Cajun Beer Bread

In a matter of minutes, your kitchen will be filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, without kneading and rising. Leavened by beer and baking powder, this savory beer bread is simple to make and almost foolproof. With a soft, light core and a crunchy buttery crust, it can be enjoyed alone slathered with butter, or served alongside a hearty meal. This also makes great toast and sandwiches. And, it’s a very flexible recipe. Substitute any carbonated beverage (like cream soda or seltzer water) for the beer; replace the Cajun seasoning with dill, or other preferred herbs; leave out the cheese; mix and match the veggies (use jalapeno instead of green peppers). Try experimenting with different beers and ales. For this loaf, I used Blue Moon Summer Wheat Ale. This bread is just as quick and easy as those pricey beer bread mixes, only better. But don’t take my word for it. The “proof” is in the taste!

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. (I used Baker’s Joy.) For easier removal from pan, you could also cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom only of the pan.

Chop onion. Chop green pepper. Mince garlic.

In small skillet, heat oil. Saute onion and green pepper, over medium-high heat, 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Set aside to cool.

Sift flour. Measure 3 cups of sifted flour and add to a large bowl. (Do not pack flour in measuring cup and level with a knife.)  

Add baking powder, salt, Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper and sugar. Stir to combine.

Add beer and stir just until moistened. Avoid over mixing. 

Fold in onion mixture and shredded cheese. Dough will be elastic in texture.

Pour into prepared loaf pan. 

Pour melted butter over batter.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness with wooden pick. (My loaf was done in 55 minutes.) Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and slice.

 

CAJUN BEER BREAD
Source: Adapted from Turnips 2 Tangerines
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (or substitute jalapeno peppers)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups sifted flour (do not pack, level with a knife)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using self-rising flour)
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (I used Emeril’s Baby Bam)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 12 ounces beer (any variety)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar, or any cheese blend

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.  Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In small skillet, heat oil. Saute onion and green pepper, over medium-high heat, 4 to 6 minutes, or
    until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Set aside to cool.
3. Sift flour. Measure 3 cups of sifted flour and add to a large bowl. (Do not pack flour in measuring cup
    and level with a knife.)  Add baking powder, salt, Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper and sugar. Stir to
    combine.
4. Add beer and stir just until moistened. Avoid over mixing. Fold in onion mixture and shredded cheese.
    (Dough will be elastic in texture.)
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Pour melted butter over batter.
6. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness with wooden pick. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack
    for at least 15 minutes.
7. When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and slice.


 

EMERIL’S BABY BAM
Source: Emerils.com
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt (reduced from original recipe)
• 3 tablespoons paprika

DIRECTIONS:
 
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.

Spicy Creole Jambalaya

 

Jambalaya is one of those one pot wonders. Creole Jambalaya (or “red jambalaya”) originates from the French Quarter of New Orleans and includes tomatoes. What I love about it is the hodgepodge of flavors which all meld together, because it is all prepared in one pot. This is soul food at its finest. It’s hearty, satisfying and “oh, so comforting.” It’s ideal party food because it feeds a crowd. Not having a party? Not a problem, as it freezes well, which makes for an easy “already prepared” meal on those hectic days when you don’t have time to cook. Along with the aromatic trinity of bell peppers, celery and onions, this variation includes chicken, Andouille sausage and shrimp. Savory, spicy and earthy, this bold Cajun dish takes center stage during the Mardi Gras, but is deserving of being relished year-round.

I usually use home-made Creole seasoning, which is a staple in my pantry. For this recipe I combine a 50/50 blend of Emeril's Essence (also known as Bayou Blast) and Baby Bam. The Baby Bam has no cayenne pepper in it, so it cuts back on the overall heat by replacing some of the Essence with the Baby Bam.

Veggie Prep: Chop onion, bell peppers, and celery. Mince garlic. Thinly slice green onions. Chop parsley.

Peel and devein shrimp. 

Trim chicken of excess fat and dice into 2-inch cubes. (Thoroughly clean cutting board and knife before proceeding with sausage.)

Cut Andouille sausage into medallions, then slice each medallion in half (or just thinly slice, if you prefer.)

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken and season with 1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning. Saute until brown, 8 to 10 minutes (longer if using thighs), until browned. Remove to platter and set aside.

Add another 2 Tablespoons olive oil, then add Andouille sausage. (By now, you are probably hating me, saying that the bottom of the pot is a burnt on mess already. That’s good….that’s what you want. The accumulated browned bits will loosen up when you add the trinity of veggies and liquid.) Cook sausage 6 to 10 minutes, or until browned, stirring often. Remove to platter and set aside.

Add final 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. (I know, by now the bottom of your pot is a total disaster.) Add onion, bell peppers, celery, fresh thyme leaves and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent and vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes. (As you stir, now you will be able to start scraping up the browned bits on the pot bottom.) 

Stir in rice. 

Then add chicken stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir well, scraping up any remaining browned bits left on bottom of pan. Add Creole seasoning (you can add the remaining amount, or add less if you prefer.) The Andouille sausage already adds a good amount of spicy heat to the dish, so you may want to add the remaining Creole seasoning gradually, and adjust to taste, rather than add all at once.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the shrimp. Cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. 

Stir chicken and sausage into rice mixture. 

Add green onions and chopped parsley. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through and rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

This is great served with Cheddar cornbread or jalapeno corn muffins; but even better still, when served with Cajun Beer Bread (which I will post tomorrow).

SPICY CREOLE JAMBALAYA
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 5 to 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut in 2-inch cubes (or substitute 1-1/2 pounds chicken breast)
• 2 Tablespoons Creole seasoning, divided* (or adjust quantity to your preference)
• 1 pound (5 to 6 links) Andouille sausage, sliced thin (or substitute any smoked sausage)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
• 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups raw long-grain rice
• 6 cups chicken stock (or substitute chicken broth)
• 2 cans (10 ounces each) Ro-Tel tomatoes with chiles, undrained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
• 2 pounds medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken and season
    with 1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning. Saute until brown, 8 to 10 minutes (longer if using thighs), until
    browned. Remove to platter and set aside.
2. Add another 2 Tablespoons olive oil, then add Andouille sausage. (By now, you are probably hating
    me, saying that the bottom of the pot is a burnt on mess already. That’s good….that’s what you want.
    The accumulated browned bits will loosen up when you add the trinity of veggies and liquid.) Cook
    sausage 6 to 10 minutes, or until browned, stirring often. Remove to platter and set aside.
3. Add final 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add onion, bell
    peppers, celery, fresh thyme leaves and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent
    and vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes. (As you stir, now you will be able to start scraping up
    the browned bits on the pot bottom.)
4. Stir in rice. Then add chicken stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir well, scraping up any remaining
    browned bits left on bottom of pan. Add Creole seasoning (you can add the remaining amount, or add
    less if you prefer.) The Andouille sausage already adds a good amount of spicy heat to the dish, so you
    may want to add the remaining Creole seasoning gradually, and adjust to taste, rather than add all at
    once.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the shrimp. Cover and
    simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Stir chicken and sausage into rice mixture. Add green onions and chopped parsley. Stir well to combine. 
    Cover and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through and rice has absorbed most of the
    liquid.



*NOTE: For this recipe I combine a 50/50 blend of Emeril's Essence (also known as Bayou Blast) and Baby Bam. The Baby Bam has no cayenne pepper in it, so it cuts back on the overall heat by replacing some of the Essence with the Baby Bam.


EMERIL’S ESSENCE (also known as Bayou Blast)
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt (reduced from original recipe)
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS:
 
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.


EMERIL’S BABY BAM
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt (reduced from original recipe)
• 3 tablespoons paprika

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.

Cajun Shrimp Po' Boy

 

New Orleans has laid claim to a powerful collection of iconic food, but no dish is as prevalent and adored as the po’ boy sandwich. The history of this humble fare is a rich one. The story dates back to 1929, during the outbreak of a long, bitter and historically violent transit strike. Clovis and Benjamin Martin, former streetcar operators, and sibling owners of the Martin Bros. Coffee Stand and Restaurant, offered support to the down and out workers, by promising to feed them, with free sandwiches, for the duration of the dispute. Legend has it that anytime a striker approached the restaurant, one of the brothers would announce; “Here comes another poor boy,” hence the name. The brothers are also credited with re-engineering the French bread. They worked with a local baker to develop a 40-inch loaf of bread with a uniform rectangular shape from end to end. This innovation allowed them to sell half-sandwiches, as well as other sizes. Shortly thereafter, the Great Depression hit and the “over-sized” sandwich became an affordable way for New Orleanians to feed their families. As shellfish was cheap and abundant (at that time), po’ boys were soon being filled with shrimp and oysters. And the rest is sandwich history; a delicious bite of New Orleans culture. Since the French bread used in a po’ boy is available only in New Orleans, it’s virtually impossible to duplicate this sandwich elsewhere. Alas, since it’s doubtful I will ever have the opportunity to taste the “real thing,” rather than deprive my cravings, I’ll settle for a darn good imitation.

Ingredients for wet and dry mixes (shrimp prep)

 

Ingredients to "dress" po' boy before serving

 
Trust me, this recipe is not as complicated as it may seem. I prefer to make my own Creole seasoning (Emeril’s ESSENCE), because I think it has more “bite” to it than store-bought brands. I make up my seasoning ahead of time, so I always have a pre-made batch available in my pantry. However, if you have a store-bought brand of Creole seasoning you prefer, then substitute that. 

The “wet” and “dry” mixes are just your standard egg wash and seasoned flour mix for marinating and coating your shrimp before frying.

The Spicy Tartar Sauce is my basic tartar sauce recipe, but combined with store-bought cocktail sauce, to give it a little kick.

It’s easiest if you prepare everything you need beforehand; then all you need to do is fry your fish and dress your po’ boy. 

Peel and devein shrimp. Mince garlic; set aside.

Ingredients for Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning

Prepare Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning:  Combine all ingredients in resealable plastic bag, or air-tight container. Shake well. 

Ingredients for Spicy Tartar Sauce

Prepare Spicy Tartar Sauce:  In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, pickle relish, lemon juice,garlic, chopped onion and cocktail sauce. Stir well to completely blend. Store, refrigerated, until ready to use.

 

Prepare Wet Mix:  In large (gallon-size) resealable bag, combine eggs, milk, ESSENCE, garlic powder, onion powder and Tabasco. Whisk well to combine.

Prepare Dry Mix:  In large (gallon-size) resealable bag, combine flour, cornmeal, ESSENCE, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt. Shake well to combine.

Place shrimp in bag of “wet mix” (egg wash). Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning bag after 15 minutes.

Drain the wet mix from the shrimp. Transfer the drained shrimp to the bag of “dry mix” (flour mixture). Shake well to coat all shrimp.

Transfer shrimp to a baking sheet. Reserve the remaining dry mix; set aside for later use. Refrigerate coated shrimp for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot, or preheat a deep fryer to 360° F.

Remove shrimp from refrigerator. Place shrimp back in reserved bag of dry mix. Shake to coat one last time.

Fry the shrimp in the preheated oil, in batches, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Melt butter. Stir in minced garlic. Split the bread in half (without going all the way through). Brush both sides of the cut bread with butter mixture. 

Toast (buttered side up) in preheated 375° F. oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until exterior of bread is crisp. If desired, broil buttered side to lightly toast top.

Spread the Spicy Tartar Sauce on both sides of the bread.

Divide shrimp evenly among the sandwiches. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, and sliced pickles (if using). Serve with hot sauce and additional Spicy Tartar Sauce.

CAJUN SHRIMP PO’ BOY
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

 
INGREDIENTS:

• Peanut oil (or vegetable oil) for frying
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 loaves French bread, or 4 smaller sub rolls
• 1/2 stick of butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Prepared Spicy Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
• Shredded lettuce, for serving
• Sliced tomato, for serving
• Sliced dill pickles, optional, for serving
• Hot sauce, optional, for serving

Wet Mix:

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 Tablespoon ESSENCE (recipe follows)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce

Dry Mix:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 3 Tablespoons ESSENCE (recipe follows)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning:

• 2-1/2 Tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt**
• 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme

Spicy Tartar Sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup drained sweet pickle relish
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons prepared cocktail sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning:  
Combine all ingredients in resealable plastic bag, or air-tight container. Shake well.

Prepare Spicy Tartar Sauce:
In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, pickle relish, lemon juice, garlic, chopped onion and cocktail sauce. Stir
well to completely blend. Store, refrigerated, until ready to use.

Prepare Wet Mix:
In large (gallon-size) resealable bag, combine eggs, milk, ESSENCE, garlic powder, onion powder and
Tabasco. Whisk well to combine.

Prepare Dry Mix:
In large (gallon-size) resealable bag, combine flour, cornmeal, ESSENCE, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt. 
Shake well to combine.


1. Peel and devein shrimp. Place in bag of wet mix. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning bag
    after 15 minutes.
2. Drain the wet mix from the shrimp. Transfer the drained shrimp to the bag of dry mix. Shake well to
    coat all shrimp. Transfer shrimp to baking sheet. Set remaining dry mix aside (for later use).
    Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot, or preheat a deep fryer to 360° F.
4. Remove shrimp from refrigerator. Place shrimp back in reserved bag of dry mix. Shake to coat.
5. Fry the shrimp in the preheated oil, in batches, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
7. Split the bread in half (without going all the way through). Combine the melted butter and garlic.
    Brush both sides of the cut bread with butter mixture. Toast (buttered side up) in preheated 375° F.
    oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until exterior of bread is crisp. If desired, broil buttered side to lightly toast.
8. Spread the Spicy Tartar Sauce on both sides of the bread.
9. Divide shrimp evenly among the sandwiches. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, and sliced pickles (if
    using). Serve with hot sauce and additional Spicy Tartar Sauce.


**Note: Original version of this seasoning calls for 2 Tablespoons of salt, which I fell is far too salty, so I adjusted down to 2 teaspoons.