How you doin’? There are 1001 gumbo recipes and I’ve tested and tasted a lot of them. There is no such thing as bad gumbo—just some gumbos are better than others. This recipe is traditional, very simple and a breeze in an Instant Pot. In addition to spicy andouille sausage, it’s full of chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, and other great veggies. It is wonderfully creamy with a pungent sauce. This is the original bowl of Cajun comfort food.
 
The most important ingredient is the roux. It’s not complicated even though it does sound French. It‘s just equal measures of butter and flour. Any home meal provider can learn how to make a brown roux first time out. It comes down to patience: you must keep whisking, continuously and slowly, until the roux is a rich, caramel color and full of brown butter and toasted flour flavor.
 
Gumbo is the perfect one-pot, one-bowl meal. It’s loaded with all the proteins and veggies you could want. And the sauce… that beautiful sauce is for the rice and a nice piece of crusty bread to sop it up.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes (all in including the roux)
Yield: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups dry white rice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 bell diced peppers, (any colors—orange, green, red or purple)
3 stalks of diced celery
1 medium diced yellow or red onion
12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5-ounces chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2-1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce (Tabasco work well if you don’t have Crystal)
3-1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
12 ounces raw shrimp
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons cup green onion, sliced thin
 
Directions

1. To get things started, prepare the rice according to the package directions; set aside to serve with the gumbo.
2. In an Instant Pot set to SAUTÉ, combine the butter and flour over medium heat, whisking continuously until a brown roux has formed. Be patient, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. It should be the color of light caramel. Watch your roux carefully, so it doesn’t burn. If it does start to burn, start over.
3. Add the bell peppers, celery, onion. Lightly sauté the vegetables on medium-low heat until they’re sweet and fragrant, about 5 minutes. STOP THE SAUTÉ function.
4. Add the andouille sausage, chicken and garlic, scraping up any crispy bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the gumbo and stir to combine.
6. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the hot sauce, chicken stock, white wine and the bay leaves.
7. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Close the quick release valve and set PRESSURE ON HIGH for 15 MINUTES. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to click in.
8. When the pressure cycle is done, QUICK RELEASE the pressure valve.
9. Open the Instant Pot lid and add the shrimp and corn kernels. Stir well and put the lid back on the instant pot for 5 minutes to fully cook the shrimp.
10. Serve the gumbo in a soup bowl over rice.
11. Garnish the gumbo with sliced green onions, and hot, crusty bread.

ChefSecret:  I know you may think this won’t work, but the residual heat in the Instant Pot will cook the shrimp and corn perfectly even though the power is off.

Quip of the Day: “Things have gotten so bad in Washington, D.C. Exxon-Mobil had to lay off 25 Congressmen.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #InstantPot #Gumbo #Andouille #Chicken #Shrimp #CajunSpice #Tabasco #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Chinese workers first brought their unique cuisine to America during the gold rush in California and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Back then, the food was mainly for the immigrants Chinese only.
 
In the 1930’s Chinese-American food (Cantonese-style) was growing in popularity. A rich brown sauce began to be served with many stir-fry dishes. This “gravy,” as it was called, was rich with an array of complex umami flavors. Egg Foo Young  (a Chinese omelet) was no exception. Egg Foo Young  has become one of the most popular Chinese take-out dishes in America today. But it is so much better to make at home when it can be served fresh and hot right out of the pan.
 
Don’t cringe at the thought of it—making Egg Foo Young at home is easier than you might think. All you need are some eggs, fresh veggies and your favorite meats (Chinese sausage, beef, pork, chicken, shrimp or a combination—even tofu can work), and you will soon be making delicious, better than take-out Egg Foo Young  at home. No need to head out to a Chinese restaurant—you’re now the pro—when you can cook great Chinese food so well at home.
 
This omelet style dish has become sort of ubiquitous and can be found in the Chinese-American, Chinese-British, and Chinese-Indonesian cuisine. Like many dishes, this one has been adapted depending upon where it is served and the local available ingredients. What is common is that Egg Foo Young is served with fresh vegetables like bean sprouts, spring onions, mushrooms, cabbage, and water chestnuts. This is the perfect dish that can adapted to whatever you have on hand—even leftovers from your visit to a Chinese restaurant (I often include leftover steamed or fried rice—just toss it in). This is an easy meal to make at home.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Additional time to make the sauce: 10 minutes
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients
For the Egg Foo Young  omelet
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped green onion bottoms
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup sliced white mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2-pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped (or other precooked proteins)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce
1-1/2 cups bean sprouts
6 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons green onion tops
 
For the Egg Foo Young  gravy
1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
 
Directions
To make the Egg Foo Young

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Using an oven-safe skillet over medium heat on the cook top, heat sesame oil and lightly fry the onions, celery, water chestnuts and mushrooms.
3. Stir in the cornstarch and add shrimp (or other protein), soy sauce, salt, pepper, sriracha and sprouts. Stir until well blended.
4. Add the beaten eggs and continue cooking. Cook the eggs while stirring gently.
5. Remove the pan from the cook top and finish cooking in a hot oven until eggs are fully cooked.
6. Top with green onion tops and gravy.

To make the Egg Foo Young gravy

1. Combine 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar and soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until simmering.
2. Prepare cornstarch slurry by combining the cornstarch and 5 tablespoons of the chicken stock together in a small bowl. Stir to combine. 
3. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir it into the sauce until it thickens.
4. Hold the sauce warm until ready to serve.

ChefSecret:  I use two (2) small sauté pans and divide all the ingredients equally. That way I can easily serve two perfect Egg Foo Young omelets.

Quip of the Day: “Recently, I’ve put a lot of thought into it and I just don’t think being an adult is gonna work for me.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #EggFooYoung #ChineseFood #ChineseOmelet QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

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How you doin'? This recipe is “Shreveport-style” stuffed shrimp because I believe this style originated in the kitchen of the Freeman & Harris Café in Shreveport. That gives these stuffed shrimp appetizers historical significance--Hey, mom—I’m making history. All of this is to say that these are more than just fancy shrimp. They’re history on a plate. A very delicious history.
 
When you go to Shreveport, you’ll find stuffed shrimp can be a little different from restaurant to restaurant.  However, there is a little historical argument as at least three restaurants that claim to be serving the “original, correct recipe.”  
 
So now I will add to the complications and add my own touch—bacon.  Bacon-Wrapped Crab-Stuffed Shrimp will knock your socks off!

Prep time:  1 hour
Cook time:  40 minutes
Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 finely chopped green onion, top and bottom
1/4 cup finely chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2-1/2 teaspoons heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound crab meat pieces
8 extra colossal shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tails on
8 slices bacon, thinly sliced
basil cream sauce (recipe below)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the green onions, peppers and garlic powder until peppers are limp.
3. Place mixture in a bowl and add cream, mustard and cayenne pepper to sautéed vegetables, mix well.
4. Add the breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, egg, parsley and lemon juice; mix well.
5.  Gently fold in crab meat.
6. Form into very small patties sized to stuff into shrimp; set aside.
7. Split shrimp down the bottom center to tail, being careful not to cut through.
8. Stuff each shrimp with crab meat mixture.
9. Tightly wrap the shrimp with the bacon and secure with a toothpick.
10. Place the stuffed shrimp on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan and bake until the bacon is crisp and shrimp are pink; about 15 to 20 minutes.
11. To serve, arrange 2 extra colossal shrimp on each plate on a bed of rice, if desired.
12. Drizzle with Basil Cream Sauce.

 
For the basil cream sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup diced onions
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon chicken or lobster base (I prefer Better-than-Bullion)
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon roux, (see ChefSecret)
 
To make the basil cream sauce

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the white wine and reduce by half.
4. Add heavy cream and chicken base and reduce by half again.
5. Add basil, cheese and roux; bring to a simmer and heat until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

ChefSecret:  Roux is roux: the ratio is always the same—1 part flour, 1 part butter and that doesn't change. As with all Mother Sauces, roux is the thickener used in bechamel and how much of it you use depends upon how thick you want the sauce to be.

I called out thinly sliced bacon to wrap the shrimp—the thinner the better. This ensures that the bacon will become cooked sufficiently—the flavor will be better, too.

If you can’t find can’t find extra colossal sized shrimp, go down to the next size and increase the number of shrimp (and crab patties and bacon slices) for each guest.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “This pandemic has the tendency to prematurely age people. You know you’re turning into your parents when one minute you were young and fun, and the next you’re turning down the music to see the road better.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Appetizer #CrabStuffedShrimp #BaconWrappedShrimp #Crab #Shrimp #Bacon #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

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How you doin’? I fell in love with recipes from the South while researching different cuisines for one of our clients. Most people just lump Southern Cuisine into one big “Gone with Wind” bucket, but when you get inside you find that every state, as well as areas within the states, have their own specialties that have been passed down from generation to generation.
 
While watching Smoke Ring on Discovery+ last night, hosted by Stephen Ray Tickle (a real life moonshiner), one of the contestants orchestrated a beautiful Lowcountry Perloo. It was a thing of beauty to behold. I had decided to skip dinner but suddenly, I was drooling, just watching it on TV. 

In the Lowcountry region (the coastal areas of the Carolinas and Georgia), Perloo is a beloved rice dish often made with the region's plentiful shellfish. Like Jambalaya, Perloo starts with a flavorful base of rice simmered with tomato, bell pepper, celery, garlic and onion.
 
One-pot rice dishes are incredible easy and versatile, you can use chicken, seafood, sausage, and whatever vegetables you have on hand. These dishes are ideal for weeknight suppers.
 
You can get in a Lowcountry frame of mind with my delicious Shrimp Perloo recipe which can be ready in just 40 minutes. The size of the shrimp is key to this recipe—be sure to purchase medium-sized, not large, shrimp. They are stirred into the pot at the end of the cook time. The residual heat from the rice mixture cooks the shrimp to tender perfection, in about 3 to 5 minutes.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
4 thick-cut bacon slices (about 6 oz.), chopped
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine (or moon shine, if you have it 😊)
2 (14.5 oz.) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
7 cups seafood stock (made from the heads and shells of shrimp)
3 cups uncooked basmati rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 pounds raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup smoked Andouille sausage, sliced in rings
1/4 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
 
Directions

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the bacon drippings in Dutch oven. Set cooked bacon aside.
2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to Dutch oven; cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften but haven’t begun to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add wine (or moonshine), stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits from bottom of pot.
5. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in stock, rice, and butter; bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
8. Remove from heat. Working quickly, gently stir in shrimp and sausage; cover and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons salt.
10. Garnish serving bowls parsley and bacon.

ChefSecret:  This dish works best with medium-sized shrimp. If the shrimp are too large, the rice mixture will cool off before the shrimp are cooked and you will have undercooked shrimp and lukewarm rice.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “When you serve this dish for company, they’ll be grinnin' like a possum eatin' a sweet tater.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entree #Lowcountry #Shrimp #Andouille #ShrimpPerloo #SmokeRing #Moonshine #StephenRayTickle #GoneWithTheWind #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? You might be asking yourself… “why Mozambique Prawns?” Some of you may know that I spent the better part of 3 or 4 years going back and forth to Lisbon, Portugal. During the time of colonial Portuguese rule of Mozambique many southern African foods were brought back to Portugal. One such item was large prawns and you can still enjoy them today in Portugal’s many seaside restaurants.
 
Mozambique is an African nation located in the southeast of Africa whose long Indian Ocean coastline is dotted with popular beaches and offshore marine parks. In the Quirimbas Archipelago, a 250km stretch of coral islands, mangrove-covered Ibo Island has colonial-era ruins surviving from a period of Portuguese rule. The Bazaruto Archipelago farther south has reefs that protect rare marine life including prawns.
 
While Mozambique is famous for the quality of its fresh seafood there is a heavy Portuguese influence felt in dishes such as Peri-Peri (hot and spicy) Prawns and Peri-Peri Chicken. It is a cross-cultural country between food and music—Mozambique is famous for its traditional music, especially its marimba bands. Marimba bands made it all the way to Brazil in South America.
 
You’ll see that this recipe calls for Amarula, a cream liqueur from South Africa. It is in the same family as Bailey’s (Irish) Cream. It is made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the African marula tree which is also locally called the Elephant tree or the Marriage Tree. It has a light alcohol content of 17% by volume (30° proof) and is a wonderful ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes. 
 
Prep time: 30 minutes
Marinade time: 30-60 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
For the cashew nut Amarula satay
14 ounces cashew nuts
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Amarula
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
 
For the piri-piri prawns
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili flakes
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 fresh mild red chile, seeded, deveined and chopped
1-pound large raw prawns, deveined with shell and head on
1 fresh lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions
To make the cashew nut Amarula satay sauce

1. Pre-heat an oven the 350⁰ F.
2. Place a tray of cashews in to toast for about ten minutes until golden brown and fragrant.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4. When the nuts are cool put them in a food processor with the vanilla extract and blend for about 10-15 minutes, until the mixture has a smooth and creamy consistency. It will look crumbly for a long time, just continue blending.
5. Remove nut mixture from the food processor and place in a bowl along with the Amarula, water, lime juice, soy sauce and sugar.
6. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

 
To grill the prawns

1. Place the garlic, chili flakes, lemon zest and juice, smoked paprika, sugar, olive oil and vinegar in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Mix in the cilantro and fresh chile.
3. Pour the sauce over the prawns and season with salt and pepper.
4. Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes, no longer than 1 hour.
5. Cook on a grill over a hot fire turning the prawns after two minutes and cooking until just pink and cooked through.
6. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the prawns and serve with the cashew nut and Amarula satay sauce.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have access to a grill, you can cook the prawns in a griddle pan. Heat the pan until it is smoking before adding the prawns. Turn the prawns after two minutes and cook until just pink and cooked through.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “In life, in order to succeed, you must do the thing you thought you could not do. That does not apply to haircuts during quarantine.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Prawns #Mozambique #Portugal #Africa #Amarula #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021