Homemade Fermented Remoulade Sauce/ Sourdough Crabcakes

I am a big fan of seafood!  Living by the coast gives me plenty of opportunity to eat seafood... if only my family shared my love of salt-water dwellers :(  Thankfully, I was able to squeeze in a meal I have been craving for quite some time:  crab cakes with fermented remoulade sauce. 

 

Since living in the New Orleans area, I have been wanting to make a homemade version of that spicy, tangy sauce that is so good on... well, everything!  Since the base is mayonnaise, you can use it to spruce up anything that you would eat with mayo- even sandwiches (especially po-boys).  Here is my version of remoulade that will have your taste buds singing:

 

 

For a truly fermented sauce, make this one day ahead of time

1 c homemade mayo (for this recipe, I used Kelly the Kitchen Kop's copycat recipe for Hellmann's)

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T ketchup

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 c chopped green onion

1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

1 stalk chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 t Tabasco

1/4 t ground black pepper

(the original recipe called for 1 t paprika, but I left it out)

1 T whey

 

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Place in a jar and cap.  Let sit for about 8 hours on your counter, then refrigerate.  The whey will help your sauce stay fresh for longer and add probiotics for your tummy :)

 

Here's my remoulade, fermenting happily on the counter!

 

 

 

 

For the sourdough crab cakes, I tweeked a Paula Deen recipe from Food Network.  She knows her way around a southern kitchen, although some of her ingredients are less than ideal.  I have switched the bad ingredients for better ones, as well as adding a bit of homemade flavor :)

 

What you'll need for homemade, delicate crab cakes:

1 lb lump crabmeat, flaked

1/3 c sourdough bread crumbs (I processed a couple dry pieces of homemade sandwich bread)

3 finely chopped green onions
1/2 c finely chopped green pepper
1/4 c homemade mayo
1 egg
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 t garlic powder
1 t sea salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 c coconut oil
sourdough crumbs for sprinkling

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (except coconut oil and remaining sourdough crumbs), using hands to really mix well.  Shape into patties and sprinkle with remaining sourdough crumbs.  Heat coconut oil to 350 F.  Fry crab cakes in batches- cook about 5 minutes on each side, careful to flip them without breaking.  Let rest on paper towel before serving warm with homemade remoulade.

 

 

Treat yourself with these homemade beauties!  They are worth the extra effort :)  Enjoy!

 

Homemade Coffee Kombucha

This post is for all those coffee lovers out there!  I have been drinking coffee since I was a teenager and still love an occasional sip or two of that wonderfully warm, invigorating beverage.  So, I was so excited to find out you can make kombucha from coffee (instead of tea)!!  The process is almost exactly like making tea kombucha.  So, those of you who make kombucha regularly (and are ready for a new treat), just substitute ground coffee for the tea and you are ready to go!  For those of you who don't usually make kombucha, here's a neat project that your tummy will enjoy...

Here's my coffee booch on day 1 (on the far left).  I simply brewed enough coffee for my 1 gallon container.  I used 1t ground coffee per cup of water, so about 5 T for about 1 gallon water.  Since my spoonfuls were heaping, I rounded down :).  Then, I added 1 cup organic sugar and let it dissolve.  When the sweet coffee was cooled down to around 100 F, I added my scoby and about 1 cup left-over liquid from my previous batch- you can use either tea or coffee booch as a starter.



I go by taste when bottling my booch, and this batch took about 2 1/2 weeks to finish fermenting.  Remember, even the caffeine is being changed at a molecular level- the finished product will not be sweet or caffeinated.  I bottled as soon as I could no longer taste the sugar and the nice kombucha tang was developed. 

Usually, I let my booch rest for a second ferment, either with fruit or juice as a flavoring, but I really couldn't decide what to flavor this with... maybe a vanilla bean?  or cinnamon stick?  The choice is yours!  There is definitely a coffee aftertaste to this beverage, so anything that would compliment that would work :)  I am skipping the second ferment this time and putting this baby right in the fridge.  Now, I can enjoy two of my favorite morning beverages together in one cup!  Enjoy!!

Homemade Sausage and Seafood Gumbo

This is the real thing, y'all- real Creole gumbo, straight from New Orleans.  Did you know that the word "gumbo" traces its root back across the Atlantic, where it derived from an African word meaning "okra"... Okra is what makes this soup thick.  It is the combination of African, French and Spanish cuisine that makes Creole food so delicious, sometimes a bit spicy, and always unique.

 

 

 

 

My mother-in-law, a Creole food master, passed her recipe on to me and I'm going to share it with you today.  She learned it from her mother-in-law, who grew up in the French quarter- the heart of New Orleans.  This soup is usually served with rice and French bread (great for sopping up the remaining broth), but as you can see from the picture I am nixing the rice and bread because I am trying to eat fewer grains.  It is fantastic as is!

 

What you'll need for a little bit of Creole heaven:

 

1.5 lbs raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined

12 oz lump crab meat, flaked

6 oz oysters (optional)

1 lb smoked sausage or andouille, sliced in disks

1/2 lb okra, cut in disks (discard the tops)

butter

1 med. onion (chopped)

2 ribs celery (chopped)

1 green bell pepper (chopped)
2 large garlic cloves (pressed)
3 bay leaves
1/4 t dried thyme
1 T Cajun seasoning ( I like Tony Chachere's)
1/4 t red pepper
1/2 t black pepper
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
7 cups water
2 t dried parsley
rice and French bread (optional)

Brown sausage in a large pot, then remove.  In the sausage drippings, saute the okra for about 5 minutes (add butter if too dry).  Add the other vegetables to the pot and saute for another 3 minutes.  Add meat, tomatoes, water and other seasonings to the pot (except parsley and seafood).  Simmer over med. heat for 30 minutes.  If you want a thicker soup, simmer uncovered- if you like broth, cover while simmering.  Finally, add seafood and parsley to pot and simmer another 10 minutes. 

Serve with a scoop of rice on top of the gumbo (That's the New Orleans way) and a large slice of French bread on the side.  You may want to put a bottle of Tabasco on the table for those who like to spice it up!  Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Chowder

Ok, so I'm on a soup kick!  I LOVE soup... and it is so comforting  to sip on a cool fall evening :)  This time, I am making a soup that I have enjoyed for years but thought I could only get out of a can:  Chicken Chowder!  Yum.  And, this dish can be made from leftover roast chicken and just a few more ingredients that are always in our pantry :)

This is a recipe I just came up with a couple days ago, but I've already made it twice!  Here's what you'll need for this creamy, delicious soup:

Chicken Chowder

1 chicken breast (or about 1-1/2 cups left-over roast chicken pieces), chopped and browned in butter
1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
2 medium or 3 small organic potatoes, chopped in cubes
1 c frozen, organic corn
about 1.5 quarts chicken stock
1/2 c organic heavy cream
3/4 c  whole-fat milk

to thicken, make a roux with 2 T butter and 1 heaping T unbleached flour- heat in skillet until combined.
For those who are gluten intolerant, use corn starch mixed with a little water.

Directions:
Melt 1 T butter in a 2-qt saucepan and saute onions, potatoes and corn for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock, cream,milk and cooked chicken.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are done.  Thicken (optional) with either method, as described above.

This is a quick way to make a wholesome, delicious dinner for your family!  Enjoy!

Homemade Borscht With Beef Stock

When I was pregnant with my third child, we lived in an apartment building with many wonderful neighbors... one was from Lithuania.  We spent one afternoon play date at our foreign friend's home when she offered me some of the borscht she had made that day.  Never having had it before, I was naturally very curious!  Cold beet soup (with lots of sour cream) sounded delightful, and being pregnant gave me a good excuse to eat four meals that day :)

 

I have always loved beets, mostly the pickled beets my mother used to can, but this soup was amazing!  So, as homage to my generous Lithuanian neighbor, I have made borscht for my family.  It is gorgeous (just look at the picture!) and chock full of nutrients.  I made it with my homemade beef stock to make it even more digestible...

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the recipe I tweaked;  It comes from the Most for Your Money Cookbook, published in 1938:

 

4 medium beets, peeled (and chopped)

1 onion, grated on medium grater

juice of two lemons

3 Tablespoons sugar ( I used organic evaporated cane juice)

salt and pepper to fancy

2 eggs

1 pint sour cream

 

Put beets and onion in a 2-quart saucepan and boil 20 minutes. (I boiled them in half beef stock and half water)  Add lemon juice, sugar and seasonings and boil 5 more minutes.  Beat eggs with cream; stir in slowly. Take off the fire and allow to chill.  Makes 6 to 8 portions.  

 

This a great lunch, since there is no heating involved!  Just take out of the fridge and enjoy!



Tonight We're Gonna Eat Like It's 1899 (Clam Soup Recipe!)

Are you tired of all the new recipes out there that call for processed, boxed, chemical-laden, fake food?  I sure am.  Thankfully, I have the Internet :)  It is my friend when it comes to finding wholesome, nutritious, easy recipes that are good for my family.  My latest obsession is vintage cookbooks!  If you haven't looked for them online, you probably don't know that there are literally thousands of free cookbooks online that date from before 1900 and onward.  My favorites are the pre-1900's cookbooks because they use real food ingredients- nothing fake, nothing processed, all dripping in real butter and animal fats!

 

Speaking of animal fats and butter, did you know that the first heart attack in the U.S. wasn't until 1920?  That was a few years after the invention of Crisco in 1911.  I think I'll stick with the God-given natural fats that people have used for thousands of years.  Obesity and clogged arteries weren't a problem back in our great-great-grandparents' day.

 

 

 

 

 

As I said before, I have been obsessed with vintage cookbooks lately.  Here is one link that takes you to thousands of fantastic books that have expired copyrights- FREE to everyone who has a need or interest in them :)

 

The recipe I am going to share with you comes from the Church of the Good Shepherd Cookbook of 1896. 

As pictured above, I made the delicious Clam Soup, submitted by Mrs. P.W. Talbott:

 

Clam Soup

 

One pint water, one pint of sliced peeled potatoes and one onion.

Boil until potatoes and onion are thoroughly cooked then mash. (I didn't mash)

One dozen clams chopped, one quart of rich milk, seasoned with butter, pepper, salt and celery to taste.

 

Most of the recipes in these books are just as simple!  If you have never cooked from scratch, this is a great place to start.  There are also household tips at the end of a few cookbooks :)  It is really interesting to read about herbal remedies and clothes washing in the 1800's! 

 

So, put on your apron and try to get back to your roots...  and enjoy the fruits of your labor!



Homemade, No-Sugar-Added Kids' Snacks (Two Recipes!)

I have been racking my brain, trying to find some new healthy snacks for my brood of 4.  I get anxious around the 3:00 mark when I hear them start saying, "I'm hungry, do we have any snacks?"   Now, I can say "YES!" with enthusiasm :)  We do have snacks, and they are good for you!  Although, I do usually keep that last part to myself...

 

 

The first recipe I'll share with you is for a homemade Larabar.  Have you ever tasted those over-priced energy bars?  They are fantastic, but not for $1+ per bar!!  Ouch.  So, I have researched and formulated my own.  Here's what you'll need to make a batch:

 

 

1/2-1 cup nuts (pecans, cashews, almonds, etc.)

1 c dates

1/2 c chocolate chips ( I used Enjoy Life mini chips)

pinch sea salt

 

Using a food processor, chop the dates, nuts and salt until the mix is workable consistency.  I would start with fewer nuts, then add as you go.  If you use too many nuts, the consistency will be too dry and the bars won't stick!

 

Remove from the processor and fold in the chocolate chips.  I formed bars by folding the mixture in wax paper and pressing them with a rolling pin, but  you could also make bite-sized balls...

 

 

 

 

 

Even my picky eater liked these!  They are great for snacking but packed with good energy foods. :)

 

 

The next recipe is for wheat-free, sugar-free oatmeal/banana cookies! The ingredients are so simple, too!  Here's what you need:

 

3 very ripe bananas

2 c organic rolled oats

1 c chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)

1/3 c coconut oil

1 t vanilla extract

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

Puree bananas in a food processor and add to rest of ingredients.

Place in spoonfuls onto cookie sheet (these may or may not hold together well- don't worry!)

Let rest while oven heats.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

 



 

We enjoy these after they are chilled in the refrigerator!  They have a banana bread flavor that my youngest son loves.

So, feed your kids a healthy after-school snack.  These treats will leave them satisfied til dinner :)  Enjoy!