New Orleans Turkey Stew

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This year for Thanksgiving I wasn’t hosting a party, and wasn’t responsible for any of the major traditional dishes at either of the gatherings I was going to. I had made a large Thanksgiving dinner two weeks before the holiday to post the recipes here, so I had my fix of traditional Turkey Day cooking.

I did want to make something to take to both the parties though. The day before the holiday I went to the grocery store with an open mind. I found ground turkey on sale, which seems logical. If there is any week of the year when ground turkey would have some serious competition from whole turkey I would bet that week would be Thanksgiving. Having a sale on it is probably the only way to move it off the shelves. I bought a three pound package. Just down the isle I found smoked sausage at a bargain price. Check. After finding the two I thought I would make a Thanksgiving jambalaya.

I first browned the turkey then created a vegetable base with the New Orleans holy trinity of green pepper, onion and celery to start the dish. I had purchased red beans to go into the pot and because of that, I decided at the last minute to leave out the rice, I figured the beans would be enough starch. Once I got everything into the pot it was a bit to soupy, so I thickened it with a cornstarch slurry and what I wound up with was a New Orleans inspired Turkey stew. I think I could have still used the rice and made it more like a jambalaya but I’m pleased with the results. I didn’t have hardly any left over so I’m pretty sure it went over well with both sides of the family.

BEHIND THIS BITE

New Orleans Turkey Stew

This dish marked the first time I had ever used a cornstarch slurry to thicken a dish with success. Years ago, I called my Mom in a frenzy while attempting to make a stew and she told me to add cornstarch to a little water then pour it in. Me being as stubborn as I am, decided to skip the dissolve in water part and just threw it into the pot. Obviously, it didn’t work. I just ended up with a lump of cornstarch in my beef soup. After that I had always used a flour based roux to thicken stews.

Acting fast to find a thickener with my Thanksgiving creation, I remembered my cornstarch disaster from yesteryear and decided to go for it. This time I dissolved it in an equal part of water and wala! it worked! Who knew!

I was so impressed with the results that I made traditional beef stew a couple days later and used the same technique to thicken it. What I like about using the cornstarch thickener over the flour thickener is that the cornstarch doesn’t change the color. Flour seems to give the liquid a blond color.

This is why I love cooking, there is always something new to be discovered.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

New Orleans Turkey Stew

Serves 10 to 12; 45 minutes
3 lbs Ground turkey
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Celery, diced
1 C Green pepper, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
6 C Chicken broth
2 lbs Smoked sausage
1 can Diced tomatoes (28 oz)
2 cans Red beans (14 oz each)
2 Tbs Cajun seasoning
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/4 C Water

Brown turkey
In a dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat brown turkey in a little olive oil, 6 to 8 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a bowl or plate. Disregard all put 2 tablespoons of drippings.

Create base
In reserved drippings, sauté onion, green pepper and celery until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more or until fragrant.

Make stew
Return turkey to pot and stir in broth, sausage, red beans, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning and oregano. Bring to a simmer and let cook 20 minutes. Whisk together water and cornstarch is a small bowl until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into pot, simmer 10 minutes more or until liquid thickens. Remove from heat and serve.

Five Pepper Steak Tacos

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I was reading about Creole and Caribbean cooking recently which inspired me to invent a peppery rub. I went to my pantry and was able to find a number of different pepper spices. I chose five, with two of them smoked. I use white pepper, cayenne pepper and black pepper to cover different areas of the tongue and chipotle and smoked paprika to provide the smoky flavoring. (Paprika is made from dried red pepper, hence the fifth pepper of the rub.) I add onion and garlic powder for depth and salt because, well, everything needs salt.

The end result is a spicy rub that I would label XXX on a store shelf. This rub is hot and when it’s used in a dish there should be something else on the plate to balance it. In my world, mild spice is most people’s hell fire, so when I say hot, please beware.

I use a sweet pineapple salsa to balance the heat of the rub. The salsa contains red pepper to compliment the paprika. The pepper could also be roasted to bring out more sweetness if so desired.

Overall, I really enjoyed this taco, it's not for the faint of heart and it is made for a spice lover like myself.

BEHIND THIS BITE
When I made this rub I knew it would be hot but I was surprised at how hot it actually was. I think this could be one of the dry rubs at Buffalo Wild Wings or a secret weapon for extra kick in a pot of chili.

I was planning this as two posts, but the rub was so hot that I was kind of obligated to include a tasty balance to the heat, so I decided to combine everything which culminated in a delicious taco and one of the biggest recipe graphics I have ever made. The step-by-step graphic contains 23 photographs, 6 major steps and 16 ingredients. That’s way bigger than what I usually do but I think it's necessary. If you like fiery food, this is the recipe for you, but if spice isn’t your thing - Use this rub as a substitute.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 12 to 15 tacos; 1 hour
THE RUB
3 Tbs Salt
2 Tbs Smoked paprika
2 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
1 Tbs Black pepper
1 Tbs White pepper
1 Tbs Garlic powder
1 Tbs Onion powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 1/2 lb Skirt steak

THE SALSA
1 1/2 C Tomato diced
1 C Pineapple diced
1 C Red pepper diced
1/2 C Red onion diced
1/2 C Cilantro chopped
Juice from 1 Lime

12 to 15 Flour tortillas

Make rub
In a bowl mix together salt, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Season, marinate steak
Season and rub spice mixture over surface of skirt steak. Let steak rest for 25 minutes to marinate in spices.

Make Salsa
In a bowl mix together tomato, pineapple, red pepper, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Refrigerate and let mixture rest at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.

Grill steak
On a prepared grill over medium-high heat cook meat for 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare, turning once during cooking. Let rest at least ten minutes before slicing.

Prepare tortillas
Toast tortillas on grill or microwave on high, wrapped in paper towel for 1 minute.

Assemble tacos
On tortillas place steak and a spoonful of salsa, roll and serve.

Creole Chicken and Spicy Slaw Tacos

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I made Creole seasoning last week that contained the peppery heat found in the cooking associated with New Orleans and the surrounding Bayou. I added cumin and chili powder also, giving it a hint of Southwest.

I used it to season chicken tenders that were intended for tacos. To continue with a Southern theme, I wanted to pair the chicken with a coleslaw. Like the Creole seasoning, I thought it would be fun to mix the South with the Southwest, and instead of vinegar as the acidic element in the coleslaw I used lime juice. To add heat, I sliced jalapeños paper thin on a mandolin and tossed them into the mix, followed by fresh chopped cilantro.

It resulted in a creamy, crunchy and spicy topping for the taco that complimented the peppery chicken. Just to take it over the top (and add extra creaminess) I threw in a couple of slices of avocado.

Any fan of gourmet tacos should try this recipe. I personally couldn't get enough. Beware though, these babies have some kick!

BEHIND THIS BITE

I pigged out on these.

I must have looked like a starving pit bull who had just discovered how to get under the fence of a busy chicken coup. I’m glad I ate these in the confines of my office and not in front of any family members, the kids would have been traumatized. These tacos have all the things I love about good tacos - heat, texture and a little messy. Not chicken wings messy, but definitely not an eat-while-driving type of dish.

The cilantro-lime and jalapeño flavor of the slaw really did compliment the peppery heat of the chicken. I worried they would compete but the combination worked, and I was proud enough to give this taco an official name.

The South by Southwest Taco

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 10 to 12 tacos; 1 hour
1 1/4 lb Chicken tenders
2 Tbs Creole seasoning
3 C Cabbage mix
1/2 C Cilantro, chopped
2 Jalapeños, thin sliced
1/3 C Mayo
Juice and zest of 1 Lime
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
20 to 24 Corn tortillas (2 per taco)
3 Avocados, sliced

Season, grill chicken
Liberally sprinkle creole seasoning on both sides of chicken tenders. Let marinate 30 minutes. Grill until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice.

Make slaw, assemble
Combine cabbage mixture, Cilantro, Jalapeño, mayo, Lime juice and zest, sugar and season to taste. Heat tortillas for 1 minute in microwave, top with avocado, chicken and slaw. Fold and eat. 

Homemade Creole Seasoning

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I made this rub to season chicken tenders as part of a meal I catered for 60 people last Sunday.

Most creole seasoning will include dried thyme or basil, or what I think of as Italian or European type of spices. I mix it up a little here and substitute those with chili powder and cumin, this gives the rub a hint of southwest flavor.

The star of this seasoning though is pepper, along with the aforementioned chili, I also include black pepper, white pepper and cayenne pepper. I use this combination so that it effects all areas of the mouth. The cayenne pepper seems to provide heat up front on the tongue and lips while the others are more throaty. The combination covers the entire mouth rather than just one region.

John Maxwell, New Orleans native and owner of the Ragin Cajun Food Truck, told me the pepper sensation filling the entire mouth is the secret to good creole seasoning. This rub is spicy but the heat level is tame, I went light on the cayenne to keep the heat down. I used it simply for its effect on the mouth and taste buds.

BEHIND THIS BITE
As I mention in the introduction, the chicken tenders I used this spice rub on were an element to a gigantic meal I prepared for a Mardi Gras party of 60 people. It was the first time that I prepared everything myself for a party this large. I did employ my mom to make the deserts, so I technically didn’t make everything. I have helped put out meals like this on a number of occasions, but this time I not only took the lead, I also went solo.

The secret for preparing such large quantities of food was allowing the heat from the actual service vessels to finish the cooking. I made everything in advance, except for the rice for the jambalaya and the baked potatoes. I got to the place early and put out the entire spread in the warming vessels two hours before anyone arrived. The low heat in the covered pans slowly built so that by the time the party started everything had just reached the hot and steamy stage.

It worked perfect, except for one of my roasters. I had it plugged into a power strip that kicked off at some point. Just before service I checked and the jambalaya that was in the roaster was luke warm at best. That’s when I discovered the problem with the power strip. I quickly brought it back to the kitchen and microwaved it in batches to get it hot. It caused a slight delay in the meal, but other than that, it went off without a hitch.

In all, here is what I put out to feed 60:
(Click highlighted links for the recipe)
Main course:
Grilled barbecue chicken tenders, Grilled creole chicken tenders, Jambalaya, Cajun corn, Cajun green beans, Baked potato bar
Apps:
BLT soup (Bacon, Leek and Tomato), Beefy Nacho Dip, Buffalo Dip

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 1 cup
3 Tbs Salt
3 Tbs Paprika
2 Tbs Black pepper
2 Tbs White pepper
2 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Onion powder
1 Tbs Garlic powder
1  tsp Cayenne pepper

Make rub
Mix spices together and store in an air tight container. Use on seafood, poultry, pork or beef.

Creole Jambalaya

Printable version

This is the second time I have made Jambalaya for for my print column "Busco Bites." The first time I made a “dry” or “brown” version, this time I’m making the “wet” or “red” version.

The difference between the two is in the tomatoes. The dry version features diced tomatoes, while the wet version features tomato sauce. I recently asked John Maxwell, New Orleans native and owner of the Ragin’ Cajun food truck about the different versions of jambalaya. He said the dry version was the Cajun version made in the rural areas surrounding New Orleans. The wet version is Creole, or the fancy style found in the city.

Jambalaya is traditionally a leftover type of dish, or what I like to call a “throw it in the pot before it rots” meal. Not here though. I went to the store with jambalaya on my mind.

For this recipe, I use andouille sausage, which provides most of the spice, smoked sausage and chicken thighs. All tossed together with rice, tomato sauce and the Creole holy trinity: celery, onion and bell pepper.

BEHIND THIS BITE
When I went out to buy the ingredients for this dish I went to a specialty meat shop in Fort Wayne to get andouille sausage. Most major retailers have andouille but it’s not really authentic - the spices are boulder and different but it’s just like all the other sausages in the meat case. I found the real deal andouille at Jamison Meats for $3.89 a pound and I couldn’t have been happier.

When I was ready to make the jambalaya I opened the package and the andouille had a peculiar smell - sweet and sulfury. The aroma was slight and it wasn’t a bad smell, but at the same time it wasn’t good. After the jambalaya was finished and ready to eat there was no hint of the smell, and the andouille was delicious and fragrant, the meat was just there to deliver a spicy and bold flavor. The next day I was researching jambalaya for the print column when I stumbled upon a description of real andouille sausage. I discovered it is traditional made of pig entrails!

Entrails = Guts

After the pig has been butchered and cleaned of all the good meat there is a pile of stuff left, that is what gets made into andouille. The meat doesn’t mater, it’s doused with spice, they could put anything in there.

That was the sweet and sulfery smell.

I’m not adventurous when it comes to trying organs and guts of animals, the thought grosses me out. There is a big batch of leftover jambalaya with real andouille sausage in my fridge, it will probably get thrown out. I don’t have what it takes eat more of it. I will say this though, it was really good sausage, I just wish I would have discovered that it was made from pig guts after I had eaten it all.

I'll stick the Kroger andouille from now on, it's not traditional but it's good.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 6 to 8; 1 hour
1 lb Andouille sausage,sliced
1 lb Chicken thighs, boneless, sliced
1 lb Smoked sausage, sliced
1 C Green pepper, diced
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Celery, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
3 C Tomato sauce
2 C Rice
4 C Chicken broth

Start rice, Brown meats
For rice, see below. In a large pot over medium heat brown andouille and chicken separately in a little olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until both are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes each. Remove and set aside.

Sauté vegetables, add meats, sauce
Cook onion, celery and bell pepper until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Return browned meats to pan, smoked sausage, and tomato sauce, bring to a simmer and cook, 18 to 20 minutes, stir often. Mix in rice just before serving.

The rice
In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat toast rice in a little olive oil for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit at least 25 minutes. Remove lid and fluff rice with fork.