Crawfish Etouffee - It's National Crawfish Day!

It's National Crawfish Day, and if you've never enjoyed a crawfish boil you have been missing out.  The Devilish Nephew used to live in Houston, and that was my first real experience with a boil.  Houston has an amazing take on Cajun cuisine because they also have the Vietnamese flavors, not to mention the Texas philosophy of "make everything bigger and spicier."  There is a huge debate between Louisiana and Texas over who has the best crawfish technique, and I don't want to start a war.  I love both, but that Tex-Orleans style has my heart.  We typically have crawfish shipped here overnight at least once or twice per season and do a boil in our backyard.  What to put in a crawfish boil is as heavily debated as how to make chili.  Everyone has their own techniques and secrets and everyone staunchly believes theirs is the best.  That's the fun of cooking, especially something as regional as crawfish or Cajun food.  While you can't get fresh crawfish out of season for a boil, you can get packaged crawfish tail meat year round.  That's when we love to make Crawfish Etouffee.  It's a thick, rich gravy-like stew featuring the "trinity" of Cajun Cuisine: celery, bell peppers and onions.  You can use crawfish or shrimp and it is served over rice.  The main difference between gumbo and etouffee is the color of the roux.  Gumbo is known for its rich dark roux while etouffee uses a lighter "peanut butter" roux.  If you're not familiar with making a roux, then this recipe is great for beginners.  You simply cook your flour in melted butter until it has the look and almost consistency of peanut butter.  After that everything goes in one pot like soup or stew.  It really is simple, but oh so flavorful cooking!

Everyone has their own version of Etouffee,
just like their own way to boil crawfish.
This is one of our favorites!

We actually made this for Fat Tuesday.
Can you believe I didn't even get a 
picture of the roux?  I was too busy making
all of the other things while Mr. Devilish Dish
made the Etouffee.  It's so simple,
you won't miss the step by step pictures.

Mr. Devilish Dish's company is headquartered
in New Orleans.  They ship us an authentic
King Cake every year.  We enjoyed quite the
feast on Fat Tuesday.  He got the baby in his
slice of cake which means he has to provide
the King Cake next year.

CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 stalked celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 pound crawfish tails
1/2 cup sliced green onions
cooked white rice

Heat a heavy-bottom pot over medium heat.  Melt the butter and whisk in flour.  Continue whisking until mixture is smooth, thick, and the color of peanut butter.  Stir in celery, bell peppers, and onions.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir in minced garlic, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion power, Worcestershire sauce and parsley.  Stir in tomato sauce and 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes.  If sauce seems too thick, thin out with a little more water or chicken stock.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Add crawfish tails and cook approximately 3-5 minutes or until they are heated through.  Remove bay leaves and stir in the green onions.  Serve with rice and hot sauce.

The Viral Costco Meat Breakdown

Mr. Devilish Dish is pretty handy in the kitchen.  His knife skills are way better than mine.  Whenever you see perfectly diced things in pictures, you can be sure he did most of the work.  In fact he does a majority of the cooking around here.  For years we have bought meat in bulk, portioning it and vacuum sealing it for the freezer.  It is not only cheaper, but it is so convenient to have frozen beef, chicken, or pork ready to thaw for whatever we want to prepare.  Especially in the summer when our garden is abundant, we just choose a protein to grill and serve whatever we have harvested that morning.  Now that we are empty nesters, it is even easier to decide what is for dinner.  He grills one big steak and we split it, and while he grills I throw together a salad or simple side dish.  He's been breaking down his own cuts of meat for years, and lately I've started to see more and more people doing the same thing.  It is not only economical, but you control the portion size and the cuts.  On our last Costco beef restock, I decided to document his preparation technique, AND do the math on how much this costs.  Well he did the math.  I went to art school for a reason lol.

This is the result of New York Strip Loin
Break down.

11 (16-20 ounce) steaks
2.25 pounds stew meat
fat that will become tallow

Mr. Devilish Dish does all of the 
cutting and trimming.
My job is to vacuum seal and 
date and label everything for the freezer.

He does large steaks.  We typically
grill one steak and split it between
the two of us, so a 16 ounce steak
is 2 perfect 8-ounce portions.

You need a very sharp knife for this.
He has a "breaking knife" specifically
for this job, but a good heavy-duty
Chef's knife will do.

He portions out the large pieces with
his big knife, and then goes back in 
with a filet knife and removes most
of the fat.

As you can see we paid $168.83 for this beef.

This is the weight and pricing.

Not counting the stew meat and tallow,
that comes out to roughly $15 per steak.

As I said before, he grills one bigger steak for the two of us.  So now we're talking around $8.00 per portion.  I know that is for the meat only, not counting the sides.  But typically we have a baked potato, or something from the garden like salad, fresh tomatoes or shishito peppers.  I looked at the pricing for area steakhouses and a steak dinner of the same size at a chain restaurant is $33.99 for steak, potato and salad.  For the nicer steak house in our town a 14 ounce steak is $55.00 with ala carte sides.  Even if we split that steak we're still talking almost $28 per portion for each of us.  Versus $7.50 per portion.

We also love to have the stew meat for his famous Green Chile Stew 

so those couple of pounds of trimmings are well used, especially when the weather starts to cool off.

He renders all of the fat down and makes his own tallow.  Not only does he use the tallow for a lot of his preparations, last Christmas I made my own tallow soap.  I grew my own loofah plants and my friends got all natural loofahs and soap for Christmas.  Feeling very Laura Ingalls after that.  Do you need to save the fat and go to the trouble of making tallow?  No, but it's something he likes to do, and really makes this process have almost no waste.

Does this technique work for everyone? No.  We are fortunate enough to have deep freeze, so we have the space to store the meat.  We also have a vacuum sealer that helps keep everything fresh.  I did not factor the cost of the freezer bags nor our time and effort into this.  

It does take some time and effort to do this.  We are empty nesters, and we both enjoy doing activities like this.  Mr. Devilish Dish breaks down all of his own chickens and makes his own stocks and broths.  There was a time when I bought a can of Swanson's Chicken Broth can called it a day, because we both worked full time and had Little Devil and the Devilish Nephew to care for.  Now it is only the two of us. 

There are tons of YouTube videos that delve more in depth on how to select your meat, how to cut and weigh everything out.  Mr. Devilish Dish has been doing this so long, I really don't have a tutorial, but if you're interested in doing this, the info is out there.

Let me know if you decide to do this and how it goes for you!

Strawberries Romanoff

Strawberry season is upon us, and it's a great time to make this vintage dessert.  It's simple, but very elegant.  It was rumored to be Jackie Kennedy's favorite dessert and was served to Princess Grace of Monaco during a White House visit.  If it is impressive enough for a FLOTUS and Princess, then it is sure to impress your guests.  This classic dessert is ideal for any spring dinner party or luncheon. So easy to make, it is simply fresh ripe strawberries soaked in orange liqueur and orange juice for several hours.  To serve, you top it with a decadent vanilla whipped cream.  A perfect use for spring's abundance of fresh ripe strawberries.

This vintage dessert is simple to prepare,
but so impressive to serve.

The ingredients.

Soak your clean, hulled strawberries 
in a mixture of orange liqueur and 
fresh orange juice.

Cover and refrigerate several hours.

To serve, place some of the berries
and juice in a serving dish.

Top with sweetened
vanilla whipped cream.

So simple, and perfect for ripe
spring strawberries!

STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF

1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed juice from an orange
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Wash and hull berries.  Place in bowl with the liqueur and orange juice.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours.  When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla until stiff and pipeable.  Place the strawberries, with a little bit of the liquid in a glass serving dish (such as a parfait glass or individual serving bowls.)  Pipe the whipped cream decoratively on top with a pastry bag.  Garnish with mint leaves or candied violets if desired.

EGGS-Presso Martini Easter Gift

I have four "big kids" now.  Little Devil has her very serious boyfriend, who is part of the family.  He has his name on a Christmas stocking so he is stuck with us now.  The Devilish Nephew has the most awesome wife.  It's kind of fun being empty nesters with adult kids.  Now we can hang out and enjoy a cocktail with the same folks we were once yelling at over late homework and dirty laundry.  OF COURSE I have little Easter Baskets made for the tiniest devils.  They are 3 and 5.  I hope I live long enough to have an espresso martini with them someday, but for now I am obsessed with the little guys, so they can stay tiny and hunt Easter eggs for many more years.  Sometimes I do grown up baskets or gifts for the big kids, and this time I saw these super cute glasses with Easter eggs on them, and I thought that would be a cute container for a grown up "basket." Then I saw a reel someone made putting together the canned espresso drink with a bottle of vodka wrapped up like a carrot.  The only thing missing was the opportunity for having a bad pun and calling it EGGS-Presso instead of espresso.  So I got inspired to make my own version for my big kids.  This is a great co-worker treat or hostess gift too, and I've included the little tag you can print to make your own.  Happy Easter!

Easter "baskets" for my "big kids"

Here's everything you need.
It's listed below.

Put the green shred in the bottom of
each glass to look like grass.
Add a can of espresso drink.

Place the individual vodka bottle
upside down and gather the orange
tissue around it.

Tie it off at the larger end so it 
looks like a carrot.

I trimmed my tissue paper at the
top because it was pretty big and I was 
too lazy to cut my tissue squares into
smaller sizes.

Grab some Easter-themed candy
to throw in.  I went with eggs since my
glasses had eggs on them.
AND it's an EGGS-presso Martini.

Add the vodka carrot and your candy 
to the glass. I'm not gonna lie,
my stuff BARELY fit in here.  I'm glad
I chose the Ketel vodka because it 
was a longer, skinny bottle.

Here's my tag.  You can right click 
on this and save it to your computer.
Size it to your liking and print it onto
cardstock.  Cut it out and punch a tiny
hole and tie it onto your carrot.

Aren't these just the cutest?
Blue eggs for the boys and pink
eggs for the girls.

Cheers! Happy Easter.

EGGS-PRESSO MARTINI GIFTS

You'll Need:

Easter-themed glasses or other container (I found these at Hobby Lobby - I literally googled "easter glasses near me)

Starbucks Mini Espresso in a can (I found these at the grocery store)

Mini bottles of vodka ( I found these at Total Wine - I went with Ketel because I think it's better tasting vodka, and I liked the shape of the bottle)

Easter candy (small eggs or chocolate rabbits) (Found at the grocery store)

green shred or easter grass (Hobby Lobby)

orange tissue paper (Hobby Lobby)

green ribbon (Hobby Lobby)

cardstock to print the tag
hole punch
twine or thin string to tie the tag on

Let me know if you make these.  Send me a pic, I want to see it, or TAG ME if you post to your social media <3

Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini

Spring is finally here and I'm ready for lighter meals, sunshine and cocktails on the patio!  It feels like we've been shut in with heavy comfort food and I'm ready for time with good friends and food that is almost too pretty to eat.  Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini is exactly that.  Almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.  It's so light and tasty, with crisp crostini bread and creamy goat cheese.  Topped with sweet strawberries and a balsamic reduction, it is the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors.  Lovely as a snack with a crisp glass of wine, or the ideal appetizer for any upcoming events like bridal showers and Mother's Day gatherings.  This tasty little snack tastes as delicious as it looks and comes together so quickly.  Share it at your next girl's night for a WOW treat.

The perfect little light snack
for warmer weather.

Just a handful of ingredients with an
elegant result.

So quick and easy to prepare, and
strawberry season is upon us.
They will be perfectly ripe and sweet.

Sweet strawberries pair perfectly with the 
tartness of the balsamic glaze. (SEE NOTE)

Grab a glass of your favorite crisp wine and 
enjoy this simple, but sophisticated
appetizer on the patio in the sunshine.

STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE CROSTINI

1 Baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
Olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Balsamic reduction, glaze or your favorite balsamic vinegar
basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Arrange the baguette slices on a baking tray.  Brush lightly with olive oil and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and crisp. 

Let the baguette slices cool and then spread each slice with a thin layer of softened goat cheese.  Top with a few sliced strawberries and drizzle with balsamic glaze.  (SEE NOTE) Garnish with basil leaves and freshly cracked black pepper.

NOTE: You can purchase balsamic glaze, or make your own by reducing balsamic vinegar on the stovetop at a low simmer until the amount has reduced by half.  It will become thick and syrup-y.  Or if you have a tasty flavored balsamic vinegar, feel free to use that.  We had a little bottle from a trip we enjoyed on our crostini.

The Cowboy Colada

It's World Whiskey Day.  I'll admit I am not much of a whiskey drinker.  Mr. Devilish Dish and his pals imbibe on occasion.  They have their bourbon and whiskey collections and fancy ice cubes and such.  You'll usually catch me with a glass of champagne or something tasty like the Hillstone Crisp Martini or the Hemingway Daiquiri.  But Mr. Devilish Dish is quite the charming bartender and we do pride ourselves on a very well-stocked bar so I'm always game to try any of his cocktail suggestions.  And slap the name COWBOY on anything and you practically have my heart.  I was incredibly surprised at how tasty this cocktail is.  Think the flavors of a fresh Pina Colada, but with the warmth and depth of a good whiskey.  And a little bit of heat from jalapeno.  That's right.  Jalapeno-infused whiskey is the base for this cocktail.  It's a little bit of smoky spice in your otherwise traditional tropical cocktail.  An unusual combination for both your fruity drink folks and AND your cowboys!

A surprising mash-up of whiskey 
and pina colada!

A cool, refreshing drink.  
Slightly sweet....

but the added depth, warmth and spice
from jalapeno-infused whiskey.

A cowboy drink by the fireplace.

Enjoy this unusual,
but delicious cocktail for
World Whiskey Day!

COWBOY COLADA

12 ounces good quality whiskey
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 ounce cream of coconut
1/2 ounce simple syrup
jalapeno slice for garnish

Pour the whiskey into a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Add the sliced jalapeno and let sit overnight.  Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the pepper slices and any bits or seeds.  Store the infused whiskey in a cool dark place until ready to use.

For the cocktail:

Fill a low-ball glass with crushed ice.  Place ice cubes into a cocktail shaker and add 1 1/2 ounces of the jalapeno-infused whiskey, pineapple juice, cream of coconut and simple syrup.  Shake.  Strain and pour over the crushed ice.  Garnish with a slice of fresh jalapeno. 

 

HOW TO: Poach Chicken Breasts

Mr. Devilish Dish loves to grill.  If the weather permits, I can just about count on him to cook our protein outside almost any night of the week.  But when the weather crummy or he is not home to help with dinner then the stove top it is.  Especially if he isn't home for dinner, I will almost always prepare myself some kind of Asian salad, with some shredded chicken inside.  This preparation is simple to do, and perfect for salads, enchilada and taquito filling, or a protein bowl where you just want a pile of juicy chicken.  Ideal to have on had to add to casseroles and soups too.  It's also a great method if you enjoy doing meal prep, because you can poach a large batch of chicken on the weekend and have chicken ready to go for any meal of your choice.  

This is my favorite method for 
preparing chicken breasts for
 a large variety of recipes.

HOW TO POACH CHICKEN BREASTS FOR VARIOUS PREPARATIONS

1-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt

Additional aromatics optional include:

smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, sliced fresh ginger, fresh herbs, sliced onion, white wine...the ideas are endless, just choose flavors that compliment what you are planning to use the cooked chicken with)  You don't have to add these, I typically just use the salt method, but if you enjoy chicken on a regular basis the variety of flavors in the poaching liquid would be a nice change of pace.

Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of a large pot.  Sprinkle with salt (and any additional aromatics you want to add.) If using wine add it now.  Pour in enough cold water to cover the chicken breasts by an inch.

Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat.  It will start to develop a white scummy-looking foam, which you can skim off if desired.  It is fine to leave it as it does not affect the chicken cooking or flavor.

As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid and let the chicken simmer.  Begin checking the chicken with a thermometer after 8 minutes of simmer time.  The thickest part of the meat should read 165 degrees F.  If it is not done, the chicken will typically reach temperature within 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.

Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid to a clean cutting board.  Poached chicken can be served, hot or cold.  It can be served whole, sliced, diced or shredded per your recipe.