Mouthwatering Melting Pot Cuisine
This article was written by Kristel Matousek and was featured in our April issue of Home By Design magazine. Recipe and photographs by Kristel Matousek from www.photoricalfood.com. To visit the original Home By Design article, click here.
CREOLE
CHARBROILED OYSTERS
Serves 4
- 8 medium-sized oysters
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, pasted
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
- 1 cup arugula and spinach blend, for serving
- 8 slices French bread, for serving
Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat.
Clean the outside of the oysters and shuck them, leaving the meat in the half shell.
Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pasted garlic and lemon juice, and season with cayenne. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
Place the oysters directly on the preheated grill. Divide the butter mixture among the oyster shells, and top with Parmesan cheese. Charbroil the oysters for 5 to 6 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, then remove from heat and serve immediately with fresh arugula, spinach, and sliced French bread.
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AND SPICY REMOULADE
Serves 4
Remoulade
- ¼ cup roasted green bell pepper, minced
- ½ cup celery, minced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons horseradish
- 2 teaspoons Crystal hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Fried Green Tomatoes
- Oil as needed, for deep frying
- 3 green big beef tomatoes
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- Lump crab meat (diced), Roma tomatoes, and arugula, for serving
Combine all the ingredients for the remoulade and keep refrigerated until serving.
In a saucepan or deep fryer, preheat the frying oil to 350 degrees F.
Slice the top and bottom off the tomatoes and discard, then slice the tomato into ¼-inch-thick rounds.
Combine the egg, flour, water, salt, and pepper to create a batter. Dip the tomato slices into the batter, then into the panko to coat.
Gently place the breaded tomato slices into the frying oil and fry until golden brown. Once browned, place on a wire cooling rack to drain off excess oil.
Serve warm, topped with crab meat, arugula, diced Roma tomatoes, and spicy remoulade sauce for dipping.
JAMBALAYA
Serves 6
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1⅝ teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons oil or butter
- 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced on bias
- ¾ cup celery, small diced
- ¾ cup onion, small diced
- ¾ cup green bell pepper, small diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato, small diced
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
Combine the paprika, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, and thyme. Coat the shrimp with half the seasoning mixture, then season with ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Preheat a pot or cast-iron Dutch oven over moderately high heat. Sear the shrimp to slightly blacken on both sides. Add the oil, tossing to coat the shrimp. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Place the sausage in the pan, sautéing to slightly blacken on both sides. Add the celery, onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook to soften, but not brown. Mix in the tomato paste, add the second half of the seasoning mixture, and cook to slightly darken. Add the diced tomatoes to deglaze the pan. Stir in the rice. Add the stock and bay leaves, then season with 1½ teaspoons salt.
Bring contents of the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam with the lid on for 10 more minutes. (Don’t remove the lid any earlier as it will stop cooking the rice.)
Remove the lid, fluff the rice, mixing in the parsley and sauteed shrimp. Garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges, and serve hot.