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.

Chicken & mushroom coconut curry

Active: 50 minutes; Total: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings 

Coconut oil, unrefined	2 tablespoons
Chicken legs, skin on, bone-in; pat dry	4
Salt, kosher	1 ½ teaspoons
Mushrooms, cremini; quartered	1 cup
Shallot; finely chopped	1 large
Garlic; finely chopped	3 large cloves
Curry powder	1 tablespoon
Turmeric, ground	1 teaspoon
Coconut milk; well shaken and stirred	13.5 ounces
Water	1/3 cup
Fish sauce	1 tablespoon
Coconut milk, evaporated	½ cup
Cilantro, freshly chopped	Garnish
Chile oil	Garnish

1. Heat the coconut oil in a high-sided medium skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. 
3. Place the chicken in the skillet skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. 
4. Transfer to a plate, reserving the rendered fat in the skillet; set aside. 
5. Add the mushroom to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. 
6. Add the shallots; cook stirring often, until softened, abut 3 minutes. 
7. Add the garlic, curry powder, and turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. 
8. Stir in the coconut milk, water, and fish sauce until combined. 
9. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up. 
10. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
11. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes. 
12. Transfer the chicken to a shallow serving bowl. 
13. Add the evaporated coconut milk to the skillet, and stir to combine; pour the curry evenly over the chicken. 
14. Garnish with cilantro and chile oil, and serve with rice. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Hakka-style salt-baked chicken

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 4 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Chicken, whole	4 pounds
Ginger, fresh, unpeeled, cut into 5 slices	1-inch piece
Scallions, cut into 1 ½-inch long pieces	2 medium
Rice wine or dry sherry	1 ½ tablespoons
Cilantro	5 sprigs + 2 sprigs
Star anise, whole, coarsely crushed	1
Rose dew liqueur or extra-dry vermouth	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	4 ½ pounds + ¼ teaspoon
Chinese chile sauce	1 tablespoon
Water, hot	1 tablespoon
Vinegar, rice	1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons
Sugar, granulated	½ teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Garlic, finely chopped	4 teaspoons
Ginger, peeled, finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Oil, corn or peanut	2 tablespoons

1. Remove and discard giblets; trim excess fat; pat chicken dry with paper towels. 
2. Smash the ginger and scallions on a cutting board with the broad side of a knife blade. 
3. Rub the chicken cavity with rice wine; stuff with the smashed ginger and scallion, 5 cilantro sprigs, and crushed star anise. 
4. Pull the chicken legs together, and truss tightly with butcher’s twine; tuck the wings back behind the neck. 
5. Brush liqueur evenly over the chicken skin. 
6. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a wire rack; let stand at room temperature in an airy place until the skin is dry to the touch, about 2 hours. 
7. Wrap the chicken in a single layer of loose-weave cheesecloth; bunch together extra cheesecloth above the breast, tying into a knot or with a piece of string; trim off excess cheesecloth. (The chicken should be tightly wrapped in a bundle.) 
8. Preheat oven to 275°F. 
9. Place 4 ½-pounds salt in a large, heavy, ovenproof stockpot that is just wider than the chicken and will hold the chicken snugly. 
10. Heat over medium-high, stirring often, until the salt is very hot to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
11. Remove and reserve 7-cups salt from the stockpot, leaving about 1 inch of salt on the bottom of the stockpot. 
12. Place the cheesecloth-wrapped chicken in the stockpot, breast side up, and cover completely with the reserved hot salt. 
13. Cover the stockpot; bake in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of the chicken registers 160°F, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 
14. Remove from oven; let the chicken stand in stockpot for 20 minutes. 
15. Hakka chile sauce: Whisk together chile sauce, water, 1-teaspoon vinegar, and ½-teaspoon sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; let stand 15 minutes before serving. 
16. Hakka garlic sauce: Whisk together 2-tablespoons vinegar, garlic, and 1-teaspoon sugar until the sugar dissolves; let stand 15 minutes before serving. 
17. Hakka ginger sauce: Place 1-tablespoon ginger in a small, heavy serving saucer; heat the oil over medium-high heat until nearly smoking, then pour over ginger; stir to combine; sprinkle with salt, stir again; serve warm or at room temperature. 
18. Gently remove the chicken from the stockpot, holding the knotted cheesecloth on top and pushing the salt aside. (Try not to tip the chicken, so the juices do not spill.) 
19. Carefully transfer the chicken to a platter, and remove the cheesecloth; discard the salt in the stockpot. Remove the trussing strings from the chicken; remove and discard solids inside the cavity of the chicken. 
20. Serve the chicken warm or at room temperature; chop Chinese-style into bite-size pieces; garnish with remaining cilantro sprigs, and serve with the sauces. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Chicken.

Tuna salad

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 10 minutes; Yield: 3 cups

Tuna packed in water; drained	20 ounces
Mayonnaise	1 cup
Celery, finely chopped	1/3 cup
Onion, red, minced	2 tablespoons
Pickle relish, sweet	2 tablespoons
Lemon juice	1 tablespoon
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground

1. In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, relish, juice, and garlic. 
2. Season to taste; serve immediately or chill until serving. 

Recipe from Culinary Hill by Meggan Hill.

Lemony shrimp with bean stew

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Lemon zest	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	2 tablespoons
Paprika, smoked	½ teaspoon
Garlic, grated	2 cloves
Salt, kosher	¾ teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	¾ teaspoon +
Shrimp, deveined, peeled	1 pound
Butter, unsalted	4 tablespoons
Leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, white and light green parts sliced crosswise ½-inch thick strips	2 large
Cannellini beans, rinsed	15 ounces
Chicken stock, low sodium	2 cups
Parsley, fresh, finely chopped	2 tablespoons
Bread, toasted

1. In a medium bowl, combine the zest, paprika, garlic, ¾-teaspoon salt, and ¾-teaspoon pepper; add the shrimp, tossing to coat. 
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. 
3. When the butter is foaming, add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and starting to curl, 2 to 3 minutes. 
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate; set aside. 
5. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until the leeks are soft and starting to brown on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
6. Add the beans and chicken broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. 
7. Lower the heat and simmer about 8 to 10 minutes. 
8. Stir in the reserved shrimp and any juices from the plate, parsley, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. 
9. Serve with toasted bread. 

Recipe from nytimes.com.