Warm & Hearty {Texas Mama's Seafood Gumbo}

Based upon the frequency of my posts of late, you could say that I'm somewhat of a crock pot of writing. Low and Slow. The past month has seen whirlwind of activity here at the TGKHQ; a 12th birthday celebration for the daughter, a series of rehearsals and performances for said daughter, as well; the arrival of Grandma Selma, my mother-in-law; the menu decisions, the preparations, and finally, the big feast itself. Add to that the usual daily schedule of insanity (Scouts and Karate for son, the aforementioned dance and other middle school stuff for daughter, various and sundry meetings for me, El Syd's over-the-top November schedule) and you've got a jam-packed month. 

Thanksgiving was wonderful. While I've got the basic menu down pat, I do make some tweaks here and there every year just to keep it fresh. This year, I did a Bourbon-glazed Turkey (a keeper with more details planned for a future post) and I switched up the desserts a bit. Pie Bars - a solution for the "which pie should I have?" dilemma as it is simple to have a tiny square of each. After a few days of leftovers followed by a week of cleansing the systems, it was time to get cooking again. 

We're currently in the midst of some of our coldest weather. A Siberian cold-front, which is probably gripping your neck of the woods as well, has our temps hovering at just below or just slightly above freezing. Weather like that calls for a warm, hearty dish. Soups, chili or stews are what immediately come to mind. I wanted something a bit different and a recipe from my dear Mama came to the forefront.She calls it Seafood Gumbo, and I suppose it is a gumbo of sorts since it does start with a roux and does have okra in it. But, I think of it more as a Mixed Seafood Stew. It is a super simple recipe that starts with cooking the base and adding the seafood only when you're about ready to eat. I love that you can add whatever seafood your family prefers and change up the combination for a variety of flavor sensations. Served around an island of steamed rice, it is a perfect dish for one of these icy cold days.

Texas Mama's Seafood Gumbo

• 1/4 C butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced (discard seeds, ribs and stem)
• 1-26 oz can chopped tomatoes (or tomato puree - whatever you prefer)
• 2.5 C fresh okra cut into 1/2 in rounds (sub frozen okra cuts when okra is not in season)
• 1-6 oz can tomato paste
• 3 Cups beef broth
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tsp chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1.5 - 2 lbs of mixed seafood (raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, shucked oysters, gumbo crabs or cleaned crab meat, firm white fish fillets cut into bite-sized pieces, your choice)
• 3 Cups cooked white rice
• Chopped parsley for garnish

1. As early in the day as you like (even the day before): in a large heavy dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook over low heat until it reaches a nice nutty brown. Add garlic, onions, pepper and cook slowly until vegetables are tender.
2. Add tomatoes and rest of ingredients except seafood, rice and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. (At this point, you can add seafood if you're ready to eat or cool and refrigerate until you're ready to use.)
3. To finish dish/serve: If base is cold, heat over medium flame until just bubbling. Add seafood, simmer covered for about 5 minutes until shrimp is pink and tender and the rest of the seafood is cooked. Serve gumbo in individual shallow dishes with an "island"of rice in the center of each plate. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Be sure to have some bottles of Louisiana Hot sauces on the table for folks to add a little spice and vinegar to the mix. We love Crystal and I also love Trappey's Hot Peppers in vinegar to shake on top. Tabasco or any other similar sauce is a great addition to this warm, tomato-based, seafood stew.

Happy Cooking!

sld

The Beet Goes On...{Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad}

So, Texas has funny weather. Not funny "ha-ha" per se, but funny peculiar. The saying goes "If you don't like Texas weather, wait five minutes...it'll change." There is even a whole movie about our crazy Texas weather at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Today is sunny and clear and gorgeous and teasing us of spring. But,yesterday was gloomy and overcast, a bit drizzly and (for us) chilly. In addition to the winter weather, I needed to make space for my latest produce pick up from Johnson's Backyard Garden (cannot say enough good things about this CSA.) A root vegetable roast was in order. All of the beets and all of the turnips made their way via separate pans into the oven for a roast. Once they were finished up, the question was what to do with them. Since I am so very ready for Spring to have sprung, I decided to use those beets in one of my favorite ways - a roasted beet and goat cheese salad. This pairing appears in no fewer than 5 of my recipe books, and it is a good one. It uses root vegetables (which I usually think of solely as Fall/Winter fare), in a bright and springy way.  As for those turnips, they are waiting patiently in the fridge, already roasted, for their turn in the spotlight another day.



Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad 
(serves 4)

• 1/4 C balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp shallots - minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 medium beets, roasted, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 6 C salad greens of your choice
• 1/2 C nuts, toasted and chopped (I've used walnuts and pine nuts with good results - pick what you like)
• 1/4 C dried cranberries
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
• 4 oz. soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled (I selected a Honey-flavored goat cheese that was nice with the honey of the dressing, but plain ol' goat cheese will be great too.)

1. Make salad dressing: In a small mixing bowl or pint sized mason jar, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, oil and shallots. Season with some salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well until the mixture is emulsified and slightly creamy.
2. In 4 large salad bowls, divide the greens evenly. Add beet pieces. Top with avocado chunks. Sprinkle with cranberries and nuts. Add the cheese crumbles. Drizzle with dressing to suit your liking and serve.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Butternut Squash with Brown Butter Sage Sauce over Pasta

This post was originally published on 1/23/13. The post is short and sweet (and so is the dish - quick to prepare and delightfully sweet from the squash.)

This combination screams Fall and Winter - the sweet squash paired with the sage, nutmeg and hazelnut flavors are classic - a truly seasonal dish.

1 butternut squash (~3lb) (roasted (click link for instructions), peeled and cubed) 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb dried pasta, cooked according to directions 

1/2 C unsalted butter

6 large fresh sage leaves torn

1/4 C chopped, toasted hazelnuts or pinenuts (optional)

1/2 C  parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1. When squash is done, cool slightly, peel and cube.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, then drain well.

3. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it bubbles. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add sage, and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes.(Butter will begin to take on a golden hue.)

4. Add cubed squash to the skillet and cook until squash caramelizes slightly. Add nuts and stir to incorporate. Toss with cooked pasta and serve with Parmesan and nuts and top with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

Note: The roasted squash cubes may start to break apart. Do not be alarmed. This will create a variety of textures in the finished dish.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Butternut Squash

My family favorite winter squash was always Acorn. But, my husband has always favored the Butternut variety....and, for once, after he persuaded me to start cooking it,  I have to agree with him. The deep orange flesh is naturally sweet and delicious. 
I am a huge fan of roasting pretty much every vegetable. It is my cooking method of choice in the winter as it warms up the house, takes no constant attention and is super easy.
Once roasted, the squash can be used in a number of ways - eaten just as is, or used with additional ingredients to create something more complex such as a soup, or accompaniment for pasta.

Basic Roasted Butternut Squash: 

Yes, while pre-peeled and pre-cubed squash can be picked up at most supermarkets, I prefer to deal with the whole thing myself. It really isn't all that difficult and you have a better handle on the safety of the preparation.

• Preheat oven to at least 350 degrees (although you could go as high as 400 depending on how quickly you want to roast the squash)
• Line a roasting pan with foil.
• Wash the squash and cut across into rather large pieces. Then, cut those in half length wise.
• Many will recommend that you peel the squash, but I find cooking then peeling makes this a much simpler process.
• From the "bulb" of the squash, remove the seeds and as much of the stringy part as you can with a spoon. 
• Place all of the pieces cut side down in the pan and add about a 1/4 cup of water.
• Cover pan with foil and place in hot oven. Roast at 350 for about 1 hour. Be sure to test for doneness at the 30 minute mark.  Squash is done when it can be easily pierced with a fork or skewer.
• Notes: at this point, it can be served deliciously with a pat of butter and if you really want to gild the lily, a sprinkle of brown sugar. Even the peel can be eaten on a tender enough squash.(Hello, Fiber!) Or, if you're doing some advance prep for meals later in the week, the cooked squash can be stored in the fridge for use in the next 2-3 days following cooking.

Happy Cooking!

sld