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Weekly Cooking Thread March 12, 2011
FreeRepublicCooks | March 12, 2011 | libertarian27

Posted on 03/12/2011 5:56:15 AM PST by libertarian27

Welcome to the 14th installment of the FR Weekly Cooking Thread.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or two - or eight for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' recipe stack of Family favorites?

Here's the place to share and explore your next favorite recipe.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food; Hobbies; Reference
KEYWORDS: cookery; cooking; food; recipes; weeklycookingthread
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To: momtothree

Thanks for the correct spelling in the sly. Of course you could use vegetable broth. It will be great!


21 posted on 03/12/2011 8:23:52 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: spitter

I would prefer 15-20 ct shrimp myself if you are a shrimp lover. Bigger is better IMHO. Summer is coming and gulf shrimp will be great.


22 posted on 03/12/2011 8:26:32 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: spitter

Good sides with it are scalloped spuds and grilled asparagus....hope it turns out good for you!


23 posted on 03/12/2011 8:27:51 AM PST by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: momtothree

Sounds good. I can see using J.O. instead of cajun seasoning. Of course, I recommend putting J.O. on everything. :-)


24 posted on 03/12/2011 8:40:53 AM PST by Holen1 (Chesapeake Bay seasoning. "I put that **** on everything.")
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To: Holen1

“I can see using J.O. instead of cajun seasoning...”

Is J.O. a different type of spice? I know a lot of recipes use fillet (spelling wrong) and I’m not sure what that is?


25 posted on 03/12/2011 8:43:42 AM PST by momtothree
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To: momtothree

J.O. is just a brand name of Chesapeake Bay seasoning. Like Wye River or Old Bay. Recommend it highly.


26 posted on 03/12/2011 8:47:46 AM PST by Holen1 (Chesapeake Bay seasoning. "I put that **** on everything.")
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To: goseminoles

“Of course you could use vegetable broth”

I was thinking that the chicken broth really didn’t flavor the meal. You taste all the wonderful veggies and shrimp or fish. I figured that many people from Louisiana must change some of the recipes for Lent and they probably go to a vegetable broth.


27 posted on 03/12/2011 8:48:50 AM PST by momtothree
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To: momtothree; goseminoles
Our colleague, goseminoles, is exactly right -- the roux IS the key to a good gumbo.

One small bone to pick; gumbo, by definition, begins with a chocolate roux. No chocolate required, one must stir the roux until it turns a deep chocolate brown. This takes 20-25 minutes over medium/medium-high heat.

A perhaps-useful tip: use ONLY a wooden spoon for stirring, and stir more or less constantly, else the roux will scorch (you'll see black spots in the roux, and you get to start over).

A tasty variation: use bacon fat or lard instead of vegetable oil. De flavour is mo' bettah, I gar-on-tee.

Also, there is NO requirement to use okra in a gumbo. You can make an okra gumbo easily enough, but the myth that okra is a required ingredient comes from -- of all things -- the NY Times crossword puzzle, c.1963.

Also, no garlic??? NO GARLIC??? Hoo boy, in Thibodeaux you gonna be de guest du honneur at a necktie party if you don' add de garlic.

But mebbe we make de exception for you folks from Maryland...(g!)

And add some nice fat oysters, fo' sho' (and de folks who don' have sodium problems should consider using oyster or clam broth instead of chicken broth; if you do, leave out the salt, there's already plenty in the o.b. or c.b.)

28 posted on 03/12/2011 8:49:47 AM PST by SAJ (Zerobama -- a phony and a prick, therefore a dildo)
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To: Holen1

“J.O. is just a brand name of Chesapeake Bay seasoning”.

I remember it now. I forget but Maryland and Virginia areas have their favorites, don’t they? I forget the lines of distinction. Have you ever sprinkled some J.O. over deviled eggs? I have done that and it certainly brings it up a notch!


29 posted on 03/12/2011 8:51:18 AM PST by momtothree
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To: momtothree
If de oil is completely absorbed by de flour, use a lil mo' oil. Why? Because you wan' de **veggies** to absorb some of de oil...which they will do, amazingly fast. Add de veggies (ahem, AND de garlic), stir cook dem fo' 3 minute, THEN add de water.

First time I messed up dis sequence, my cooking tutor, who was the late Louis d'Auberge Messarveaux (and Cajun down to his toenails) whacked my hand wit' de spoon. An excellent memory aid, trus' me on dat!

30 posted on 03/12/2011 8:58:40 AM PST by SAJ (Zerobama -- a phony and a prick, therefore a dildo)
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To: SAJ

“... mebbe we make de exception for you folks from Maryland...”

I knew I would get at least one Freeper who knew Cajun cooking and shake their head!!! LOL. You are right about the garlic. I was sort of surprised that the recipe didn’t call for any. I think it would definitely add more flavor (and healthy too). My husband knows one person from Louisiana and I asked him about this recipe. He said it was “decent” for non-Cajun cookers. I sort of took that as a compliment (teeheehee). I did ask him to send me all his potato dishes! That got “silence”.


31 posted on 03/12/2011 9:00:42 AM PST by momtothree
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To: illiac

I’m sure it will. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
We love fresh salmon better than any steak. I ususlly just grill it though with either a little butter or olive oil.
I just need to make a quick run to the store.


32 posted on 03/12/2011 9:05:08 AM PST by spitter
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To: SAJ

“... an excellent memory aid”

I consider my hand WACKED by de spoon! I bow to all the “Cajun” cooks out there! I have the feeling that if I ever visited Louisiana, I would have to grease my doors to get my hips through them when I got back! Tell me, have you ever had a Beignet (spelling off I am sure?) If so, I would love the recipe. My son is taking his second year of French and came home with beads the other day. His French teacher handed them out to all the French class kids. I asked him how he got them and he said, “I showed my $&&%#!” (he was joking, of course).


33 posted on 03/12/2011 9:07:29 AM PST by momtothree
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To: libertarian27

My family loves stuffed mushrooms. When we were on our boat, we had caught more crab than we could eat. The next night we tried these and loved them...

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms/Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves 8

24 large mushrooms
1 cup cooked flaked Alaska Dungeness, tanner or king crab meat*
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon sweet basil
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 green onions, minced
1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Wash mushrooms; remove stems and set caps aside. Finely chop about ½ of the mushrooms stems. (Use the remainder in another recipe or freeze for later use.)
Mix cream cheese, crap, chopped stems, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, basil, garlic powder, onions, and lemon pepper.
Fill mushroom caps with crab mixture and place in a large, lightly greased baking dish.
Top with grated cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. (Recipe may be prepared to this point, refrigerated, and covered overnight.)
Bake at 450° for 15 to 20 minutes and serve warm.
Any leftover crab mixture may be thinned with sour cream and served as a dip or spread for crackers, chips or vegetables.

*Shrimp could be substituted for crab.


34 posted on 03/12/2011 9:07:51 AM PST by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: goseminoles

I really don’t like shrimp but DH does. I guess I’m too much of a country girl, I just don’t like it. I won’t eat lobster or crab either, but fresh salmon is better than steak any day.


35 posted on 03/12/2011 9:10:24 AM PST by spitter
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To: momtothree
You completely right to serve de gumbo over rice. De only way to go. Also, if you wan' authentic and you need to thicken the stock at any point, use gumbo file (dat should have un accent grave over de 'e', but I don' know how to do dat). Gumbo file is ground dried thyme and ground sassafras, and is de traditional thickener for de po' Cajuns.

Jus' me, but I would use thyme instead of oregano in de recipe. I don' know any Italian gumbo cookers.    ;^)

36 posted on 03/12/2011 9:11:13 AM PST by SAJ (Zerobama -- a phony and a prick, therefore a dildo)
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To: illiac
I have to try this in the future - I love Stuffed Mushrooms!

I'm sorry - but I LOL'ed

Mix cream cheese, crap, chopped stems, lemon juice,

Where do you buy your 'crap'?

I'm sorry - I'm sorry - I'm sorry - I got huge giggles here....lol

37 posted on 03/12/2011 9:12:12 AM PST by libertarian27 (Ingsoc: Department of Life, Department of Liberty, Department of Happiness)
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To: momtothree

“Have you ever sprinkled some J.O. over deviled eggs?”

I have put it on just about everything...’cept that. I’ll do it.


38 posted on 03/12/2011 9:14:12 AM PST by Holen1 (Chesapeake Bay seasoning. "I put that **** on everything.")
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To: spitter

I like salmon too. A little olive oil and finely chopped garlic placed under the broiler.. Can’t beat it. I tend to stay away from farm raised or “enhanced w/ color”. Salmon is probably my favorite fish..


39 posted on 03/12/2011 9:16:18 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: libertarian27

Boy oh boy,, I even prooofed it before posting....but it IS good crap....LOL


40 posted on 03/12/2011 9:16:31 AM PST by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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