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 cup Half-n-Half

Cayenne pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

10 flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack/Colby cheese mixture

9 x 13 baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Melt butter in a large skillet add in the thyme, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant then add and saute green onions, bell peppers, celery, jalapeno peppers and garlic about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, stir to combine.  Spread out on the bottom of the pan and cook another 5 to 7 minutes.

Add in the crawfish tails and any liquid in the bag.  Cook for another 4 minutes, remove from heat.  Empty into a bowl to cool completely.

Place the same skillet back on the stove and melt the butter

Saute the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic until soft.  There will be a lot of liquid in the pan.

Add the Half-n-Half.  Swirl with a spoon to combine.

Add in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and continue swirling to combine.  Sometimes I just prefer to swirl instead of stirring. 

Add in the cayenne and the hot sauce.  Don't worry, this is not enough register very much heat at all.  Look below, the cayenne and the hot sauce give the sauce a nice color.

Add in the green onions and parsley.

Turn the burner off but leave the skillet on the burner.

 

Fold in one cup of the Jack/Colby cheese mixture to the completely cooled crawfish tails. 

Ladle just enough sauce to thinly cover the bottom of the baking dish.  Place about 1-1/2 to tablespoons of the crawfish mixture in the middle of one of the tortillas. 

Tightly Roll the tortillas and place the the baking dish seam side down.

Ladle the remaining sauce over the tortillas then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the sauce.

Next, top the tortillas with the remaining Jack/Colby cheese mixture and place the enchiladas in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven and bake for 20 minutes.

 Remove from oven after 20 minutes and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

 Get yours before they're all gone!

Yeah, I think I am going to become a member of the clean plate club!

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Scallops and Shrimp Marsala

I can't remember meeting anyone who didn't like shrimp.  I've met a few people who weren't scallop crazy but I enjoy them almost as much as shrimp.  Scallops are a wonderful compliment to shrimp. In fact you could make this with crawfish tails, clams and crabs if you like.

This recipe reminds me of the not so long ago warm days of summer.  It's quick and does not require precise quantities or measurements.

1 tablespoons Emeril's Essence
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus extra for drizzling)
3 tablespoons butter
4 large Scallops
1 lb. Shrimp (whatever size you prefer) peeled and de-veined
8 ounces Shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

Since the scallops were large and fairly pricey, I only wanted 4...plus my husband isn't a fan of scallops. Use as many as you like or can afford.  Rinse and pat dry.  Season liberally with Emeril's Essence and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  Toss to thoroughly combine and coat.

Place the peeled shrimp in a separate bowl and season liberally with Emeril's Essence and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to thoroughly combine and coat.

Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil in a grill pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and heat over medium-high heat. Once butter has melted add the Shitake mushrooms and saute until the edges begin to turn golden brown.

Move the mushrooms off to the side and add in the shrimp.  Saute the shrimp until the begin to turn pink and opaque.

Once the shrimp just start turning pink, toss them around a bit and cut the remaining butter into little cubes and toss in with the shrimp.

when the butter begins to foam, add in the scallops and sear for 2 minutes.

Toss the shrimp and turn the scallops and sear for 1 more minute.

Add the lemon juice and the Marsala wine, lower the heat to simmer and let it bubble for 2 minutes.

Bowl it up and garnish with the parsley and that's it!  You will probably want some crusty bread to soak up all of that wonderful sauce!

Recipe for Emeril's Essence - I always double this up and keep it in an air-tight container!

2-1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoons black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

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Crawfish and Shrimp Lasagna

Have you met anyone that doesn't like lasagna?  I haven't either.  Even my picky eater brats get excited when there's a big pan of lasagna in the oven.

Make up a lasagna filled with your favorite seafood and you have just become everyones best friend!

12 lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons of butter
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
3 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups of half-n-half
1 cup grated Percorino Romano cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb. crawfish tails
1 lb. medium size (31/40) fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese


Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of salted, boiling water for about 8 minutes.  Carefully remove the noodles to a baking sheet lined with wax paper and lightly drizzle each noodle with a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking to each other until you are ready for them.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

Melt the butter in a high sided skillet or large pot over medium heat.  Once the butter is melted add in the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Stir in the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously to keep the mixture from burning.  Gradually add in the half-n-half, making sure the flour and half-n-half are combined before adding more.  Once all of the half-n-half has been added and the sauce is slightly thickened, add in the Essence and the hot sauce, stir to blend, then add in the Pecorino Romano cheese, stirring to melt the cheese.  Check the seasonings and adjust if necessary.

Fold in the crawfish tails and cook for about 4 minutes and then add in the shrimp and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.  Remove the pan from the burner.

Ladle just enough of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish to thinly coat the bottom of the dish.  In a separate bowl, reserve about 1-1/2 ladle of the sauce.

Cover the bottom of the pan with 4 lasagna noodles.  Ladle about 1/3 of the seafood mixture over the noodles then sprinkle a little of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses over the seafood. Repeat the process and after the second layer, place the last 4 noddles on top and evenly spread the reserved sauce over the noodles.

Sprinkle the remaining cheeses on top of the sauce and cover the pan with foil.

Bake in the pre-heated 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

C'est, c'est bon!



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Smoky Mountain Shrimp and Pasta Salad

This has to be one of the best summertime pasta salads!  It does not contain mayonnaise and it's not oily. 

This pasta salad has a fresh clean taste and is perfect for picnics and camping trips.  We even took it with us this past weekend for a day of fishing and tubing on Douglas Lake.

1/2 half each red and yellow bell peppers, diced
2 shallots or 1 small red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, divided
6 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons white Balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 lb. 26/30 shrimp, peeled and deveined
Non-stick Cooking Spray
3 green onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces rotini pasta, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cook pasta to al dente, drain cover and set aside.

Heat grill to medium-high.

Combine the chopped bell peppers, onion, 2 of the sliced garlic cloves in a medium bowl.  Drizzle about 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over the peppers and onions.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Fold all together to thoroughly blend.. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, the smoked paprika and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove half of the dressing from the bowl and set aside.  Add the shrimp to the remaining dressing and toss to combine.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place grill skillet with small holes or a mesh bowl made for the grill on the pre-heated grill.  Spray the inside of the skillet or bowl with the non-stick cooking spray and allow to preheat on the grill for about 5 minutes. Place the bell pepper/onion mixture in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.  then add the sliced green onions and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
Place a grill pan back on the grill and spray again with non-stick cooking spray and allow to preheat for another 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for about 5 to 7  minutes, turning as little as possible to achieve a nice sear on the shrimp. Once the shrimp have turned pink remove from grill and add to the bowl with the reserved pepper and onions.

Add the pasta and parsley to the bowl and gently toss to combine.  Drizzle the reserved dressing over the contents in the bowl and toss again to coat the pasta and shrimp.

This dish can be served warm or you can cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.





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Lobster Pasta with Bacon and Shrimp

So Saturday morning, I'm cleaning house, minding my own business and I see Giada DiLaurantis' show and her theme is "Surf-n-Turf".  No biggie, as I Windex my end tables as she prepares this amazing pasta dish.  As she's cooking, I'm thinking, "WOW, I can do this SOOOOOOOOOO much better."  Because I am not a cocky person, really, I'm not but I do have an imagination. 

So what are you waiting for?  Let's rattle those pots and pans; because yes, darlin', you work very hard and are so worthy to spend a couple of extra bucks on yourself and your special someone and make this pasta dish right now!
Lines up these special helpers:
3 tablespoons Zatarain's Pro Boil or Old Bay Crab Boil or Emeril's Essence

Two 4-ounce lobster tails

1 pound whole wheat penne pasta

1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (about 2 1/2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced

One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes

3/4 cup Lobster stock from your boil

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground pepper and Kosher salt

1 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Add crab boil to a large pot of water and bring a boil.

 

Add the lobster tails and cook until they turn pink and to curl, about 7 minutes.

 

 Using tongs, remove the lobster tails and set aside until cool enough to handle, VERY IMPORTANT - reserve water.

 

Remove 3/4 cup stock and set aside.

 

 

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.  While bacon is cooking, bring the reserved pot of water used for the lobster tails to a boil and a d the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.

In the same skillet, add the garlic and saute for  about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes (and juices), reserved seafood stock and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Add cream, basil, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

 

Using kitchen or poultry scissors or a heavy knife, cut along the underside of the lobster tails and remove the meat.

Chop the meat into 3/4-inch chunks. Set aside.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and pink, about 3 minutes.

Add the lobster, fresh basil and bacon. Simmer until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add cooked pasta and toss to thoroughly coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper

Ok, tell me you love me.

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Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

My two brothers and I took off the week before Thanksgiving to finish getting my mom packed and moved up here close to me.  I have found an adorable little three bedroom condo and she and I were very excited, shopping and making plans to decorate. 

Two days after we moved her into her new crib, I stopped by to pick her up to take her to our house for a steak dinner and to watch the LSU anialate another team. 

Instead I wound up taking her to the Emergency room and two weeks later, she's still in the hospital, but (fingers crossed) close to getting released. 

Hoping that my mom will be home for Christmas, I'm trying out some new appetizers for Christmas.  She loves shrimp so I thought grilling the shrimp would be a huge hit instead of boiling them for this version of a shrimp cocktail.   

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail couldn't be easier, quicker or tastier!  When the presents are being handed out, the last place I want to be is in the kitchen!  I want to be in the the middle of the paper and ribbon flying about the premises in shameless, give me, give me fashion!

The day or night before make the cocktail sauce, it takes about 7 minutes:

1-1/4 cups low-fat, plain Greek yogurt

 (If using plain regular yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a paper towel. Place the strainer over an         appropriate size bowl.  Spoon the yogurt into the lined strainer and allow to drain for about 30 minutes).

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Creole or spicy brow grain deli mustard

1-1/2 tablespoons real maple syrup

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves

Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Heat your indoor grill pan to medium high and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or alternately, heat your outdoor grill to medium high.

Peel 1 pound of jumbo shrimp (or the largest shrimp you can find), leaving the last section of shell near the tail and the tail in tact.  De-vein the shrimp.

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Season with Kosher salt and black pepper.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of herbes de Provence.  Toss the shrimp with your hands to evenly coat with the oil and seasonings.  Place shrimp on grill and cook approximately two minutes per side.

So you tell me chips and salsa or Grilled Shrimp Cocktail...that's what I thought