Kyle’s Kitchen
Now that Mardi Gras has star ted, how about we dive into some delicious food from Louisiana this week? It’s definitely one of my favorite cuisines. If you’re going to make this first one you’ll need to use frozen corn since it’s not the season for fresh corn, but it’ll still be good.
Maque Choux
1 medium green or red bell pepper 1/2 medium sweet onion 1 small jalapeño pepper 2 cloves garlic 2 cups fresh or unthawed frozen corn kernels (from about 4 ears fresh, or 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen corn kernels) 3 slices bacon 2 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning, such as Tony Chachere’s 1/2 cup heavy cream Prepare the following, adding each to the same large bowl as it is completed: Dice 1 medium green or red bell pepper (about 1-1/4 cups) and 1/2 medium sweet onion (about 1 cup). Halve and finely chop 1 small jalapeño pepper (remove the seeds and ribs first for a less spicy flavor before chopping if desired). Finely chop 2 garlic cloves.
If using fresh corn, remove the husks and cut the kernels from the cobs (about 2 cups) and place in a small bowl. Dice 3 bacon slices.
Place the bacon in a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet and cook over medium- high heat until crisp and the fat renders out, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onion mixture and 2 teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning (or 1 teaspoon saltfree Creole or Cajun seasoning plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt) to the bacon fat in the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the corn and cook until tender and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and cook until warmed through, 30 sec onds to 1 minute. Top with the crisped bacon and serve warm.
—kwc— I do love a good muffuletta sandwich because I love olives and they have an olive spread on them. Here is a hot dip using the same ingredients. I would probably add some Kalamata olives as well. Would be good with toasted baguette slices.
Hot Muffuletta Dip 6 oz green olives 1/2 cup roasted red pepper 1/2 cup giardiniera 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 tsp garlic powder 1 cup salami, cut into small cubes 4 oz provolone cheese, cut into small cubes 1 tbsp grated mozzarella cheese 1 tsp fresh parsley, finely minced for garnish Preheat the oven to 350. Place the olives, roasted red pepper, and drained giardiniera (discard pickles if there are any) in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until everything is coarsely chopped.
Place this mixture in a bowl along with the softened cream cheese, salami, and provolone cheese and mix well to combine.
Pour this mixture in an oven-safe dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and top with the mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until is the cheese is melted and bubbling.
—kwc— And last but not least, one of my favorite things is Shrimp and Grits. Here’s an easy version without too many ingredients. Some recipes you’ll see have a very long list. I think I would definitely add some cajun or creole seasoning to this.
Shrimp and Grits
2-1/2 cups chicken stock/ broth, divided 2 cups whole milk 4 tablespoons butter, divided 3/4 cup stone-ground grits 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 4 strips bacon (or 2- 3 thick-cut slices) 1 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined Kosher salt to taste Black pepper to taste Thinly-sliced green onions for garnish Bring 2 cups of the chicken broth, the milk (2 cups), 3 tablespoons of the butter, and a pinch of salt to a gentle boil in a medium sized pot. Add the grits and whisk together. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until grits are soft and creamy, whisking every few minutes. Cover and set aside off heat, they will finish softening up while they sit.
Cook the 4 bacon strips until crispy in a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Once cool, chop into small pieces.
Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.
Rinse the shrimp with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper, and any other spices you want to add (optional). Cook in the bacon grease until only just cooked, about 2 minutes per side.
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the shrimp and stir until melted and broth is heated.
Stir in the cheese to the grits (1 cup) until melted.
Serve the shrimp mixture over the grits, making sure to spoon some of the liquid from the skillet over the grits, and sprinkle with the bacon pieces and sliced green onions, if using. Serve immediately.
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