Louisiana Barbecued Shrimp

Servings: 10

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced parsley
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground basil
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon bacon fat
5 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients except shrimp. Cook, stirring frequently, for 35 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool. Refrigerate sauce 1 week to allow flavors to truly blend.

Marinate shrimp in sauce a minimum of 1 hour.

Arrange shrimp on skewers. Grill, basting every minute with left over sauce. Should be done in about 5 minutes. Shrimp are done when the flesh turns from pink to white. Do not overcook! Overcooked shrimp are tough and chewy.

Louisiana Crab au Gratin

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound crabmeat, claw
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In saucepot, heat butter over medium heat; add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add milk and whip until milk starts to thicken. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cheese, Creole seasoning, hot sauce, thyme and nutmeg. Continue to cook over low heat until cheese is melted.

Remove from heat and stir in crabmeat and green onions. Pour into an 8-inch square greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Louisiana Fried Fish

Fresh fish fillets or whole fish
Tabasco sauce
Plain yellow cornmeal
Salt, to taste
Peanut oil
Lemon slices

Wash and clean your catch thoroughly. Drain on paper towels for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle fish heartily with Tabasco. Season cornmeal with salt in a sturdy brown paper bag. Shake fish in the bag of seasoned cornmeal. Shake off loose meal from fish and start heating oil in a heavy, deep pot. When a match dropped in the pot ignites, your grease is ready. (Dropping a match is the secret to the best fried fish — it could also be dangerous). Drop the fish into the hot oil, a few at a time. Fry just until the fish floats to the surface, and drain on brown paper bags. Keep in warm oven until all the fish are fried. Serve with fresh lemon slices and tartar sauce.

Yellow cornmeal prevents overcooking fish while trying to brown it. When fish floats, it is done. After using oil, cool and strain it through a coffee filter in order too cook fish in it several more times.

Louisiana Shrimp Patties

1 pound raw shrimp, chopped
1/2 cup onions, minced
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 tablespoon bell pepper
1/4 cup instant potatoes
1/4 cup water
1 raw egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of garlic salt

Mix shrimp, celery, bell pepper and onions. Add egg, instant potatoes, salt and pepper. Shape into patties. Put oil in skillet. Fry until golden brown. Drain oil and place patties back in pan with cup of water. Cover, let simmer 20 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Serves 6.

Louisiana Fried Catfish

2 pounds catfish filets
1/2 cup yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 cups peanut oil

Wash fish and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss fish in mustard mixture.

Combine cornmeal and flour. Dredge coated filets in cornmeal and flour mixture.

Heat peanut oil until very hot. Fry catfish filets, a few at a time, until golden brown and crisp. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Crawfish Etouffee (Cajun)

2 bunches scallions, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
4 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 pound butter
2 tablespoons tomato paste (or catsup)
Garlic powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Red pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons flour
2 pounds peeled crawfish tails

Sauté chopped vegetables in butter until onion is transparent. Add tomato paste and seasonings to taste. Stir in flour and, continuing to stir, add water gradually. Add crawfish tails and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings and remove from heat.

Serve over rice.

Crawfish Pies

1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 pound peeled crawfish tails
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
18 individual unbaked tart shells

Sauté onions, garlic, bell pepper and celery in butter until limp. Add soup, tomato sauce, crawfish and parsley. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Add salt, red and black peppers, and milk. Mix well. Add bread crumbs and mix well. Add egg and mix again. Pour into individual unbaked tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Makes 18 individual pies, which will serve 8 to 10 people.

NOTE: These pies freeze well. Do not bake until ready to use.

Crab and Cream Cheese Bake

Source: Serving Louisiana: Favorite Recipes of Family and Friends of the LSU Ag Center

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 (8-count) can crescent rolls
1 cup lump crabmeat
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 teaspoon dillweed

Combine the cream cheese and green onions in a bowl and mix well.

Unroll the crescent roll dough on a greased baking sheet; do not separate the triangles. Press the dough into an 8 x 11-inch rectangle. Spoon the crabmeat lengthwise down the center of the rectangle. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crabmeat. Fold the long edges of the rectangle over the cream cheese mixture, slightly overlapping. Pinch the edges to seal. Arrange seam side down on the baking sheet. Brush the top lightly with the egg yolk and cut slits. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.

Cut into 12 slices. Serve warm.

Serves 12

Shrimp Curry, Caribbean Style

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 medium tomatoes, chopped, or 2 (16 ounce) cans
    tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups cleaned cooked shrimp
Hot cooked rice
Chutney

Cook and stir onion in butter in 10-inch skillet until tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, coriander, turmeric, ginger, cumin and red pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp; heat until shrimp are hot, 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and chutney.

Marinated Shrimp Salad

4 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled, de-veined
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 scallions (with tops), thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 to 10 drops aromatic bitters
Dash of crushed red pepper
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
Lettuce leaves
Lime wedges

Heat water to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the shrimp. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer until shrimp is pink, about 3 minutes; drain.

Mix oil, lime juice, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, scallions, tomatoes, garlic, bitters and red pepper in large bowl; stir in shrimp. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Just before serving, gently stir in avocado. Spoon shrimp mixture onto lettuce-lined plates with slotted spoon. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve with remaining marinade if desired.

Yields 4 servings.