Carine Clary, Author at The FrangloSaxon Cooks

Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Pear

September 24, 2021 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Fall is in the air, also known as Gumbo weather, (and FYI, Duck and Sausage Gumbo will be posted next week), and what goes better with gumbo than a spinach salad with blue cheese and pear? Especially when the salad has a rich walnut oil vinaigrette with honey and Dijon mustard and topped with some fresh juicy pomegranate seeds.

The Dressing

This is a fall dressing for a fall salad. The toasted walnut oil adds a richness that’s accented by the honey and mustard. This recipe doesn’t make a large amount of dressing but it’s plenty for this amount of greens which will serve four. It should be drizzled over sparingly and should accent the ingredients not overwhelm them.

The Salad

You may use baby spinach for this but curly is more robust, more attractive, and lasts longer without wilting if you make it ahead of time or have leftovers. If you do buy it by the bunch make sure it’s well washed to avoid the sandy crunch of unwanted soil. You’ll want the onion sliced thinly and the pear in small bite-sized chunks. As for the cheese, it can be any blue cheese, Maytag, Gorgonzola, Stilton whatever, and you can cut it up but most blue cheeses crumble nicely and that’s what I did here.

The Pomegranate

Easy to seed if you follow a few simple steps:

score around the root end where the flower was. Don’t cut all the way through, just enough to pry the top off with your fingers.
next, you will find the white inner membranes and follow their outline and score all the way down the outside of the pomegranate. This should allow you to gently pull it apart.
Once it’s divided in two, pry the seeds out and discard the white papery membrane.

And that’s it! Just toss, dress and enjoy with something filling like my Shrimp Stuffed Bell Peppers or Shrimp Etouffee.

Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Pear

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

For the dressing:
1 tablespoon red balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons toasted walnut oil (or other oil)
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon honey
For the salad:
1 bunch of curly spinach
Blue Cheese (any kind)
½ medium red onion
1 red pear
Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Instructions

For the dressing:
Dissolve the salt and pepper in the vinegar then add the crushed garlic clove and let it infuse while you make the salad.
Whisk in the oil, mustard, and honey, remove the garlic, and sparingly apply to the salad.
For the salad:
Wash and carefully dry the spinach then tear it into pieces by hand.
Crumble or cut the cheese into bite-sized chunks.
Thinly slice the red onion.
Quarter and core the pear and slice into one inch chunks.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Egg Foo Young

September 17, 2021 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

If you’re craving that weekend Chinese take-out fix for breakfast this is your recipe. Egg Foo Young is the beloved Cantonese style omelet that can be easily tailored to your preferences with different fillings. The key is to understand how it’s different from its western cousin and how to achieve that difference. But first some background.

So what makes Egg Foo Young different from a western omelet?

Texture. It’s puffy and frilled along the edges kinda like a party dress. This is achieved by putting a generous amount of vegetable oil in a hot wok or fry pan. The egg mixture hitting that hot oil will create the lift and bubbles along the edges that will give the eggs their characteristic appearance and texture. You are essentially frying it in the oil.
Oil. Should be a neutral vegetable oil of your choice but not butter.
Browning. Once the egg mixture goes into the pan it should brown on the bottom. The color delivers flavor so it should have some browning before you flip it.
Flipping. After browning, you’ll flip the whole thing onto the other side as you would a pancake. It’s not a fold-over á la the French version. Best of all if it breaks that’s ok since you’ll cut it into pieces for serving after it comes out of the pan.

Fillings

Vegetables. The traditional veg used in Egg Foo Young includes bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, shitake mushrooms, green onions, shallots, and garlic. You can even add some thinly sliced chili peppers if you want some extra heat.
Proteins. These can be chopped shrimp, leftover barbequed pork (char sui), or ground pork. If adding these you’ll want to saute them first before making the omelet.

The Prep

For me, this involves a quick sauté of the proteins (if they are raw) and an even quicker cook for the veg. Remove from the pan, add a little more oil if necessary, let it get hot, then add the egg mixture. Place the filling in the center, and turn when the bottom is browned. Remove from the pan and blot the omelet if there’s too much oil on it.

For this recipe it’s important to keep in mind that the measurements for the fillings are approximate. More or less than what’s called for is not a deal-breaker so play it by ear.

If you’re making the optional American brown sauce (I didn’t this time) you can drizzle that over the egg, add some sesame seeds, a side of rice and enjoy!

Egg Foo Young

Author: Carine Clary

Ingredients

For the Omelette:
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon Shaoxing wine (optional)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil for the skillet (or more if needed)
For the Proteins:
4 medium shrimp, diced or;
¼ cup ground pork or;
¼ cup Chinese barbequed pork, cut into small chunks
For the Vegetables:
3 shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons bean sprouts
2 green onion stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon garlic, diced
For the Sauce:
½ cup chicken broth
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions

For the Omelette:
Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients into the egg mixture, stir to combine well. Set aside.
Heat wok and put oil in it.
Quick fry whichever protein you are including and remove. Skip this if using cooked leftovers.
Heat up a wok or a pan on high heat. Add more oil if necessary. When the oil is fully heated, ladle the egg mixture into the pan. Place the filling in the center.
Let the omelet set, for about 3 minutes before flipping it over. Fry the omelet until both sides are golden brown and nicely puffed up.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
For the sauce:
Mix all ingredients and cook over low flame until thickened.

Shreveport Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp

September 10, 2021 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Searching for the ultimate crispy on the outside, intense with herbal flavor on the inside version of the classic Shreveport Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp? Then keep reading for the tips and tricks that will put that on your plate.

Original Shreveport Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp

The original version of Shreveport Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp emerged from the fryer at the Freeman and Harris Cafe in Shreveport in about 1921 when it was founded by Van Freeman and Jack Harris. And it’s said to be the oldest continuously operated black-owned restaurant in the lower 48! But who cares? Because it’s about the food which is wonderful and combines the best of the north and south parts of the state (kinda like what I try to do here on my blog!).

When the original owners passed on, the toque was picked up by Orlando Chapman who did chef duty until his death in 2015. Enter the current owner, Damian Chapman, who traded his engineering gig at Halliburton to come home and continue the family tradition. It’s now Orlandeaux’s and its Crab Stuffed Shrimp inspired me to create my own riff on the theme of stuffed!

Smoke on the Fryer

And when you think about it, the most famous riff in rock is Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’ and purple is the color of LSU and Mardi Gras and you see where I’m going with this right? It was meant to be, so without further ado let’s get cooking.

The Tartar Sauce

If you have a favorite bottled version by all means go for it. Makes the recipe less daunting. That said, I do like this simple sauce with its capers, pickles, and squirt of lime. Worth trying and you can make it the day before.

The Shrimp

Get twelve of the freshest and fattest, split them along the vein (which you will remove), top to tail but leaving the tail attached, and being careful not to cut through. Spread and flatten shrimp slightly. Set aside.

The Crabmeat

You can use any kind but claw is cheaper and tastier than lump so I’d go with that. Mix it with the parsley and lemon juice. It’ll be the last thing you fold into the stuffing after it’s been made.

The Stuffing

In a large skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add shallot, celery, and red bell peppers & chilis; cook until softened, about four minutes. Add thyme and garlic; cook, stirring, for one minute then add panko. Remove from heat. Cool.

Whisk egg and mayo in a bowl then fold into the cooked veg and finally, gently fold in the crabmeat. If it doesn’t bother you do it with your hands because that’s the gentlest method.

Stuff shrimp inside, then fold together and coat all over, leaving just the tail sticking out. Set on a wire rack while you make the batter.

The Beer Batter

When making batters for frying, starch matters. This batter has both wheat and rice flours: the wheat is for structure and the rice is for crunch. The structure provided by the gluten in the wheat helps the batter cling to the food without producing an overly chewy or greasy crust. However, if too much flour is used, you’ll end up with a tough crust. For this reason, rice flour reduces the gluten in the batter and works well because it fries up crispier than wheat flour. Rice flour also absorbs less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the shrimp less greasy.

And last but not least when you whip it up – don’t whip! The more wheat batters are whisked, the more gluten will develop and you risk ending up with a tough crust. This batter should be mixed until just combined – even if lumps are still present.

Forming the Shrimp

Put a small amount of stuffing inside the shrimp, close it and pack the outside lightly with the stuffing. Once the shrimp and the stuffing are formed, place in a slotted spoon and lower into the batter then bring it up for air and let the excess batter drip off. Immediately put into the hot oil. And one little tip. Make sure the tails are well fried because if they are they’re completely edible and very tasty.

Serve it up!

It’s traditionally served with some kind of fried potato as pictured above but I also like to include a side salad to soak up some of the grease. And one final point. These actually freeze pretty well so if you make a double batch you can reheat on a rack for a delicious fast food meal.

Shreveport Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

For the Tartar Sauce:
1 cup plain mayonnaise
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 tablespoon pickles, chopped
1 teaspoon onion juice (or grated onion)
juice of ½ lime
pinch black pepper
For the Shrimp:
12 Jumbo Shrimp
For the stuffing:
6 oz. crab claw meat
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or lime juice)
¼ cup parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
¼ cup shallot, diced
¼ cup celery, diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup chili (your favorite can be serrano, jalapeno or shishito)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced thyme leaves (or 1 tsp. powdered thyme)
½ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
½ cup Panko
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
For the batter:*
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup rice flour
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. paprika
1 large egg, beaten
11.2 oz. beer (added gradually)
vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

For the Tartar Sauce:
Chop the capers and pickles and add to the mayonnaise. Stir in the onion and lime juice along with the pepper and put in the refrigerator so that the flavors will marry.
For the shrimp:
Peel down to the final joint leaving the tail attached, then devein. Cut into the shrimp so that it opens somewhat but do not split completely in two. Blot dry with a towel and set aside.
For the Stuffing:
In a separate bowl mix together the crab claw meat, lemon juice, and parsley and set aside.
Melt the butter in a pan and add the next seven ingredients cooking over medium heat for about five minutes until soft. Add the panko and set it aside to cool.
Once cool add the crab mixture carefully with your hands.
Mix the mayonnaise and egg well and work it into the rest of the stuffing. It should hold together if you pick up a piece and press it. If it does not add a little more mayonnaise.
Holding the shrimp in the palm of your hand add about a teaspoon of stuffing, close gently, and then with the other hand pick up some stuffing and coat the outside to about a quarter of an inch thick. Set on a wire rack.
Prepare all the shrimp then heat the oil to 375. These can be deep-fried or pan-fried in at least two inches of vegetable oil.
To batter the shrimp place the stuffed shrimp on a slotted spoon and lower into the batter then bring it back up and let the excess drip off.
Add to the oil.
When brown transfer to a rack.
For the Batter:
Combine dry ingredients.
Whisk together the egg and half of the beer then stir into the flour. Keep adding beer until the batter is the consistency of runny pancake batter. This is a judgment call meaning you may use the entire bottle of beer or may not. Just remember that the consistency should be runny.
Place the stuffed shrimp in a slotted spoon and lower into the batter until covered then lift back up and let the excess drip off.
Lower them into either a deep-fryer or a pan with at least two inches of vegetable oil heated to 375 degrees and fry until brown for about 5 minutes.
Drain on a wire rack placed over a cookie sheet. Serve immediately.
If you are frying in batches hold the shrimp in a 200 degree F oven on a rack to provide air circulation all the way around to prevent the shrimp from getting soggy.

Notes

*Leftover batter can be bottled, refrigerated and used for a couple of days after.

Sensation Salad

August 29, 2021 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Sensation Salad is all about simple. A tart creamy lemon garlic vinaigrette over shredded Romaine lettuce topped with fresh grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese. That and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc will get you ready for the main course whatever it is. And it’s flexible, letting you add that extra bit of leftover iceberg or bibb lettuce if you want to so let’s get started:

Sensational Origins

Originating at Bob & Jake’s in Baton Rouge, various iterations have been on offer at The City Club, The Place, and other restaurants since the 60s. I was reminded of it when at a local Greek restaurant I ordered the Maroulosalata (Lettuce Salad in Greek) and thought, ‘Hey, this is Sensation Salad!’. And sure enough, except for the dill and cucumber it mostly was.

Making the Dressing

This is the defining ingredient because it’s the one you make yourself. All the versions have garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Some, however, add creaminess through mayonnaise others thru actual cream. I tried a few different dressings but wanted to see how simple I could make it and ended up with the following: lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic, oil, heavy cream, and a little sugar to cut the tartness of the lemon. That’s it. Not even vinegar. And it’s imperative to do it in a small food processor or blender to make sure that the garlic is puréed. Best of all you can make it the day ahead and stash it in the fridge.

The Salad

This literally goes with anything but is great with my Moussaka or Shrimp Supreme. It seems to partner particularly well with filling dishes since it’s so light and tasty. So make and enjoy!

Sensation Salad

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

For the Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice plus the zest of the lemon
1 cup light olive oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream
For the Salad:
8 cups romaine lettuce, rinsed, spun dry and cut into julienned strips (about 2 bunches)
handful Italian parsley, rinsed, spun dry and chopped (about ⅔ cup)
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the dressing:
Add the garlic, salt, sugar, and lemon juice to a small food processor Pulse for a couple of seconds to dissolve the salt & sugar then add the olive oil and cream.
For the salad:
Slice lettuce and parsley into thin julienne strips then toss with dressing to taste.
When ready to serve, grate cheese over it along with some fresh cracked black pepper.

Notes

Add dill and some thinly sliced cucumbers, and substitute feta as the cheese for a Greek version.