How to Make Crawfish Bisque

Crawfish Bisque Recipe from the Cajun recipes at Cajun Cooking TV.  Essentials in Cajun cooking are the use of fresh crawfish tails when in season and we only use fresh Louisiana crawfish tails.  A bisque is a rich, creamy soup usually made with shellfish; especially lobster.  We just used a much smaller kind of lobster – the Louisiana crawfish.

Crawfish Bisque (some folks call it crawfish stew) consists of a rich sauce accompanied with stuffed crawfish bodies or crawfish balls.  For this recipe we made both.  This was so good we could not stop eating it.

Crawfish Bisque Ingredients: For the Crawfish Balls

1 (1-pound) bag of fresh crawfish tails (can substitute shrimp or crab if needed)

1 cup chopped onionss

1 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 parsley flakes
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s Creole Seasoning)

Crawfish Bisque Cooking Directions: For the Crawfish Balls

Blend all the above ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Remove to a mixing bowl.

Form into small meatballs.

If you have access to crawfish bodies, just stuff the bodies with the mixture.

Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes on a baking sheet.

Crawfish Bisque Ingredients: For the Crawfish Bisque

4 cups Cajun Trinity (or frozen seasoning blend – onions, bell pepper, celery)
2 sticks butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups Chicken Stock
1 (10-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s Creole Seasoning) to taste
1 (1-pound) bag of fresh crawfish tails (substitute shrimp or crab if needed)
1 cup rice

Crawfish Bisque Cooking Directions: For the Crawfish Bisque

Saute’ Cajun Trinity in 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large 6 quart pot.

Make a Roux in a flat bottom stainless steel skillet or cast iron skillet.

Melt the butter and gradually add in flour and continue to stir with a flat edged spatula until dark brown color.

Transfer roux to the Cajun Trinity pot.  Stir well.

Add chicken stock, tomato sauce, minced garlic, crawfish tails and seasoning to taste.

Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low (#3).

Stir occasionally and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.

Make 1 cup rice according to package directions.

Add the stuffed crawfish and/or crawfish balls.

Simmer another 5-10 minutes.

Crawfish Bisque Serving Suggestions

Serve crawfish bisque over rice and garnish with chopped green onions and chopped parsley.

Bon Appetite!

How to Make Spinach Enchiladas

Spinach Enchiladas are a Louisiana favorite especially around the Lenten season between Ash Wednesday and Easter when Catholics do not eat meat on Friday.

Vegetable casseroles and seafood dishes become staples on Friday restaurant menus.

Our favorite local Tex-Mex restaurant only adds the Spinach Enchiladas to their menu during Lent, and we order them every time they’re on the menu.

The wonderful sour cream sauce really makes this spinach enchilada casserole awesome!

Prep and Cooking Time: Less than 1 hour
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients for Spinach Enchiladas

Ingredients for the Sour Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
1 cup chicken stock

Ingredients for the Enchiladas

1 tablespoon olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)
1/2 diced onion
1 (family-size) bag of fresh spinach
1 container fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package of large flour tortillas
1 (8 ounce) package Jalapeno-Jack cheese (Pepper Jack) – shredded
Jalapeno slices or fresh cilantro for garnish

Cooking Directions for Spinach Enchiladas

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

Make the Sour Cream Sauce

Begin by melting butter in a deep skillet and add flour stirring until well blended.

With a whisk blend in the sour cream.

Add one cup of chicken stock.

Blend with a whisk until you get all of the lumps out.

Lower the heat to keep warm.

Make the Enchiladas

In a large 6 quart pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat (#6).

Saute onion about one minute.

Add in whole bag of fresh spinach.

Cover and cook for about five minutes. Spinach will cook way down.

Prepare a baking sheet or 13-inch x 9-inch pan by spraying with canola spray oil.

Preheat the tortillas according package directions.

(I typically wet 4 paper towels and wrap around the flour tortillas and place in the microwave about 30 seconds. You just want to soften them.)

On a plate, place a flour tortilla.

Fill with a spoonful of the spinach and mushrooms.

Top with Jalapeno-Jack cheese and roll.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet.

Try using a toothpick if they will not stay rolled.

Continue with remaining tortillas.

Pour the sour cream sauce across the tops of the enchiladas.

Top with additional cheese, jalapeno slices, black olives or fresh cilantro for garnish.

Bake in the oven about 10 minutes or enough to heat and melt the cheese inside the enchiladas.

Serving Suggestions for Spinach Enchiladas

Serve on a plate with Spanish rice and black beans. (Sliced avocados are a nice tough, too.)

This is a great vegetarian dish as well as very rich in nutrients. It tastes darn good too!

Other serving suggestions: fill with crab-meat or small sauteed shrimp.

Eggplant Casserole Recipe

This Eggplant Casserole Recipe is made by cooking down cubed and peeled eggplant and mixing with ground meat, shrimp, crawfish or crabmeat.  We serve it i s a side dish or as a party dip on crackers. You’ll definitely want to try this Cajun recipe. (Mike thought it would be awful, but he loved it!)

Eggplant Casserole Recipe Ingredients

4 Eggplants
2 cups Cajun Trinity (or frozen seasoning blend)
1 stick of butter or 2-3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound ground round
1/2 pound ground pork (or one pound of either one)
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups bread crumbs
1-2 cups chicken stock

Eggplant Casserole Recipe Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a casserole dish with spray oil.

First start by peeling the eggplant.

Cut in half and then cut into strips.  Then, cut crosswise into 1 inch cubes.

Heat in a large pot about 2 cups chicken stock.

Place in the pot the cubed eggplant.

Season with salt and  a sprinkle of Tony’s Creole Seasoning.

Let simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir occasionally.

Once tender, mash with a whisk or a potato masher to get the lumpy pieces.

Meanwhile, heat 1 stick of butter on medium heat (#6) in a deep skillet.

Cook the ground round beef and ground pork by chopping up with a flat edged wooden spatula.

The meat should all be brown and no pink.

Pour the meat mixture into the eggplant pot.  Stir well.

Then, add in 1 cup of bread crumbs.

Stir to mix all ingredients evenly.

Add seasoning if needed.

Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with another cup of bread crumbs.

An optional step would be to also sprinkle on Parmesan cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Eggplant Casserole Recipe Serving Suggestions

Serve as a side dish in a small bowl or serve with a good butter cracker or whole wheat cracker for a party.

Eggplant Casserole Recipe Other Options

Replace ground meat with boiled or sautéed shrimp, crawfish, or crab meat.

The seafood really makes for a tasty party dip.

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

The Cajun Cooking TV show airs on local Baton Rouge, Louisiana channel WLFT MeTV channel 30.1 and on Cox cable channel 117 on Tuesday mornings at 10 am.

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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Burgundy Beef Stew

Burgundy Beef Stew is a French beef stew country recipe utilizing the traditional French Trinity of chopped onions, celery and carrots.

Burgundy Beef Stew is not really classified as a Cajun recipe, but I can sure see Cajuns making and eating this dish.

Ingredients for Burgundy Beef Stew

2 pounds lean beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 slices of bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups Cajun Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large carrot (diced)
4 large mushrooms (sliced)
3 cups Burgundy wine or any red cooking wine.
(We chose a California red wine)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups beef stock
Ground thyme
Egg noodles or rice

Cooking Directions for Burgundy Beef Stew

Place stew meat in a large mixing bowl.

Season with salt, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, and garlic powder.

Toss in the all-purpose flour to coat the stew meat.

Mix well until all meat is covered in the flour.

In a large 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil on medium heat (#6).

Place bacon pieces in the hot oil and brown. Remove from heat into a separate bowl.

In the same pot, brown the stew meat in 2-3 batches.

Brown the meat on all sides to sear in the juices and the browning creates a nice gravy.

Remove from from heat after each batch and reserve in a separate clean bowl.

Next, saute’ 2 cups Cajun Trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery) and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.

Add diced carrots. Cook 5 minutes.

Toss in sliced mushrooms.

Add 3 cups red wine, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and 4 cups beef stock. Stir well to blend.

Mix the stew meat and bacon bits back into the liquid mixture.

Sprinkle the beef stew with a dash of ground thyme.

Cover and let simmer on low heat (#3) for 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally.

Cook egg noodles according to package direction and number of servings needed.

Serving Suggestions for Burgundy Beef Stew

Serve the Burgundy Beef Stew over the egg noodles.

Man this dish was so good. The gravy was thick and rich. You could taste the wine just a bit and the meat was super tender. This stew would also serve well with rice or mashed potatoes.

How to Cook Crab Claws

Learn How to Cook Crab Claws with Beryl and Cajun Cooking TV.

Fried Crab Claws (also called Crab Fingers) are a scrumptious appetizer on most Cajun restaurant menus.

They are real easy to make, and real good to eat!

Fried crab claws is a must-have in your Cajun cooking recipes arsenal, so let’s see how to cook crab claws –

How to Cook Crab Claws: Ingredients

1 pound fresh crab claws
1/2 cup of corn flour (or a bag of prepared Fish and Shrimp Fry)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
lime or lemon juice
ketchup
fresh prepared horseradish
Canola oil for frying

Start by pouring about 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottom saucepan or use an electric fryer.

Pour the corn flour, flour, and Tony’s into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.

In a smaller mixing bowl, crack the egg and add milk and 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice. Mix well.

Heat oil on a medium heat (#6).

Put several crab claws in the egg wash to coat.

Then, toss crab claws into the corn flour mixture and coat well.

Place on a clean platter.

Repeat until all crab claws are battered.

Place crab claws in the fryer – maybe a dozen at a time.

(They only need to fry about 2 minutes or less. They cook really quick.)

Remove to a drain on paper towels.

Make Cocktail Sauce with one cup ketchup and 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish and a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Serving Fried Crab Claws

One pound of Crab Claws will likely serve 6-8 people as an appetizer. They are pretty addictive. Enjoy!

How to Make Cocktail Sauce

https://www.cajuncookingtv.com/how-to-make-cocktail-sauce

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

The Cajun Cooking TV show airs on local Baton Rouge, Louisiana channel WLFT MeTV channel 30.1 and on Cox cable channel 117 on Tuesday mornings at 10 am.

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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How to Make Fajitas

Learn How to Make Fajitas with Beryl on Cajun Cooking TV.

A fajita is a common term used in Tex-Mex cooking to describe grilled meat served with a variety of fixings like: sautéed onions, bell pepper, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, sliced jalapeno peppers, black olives, shredded lettuce and any other of your favorite toppings.

Many times we’ve had Grilled Chicken Fajitas; however, this night we had a Grilled Pork Tenderloin.  We sliced it thin and tossed around in the sautéed onions and peppers.   They were so tasty and a bit different than your typical restaurant fajitas. So let’s see how to make fajitas…

How to Make Fajitas: What You Need

1 pork tenderloin
1 large sweet onion
1 large red bell pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Prepared guacamole
Salsa or Pico de Gallo
Sour cream
Lime juice
Sliced black olives
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Slices jalapeno peppers
6-10 flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Salt, Tony’s Creole Seasoning and garlic powder

How to Make Fajitas

Prepare the charcoal grill.

Season the pork tenderloin with sea salt, Tony’s and garlic powder.

Grill the meat for approximately 45 minutes not directly over the heat.

(Have your charcoal on one side of the pit and your meat on the other side.)

For more specifics about grilling meat, please see our Grilling Tips video or How to Grill a Steak video.

Slice onions and bell pepper.

Heat a skillet to medium heat (#6) with melted butter or olive oil.

Saute’ the onions and bell pepper stirring often.  Squeeze or sprinkle on lime juice.

Thinly slice the pork tenderloin.

Heat the flour tortillas according to package directions.  I just heat in a toaster oven on a low toast setting.

Place tortilla on a plate and begin to add all your favorite toppings. Try to keep the fillings to about 1 cup so that it all fits.

Fold one end and then roll like a taco or burrito.  The folded end helps keep the filling from falling out as you eat from the other end.

How to Make Fajitas: Serving Suggestions

Serves well with a small salad, black beans or re fried beans, and Spanish rice.

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

The Cajun Cooking TV show airs on local Baton Rouge, Louisiana channel WLFT MeTV channel 30.1 and on Cox cable channel 117 on Tuesday mornings at 10 am.

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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How to Cook Cauliflower

Learn How to Cook Cauliflower with Beryl at Cajun Cooking TV.

Cauliflower is a wonderful vegetable that is often overlooked as a great tasting cooked vegetable. Cauliflower is most often used in vegetable trays with a dip.

Although I love to eat raw cauliflower and broccoli, having it steamed is also very tasty; especially with some finely shredded cheddar cheese, a cheese sauce, or fresh Parmesan cheese.

How to Cook Cauliflower: Ingredients

1 head fresh cauliflower (it should be firm and free of brown spots on the top)
1 cup water
Dash of sea salt (plain table salt is OK)
Butter (optional)
Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

How to Cook Cauliflower

Cut off the green leafy part attached at the bottom of the cauliflower.

Cut off as much of the stem as you can.

You may have to insert a paring knife at an angle to get down to the stem.

Rinse well to remove any grit.

Heat 1 cup water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Place cauliflower in water. Sprinkle some salt.

Cover and lower the heat to medium-to-low #3.

Cook for 8-12 minutes or until soft enough to run a knife through the stem.

Ours took about 12-15 minutes.

How to Cook Cauliflower: Serving Suggestions

Cut into serving wedges and top with cheese or cheese sauce.

A dash of Tony’s Creole Seasoning adds a great kick also.

Mike thinks there’s nothing better than cheese sauce on fresh cauliflower.

Happy eating and don’t forget to dance while you cook. We have so much fun!

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

The Cajun Cooking TV show airs on local Baton Rouge, Louisiana channel WLFT MeTV channel 30.1 and on Cox cable channel 117 on Tuesday mornings at 10 am.

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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Surf and Turf

Surf and Turf is the popular name for a Lobster and Steak meal.

We had Surf and Turf for Valentine’s Day dinner and talk about good. It was like finger licking good and really simple.

So, don’t be intimidated by the thought of cooking lobster.

If you can boil water or light up a grill, you’re halfway there. Give it a try!

Surf and Turf will definitely impress!

Surf and Turf Ingredients

2 lobster tails (fresh or frozen)
2 petite beef filets (tenderloins)
1/2 stick butter
Chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Lime or lemon juice

Surf and Turf Cooking Directions

• Melt butter. Add lime juice, green onions and garlic. Stir well. Turn heat to low.
• Take thawed lobster tails and using kitchen scissors cut the tails down the middle either on the belly side or the outside. We cut open the belly side since it was softer.
• With a sharp knife, cut the tail meat down the middle.
• With a brush or a spoon coat the tails with the lime butter sauce.
• Run a skewer through each tail for easier handling on the grill and keeps from curling.
• Place lobster tails and petite filets on a platter. Season with sea salt, garlic powder and Tony’s.
• Place evenly on grill.
• Grill the lobsters for 5 minutes each side.
• Grill the Filets for 8-10 minutes each side.
• Return to a platter and bring inside.
• Pour lime butter sauce over the lobster tails or pour the lime butter sauce in custard cups for dipping the lobster meat.

Surf and Turf Serving Suggestions

Serve with a steamed vegetable, Twice Baked Potatoes or Homemade Macaroni & Cheese.

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

The Cajun Cooking TV show airs on local Baton Rouge, Louisiana channel WLFT MeTV channel 30.1 and on Cox cable channel 117 on Tuesday mornings at 10 am.

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes, also called stuffed potatoes, give your meal that restaurant quality pizzazz.

We had to add twice baked potatoes to our Cajun recipes after enjoying them so much at Mike Anderson’s restaurant.

So, this is what we conjured up.

If you’re hungry for something a little jazzier than baked potatoes, try this recipe (some people call them stuffed potatoes.)

It’s sure to be a hit!

Twice Baked Potatoes: Ingredients

4 medium – large Idaho potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 small broccoli crowns (or 1/2 bag frozen broccoli crowns) – steamed
2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Bacon bits (optional)
Sea salt
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Twice Baked Potatoes: Cooking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash potatoes.

Wrap in foil.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours turning over half way through cooking.

In the meantime, steam broccoli crowns.

Remove potatoes from oven and open from foil.

Let sit a few minutes.

Cut potatoes in half and separate.

Allow to cool a bit in order to handle.

Take a small spoon or ice cream scooper and hollow out the potato halves.

Put in a large mixing bowl.

(Do not scoop all the way to the skin so that you have a stable base.)

To the potatoes, add butter, sour cream, broccoli, green onions, cheese, and seasonings.

With a potato masher or a large whisk, mash all the ingredients together well.

Place the mixture back into the potato shells.

Place on a baking sheet or casserole dish.

Top with more shredded Cheddar cheese.

Bake 5-10 minutes to re-heat and melt the cheese.

Remove from oven and serve.

Twice Baked Potatoes: Serving Suggestions

A typical serving is a half potato for each person.

Enjoy with a steak or seafood or anything you like.

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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She Crab Soup

She Crab Soup is a flavorful taste sensation of cream, crab, seasonings and wine. She Crab Soup is a southern recipe that is a cross between a bisque and a chowder. In fact, it’s hard to tell the difference between she crab soup recipes and crab bisque.

I first experienced She Crab Soup in Panama City Beach, Florida at the well renowned restaurant Captain Anderson’s. They serve She Crab Soup by itself of course, but my favorite is the She Crab Pie. She Crab Pie is a grilled fish of the day stuffed inside a puff pastry with She Crab Soup ladled on top. Yum Yum.

In our version of She Crab Soup, we added cut asparagus and fresh sweet corn.

Ingredients for She Crab Soup

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups Cajun Trinity
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 pound white crab meat
1/2 cup Sherry or white cooking wine
1 bunch of fresh asparagus stalks (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 ear fresh sweet corn (kernels cut from the cob)
2 boiled eggs (chopped egg yolks only)
Chopped green onions
White Cheddar cheese (shredded for garnish)

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cut corn.

Cook for 6-8 minutes.

In a deep 6 quart pot, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat (#5-#6).

Saute the Cajun Trinity until well cooked. Add the minced garlic and sauté another minute.

Remove from pot and set aside.

In the same pot, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Blend in the 4 tablespoons flour stirring well.

Cook about 2 minutes.

Slowly add the milk blending well with the white roux. Add the heavy cream.

Stir constantly with a whisk to prevent scorching for 8-10 minutes. Mixture will become thickened.

Add all seasonings, Cajun Trinity, crab meat, asparagus, corn and chopped egg yolks. Stir well.

(If a thinner consistency is desired, add 1 cup vegetable stock).

Cook another 5 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat.

Add and stir well the 1/2 cup wine.

Serving Suggestions for She Crab Soup

Serve in a deep flat bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions and a lump of white cheddar cheese; accompanied with crusty French bread or rolls.

Serves 6-8.