Pinto Beans and Smoked Ham Hocks

Serve over a bed of rice and pair with Tony’s Old Fashioned Creole Cornbread Muffins.

Stuffed Green Bells - Chachere Style!

  Ingredients:

• 6 green bell peppers
• 6 cups cooked, minced meat (chicken, lamb, veal, roast pork, shrimp, OR, veggie-style with corn)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 Tbl. melted butter
• 1 Tbl. minced parsley
• 1 tea. Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup water or beef broth

****Can also simplify by omitting all ingredients and stuffing peppers with our Dirty Rice Mix: use package instructions, stuff and bake peppers, season to taste!

Instructions:

• Cut peppers in half, crosswise, remove seeds and cut off stems.
• Mix all remaining ingredients together, except water or broth.
• Fill peppers with mixture, stand in pan and pour water around them.
• Bake at 350 degrees, basting often, until tops are toasty brown. Yields 6 servings.

"Every year, I cook a huge amount to be frozen for later use. It's ideal for gumbos." - Mr. Tony Chachere

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. okra
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 tbls. all-purpose flour
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 med. stalks celerey, shopped
• 5 fresh or 1 large can tomatoes
• Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Wash okra, cut and fry in 2 tablespoons oil until it is not sticky (DO NOT USE CAST IRON POT).
2. In a skillet, make a medium dark roux with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon flour. Add chopped onion, bell, and celery and simmer until wilted.
3. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 mins.
4. Add okra, season well with Tony Chachere’s and reduce heat. Cook for 1 hour.

Yields 6 servings. Can increase recipe, place into quart-sized freezer bags, and freeze for later use. *Gumbo: thaw out bag of frozen okra and drop into gumbo at the end of cooking, continue cooking until okra is warm, serve.

Thanks a million Houston Homeboy for the great photo!!

Don’t risk skipping this amazing bisque!  Corn and crab come to together in this creamy, hearty, and easy to prepare dish with a mix of spices that gives this bisque a Cajun twist!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 12

1: In a 3 quart pot, melt butter and add flour to make a blond roux.

2: Saute onions until tender; add corn, soup, Half and Half, mace, and crab meat.

3: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

4: Add cheese, parsley, green onions, and sherry.

5: Season with Tony Chacheres Original Creole Seasoning.

6: Remove from heat and serve.

First up is  Tony’s Crawfish Etouffee.  I recently fixed a large helping of etouffee for some friends in Florida.  Many people were quite amazed at just how easy and simple it is to make etouffee.  Etouffee literally means “to smoother.”  Take it from this Cajun girl, don’t complicate it with a bunch of crazy ingredients, just stick to the basics, sometimes perfection is simple!

Now, let’s talk some crab recipes.  If you are thinking breakfast or brunch, you need to try this Crab and Mushroom Omelet.  What a great way to introduce crab to your kids by incorporating it with scrambled eggs.  Of course, no adult in their right mind would need any convincing.   Did you say you need a Cajun friendly appetizer?  Do not think twice and try out our Crab Meat Dip for your next gathering…Lent or not!

If shrimp is your favorite seafood of choice (as is mine!), I just love a comforting bowl of Shrimp and Corn Soup to warm my heart and soul.  Young and old love this filling dish that may be served as either an appetizer or main dish with a salad and warm French bread.  Combining two Louisiana classics or making each separately, Shimp and Crawfish Fettucine fuses Cajun and Italian culinary delights.  This hearty, rich dish is a favorite of my stepkids.

Luckily, catfish is now available to almost all markets.  For a special treat or date night, try out this Crawfish Palmetto recipe.  If you do not have access to crawfish, shrimp or bay scallops can easily be substituted.

These are just a few of my seafood favorites available at the Tony Chachere’s recipe section of our website.  I thank all of you for stopping by my blog, being fans of Tony Chachere’s, and taking time out of your day to read my little stories.  Take time this Lenten season to reflect on sacrifices others have made for you and try to give back a little to those less fortunate.

Cindy Adams-Ardoin

Food Scientist

Tony Chachere’s