Cookbook Thursday: Miss. Gulf Coast’s Mary Foreman finds second career with Deep South Dish

They say there are blessings from Hurricane Katrina and Mary Foreman found hers standing over a stove. The former lawyer took to penning a blog after losing her career after Katrina slammed the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her “Deep South Dish” website focused on old-fashioned Southern cooking, based on “memories of the emotional connection with my mother and grandmother,” she writes in the introduction of her latest cookbook, also titled “Deep South Dish” (Quail Ridge Press). “It was as they were in the kitchen with me” Foreman says of her ancestors.

Her website drew readers and later cookbooks, proving that Katrina indeed blow in a blessing.

“It was the winds of a hurricane that literally blew the Deep South Dish blog into existence, and as the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. Through loss there is often found purpose and redemption. I knew I had found my calling in sharing my memories and my recipes at Deep South Dish.”

            The following is a great example of Foreman’s recipes. We pulled the recipe from her blog but in the book it’s titled “Mama’s Shrimp and Fettucine.” On the recipe is Foreman’s mother’s handwriting, which reads, “This dish will make them scream for more.”

Mama’s Shrimp and Fettuccine

From “Deep South Dish”

Prep time: 15 min |Cook time: 30 min |

Yield: About 4 to 6 servings

1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound of fettuccine or linguine noodles, prepared al dente, according to package directions

2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided

1/2 cup of diced tasso, ham, andouille or other smoked sausage

4 green onions, sliced

1 (14 ounce) can of artichokes, drained and quartered

1 (2 ounce) jar of pimentos, drained

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of big flake Creole seasoning (like Zatarain’s Big & Zesty), or to taste

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions: Peel and devein the shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Prepare the pasta in well salted water, according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the smoked sausage or ham until seared; use a slotted spoon to remove and set aside. Add additional oil to the skillet if needed, and sear the shrimp, remove and set aside with the sausage. Add the sliced green onion to the skillet; cook and stir for about a minute. Add the artichokes and pimentos; cook and stir until warmed through.

Return the meat and shrimp to the pan and add the herbs and seasonings, up to and including the salt and pepper. Add the butter and cook and stir until butter has melted and seasonings are well distributed. Stir in the reserved pasta water, about 1/2 cup at a time, until a nice sauce has developed. You may or may not use all of the reserved pasta water. Toss in the drained pasta; taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve immediately. A side salad and bread are perfect for this dish.

Cook's Notes: "I like the bigger flake Creole seasoning for this dish because it's a pantry staple for me, however, any good Creole or Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), will also work fine. Substitute chicken for the shrimp. Cook boneless, skinless chicken in the skillet, remove and set aside; cut into bite sized pieces." 

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com 

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire. She is also the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Cookbook Thursday: Aimee Broussard of Baton Rouge tackles 'Picnics, Potlucks and Porch Parties'

            Aimee Broussard quit a job that took her away from her Baton Rouge home and new husband, spending the newly freed-up time to learn to sew and cook every family recipe given to her by her sister-in-law. After she won a wardrobe makeover trip to New York City and taught fashion guru Tim Gunn how to make a New Orleans doberge cake, she decided to start a food blog.

She attended a “Dreamers into Doers” event at Martha Stewart, created an online store and further developed her blog and was the 2013 Dixie Crystals Cookie Bake-off champion.

Now, Broussard has published “Picnics, Potlucks and Porch Parties” cookbook, published by Quail Ridge Press of Mississippi, full of Southern recipes for everything from Easter brunch to a neighborhood potluck gathering.
            Broussard will be on the QVC channel from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday (May 18) selling her cookbook and after that, the book will be released to the public. She will also be hosting a cooking demonstration featuring her cookbook from noon to 1 p.m. June 18 at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans.

Here's a recipe for homemade tomato basil soup, to be served with grilled cheese sandwich wedges.

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with the juice

1 cup onions, finely chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Add diced tomatoes, onions, celery, tomato paste, chicken broth, oregano, and basil to your crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. About 30 minutes before the soup is ready, prepare a roux by melting the butter over medium low heat in a skillet and whisking in the flour. Whisk constantly for about 10 minutes or until the roux turns golden brown. Slowly add the soup from the crock pot to the roux, a cup at a time. Whisk together until smooth then add the roux mixture back to the crock pot. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, half and half, and salt and pepper. Stir well then cover and cook on low for another 30 minutes. Pour soup into blender (you may need to do this in batches, depending on how big your blender is) to get out all the clumps and puree until smooth. Serve with grilled cheese sandwich wedges.

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire. She is also the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Recipes for the New Year by Quail Ridge Press

Now that the holiday feast is behind us, it’s time to think about eating healthy and dropping those festive pounds we may have accumulated.

Or not. This week also marks the beginning of Carnival — Jan. 6 — and you know what that means.

So we’re compromising, offering two recipes we gleaned from Quail Ridge Press, the cookbook publisher in Mississippi known for their Best of the Best State Cookbook Series, cookbooks that highlight top recipes from every state in the country, although we might add that Louisiana had so many wonderful recipes they had to do two cookbooks!

Below are recipes for Coconut Curry Cauliflower, a healthy Indian dish packed with nutrients: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, phosphorus, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K. And if you want to get into the Carnival spirit, there’s also a recipe for the colorful Mardi Gras salad.

Coconut Curry Cauliflower
From “Skinny Ms. Superfoods”

1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup lite coconut milk, canned
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
Directions: In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in oil over medium-low heat until tender, about 4 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in the saucepan with garlic. Cover, and cook on medium-low heat until it begins to boil, then reduce heat, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Mardi Gras Salad 
From “The Cookin’ Cajun Cooking School Cookbook,” included in “Best of the Best from Louisiana Cookbook II”  

1 head lettuce
1 cup sliced purple cabbage
1 cup sliced yellow bell pepperDirections: Wash and dry lettuce. Tear into pieces. Place in large salad bowl. Sprinkle cabbage and bell pepper on top. Pour one cup Creole Mustard Salad Dressing over salad. Toss and serve. Serves 12.

Creole Mustard Salad Dressing:

2 tablespoons Creole Mustard

2 tablespoons vinegar (cane, red wine, or rice)

3/4 cup oil

Directions: Blend mustard and vinegar. Slowly add oil; blend until smooth.  Pour over salad.

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She also writes Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire, “A Cajun Dream” and “The Letter.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.