Green Beans and New Potatoes

Cajun Green Beans and New Potatoes are a modern twist of the traditional holiday green bean casserole – without the mushroom soup.

We recommend using fresh or frozen green beans in this recipe.

You won’t get a good taste effect using salty canned green beans.

Give it a Cajun Recipe try – it’s a sure bet you’ll like it.

Ingredients for Cajun Green Beans and New Potatoes

2 (10-ounce) packages whole green beans (or fresh green beans if available)
10 small red new potatoes
4   cups water
4-6 slices bacon (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 small sweet onion (diced)
1 small red bell pepper (cut into strips)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Dash of Liquid Shrimp & Crab Boil

Taking several slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces.

On medium heat, fry in a skillet until brown.

Remove bacon to a separate bowl.

Carefully pour the hot bacon drippings in a large 6 quart pot.

Sauté the diced sweet onion until translucent and tender.

To the pot, add 4-5 cups water, red new potatoes, sea salt, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, garlic, and a dash of Liquid Shrimp & Crab Boil.

Boil for about 10 minutes until potatoes can break with a fork.

Add green beans and bell pepper.

Stir and lower the heat to medium-low (#3 or #4).

Simmer 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Cajun Green Beans and New Potatoes

To serve at the table, transfer green beans and new potatoes to a casserole dish.

Top with crunchy French fried onions or chopped nuts for a tasty holiday fare.

Serves 6-8.

Don’t forget to make some corn bread muffins for dipping in the pot liquor.

Options:  Mix in a can of mushroom soup for an old fashioned green bean casserole and then, we top with a generous portion of shredded cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Shrimp Norman

Shrimp Norman is a Cajun Seafood dish prepared at one of our favorite local restaurants, Mike Anderson’s in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and also at the Mike Anderson’s location in Gonzales, Louisiana.

It is basically Fried Jumbo Shrimp with Crab Etouffee on top.

Without a recipe, we have recreated this scrumptious Cajun recipe for you.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Fried Shrimp Norman

1 pound large or jumbo shrimp
Crab Etouffee (see recipe)
1/2  cup of corn flour ( or Fish and Shrimp Fry mix)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
Canola oil
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Make Crab Etouffee according to recipe, but use less water or stock.

Etouffee should be a thick consistency.

Peel shrimp leaving the tail on.

Slice deep through the top of the shrimp to both de-vein the shrimp (take out the black vein) and butterfly it for frying.

Set aside in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, prepare the shrimp fry mix by blending 1/2 cup corn flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.

In another small mixing bowl, crack the egg and stir in ½ cup milk.  (This is the egg wash.)

Take each shrimp and coat in the egg wash.

Move shrimp to the shrimp fry mixture and coat with the corn flour mix.

Fan out the tail for a pretty presentation (be careful – there is a sharp point on the tail of a shrimp that can pierce your hand or finger).

Place a clean platter.

Heat oil.

Fry shrimp a few at a time until golden brown or floating on top the oil.

Remove the shrimp to a paper towel lined platter to blot excess grease.

Serving Suggestions for Fried Shrimp Norman

To serve, arrange 6-8 shrimp with tails up on a plate.

Spoon the crab etouffee over each of the tails or just place in the center.

Adding a small mound of white rice is optional.

To eat and enjoy, take a shrimp and scoop up a dollop of crab etouffee and take a big bite of some deliciously good groceries.

Cajun Green Beans

Cajun Green Beans and New Potatoes are a modern twist of the traditional holiday green bean casserole – without the mushroom soup.

We recommend using fresh or frozen green beans in this recipe.

You will not get a respectable taste effect using salty canned green beans.

Give it a Cajun Recipe try – a sure bet you’ll like it.

Ingredients for Cajun Green Beans

2 (10-ounce) packages whole green beans (use fresh green beans if available)
10 small red new potatoes
4 cups water
4-6 slices bacon (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 small sweet onion (diced)
1 small red bell pepper (cut into strips)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Dash of Liquid Shrimp and Crab Boil

Taking several slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces.

On medium heat, fry in a skillet until brown.

Remove bacon to a separate bowl.

Carefully pour the hot bacon drippings in a large 6 quart pot.

Sauté the diced sweet onion until translucent and tender.

To the pot, add 4-5 cups water, red new potatoes, sea salt, Tony’s, garlic, and a dash of Liquid Shrimp and Crab Boil.

Boil for about 10 minutes until potatoes can break with a fork.

Add frozen green beans and bell pepper.

Stir and lower the heat to medium-low (#3 or #4).

Simmer 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Cajun Green Beans

To serve at the table, transfer green beans and new potatoes to a casserole dish.

Top with crunchy French fried onions or chopped nuts for a tasty holiday fare.

Serves 6-8.

Don’t forget to make some corn bread muffins for dipping in the pot liquor.

Options: mix in a can of mushroom soup for an old fashioned green bean casserole and then, we top with a generous portion of shredded cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp is a quick and very easy Cajun recipe that can be either an appetizer or main course.  A variety of sauces or glazes can be made for topping and dipping.  For this demonstration we made a honey glaze sauce.  You can experiment with many other combinations such as olive oil and Italian seasoning or butter and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Anything you want – give it a try.  And now let’s make Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.

Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

12-18 fresh jumbo or large shrimp
Bacon
Lemon juice
Orange juice
1 cup brown sugar
¼ – ½ cup honey
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Cooking spray
Toothpicks
Non-stick baking sheet

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

Turn your oven on Broil and keep the rack in the middle.  Peel the shrimp leaving the tail on.  Carefully slice the top of the shrimp and remove the black vein and discard on a paper towel.

In a small saucepan and on medium-low heat, mix the lemon juice, orange juice, brown sugar and honey.  Simmer on low while the shrimp are prepared and cooked.

Cut bacon sliced into 2-3 inch pieces.  Wrap around the shrimp overlapping and secure with a toothpick.  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Broil for 4-5 minutes.  Turn the shrimp and broil 4-5 minutes more.  Remove from oven.  With a basting brush, cover each shrimp with the honey glaze.  Broil for another minute.

Serving Suggestions for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:

Serve 4-6 shrimp per person.  Goes well with potato salad, pasta tossed in olive oil or a rice pilaf.  Don’t forget to sprinkle some Tony’s Creole Seasoning for a bit of spice.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Note: Honey Glazed Shrimp can also be cooked in the same manner on the grill.

Grilled Redfish Recipe

Grilled Redfish is on the menu this Saturday night at the Stokes’ home. Any quality fish will do for grilling, we’ve grilled grouper, red snapper, tuna, catfish and trout, just to name a few. Your best bet is to buy fresh fish from a local and trusted seafood market. Some people don’t care for Cajun recipes, but this is one Cajun recipe that fish lovers all over the world can enjoy.

Ingredients for Grilled Redfish

Fresh Redfish or Catch of the Day (skin on) – 1 filet for each person
Spray canola oil
Lime
Worcestershire sauce
Garlic powder
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Sea Salt

1 stick of butter
2 cloves minced garlic
Green onions – chopped
Fresh or dried cilantro

Prepare your grill along with soaking mesquite smoking chips.

(Please see our Grilling Tips video for details on proper grill preparation.)

My favorite charcoal grill is the Old Smokey Grill.

Lay fish filets out on a tray.

Spray both sides of the filets with spray oil; especially the skin side.

Squeeze lime juice over the redfish and shake out Worcestershire sauce.

Sprinkle on Tony’s Original Creole Seasoning, garlic powder and sea salt.

Place skin down on the grill and put the lid on.

We will not be turning the fish.

Next, prepare the Cilantro Lime Butter Sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan.

Squeeze in another half lime.

Add in the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and cilantro.

Blend well.

Spoon out a bit of the butter sauce in order to drizzle on the redfish while on the grill.

After about 20 mins, we checked the fish for a white flaky doneness.

(Time on grill will vary depending on how hot it is.)

Bring the redfish inside and pour over the remaining butter sauce.

If all that butter is too much for you, at least scoop out the green onions, garlic and cilantro to spoon over the fish.

Serving Suggestions for Grilled Redfish

Serve with a fresh steamed broccoli or asparagus or whatever you like, and crusty garlic bread. It was so good!

Shrimp Creole Recipe

Shrimp Creole is another favorite Cajun/Creole dish.  Traditionally, Shrimp Creole is a Creole recipe from New Orleans.  Shrimp Creole only differs slightly from Shrimp Etouffee in that tomato sauce is added to the Roux and great big jumbo Gulf of Mexico shrimp of course. When it comes to recipes for shrimp, this is about as easy a Cajun recipe as you’ll ever find. Let’s get cooking!

Shrimp Creole Ingredients

2 pounds large shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
1 stick of butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups Cajun Trinity with minced garlic
6-8 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup rice
Olive oil
Green onions chopped for garnish
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
Tabasco sauce to taste

How to Make Shrimp Creole

As with all Cajun recipes, you start with a Roux. But, first we need to sauté our Cajun Trinity and garlic.

Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or 6 quart pot.

On medium heat, sauté the Cajun Trinity until vegetables are wilted and tender.

Pour into a side bowl and set aside.

For the Roux – melt 1 stick of butter on medium heat.

Gradually add ½ cup flour and stir constantly until a light golden color.

Carefully mix in Cajun Trinity and stir as to not stick or burn.

Add 6-8 cups stock. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add Rotel, tomato sauce, and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning.

Simmer another 10-15 minutes.

Add shrimp. Cook another 10 minutes.

Make rice according to package directions.
1 cup rice + 2 cups water + 20 minutes = cooked white rice.

Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Creole

Serve Shrimp Creole over mound of rice in a deep plate or bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions. Also, Shrimp Creole is wonderful with crusty French bread for dipping.

Remember cooking from scratch is so easy and very rewarding. Bon Appétit!

Turnip Greens

Turnip greens are real Southern food.

And us Cajuns are also Southerners, so it’s no wonder we like our turnip greens.

No Cajun recipe collection would be complete without this southern cooking recipe.

You rarely see this great vegetable in restaurants, although some Southern based cafeterias like Piccadilly serve them. You can also get turnip greens on the plate lunches at Reeves grocery store in Baton Rouge.

Turnip greens are pretty much something you get at home, or don’t get at all.

How to Cook Turnip Greens

Ingredients needed to make Turnip Greens

1-2 bunches of turnip greens (washed in salty water, rinsed well and chopped)
2 medium-large size turnip roots (peeled and diced)
Seasoning ham or smoked pork sausage
4-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Cajun Trinity (3 cups of onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic)
Salt and Cajun seasoning (1 teaspoon each)

Cooking Directions

Prepare all your ingredients in order to easily put together.

Using fresh turnip greens, soak the greens in salted water.

You will need to rinse and soak again a few times to make sure all the grit is removed.

Chop into small bite-size pieces.

(Hint: we found a 2 lb pre-washed pack at the supermarket – ready to go turnip greens.)

Cook your bacon, ham, or sausage in a skillet.

Drain, cut-up and set aside.

Turnip roots – peel the thick outer skin.

Cut-up into diced bite-size pieces.

Chop your onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic.

(Or, you can use frozen “season blend”)

Ready to Cook:

Begin by pouring 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or fat from the seasoning meat in a stock pot.

Saute the Cajun Trinity (or “season blend”) for 5 minutes.

Pour in 4-6 cups stock.

Add diced turnip roots.

Bring to a boil.

Cook for 15 minutes.

Add the turnip greens, seasoning meat, salt and Cajun seasoning.

Cover and lower the heat to medium #4.

Cook for 45 minutes.

Serve in a bowl with a good hot biscuit or cornbread for dipping the “pot licker”.

P.S. – If you have a question or comment about this recipe
(or any other recipe) please post your question or comment
in the “Comments” or “Leave a Reply” section below this
recipe.

Hoppin’ John

I was born and raised in Louisiana Cajun cooking country, and my husband is a “cracker” from north Florida transplanted to Cajun country, and neither of us had ever heard of Hoppin John when a subscriber of our Cajun recipes emailed us and asked us to make it and publish it on our Cajun Cooking blog.

So, not wanting to disappoint a loyal reader, I went to Google to see just what in the world Hoppin’ John was.

Black eyed peas is what I found out, laugh out loud.

We call Hoppin’ John black-eyed peas around here, and sure I know how to cook black-eyed peas!

We’ve since asked around, and found that plenty of our friends and relatives knew what Hoppin’ John was, they just didn’t call it that.

Hoppin’ John is more of a “low country” of South Carolina and Georgia southern food term than a Cajun recipe term.

Anyway, I may be prejudiced, but I do think we make Hoppin” John, or black eyed peas, whichever you prefer to call it, pretty darn good.

So, here’s our Hoppin’ John recipe, hope you enjoy it.

Hoppin John Ingredients

1 (1 pound) package dry or frozen black eyed peas

Seasoning meat like ham, thick bacon or sausage – cooked

1 medium diced onion (1 cup)
1 bell pepper (1 cup)
3 stalks diced celery
1 jalapeno (diced & no seeds)
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s)
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4-6 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
Chopped green onions for garnish
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups cooked long grain white rice (1 cup rice, 2 cups water, 20 minutes on low heat)

Putting it all together…

The night before cooking Hoppin John, soak the dry black eyed peas in a bowl of water.

Cover and set aside until you are ready to cook.

Then drain the peas in a colander.

Prepare all of your ingredients – chopping, dicing and measuring.

In a 6 quart pot, heat the 2 tablespoons of canola oil on medium high heat (#6).

Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic and celery.

Add the 4-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock.

Add the Rotel tomatoes, seasonings, jalapeno, black eye peas, and cut up seasoning meat.

(We slowly cooked 3 links of sausage on the grill the night before. You can also saute in a skillet.)

Make sure the mixture is covered with water.

Add water if needed.

Bring to a boil.

Cover and lower the heat to medium low (#3).

Simmer for 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally.

In the last 1/2 hour, cook the rice according to package directions.

About ready to serve – spoon out a couple spoonfuls of black eye peas in a bowl.

Smash with a fork. (This will act as a thickener for the Black Eye Peas gravy.)

Pour back in the pot and stir.

Spoon out some rice in a deep bowl.

Ladle on the Hoppin John and ENJOY!

This is a great dish for New Years Day or anytime of year.

What a great comfort food.

Also see our recipe for Turnip Greens that we cooked the same night.

Here is another recipe for black-eyed peas the way Mike cooks them –

https://www.cajuncookingtv.com/black-eyed-peas-recipe

Hope you enjoy!

Beryl

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