Chicken & Rice Soup - (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 roasted chicken

3 quarts chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter or reserved chicken fat

1 small onion, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

4 carrots, diced

12 cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

8 bay leaves

1 bunch scallions (green & white parts), chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 to 3 cups cooked rice

1.  If you have roasted the chicken yourself, set the drippings aside to allow the fat to rise to the surface.  Pick the chicken meat from the bones (discard skin) and chop into 1/2-inch chunks, cover and refrigerate.  Transfer the chicken carcass to a stockpot and add 3 quarts broth.  Bring the broth to a boil, skim as necessary, reduce the heat to low, and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Strain the broth and reserve.

2.  Heat 2 tablespoons of butter (or the same amount of chicken fat, skimmed from the top of the pan drippings) in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, bay leaves, scallions, salt, pepper, oregano and cook, stirring for a few minutes, until the vegetables soften; they should not brown.

3.  Add the strained chicken broth and the diced chicken.  Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken starts to break down and meld with the stock.  When the soup is finished,  add the rice, taste for seasonings, and adjust salt and pepper as desired then serve.

Tomato & Bacon Pie (Cajun Pizza) - (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

12 oz. sliced bacon

2 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie crust, cooked

Salt & pepper

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

5 oz. cheddar or pepper jack cheese, grated

1.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp and set aside to cool on paper towels or a brown paper bag.  (Twelve ounces is probably a little more than you will need, but somehow a few extra pieces always get eaten.)

2.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Place a layer of tomato slices on the bottom of the crust and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Top with a layer of onion slices and cheese.  Repeat this process two more times.

3.  Crumble the cooked bacon over the top layer of onion and cheese and bake for about 25 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the tomatoes have released some of their moisture.  Place the pie on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.

Eggplant Rice Dressing - (Makes 2 to 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, diced (not peeled)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 cups long-grain rice

1 bunch scallions (white & green parts), coarsely chopped

4 bay leaves

3 cups water

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the eggplant, return to a boil for 1 minute, then drain in a colander.

2.  Heat the oil or lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the meat and cook, stirring, until the meat browns, about 5 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the eggplant, the rice, scallions, and bay leaves.  Add the water and stir together gently.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.  Be sure to use a cover that seals the pot tightly or the rice will not cook evenly.

4.  When the rice is tender, remove from the heat and allow the dish to sit, covered, for another 5 to 10 minutes (this way any excess moisture will be absorbed).  Serve immediately, or let the dressing cool, uncovered, for about 10 minutes and then cover to keep warm.

Broccoli, Rice, & Cheddar Casserole - (Makes 4 to 6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 heads broccoli or 2 bags broccoli florets

4 cups cream of mushroom soup

12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 medium onion very thinly sliced

2 cups cooked rice

1 bunch of scallions (white & green parts), finely chopped

Pinch of salt & pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1.  Cut the broccoli into small florets (peel and chop the stems and save for another use).  Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute, then immediately drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  This will help keep the broccoli green.

2.  Gently warm the mushroom soup in a saucepan over low heat.

3.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, combine he broccoli, cheddar cheese, sliced onion, rice, scallions, salt and pepper, soup, and half the Parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl.

4.  In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and bread crumbs.  Transfer the broccoli-rice mixture to the baking dish and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top and then sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheese.

5.  Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 20 minutes.  Raise the heat to 425 degrees F and cook 5 more minutes, to brown the top if it has not browned already.  The sides of the casserole should be bubbling gently.  Let the casserole stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Seafood Gumbo - (Makes 12 - 16 servings)

Ingredients:

At least 6 cold beers for the chef

4 lbs. medium (16 to 20 count) shrimp

6 blue crabs

Salt

Seafood Stock Ingredients:

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons paprika

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

13 bay leaves

9 quarts water

Gumbo Ingredients:

1 large onion

2 medium green bell peppers

3 celery stalks

2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, & finely chopped

3 cups vegetable oil

4 cups all-purpose flour

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoon file' powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Several dashes of hot sauce

2 pints shucked oysters, liquor strained & reserved

1 lb. crab claw meat, picked over for shells

1.  Peel the shrimp and set the shells and heads aside in a bowl in the refrigerator.

2.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the crabs and a generous amount of salt, cover the pot, and boil for 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain immediately and set the crabs aside to cool.  (if you were going to fully cook the crabs, you would boil them for 10 to 15 minutes, but you want to leave most of the flavor in the crab to cook in the gumbo, so here you're cooking them just enough to take them apart.)

3.  To make the seafood stock, put the chopped onion and celery and smashed garlic cloves in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.  Peel the front flaps and tops off the crabs and place in a large bowl with the shrimp heads and shells.  Use your fingers to scoop out the orange black fat from the middle of the crab and set aside in a small bowl.  Break the crab bodies into four pieces and set aside for the gumbo.

4.  Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat.  Add the reserved shrimp shells and heads and the crab shells.  Cook, stirring until the shells turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the coarsely chopped vegetables, paprika, rosemary, bay leaves, and 9 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour; strain.

5.  For he gumbo vegetables, dice the onion, bell peppers, and celery.  Set aside with the jalapenos to add to the roux.

6.  To make the roux, heat the 3 cups vegetables oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, but not smoking, whisk in the flour and reduce the heat to medium.  Cook, whisking constantly and slowly until the roux has thickened and is the color of a dark copper penny, 45 minutes t0 an hour.  You'll want to reduce the heat gradually as you go.  When the roux first begins to take on color, for instance, reduce the heat to medium.

7.  Continue in this fashion. gradually lowering the heat as color of the roux deepens.  By the end of the cooking, when the roux is appropriately dark, the heat should be on low.  It's essential to whisk the roux constantly as it cooks, because if even a small bit of flour sticks to the pot, it will become spotty, scorch quickly, and burn the entire roux.

8.  Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapenos, and reserved crab back fat then stir until they are well coated.  Stir in the garlic, salt, paprika, file' powder, chili powder, black pepper, cayenne, white pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, thyme, hot sauce and continue to cook, stirring, for a few minutes.  Add tow-thirds of the strained stock and the oyster liquor, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce he heat and simmer, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing clumps and burns, until the mixture returns to a simmer.

9.  Start skimming the oil from the top of the gumbo almost instantly.  Continue to simmer and skim for about 1 hour.  Taste the stock.  If it still has a strong roux flavor, gradually add the remaining stock until the flavor tastes more like the stock than the roux.

10.  When the flavor had developed an the stock is clearer (with fewer dots of oil), add the oysters and crab meat.  Bring the gumbo back to a simmer and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Skim once more and add the shrimp, and simmer for 1 more hour.

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya - (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 (3 1/2 to 4 lb.) chicken, roasted

2 medium onions, 1 quartered & 1 diced small

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 lb. smoke sausage, diced

2 tablespoons butter

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, & diced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, & diced

2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded & minced

1 bunch scallions (white & light green parts), thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix

2 teaspoons salt

5 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

1.  Pick all the meat from the chicken (discard skin) and use your hands to shred it into pieces, or chop into medium pieces, as you prefer.  Save all the juice and fat from the roasting pan (or container) as well and set aside; refrigerate chicken until needed.

2.  Place the carcass, quartered onion, and vegetable trimmings into a large pot to make broth.  Add 10 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour.  Strain the broth and discard solids.  You should have about 6 cups.

3.  Heat the oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage.  Sear until the sausage starts to color.  Parts of the sausage will begin to stick to the pan.  When there is a good coating stuck to the pan pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth and scrape it loose.  Let this cook until all the liquid has evaporated.  Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.

4.  Return the pan to the heat and add the butter.  when it melts, add the diced onion and cook about 10 minutes, until a nice deep brown color.  About halfway through the onion should start to stick to the pan; deglaze with 1/4 cup chicken broth and let this reduce until the skillet is dry.  When the onion starts to stick again, add 1/2 cup broth, when this almost gone, add the bell pepper, jalapenos, scallions, celery, garlic, spice mix, salt, bay leaves, oregano, and tomato paste.

5.  Cook the vegetables for 10 minutes, stirring often, until they start to stick to the skillet.  Deglaze with another 1/4 cup broth and reduce again until dry, then add the shredded chicken, 1 cup broth, the juices from the chicken and reduce again by half.

6.  Transfer the vegetable mixture to a heavy-bottomed pot and add the rice and the remaining 4 cups broth.  You want this mixture to have plenty of room so the rice will cook more evenly.  Cook, covered, over low heat for 40 minutes.

7.  Remove the pot from the heat and keep covered for 10 minutes more.  If the rice seems unevenly cooked, leave the lid on a little longer and it will even out.  When jambalaya is done, transfer to a casserole dish and serve.  ( If left in the pot it will over cook.)

Smoked Bacon & Giblet Gravy - (Makes 4 cups)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken livers

1 turkey gizzard

1 turkey neck

4 thyme sprigs

6 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves

6 cups chicken stock or water

2 strips thick-sliced bacon, sliced cross-wise into 1/4 inch pieces

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Drippings and pan juices from a roasted turkey or chicken

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

1.  Combine the livers. gizzard, neck, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, and stock or water in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours.  Strain the stock ( should have 4 to 5 cups) and let the meat cool, then pick the meat from the wings and neck, chop finely, and set aside.

2.  Render the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it releases its fat.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a separate plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.  Add the butter to the pan, and when it melts, add the flour.  Stir over medium-low heat until it forms a medium-brown peanut butter-colored roux.

3.  Add the onion, oregano, pepper, reserved bacon, and chopped meat mixture and cook, stirring, until the ingredients are coated with the roux, about 3 minutes.  Stir in 4 cups of the reserved stock and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the flavors have melded and the consistency is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

4.  To finish the gravy, stir in the degreased pan drippings from the turkey (or chicken).  Taste for seasonings, adding salt as desired.  Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving to brighten the flavors, if desired.

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