Creole Salmon Fillets

These fillets bake up moist and golden brown we like our food on the spicy side. (by Florine Bruns, Fredericksburg, Texas)

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.     yield:4 servings
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons creole seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons pepper
4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Instructions:
 In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first three ingredients.
 add salmon (shake to coat)
 Place salmon on a broiler pan or baking sheet broil 6 in. from heat
 (10-14 min or til fish flakes)
 Sprinkle with parsley. .

Note: If no access to Creole spice the following may be substituted; for 1 tsp: 1/4 tsp each salt, garlic powder, paprika w/a pinch dried thyme, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.

Cajun Salmon

Been awhile since I was able to have access to my blog here's a new recipe

Prep Time:5 min Cook Time:12 min Total Time:17 min  Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:                                                  
1 salmon fillet skin on boneless
2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasonings
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 lemon, zested, juiced
1/4 cup Italian parsley (minced)
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Mix seasoning blend rinse salmon (pat dry)
Place salmon on oven proof pan
(coat both sides with olive oil)
Season salmon with seasoning blend (rub into salmon on both sides)
Place salmon skin side down top with lemon juice and zest.
Bake at 475 for 10-12 minutes top with parsley and serve with extra lemon when done

Pan Seared Creole Salmon

A little bit of creole seasoning makes the pan seared salmon filet shine

                                                                                                 

Season w/Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
(my preferred  any Cajun or Creole seasoning will work )
Prep time 5 min Cook time 10 min Total time 15 min Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 Skinless salmon filet
(preferably w/skin off it's messy to remove at serving time)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
Directions:
Lightly (do not put too much seasoning on) sprinkle one side of salmon filet
Heat olive oil in a large cast iron pan or a non-stick skillet (medium-high heat) Once very hot (but not smoking) put salmon w/season side down
(should make a sizzling sound)
depending on thickness of filet turn salmon over carefully (3-4 min)
continue cooking 2-3 min
when salmon is right on the verge of being done add the butter to the pan when melted ladle/baste over tops of salmon (a couple of min)
                                  Remove salmon from skillet and serve

Iron Skillet Southern (Country) Fried Corn

Fried corn is a southern favorite; this was and still is my first and preferred for creamed style corn . I always knew it as country fried.
(Prep time: 15 min |Cook time: 40 min | Yield: About 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

"gathering"

 4 slices of bacon
10-12 ears of white, yellow or bi-color corn on the cob, shucked, stripped and
scraped (sometimes referred to as milking the cob)

"milking"

    1/2 tablespoon of granulated sugar
    4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
    1/2 cup of whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream (optional)
    Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
    Kosher salt, only if needed (taste first!)  
Directions:
In a large cast iron skillet, chop bacon and cook to crisp; remove and set aside, reserving the drippings in the skillet. While that is cooking, clean the corn, except remove only the tops of the corn kernels. Then, using the blunt side of the knife, scrape the remaining pulp and milk from the cob. Sprinkle the kernels with the sugar; stir and set aside.

In the same skillet that you fried the bacon in, add all of the butter to the bacon drippings and melt over medium heat. Add all of the corn, pulp and juices, and about 1 tablespoon of the cream. Continue cooking over medium low heat, stirring often and adding additional cream as the corn begins to dry, just enough to keep the corn slightly moist. Reduce to low and cook about 30 minutes, or until corn is tender. Add pepper and half of the bacon; taste and adjust for salt only as needed. Transfer corn to serving dish, crumble remaining bacon on top and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Recipe may easily be halved.

"Eating"

Cook's Notes: Turn heat up to medium high at the end to brown, if desired. Substitute well-drained canned or frozen corn when fresh is out of season - 3/4 cup of kernels is roughly equal to 1 ear. Allow frozen corn to thaw slightly before using it and for canned or frozen, cook only until corn is heated through well.

Cajun Corn and Bacon Maque Choux

To reiterate:  Maque choux  a traditional dish of southern Louisiana. (It is thought to be an amalgam of Creole and American Indian cultural influence; the name is more than likely to be derived from the French interpretation of the Native American name) It usually contains corn, green bell pepper, onion, and sometimes garlic, celery, and tomato. The ingredients are braised in a pot. Historically bacon grease was used for the braising stage, although various combinations of oil, butter, or cream may be substituted. (that is why Chef Paul's family favorite recipe I'd given before is a lighter variation) The vegetables are then left to simmer until they reach a tender consistency, with chicken stock or water added as necessary. The dish is generally finished with salt and a combination of red and black pepper. Some cooks include hot sauce and a bit of sugar for greater complexity. Here's another one not by Chef Paul.

Ingredients:

    6 ears corn, husked and cleaned
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1 large onion, thinly sliced
    1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
    1 large fresh tomato, chopped
    1/4 cup milk
    salt to taste
    cayenne pepper
    1/4 cup chopped green onions
    8 strips crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
    Add all ingredients to list
Directions:
    Cut corn off the cobs by thinly slicing across the tops of the kernels; place in a medium bowl. Cut across the kernels again to release milk from the corn, add milk to bowl. Set aside.
    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper, cook until onion is transparent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Combine corn, tomatoes, and milk with the onion mixture. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 20 minutes longer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Do not boil. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Lower heat, cover skillet, and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer. Stir in green onions and bacon. Remove from heat and serve.

Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Cajun Mayo

Shrimp cakes are common all over the Gulf Coast, this recipe is healthier because it has whole-wheat breadcrumbs, is packed with fresh vegetables and delectably crisp without having been deep-fried. Serve these shrimp cakes several ways. On top of a salad, as a first course or like a burger on a with the Cajun mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato.
Ingredients
    6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

    1/2 cup finely chopped onion
    1/2 cup finely chopped celery
    1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
    1 pound  raw shrimp, peeled,
     deveined (see Tip) and coarsely chopped
    1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
    2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning, divided
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
Preparation
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet, such as cast iron, or a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
Add shrimp, breadcrumbs, egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and salt to the bowl.  Combine, then form into 8 cakes, 3 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick.
Wipe the pan, add another 2 teaspoons oil and heat over medium heat. Add 4 shrimp cakes and cook, turning once, until the shrimp are just cooked(4 to 5 minutes per side) Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining 4 cakes, reduce heat as necessary to prevent over browning. 

Cajun Mayo

Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Serve the mayonnaise with the shrimp cakes.

top of a salad

a burger

Tips & Notes
To peel shrimp, grasp the legs and hold onto the tail while you twist off the shell. To devein, use a paring knife to make a slit along the length of the shrimp. Remove the dark digestive tract (or “vein”) with the knife tip. Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized, so to get the size you want, order by the count per pound.

Rouille

Rouille  is a red garlicky sauce (pronounced roo-EE, rouïo in Provençal)

Traditionally it is an accompaniment for bouillabaisse, but also nice with grilled seafood. (or w/anything you care to add it to) It will keep in the  fridge either the same day or the next.  If the rouille is stiff, thin it with a few drops of boiling water. Here are several recipes
Marseille Recipe
2 chili peppers
4 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 handful bread
1 Tbsp rock salt
 Trim, de-seed and chop finely the peppers, in a mortar, crush the peppers, garlic, rock salt and olive oil
(1 teaspoon) together to obtain a thick paste. Crumble the bread, moisten it with hot water (or the bubbling broth if you're preparing bouillabaisse), and press it into a tight lump, squeezing out the liquid.
Add the bread lump to the paste and beat, adding olive oil, until you've raised a smooth sauce. If the sauce tends to separate, add another tight lump of bread and hot broth, and keep beating.
Nice Recipe
2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
2 egg yolk
5 g saffron*
In a mortar, crush the garlic to a fine mash.
Add the egg yolks, and beat into a mayonnaise while adding about a half-cup of olive oil.
When the sauce is thick and smooth, stir in the pepper and saffron.
* again, Saffron is the dried stigma from Crocus sativus, It will keep in an airtight container for several years.
Eating Well
Ingredients
    1/4 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
    3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
    2 teaspoons lemon juice
    1 teaspoon minced, garlic
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1 Pinch saffron,
Preparation
Combine red peppers, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne and saffron in a food processor; pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth.