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 breakfast in a jar

Active: 15 minutes; Cooktop: 15 minutes; Sous vide: 1 to 2 hours; Serves: 4

Eggs	6 large + ¾ cup whites
Cottage cheese	1 cup
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Veggies (such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini), diced
Ham or bacon, diced

1. Preheat your sous vide to 170°F; spray the inside of your glass jars lightly with canola oil. (Chef’s note: The original recipe calls for 12 wide-mouth 250ml jars to create “egg bites.” I had 4 larger 1-cup jars that required a longer cooking time.) 
2. Sauté the vegetables and meat, and then divide among your jars. 
3. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, mix together the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth; divide among the jars. 
4. Secure lids to the jars and lower them into your water bath, cook 1 hour for small jars and 2 hours for larger jars. 
5. Enjoy alone or with a toasted English muffin!

Roasted cauliflower lasagna

Cauliflower florets	8 cups
Olive oil	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon +
Salt, kosher
Tomatoes, whole plum, no-salt added	28 ounces
Water	1 ½ cups
Garlic, sliced chopped	4 + 1
Bell pepper, red, diced	1
Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
Basil leaves, fresh	1 cup
Lasagna noodles, whole wheat	8 ounces
Ricotta	1 cup
Egg	1 large
Mozzarella, shredded	1 cup
Parmesan	¼ cup
Parsley leaves, fresh, chopped	2 tablespoons

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Toss the cauliflower with 1-tablespoon oil and ½-teaspoon salt. 
3. Spread the florets in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until tender and golden in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes; cool slightly. 
4. Place the tomatoes in a medium bowl, and use your hands to crush them. 
5. Rinse the can with the 1 ½-cups water and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. 
6. Heat the remaining oil with the sliced garlic and ½-teaspoon salt in a small Dutch oven over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle and becomes aromatic, about 2 minutes. 
7. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. 
8. Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate, about 30 seconds. 
9. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices and four large basil leaves. 
10. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 40 minutes. 
11. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
12. Add the lasagna noodles one at a time into the pot; cook according to the package directions until al dente. 
13. Drain the noodles in a colander. 
14. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil to the noodles, tossing to coat to prevent them from sticking, and drape over the side of a large bowl. 
15. Combine the ricotta, egg, 1 ½-cups roasted cauliflower, and one chopped garlic clove in a food processor and pulse until evenly pureed. 
16. Tear the remaining basil into small pieces, add to the food processor and pulse three to four more times to chop the basil finely, but not puree; transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. 
17. Spread ¼-cup sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 
18. Place four noodles on the bottom, without overlapping, cutting to fit, if necessary. 
19. Spread with half of the cauliflower-ricotta mixture, followed by half of the roasted cauliflower, one-third of the tomato sauce, one-third of the mozzarella, and one-third of the Parmesan. 
20. Loosely fit three more noodles on top of the cheese without overlapping. 
21. Spread with the remaining cauliflower-ricotta mixture, followed by the remaining roasted cauliflower, one-third more of the tomato sauce, one-third more of the mozzarella, and one-third more of the Parmesan. 
22. Top with the remaining four noodles, cutting just to fit. 
23. Then add the remaining tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. 
24. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly and hot, about 20 minutes. 
25. Remove the foil and cook until the cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes more. 
26. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so the lasagna will cut more easily. 
27. Garnish with the parsley. 

Recipe from Food Network

Orange chicken stew

Onion, chopped	1 medium
Bell pepper, red, chopped	1 medium
Carrots, thinly sliced	2 medium
Fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, core removed, thinly sliced	1 medium
Sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks	2 medium
Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless	1 ½ pounds
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Oil, olive	2 tablespoons
Thyme, dried	1 teaspoon
Broth, chicken	1 cup
Juice, orange	½ cup
Olives, kalamata, sliced	¼ cup
Parsley, chopped	¼ cup
Rice, cooked

1. Combine the vegetables in a bowl; set aside. 
2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. 
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
4. Brown the chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. 
5. Add the vegetables to the skillet with the thyme, a sprinkle of salt, and a few dashes of pepper, and sauté until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. 
6. Return the chicken to the pan along with the broth and juice, and bring to a boil. 
7. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are tender. 
8. Scoop the chicken from the pot, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook the liquid and vegetables for another 3 to 4 minutes to reduce. 
9. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and return to the pot with half the parsley and the olives. 
10. Taste, and add more salt or pepper, as needed. 
11. Serve over the rice with a sprinkle of parsley. 

Recipe adapted from One Pan, Whole Family by Carla Snyder.

Ropa vieja

Oil, extra-virgin olive	2 tablespoons + ¼ cup
Steak, skirt, cut along the grain into 6-inch pieces	2 ½-pounds
Salt, kosher	2 teaspoons + 1 ½ teaspoons
Onions, white, halved	1 large
Bell peppers, green, halved, seeded	1 large
Water	5 cups
Bay leaf	1
Garlic, smashed	3
Cumin, ground	1 teaspoon
Oregano, dried	1 teaspoon
Wine, dry white	¼ cup
Tomatoes, crushed	2 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat 2-tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 
2. Sprinkle the steak with 2-teaspoons salt. 
3. Working in batches, sear the steak pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a bowl. 
4. Add a half of the onion and half of the bell pepper and cook, stirring after 2 minutes, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. 
5. Return the steak to the pot, and add the water, bay leaf, and one clove of garlic.
6. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours. 
7. Transfer the steak to a bowl, and let cool 10 minutes. 
8. Shred the steak by hand, and return to the bowl. 
9. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve 2 cups liquid, discard the solids and remaining liquids. 
10. Thinly slice the remaining onion and bell pepper halves. 
11. Heat the remaining ¼-cup oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. 
12. Add the sliced onions, peppers, and remaining cloves of garlic. 
13. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 
14. Stir in the cumin and oregano, and then add the wine. 
15. Bring to a simmer; add the steak and remaining 1 ½-teaspoons salt; fold to incorporate the vegetables. 
16. Simmer until the meat is warmed through, about 5 minutes. 
17. Add the tomatoes and 2-cups reserved cooking liquid. 
18. Bring to a simmer, stirring. 
19. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. 
20. Gently simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, until the meat is tender and the liquid is thickened, about 20 minutes. 
21. If necessary, uncover and cook several minutes to thicken the sauce. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2018.