Cookin' Creole... and other stuff too.

This weekend, two of my dearest lady friends, Abby and Tereasa, came over for dinner and drinks. My husband, Jay, was doing a bit of demolition (to begin a new remodeling project) in the downstairs of our house, so the girls and I were designated to hang out in a small but cozy room upstairs. With no dinner table and no chairs to sit on, we decided to sit Asian-style on the floor around a small coffee table. To begin our evening, I brought up a slow-cooker stocked with tasty hot wine. A delightful appetizer and my spicy jambalaya followed, and we all had a totally awesome time. For the hot wine recipe, see my post from October 27th. Here's what I cooked up:

 

Warm Garlicky Cheese and Spicy Black Olives with Water Crackers

When I made these two dishes, I had originally intended for them to be eaten separately. However, we began eating the two together an the flavor combo was utterly delicious. Now I think the two should always be served side-by-side. As you can see in the above photo, our canine friends found this dish quite enticing as well...

1. For the cheese, shred about 1 cup of semisoft cheese, such as Muenster, 

Fontina, or Havarti. In a small bowl, stir together the shredded cheese, 2

tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and a pinch each of cayenne pepper and ground cumin. Spoon mixture into a small oval baking dish, cover, and set aside until almost ready to serve.

2. For the olives, in a small dry skillet combine 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon coriander seeds. Cook over medium-low heat, shaking the skillet often, until the seeds are lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

3. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the seeds, along with 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, until finely ground. In a small bowl, stir together the ground seeds, along

 with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder, 1 clove garlic (finely minced), 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of oregano. Add 1 15-ounce can black olives (drained and rinsed). Stir well to evenly coat the olives. Pour into a small serving dish. Cover and set aside at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

4. About 3o minutes before serving time, preheat oven to 325 F. Bake the cheese, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until completely melted and browned around the edges. Serve the cheese with the olives and water crackers.

My Creole-Style Jambalaya

There are countless ways to prepare this dish. You can add anything from shrimp to ham to crayfish. I opted to use chicken and my homemade sausage. Note: You can use Andouille, Chorizo, or Toulouse-style sausage in this recipe. However, if the sausage you choose is not fully cooked, prick it in a few spots, place it in a medium skillet, and cover it with water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet, cool, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before slicing.

1. Coat 3 or 4 meaty chicken pieces (I used thighs) with Creole-style seasoning and a bit of olive oil. (See my recipe for Creole-seasoning recipe below, or use your favorite purchased brand.) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and turn the skillet to coat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to a Dutch oven.

2. Add 1 onion (chopped), 3 stalks celery (sliced), 1 green bell pepper (chopped), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 2 carrots (chopped), and 1 jalapeno (minced) to the remaining oil in the large skillet. Cook over medium heat until onions are almost translucent. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup flour. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the flour begins to smell very nutty. Add 2 tablespoons creole seasoning, 5 cups chicken stock, and 1  15-ounce can whole tomatoes (crushed with your hands). Pour the mixture into the Dutch oven with the chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduced heat, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour. 

3. Remove the chicken pieces fro the Dutch oven; cool until easy to handle. Meanwhile, add to the Dutch oven 2 cups of chopped okra (frozen or fresh), 1/3 cup of jasmine or basmati rice, a splash of dry sherry, and 1 pound of fully cooked sausage, such as andouille, Spanish chorizo, or toulouse-style (sliced at a bias). Bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover , and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the meat from the chicken; discard skin and bones. Shred or chop the chicken into bite-size pieces; add to Dutch oven. Season to taste with additional Creole Seasoning or salt and black pepper.

Annie's Creole Seasoning

This stuff tastes great of lots of foods such as roasted vegetables, eggs, or even tater tots!

1. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 bay leaf, 2 allspice berries, and 1/4 teaspoon sage. Grind or mash until finely ground.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the ground spices, 4 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg. Store tightly covered in a spice jar.