CAJUN-STYLE CHICKEN & ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO

Cajun-style gumbo is a hearty stew created from the melting-pot of Louisiana cooking. The first known recipes were in the early 1800s. In the spring the gumbo would include crawfish, catfish, and other freshwater fish. Late summer was the time to make it with chicken, duck, goose, or other fowl raised at home. In the autumn and winter, it was common to use duck, squirrel, rabbit, and other wild game brought home by the hunter. 

½ cup avocado oil or peanut oil

12 oz smoked andouille sausage, halved lengthwise, and sliced into ¼-inch pieces

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T Cajun Seasoning (recipe follows)

1 t smoked paprika

½ t cayenne pepper (optional, if you want a little more heat)

2 t dried thyme

1 T Worcestershire sauce

3 cups chicken stock

6 to 8 boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat and cut into 3 to 4 pieces

1 bottle Abita beer or other amber beer

2 bay leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup sliced okra

1 T filé powder (dried and ground leaves of the North American sassafras tree)

1 bunch chopped scallions, for garnish 

Louisiana or Crystal hot sauce, for the table

In a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven, fitted with a lid, add the oil and cook the sausage until light brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside.

To make the roux, whisk the flour into the oil in the pot.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. 

Let the roux cook until it’s the color of peanut butter.

Lower heat to medium-low and let roux cook until it’s the color of an old copper penny, about 5 to 10 minutes more.

Stir in the “holy trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery.

Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the Cajun Seasoning, paprika, cayenne, thyme, Worcestershire, chicken stock, cut up chicken thighs, beer, bay leaves, and the browned sausage.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Partially cover with a lid and simmer 20 minutes.

Add okra and simmer another 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in the filé powder and let sit for 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with scallions and serve with cooked white rice and French bread or corn bread.

Serves 4

Cajun Seasoning

3 T paprika

2 T sea salt

2 T garlic powder

2 T cayenne pepper

2 T onion powder

2 T dried thyme

2 T ground black pepper

1 T ground white pepper

Pour above ingredients in a jar fitted with a lid. Shake well and store in a cool dark place for up to one year.

BAKED BRIE WITH PECANS, DRIED CRANBERRIES, & POMEGRANATE SEEDS

This is a delicious appetizer to serve during the holidays.

8 oz round of Brie cheese

¼ cup honey

2 T balsamic vinegar

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Place cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes, just to soften.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, simmer the honey, vinegar, cranberries, pecans, and pomegranate seeds for 5 minutes.

Place cheese on a serving plate and spoon sauce over the cheese and serve with crackers.

TWICE BAKED CHEESY POTATOES

Who doesn't love twice baked potatoes with cheese and bacon? My son and daughter love these at Christmas with a prime rib roast and Yorkshire Pudding. I just served these with pork chops and a big green salad. 

4 baking potatoes (Russet)

4 slices bacon
4 T unsalted butter softened 
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese or combination of cheddar and gruyere 
¼ cup whole milk 
¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

4 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ t paprika
¼ t granulated garlic

Sea salt and finely ground black pepper 
Chives for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Scrub potatoes with a brush under cold running water.

Dry potatoes with paper towels and brush with a little avocado oil or other vegetable oil. 
Stick the tines of a fork into the potato in a couple of areas.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp then crumble and set aside.

Let potatoes cool for 15 minutes then place potatoes on a cutting board and cut potatoes in half lengthwise. 
Scoop out most of the flesh with a spoon and place in a bowl.

Mash with a potato masher then stir in the butter, most of the cheese, milk, sour cream or yogurt, scallions, and half of the crumbled bacon.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Spoon back into the potato skins, top with the rest of the cheese and bake in the oven until cheese is melted and lightly brown, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and top with the rest of the crumbled bacon and garnish with a few chives, if desired.

Serves 6 to 8

CLAMS, CHORIZO, & BEANS STEW

Here is a Spanish inspired clam dish. The chorizo gives the stew a robust flavor.

½ lb dry-cured Spanish chorizo, sliced

1 yellow onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 14-oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 14-oz can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup dry white wine

1 lb fresh small clams, cleaned

½ t red pepper flakes

¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley, divided

Extra-virgin olive oil

Place a paella pan or large cast-iron skillet fitted with a lid over medium heat.

Add the chorizo and cook until crisp.

Add the onion and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the tomatoes, beans, and wine.

Simmer 10 minutes until the liquid is slightly reduced

Scatter on the clams, red pepper flakes, and half of the parsley.

Cover with a lid and cook until clams have opened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Ladle into 2 warm soup bowls and garnish with the rest of the parsley.

Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 2

KENTUCKY BOURBON-HONEY-WALNUT CAKE

Since there is just the two of us, this recipe makes a smaller cake but you can double the recipe for a larger bundt cake to feed a crowd.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

3 T brown sugar

½ cup honey

2 large eggs

Zest and juice of 1 large navel orange

1 ¾ cups pastry or all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

½ t baking soda

2 t ground cinnamon

¼ t ground cloves

¼ t ground allspice

¼ t ground ginger

½ t fine sea salt

¼ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup strong hot coffee or espresso

3 T Maker’s Mark Kentucky Bourbon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a pudding mold (do not clip on top) or a loaf pan with butter and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.

Add the honey, eggs, zest and orange juice and mix for 1 minute.

In another bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger. Stir in the salt and walnuts.

In a glass measuring cup, add the coffee and bourbon.

With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with coffee mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and baking in the center of the oven for 40 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a kitchen knife around the edges of the pan and remove cake to plate and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

FIVE CHEESE SWISS FONDUE

Fondue is a Swiss, Italian, and French dish of melted cheese in wine. It is made and served in a caquelon or fondue pot. It was promoted as a Swiss national dish in the 1930s.  I love Dutch Gouda and Edam cheeses and use one or the other in my fondue. 

Lee's Kitchen Tips: 
Gruyère is a hard yellow whole cow's milk cheese named after the French area of Switzerland known as Gruyères. 
Swiss Emmentaler another whole cow's milk cheese and is made in Emmental, Switzerland. 
Appenzeller is the top of the line and is also a whole cow's milk fruity cheese, also made in Switzerland. A good substitute for Appenzeller, if you cannot find it, is Norwegian Jarlsberg cheese.

Gouda is named after the Dutch city of Gouda and is one of the oldest cheeses that is still made today.
Kirsch is a colorless, dry brandy. It is made from the fermented juice of black morello cherries.

Fontina is an Alpine cheese originating in Italy.

P.S. You can make the fondue with one or two of the above cheeses and it will still be delicious.

1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut in half

6 oz French or Swiss Gruyère cheese

6 oz Swiss Emmentaler cheese

6 oz Swiss Appenzeller cheese or Jarlsberg cheese

6 oz Dutch Gouda or Edam cheese
3 oz Italian Fontina 

2  cups dry white wine

2 T cornstarch

1 T fresh lemon juice

3 T kirsch brandy

¼ t nutmeg 

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of sea salt
Paprika for garnish, if desired

Rub fondue pot with the garlic clove and discard clove.

Grate the cheese with a box grater into a large bowl and set aside.

Add the wine to the fondue pot and heat until it starts to bubble.

Add the cornstarch and whisk to smooth out any lumps.

Slowly add the grated cheese, a handful at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until all the cheese is melted and the mixture is creamy and smooth.

This will take about 15 minutes.

Add lemon juice, brandy, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt.
Stir for another minute.

Sprinkle with paprika and serve with chunks of crusty bread, carrot sticks, sliced apples, and a green salad.

Serves 4