Shrimp & crabmeat étouffée with grits

Active: 1 hour; Total: 1 hour; Yield: 8 servings 

Chicken stock or water	12 cups
Grits, uncooked	2 cups
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon + 1 ½ teaspoons
Oil, vegetable or olive	¼ cup
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
Onion, white; chopped	2 cups
Celery; finely chopped	1 cup
Bell pepper, red; finely chopped	1 cup
Garlic, finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Clam juice, fish  or chicken stock	3 cups
Dry sherry	½ cup
Worcestershire sauce	¼ cup
Sage, dried; rubbed	2 tablespoons
Thyme; finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Cayenne pepper	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Tomato paste	1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Shrimp, raw, jumbo; peeled, butterflied, tail on	1 ½ pounds
Crabmeat, lump jumbo; drained, picked clean	1 ½ pounds

1. Stir together the stock, grits, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Combine the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook until the butter is melted. 
4. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. 
5. Add the flour, and stir briskly. 
6. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes brown, being careful not to burn it, 20 to 25 minutes. 
7. Stir in the 3-cups juice/stock, sherry, Worcestershire, sage, thyme, cayenne, and nutmeg. 
8. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. 
9. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper; reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring often, until creamy and thick, about 15 minutes. 
10. Add the shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. 
11. Reduce the heat to medium-low. 
12. Gently fold in the crabmeat, and cook, undisturbed, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. 
13. Remove from heat; season to taste. 
14. Plate the grits, and then properly smother them with the gravy. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Carolina fish, shrimp, & okra stew with black rice

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 1 hour 10 minutes; Serves: 6 to 8

Shrimp, medium, raw, peeled, deveined; shells reserved	1 pound
Water	3 cups
Cod or catfish fillets, skinless, halve lengthwise if large; cut crosswise into 1-inch strips	1 ½ pounds
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon +
Oil, olive	2 tablespoons +
Flour, all-purpose	2 tablespoons
Onion, white, chopped	1 large
Bell pepper, red, chopped	1 large
Celery, chopped	2 stalks
Garlic, chopped	3 cloves
Tomatoes, diced, undrained	15 ounces
Okra, stemmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces	8 ounces
Worcestershire sauce	2 tablespoons
Thyme, fresh, chopped	2 teaspoons
Bay leaves, dried or fresh	2 leaves
Creole seasoning	2 teaspoons
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon +
Rice, black, cooked
Scallions, thinly sliced	Garnish

1. Combine the reserved shrimp shells and water in a medium saucepan. 
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. 
3. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids, and set the stock aside. 
4. Toss together the fish pieces and salt in a large bowl; cover and chill until ready to use, up to 1 hour. 
5. Over medium heat, warm the oil in a large Dutch oven. 
6. Add the flour, whisking constantly, until smooth and lightly browned, about 1 minute. 
7. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. 
8. Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to prevent scorching, until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
9. Stir in the shrimp stock, tomatoes with juices, okra, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, Creole seasonings, and pepper. 
10. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
11. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer until the okra is almost tender, about 15 minutes. 
12. Stir in the fish and shrimp, and reduce the heat to low. 
13. Cover and cook until the fish and shrimp are cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. 
14. Remove and discard the bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. 
15. Serve with black rice garnished with scallions. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, October 2020

Sous vide pork chops with mushrooms

Active: 15 minutes; Cooktop: 15 minutes; Sous vide: 45 minutes; Serves: 2

Pork chops, thick-cut, bone-in	2
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Butter, unsalted, cold	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Mushrooms	4 ounces
Sherry	¼ cup
Beef stock	½ cup
Worcestershire sauce	1 tablespoon
Micro greens	Garnish

1. Preheat your sous vide to 140°F. 
2. Season the chops with salt and pepper, and place in a large ziplock or vacuum seal bag; seal. 
3. Place in the water bath, and cook for 45 minutes. 
4. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. 
5. Remove the pork chops from the bag and pat dry; discard cooking liquid. 
6. Melt 1-tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
7. When the butter stops foaming, add the pork chops and sear until well-browned, about 1 minute per side; transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. 
8. Return the skillet to the heat, and add the mushrooms. 
9. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. 
10. Add the sherry and bring to a rapid simmer, scraping up any browed bits from the bottom of the skillet. 
11. Add the stock and Worcestershire, and bring to a rapid simmer. 
12. Reduce head to medium, and continue to simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened. 
13. Remove the skillet from the heat, and rapidly swirl in the remaining butter, ½ tablespoon at a time, until the sauce emulsifies. 
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
15. Serve the pork chops with the mushroom sauce and micro greens.

Individual classic meat loaves

Beef, ground	1 ½ pounds
Pork, ground	¾ pound
Cream, heavy	½ cup
Tomato paste	3 tablespoons
Egg, lightly beaten	1 large
Onion, yellow, minced	1 large
Onion powder	1 ½ teaspoons
Celery salt	1 ½ teaspoons
Sugar	½ teaspoon
Salt	Pinch
Pepper, freshly ground	Pinch
Ketchup	1/3 cup
Worcestershire sauce	Dash or two

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; place six 6-by-3-by-2-inch loaf pans on a baking sheet, and lightly coat with cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, cream, tomato paste, egg, onion, Beau Monde seasoning, salt, and pepper; mix together with your hands until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. 
3. Divide the meat mixture evenly among the loaf pans, mounding it in the center. 
4. In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce; brush the top of each loaf with the sauce. 
5. Bake the loaves until a small incision in the center of the loaf reveals the palest pink inside, 30 to 45 minutes. 
6. Remove from the oven, and let the loaves rest a moment. 

Recipe from The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook.