This week, it's a feast for the ears. The 99 Cent Chef ends where he began: Breakfast in Louisiana. Last week I featured Crawfish Etouffee, my final Cajun Cuisine Diary recipe. After this post, it's back to my normal format of unique budget recipes. No overriding menu theme, just scrumptiousness wherever I can find it.
Chef Matt's Shrimp and Grits
For my final Cajun video, you will eavesdrop on audio clips from my two months long Louisiana vacation food diary series. Listen in as my family paints quite a culinary aural mural of Cajun delicacies.
I hope you had as good a time is I did -- taking in my very personal tour of the sights and sounds of Cajun Country. I have to give a huge 99 Cent Chef thanks to my Louisiana family and friends for an unforgettable vacation. They are fun to hangout with, and are enthusiastic, passionate Chefs -- one and all!
Breakfast in Louisiana - Video
Play it here. The video runs about 1 minute and 11 seconds.
Cooking rice at eight years old? That's how Chef Tony Matassa started his culinary career in his parents' Louisiana Italian restaurant. Don't worry, he wasn't exploited - this was his natural calling from the beginning.
After cooking since childhood, he's now the spokesman (and makes videos with cooking tips - his YouTube channel is here.) for BBQGUYS.com (link here.)
During my Louisiana vacation, I got to visit my nieces Maranda and Candyse. That's when I met Chef Tony for the first time - he is Candyse's boyfriend (and now husband.)
Hanging out, we went though Chef Tony's vast culinary repertoire looking for recipes worthy of shooting, finally narrowing it down to a Cajun classic: Crawfish Etouffee. So for this cooking video, I'm stepping aside and letting a Cajun cuisine expert take over!
Candyse, Tony and the Chintzy Chef
A Louisiana Etouffee has a tomato and vegetable base -- it's like a thicker pasta sauce that is served over rice and can be made with any seafood and meat. And as Tony states in the video there are many versions, some with a roux (slow-cooked flour and oil) and some without. As with any regional recipe, every town or city will claim theirs is the best - hey, can't argue with that, as long as it's delish.
I thought it would be fun to use the local delicacy, crawfish. (In an earlier video I showed you where locals get them, and how to eat one. Click here to refresh your memory.)
For Chef Tony's recipe, he uses a pound of locally harvested, "partially" cooked and peeled Crawfish tail meat. To make seafood Etouffee cheaply at home, I would use three thawed 5-ounce packages of bay shrimp (or scallops) from my local Alberson's market or 99c only Store. For an even cheaper version, use a pound of fake crab (Krab) -- or, you could even make a Chicken and Sausage Etouffee.
Chef Tony uses butter, which you can substitute with a favorite oil. The Etouffee veggies are cheap anywhere - just bell pepper, tomato, onion and garlic. He also added a seafood broth from a small can of oysters (whole or pieces), which I still find at my local 99c Only Store - you could substitute with clam juice.
Alternate Seafood
You are in competent hands with Chef Tony, as he guides you though the steps in making a luscious Crawfish Etouffee. I've added a short video extra of Chef Tony's Rice Recipe in the Directions section at the end of this blogpost.
Also included are a few ingredient substitutions and shortcuts that make it cheaper or more convenient. Of course, Chef Tony would prefer you go his buttery way -- it tastes best.
To see a Louisiana chef in action, just click on the videos below to get the surprisingly easy instructions.
Crawfish Etouffee Recipe - Video
Play it here. The video runs 6 minutes, 57 seconds.
1 pound crawfish tails - or peeled shrimp. Other versions include: Krab, Scallop, Sausage or Chicken. Or combine a couple of them.
1 whole onion - diced
1/2 each red and green bell pepper - okay to dice one whole bell pepper, any color.
2 Roma tomatoes - or 1 large tomato, chopped. Okay to use 1 can of tomatoes or favorite pasta sauce.
1 1/4 stick of butter - The 1/4 stick of butter is added to Etouffee just before serving (optional.) Okay to substitute 3 tablespoons of favorite oil, for a lighter version - 2 tbsp. for sauteing and 1 just before serving.
2 cloves of garlic - about a teaspoon, minced, or pre-chopped from jar.
3 green onions - sliced. Discard roots and old green ends - use white and light green parts.
1/2 bunch of parsley - chopped
Broth from small can of cooked oysters - or clam juice (this is for extra seafood flavor - you could leave it out.) If you are using fresh shrimp, boil shells (and heads) in 3 cups of water, then remove shells - this is all the liquid you will need.
2 cups of water - for Etouffee broth
2 teaspoons of cornstarch - into reserved 1/2 cup oyster/water broth.
1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning - optional.
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce - optional
Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions
To a pot over medium heat, (or large skillet) add 1 stick of butter, and melt. For a lighter version you could get away with half the amount of butter, or substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roughly chop one whole onion and 1/2 red and green bell pepper. Mix in tomato, bell pepper and tomato and cook 10-12 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
Now to make a simple seafood stock. Pour liquid from a can of cooked oysters into 2 cups of water (discard cooked oysters.) Okay to use small can of clam juice, or a cup of stock from boiled shrimp shells. Set aside 1/2 cup of stock for later.
Simmer veggies and oyster broth for about half an hour to bring all the flavors together.
Now time to add the seafood. Add 1 pound of peeled crawfish or shrimp.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Add 2 whole bay leaves. You can shake in a few shots of your favorite hot sauce - optional. Cook uncovered for 10 more minutes at low heat.
Now we wrap it up. Add chopped green onions and parsley (I've also made it without these veggie additions.)
Spoon 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into 1/2 cup of reserved seafood broth -- blend well. Stir cornstarch liquid into pot of veggies and crawfish. Sauce should start to thicken into a gravy after a couple of minutes. Let it cook for about five more minutes over low heat.
Just before serving, add 1/4 stick of butter to sauce and stir until melted (or substitute a tablespoon of olive oil). Also, discard bay leaves.
Serve over white or brown rice. And get out the hot sauce and beer (or wine)!
Hindsight
Shortcuts include: leaving out parsley, green onions, Old Bay Seasoning, and canned oyster broth. You could also substitute flour for cornstarch. Chef Tony uses a lot of butter, I'm sure half the amount would work just fine.
You will need to cook an extra hour if you are making a Chicken and Sausage Etouffee. You want liquid in sauce to reduce some and the chicken to cook all the way -- so simmering time may vary, depending on your pot and stove top heat. Also leave out oyster broth.
I would start the rice during veggie simmering stage, either white or brown. Follow bag directions, or watch Chef Tony's Rice Recipe below.
Play it here. The video runs 1 minutes, 17 seconds.
