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.

Crostini neri

Active: 15 minutes; Total: 30 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

Carrot, minced	1 medium
Celery, minced	1 stalk
Onion, red, minced	1 small
Rosemary, fresh, minced	2 tablespoons
Sage, fresh, minced	2 tablespoons
Olive oil, extra virgin	2 tablespoons
Salt	Pinch
Bay leaf	1
Chicken livers, cleaned, chopped	1 pound
Capers, rinsed	2 tablespoons
Anchovy paste	30 grams
Butter, unsalted	60 grams

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil, and then add the vegetables and herbs with a pinch of salt; sauté for 10 minutes. 
2. Add the livers with the bay leaf; stir with a wooden spoon until browned nicely. 
3. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Stir in the capers, anchovy paste, and butter; remove and discard the bay leaf. 
5. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, and pulse until smooth. 
6. Serve with toasted bread. 

Recipe modified from VisitTuscany.com.

Sausage, celery & tomato bake

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 1 hour 5 minutes; Serves: 4

Celery, thickly sliced diagonally, about 1-inch in length	5 stalks
Onion, red, quartered	1 large
Garlic, peeled	5 cloves
Salt, sea	½ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Oil, olive	1 tablespoon
Tomatoes, Roma, quartered.	4 large
Fennel seeds	1 teaspoon
Sausages, good quality	10 thick

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss the celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper with the olive oil. 
2. Place the vegetable on a rimmed sheet pan, arranging the tomatoes on the outer edges of the pan. 
3. Sprinkle with the fennel seeds, then place the sausages on top of the vegetables (excluding tomatoes). 
4. Bake for 55 minutes, turning the sausages once midway through baking. 

Recipe mildly modified from Sheet Pan Dinners by Jenny Tschiesche & Liz Franklin.

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

Mushroom-barley soup

Oil, olive	2 tablespoons
Garlic, minced	2 cloves
Onion, yellow, diced	1 large
Carrots, peeled, diced	2 large
Celery, diced	2 stalks
Salt, kosher	1 ½ teaspoons +
Thyme, dried	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon +
Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
Mushrooms, cremini or button; sliced	1 pound
Pearl barley	½ cup
Bay leaf	1
Broth, mushroom or vegetable	5 cups
Lemon juice, fresh	1 tablespoon

1. Using an Instant Pot, select the Sauté setting, and heat the oil. 
2. Add the garlic and heat, stirring for 2 minutes with a wooden spoon. 
3. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and salt; sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is softened. 
4. Add the thyme, pepper, and tomato paste; sauté for about 1 minute. 
5. Stir in the mushrooms, barley, bay leaf, and broth. 
6. Secure the lid, press Cancel, select Manual, and set the cooking time to 30 minutes. 
7. Let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes, then vent the Instant Pot to release the remaining pressure. 
8. Carefully open the pot, remove and discard the bay leaf, and stir in the lemon juice. 
9. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Recipe from The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook by Coco Morante.

Pressure-cooked red beans & rice

Onion, chopped	1 large
Bell pepper, green, chopped	1
Celery, chopped	3 stalks
Garlic, minced	5 cloves
Beans, dried red kidney	1 pound
Salt	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon
Hot sauce	2 teaspoons
Thyme, fresh	1 tablespoon
Bay leaves	2
Water	7 cups
Sausage, chicken Andouille, cut into ½-inch rounds	1 pound
Rice, cooked
Green onions, sliced	5

Note: This recipe uses an Instant Pot.

1. Add the onion, celery, garlic, beans, salt, pepper, hot sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and water to the pot. 
2. Lock the lid, press Beans/Chili, press Adjust to select High pressure, and cook for 28 minutes; use the quick-release method to depressurize. 
3. Rinse the lid with cold water, and set aside. 
4. Stir in the sausage, lock the lid, press Manual, and cook for 15 minutes; allow the pressure to release naturally. 
5. Stir the green onions into the rice, and then serve with the beans and rice.