How to Make the Best Thanksgiving Turkey: Spatchcock Turkey

New Olreans Shrimp (Chef Jared Besh recipe)

I found a recipe I have had since 2013 from a very nice NOLA lady who is a very good cook and decided to try it.  When I was well into the prep, I found it not working so I found the original recipe on  line and discovered 1 cup of oyster liquor missing.  I went to the store and could not find any oyster liquor, fish stock or Better Than Bullion Lobster flavor so I settled for Chicken Bone broth.  The first recipe posted here is the original and the second it the one I started out with.  It turned out to be a bit  different but we both thought it was very good.

Besh Barbecue Shrimp from My New Oceans by Jared Besh

Shrimp 24 colossal (U-10) Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 cup Shrimp Base (recipe follows) 1 cup heavy cream 2 sticks butter 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper hot French bread Shrimp Base 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup shrimp peelings (heads, shells) 1 cup oyster liquor 1 cup Worcestershire sauce 1½ tablespoons cracked black pepper 1½ tablespoons Creole seasoning 1 whole clove garlic 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Shrimp Combine all ingredients in a saute pan set over high heat and boil until shrimp are fully cooked and pink. Remove shrimp to a serving dish. Continue to reduce sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and is the color of melted milk chocolate. Shrimp Base Saute shrimp peelings in olive oil until bright red. Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Reduce by half and strain through a chinois. Discard solids. Presentation Divide shrimp among 4 bowls and ladle sauce atop. Serve with hot French bread.

 From Crybaby Aug, 2013  copy

Besh Barbecue Shrimp

Serves 6.  Recipe from “My New Orleans,” by Jared Besh.

This is a bit different from the regular barbecue shrimp in New Orleans, as we normally make it with peel on.  This is a good variation for company or a dinner party, as lots of people either don’t know how to peel a shrimp or it’s going to be too messy.  

Chef’s Note:  This version is a bit more complex [than the regular way we make it] but is well worth the added preparation time because you can make the sauce base ahead and store it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready for the shrimp.  It’s easier to eat, too.

For the Sauce Base:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cups shrimp heads and shells

1/2 cup Worcestershire

2 Tablespoons cracked black pepper

2 Tablespoons Basic Creole Spices* (see recipe below)

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

2 bay leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

For the Shrimp:

2 pounds medium Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled and

   deveined

Salt

Cracked black pepper

1 cup Sauce Base

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup butter

1.  For the sauce base, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat, add the shrimp heads and shells, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

2.  Add the Worcestershire, black pepper, Creole Spices, cloves, bay leaves, and lemon juice along with 2 cups water and bring to boil.  Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to moderate and simmer until it has reduced by half.  Strain and reserve.

3.  For the shrimp, season the shrimp with a little salt and lots of pepper.  Put the shrimp and the Sauce Base, cream, and butter in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.  Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

4.  Remove the shrimp from the skillet and arrange on a platter on in individual bowls.  Reduce the sauce by half until it’s a rich mocha color.  Pour the sauce over the shrimp and serve with French bread [buy more than you think you need, as it's great to dip into the sauce].

Basic Creole Spices

Makes 1/2 cup.

Chef’s Note:  Using this spice blend is truly the easiest way to consistently achieve the flavors I grew up with.  Once made, the spices will last for six months in an airtight container.

2 Tablespoons celery salt

1 Tablespoon sweet paprika

1 Tablespoon coarse sea salt

1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon onion powder

2 Tablespoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1.  Mix together the celery salt, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and allspice in a bowl.  Transfer the spices to a clean container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and store.

Chicken Fried Steak

 

Ever since Charlie graduated from high school, he has been looking for chicken fried steak like they had in the cafeteria. We heard the oldest restaurant in Kansas (Hays House) is famous for theirs and were planning to give it a try some day... it is a two hour trip from here. Every so often I come across a recipe that I hope will be the one but never found it.  The other day I finally found the password to get into the iCloud and found some really ancient stuff. One was a complete cookbook of recipes from restaurants and one two of them were for Country Fried Steak. I may never find that recipe again to see what the date was but it was copied to my computer some 24 years ago. The ISBN number is tor Threadgills, not the cookbook I had with it in it.  One was from Threadgills and the other from Paula Deans.  I used Deans recipe for biscuits and the fried steak from Threadgills. I don't know anything about that restaurant.  I used a mix for the mashed potatoes and one for the gravy. He really liked it. He said it was better than the cafeteria, like a gourmet version and that he was shocked that I finally came up with a winner. He liked the biscuits better too.

Country Fried Steak recipe from Threadgills - a must for comfort foods!

                                                04/03/00 16:39:22   

  From: kitana 

                                                 

   Recipe By : Threadgill's - The Cookbook ISBN 1-56352-277-2 

    1/2 cup kosher salt 

    4 tablespoons black pepper 

    2 tablespoons white pepper 

    1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 

    2 tablespoons granulated onion 

    1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 

    4 tablespoons granulated garlic 

    2 tablespoons paprika 

    Mix ingredients well. Store in a glass jar or plastic container. Keep tightly

    sealed. Shake before each use to prevent settling. 

    8 6 ounce tenderized beef cutlets -- at room temperature 

    2 eggs 

    2 cups milk -- at room temperature 

    3 cups flour 

    2 teaspoons Threadgill's Meat Seasoning 

    2 cups frying oil -- preferably canola 

    Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl and set this egg wash aside. Combine

    the flour and meat seasoning in another bowl and set aside. Heat the oil in a

    heavy 14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Use a 550

    degree thermometer to check temperature. The oil should pop loudly when a

    drop of egg wash is dropped in. 

    Dip each of the first 4 cutlets in the egg wash mixture. Dredge them in the flour,

    then dip them back into the egg wash, and very gently place them in the hot oil.

    As you carry them one at a time from the egg wash to the skillet, hold a plate

    under them to catch the dripping egg wash. There'll be a regular explosion of

    noisy oil a-popping. 

    Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until breading is set and golden brown. Gently turn

    them with a long-handled meat fork or long metal tongs. Be careful. Cook

    another 3 minutes. 

    Carefully remove them from the skillet and drain on a platter lined with paper

    towels. Let oil reheat and repeat process for other 4 cutlets. Serve with White Cream Gravy and Mashed potatoes.

Basic Biscuits: 

1 package yeast 

1/2 cup lukewarm water 

5 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

2 tablespoons sugar 

3/4 cup solid shortening (recommended: Crisco) 

2 cups buttermilk

Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

Split biscuits in half and top with country fried steak and drizzle with gravy.

Turkey casserole

 

I have some left-over turkey that needed to get used up soon so I made a casserole. I didn't use a recipe, I just made a roux with butter, flour , garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and oregano along with some milk and chicken stock. I melted in some Guyer cheese.  Then I cooked until soft some onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, & peas. in butter and oil until soft.  I didn't measure, I just added as much as I thought would be enough. I topped it with biscuit dough rolled into small balls and painted the top with butter  I baked it until the biscuit dough was done and the casserole was heated through, about 35 minutes at 350º I planned to add some mushrooms but forgot to put them on my shopping list.

Pasta alla Norma

We used to have eggplant fairly often but I had not made it in quite a while so when this recipe cropped in the Kansas City Star yesterday, I dedided to give it a try. I later addes some jarred pasta sauce later.  The directions say to cook the pasta and save 1/2 C. of pasta water. Later it says to add the reserved pasta water and does not mention the pasta again. I add it to the recipe below when I think it should have been added.

Pasta alla Norma    serves 4 to 6 

It was created in the coastal city of Catania, Sicily, home town of Bellini who composed the opera Norma in the 1830’s. He adored this dish so much, it was eventually named for his opera. 

2 med. eggplant, about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 lbs. total, peeled

Extra virgin olive oil

Coarse salt

 freshly ground black pepper

16 oz pasta, rigatoni, penne or ziti

3 cloves garlic, smashed

Generous pinch red pepper flakes

11/2 to 2 lb. tomatoes

1 T. chopped fresh oregano

1/4-1/2 C. dry white wine, optional

1/2C.  chopped basil

1/2 C. grated ricotta salata or pecorino romano

Oven to 425º, rack in center.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper

Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch discs, discarding the end pieces. Brush both sides with oil and  sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until browned and very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes, flipping them half way through.  Remove and cut into strips; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt until it tastes salty. Add pasta, cook to package directions. Save 1/2 C. pasta water before draining pasta. Set aside.

Add about 1/2 inch of oil to large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until it begins to color 10 seconds to a minutes, stir in red pepper flakes, tomatoes and oregano, cook until tomatoes are very soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the pasta, reserved pasta water and wine, cook to make a thick sauce, another 5 to 8 minutes.

 Gently stir the roasted eggplant. Taste and adjust the seasonings.Stir in most of the basil and half the cheese. Use both reserved basil and cheese for garnish.

Serve garnished with rest of the basil and cheese