DIY Cajun Seasoning

Cheese whiz. Where do I start? Like the myriad of gumbo recipes floating out there in cyberspace, folks will tell you all kinds of ways to conjure-up Cajun seasonings. Many popular commercial brands already adorn our supermarket shelves like Tony Chachere, Slap ya Mama, Zatarains and others. However, these ready-made seasonings also contain preservatives and anti-caking chemicals to extend their shelf-life while shortening ours.

But, the truth about Cajun seasoning is that it's rather simple to make your own just about anytime you want because most of the spices and salts used to make a good mix are probably already in your spice rack.

To make one measure begin by using the 4 main ingredients (in order of importance) and work your way down. Take care not to overpower your homemade Cajun seasonings with too much of one kind of spice or another. The following formula is a guideline which you may use to make your own. You can multiply this measured-mix to prepare more.

• 1 tsp red or cayenne pepper, finely ground
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp onion powder

This is a basic well-rounded formula to which you may add additional spices, to taste, such as basil, white or black pepper, paprika, chili powder or celery salt.

The reason I don't add more garlic and onion powder or celery salt, for example, is because many of the dishes I prepare already come with a trinity of fresh onions, peppers and celery so there is no need for redundancy.

I mix-in the above amount with two cups of powdered gumbo roux to make a half-gallon of many of my favorite gumbos. It works out great for me with sausage and boudin recipes because I am free to add any of the other spices along the way to adjust the taste. When making sausage or boudin I will add my seasoning mix in a liquid solution like water, beer or broth so that it can be more easily disbursed throughout.

You can save lots of dough by making your own Cajun seasonings as you go.

Hope this helps. Ahheee!!

KT

ISF Sliced Green Tomatoes | How to Have Fried Green Tomatoes Year-Round | Video

How to Freeze Green Tomatoes?

ISF is an acronym for "Individually Slow Frozen". It is the opposite of IQF... which means "Individually Quick Frozen". But, before we learn about ISF, you may want to know about IQF first.

IQF foods have been around for a long time. The industrial process involves very quickly freezing foods individually, like various meats, seafood and vegetables for example.

Green Tomatoes

The individually frozen foods do not touch each other during the freezing process, so they don't clump together during packaging. This allows the end user of the product to remove as much as needed from the container without thawing the entire contents.

Frozen food processors are equipped with machinery which simulate strong arctic blasts. In a matter of a few short minutes, foods can be preserved at sub-freezing temperatures. IQF shrimp, for example, can be frozen at temperatures approaching -50º F.

IQF foods are safer and last longer than foods which are preserved at just below 32º F. and it offers several advantages.

IQF prevents bacterial growth and allows stores, restaurants and consumers to use practical methods of storing foods safely and for longer periods of time.

Unfortunately, most of us cannot afford the large and expensive industrial blast freezers. We have to improvise by using our home freezers--which is not a problem.

This is where ISF enters the picture. It merely takes a little more time to achieve similar results, keeping in mind of course, that the foods we preserve in our home freezers will not attain the subfreezing temperatures of the blast freezers

This short video demonstrates how we can preserve sliced green tomatoes by 'slowly' freezing them on a cookie sheet lined with food grade waxed paper. And, we can do it in our refrigerator freezers.

Getting it done is a breeze... or, should I say a "freeze'?

However we describe it, this is a clever way of preserving sliced green tomatoes and it affords us the opportunity to have 'em year-round.

Hint: If you plan to use your ISF sliced green tomatoes in the not too distant future, then it's okay to save them in your freezer using zipper or resealable bags. If not, then it might be a good idea to vacuum seal them so they can keep for a longer period of time.

One other thing. It's important to not let the tomato slices touch each other during the freezing process so they may freeze individually. That way, as mentioned before, after packaging you can remove only the amount needed from the bag and save the rest for later.

I hope this helps.

Cajun Style Ground Beef and Turnip Burgers

Cajun-style Ground Beef and Turnip Burgers are juicy AND delicious!

Anyone who knows me well also knows that I'm always experimenting with something new in my kitchen.

The other day a friend gave me a bag of turnips--each about the size of a baseball.

Turnip

What to do with 'em, I wondered?

Last night I boiled two of them. I ate one while it was still hot and I let the other cool down for the purposes of mashing it later and mixing it with ground beef to make a burger (just to find out how it would taste).

I used 1/2 of a mashed turnip to about 1/4 lb. of 80/20 mix ground beef (20% fat and 80% lean).  I also added a few of my favorite Cajun spices to the mix for extra flavor.

The results were great!

Although I could barely taste the turnip (maybe a little) it had the affect of creating a juicy and delicious burger without a lot of shrinkage. I think I'm on to something here??

I hope you enjoy this new Cajun-style ground beef and turnip burger recipe as much as I did. It's always good to learn one more way to cook and enjoy turnips.

One other note. The ingredients listed below is for only one burger. You will have to adjust it to make several burgers at a time.

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb. ground beef (80/20)
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 boiled turnip (mashed)
• 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper         
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. thoroughly mix the ground beef, mashed turnip and dry ingredients together
2. in a skillet melt the 1 tbsp. of butter
3. fry on both sides (medium heat) for a few minutes until completely cooked
4. serve as a sandwich or opened face

CYL (catch ya later)... back to my lab.

Bon appetite! Ahheeee!! 
KT

Fish Courtbouillon (fish soup)

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. fresh fish
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large can tomato sauce
• 1 medium can Rotel tomatoes
• 2 medium bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Cut fish into bite size pieces. Season generously with salt, red and black pepper then set aside.

Using the flour and oil, prepare a roux to medium brown color. Add onions and celery. Cook over medium heat in uncovered pot until onions are barely soft, stirring constantly. Add tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, bay leaves, and water. Cook about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Add garlic and fish. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 25 minutes.

Serve in soup bowls with cooked long grain rice. Use bread or hush puppies. Serves 8 to 10 people.

(K-T)

Grilled Rainbow Trout Salad

Now, I know this recipe is not true to theme, but it tasted so good and it was so simple to make that I just had to share it.



I started with a couple of nice rainbow trout fillets, skin on. I coated both sides of each fillet with olive oil. On the meat side of the fillets, I sprinkled with Flower of the Ocean Celtic Sea Salt (this stuff is great). I added some lemon zest, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh dill, and oregano.

I heated the grill to 375 degrees, cleaned and oiled the grate, then cooked the trout. I started with the meat side down for about 4-5 minutes. Then, I flipped the fillets over and did the same with the skin side down.

When the fillets were done, I squeezed a little lemon juice. I tossed a baby green salad with some red wine vinaigrette, some blue cheese crumbles, and some candied pecans.

The fat between the meat and the skin rendered nicely, allowing the cooked fillets to slide right off. I topped the salad with the grilled trout, and served with some chilled white wine. Delicious!

Update:  I tried this again, but this time I skipped the lemon zest, and added smoked paprika to the spices I put onto the fish. I served the fish skin-side down. 

On the salad, instead of pecans I used walnuts, but I added some chopped granny smith apple.  I squeezed a little lemon on the salad to brighten it up. 

When I grilled the trout, I also grilled some shucked corn-on-the-cob over high heat, until I got some good browning on many of the kernels.  Back in the kitchen, I cut the roasted kernels off of the cob, and sauteed them in a pat of butter and olive oil, along with some chopped red bell pepper, and chopped red onion, with a little Celtic Sea Salt. 

I served it with some chilled Menage et Trois white wine, which went perfectly with this healthy and delicious meal.