Obviously I didn’t invent the dish, but in an attempt to make a creative and tasty breakfast one Sunday morning, I borrowed a page from the former Sugar Magnolia restaurant (in New Orleans) to make one of their most popular brunch dishes, Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Coulis.  After a couple of calls to my friend Tom and some piecing together of the recipe, I gathered all of the ingredients and recreated the dish perfectly.  I now make it every Christmas morning, as it is one of my wife’s favorites.

If you are looking for a great brunch dish for friends, family or even your kids, this is it.  Serve it as an appetizer before a savory brunch, or save it for dessert.  It is a bit time consuming, but don’t let all of the work scare you, the end result is worth it.

I originally published this recipe on NolaFoodie.com on June 28, 2006.  Yea, the photograph was taken back then and isn’t all that great.  So sue me

Makes three to four pieces of stuffed French toast.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 to 8 slices of bread, dried
• 3 Eggs (beaten)
• Cinnamon
• Brown Sugar
• Butter
• Vegetable Oil

French Toast Stuffing:

• 1 package Philadelphia cream cheese (8 oz.)
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Powdered White Sugar
• Cinnamon

METHOD
For stuffing, combine all ingredients together in a bowl and mix with a large spoon.  Add each ingredient to taste.

To make the stuffed French toast, spread the stuffing mixture between two slices of dried (or stale) sliced bread, just as if you were making a peanut butter sandwich.  Repeat until all of the mixture is used, for a total of three or four “sandwiches.”  The thicker the bread, the better off you are with the stuffing.  However, I have made it before with regular white sliced bread, but recently used the Sweet Buttermilk bread from Pepperidge Farm.

On a plate with slanted edges, make the French toast egg-wash by combining eggs, cinnamon and brown sugar.

In a non-stick fry pan, heat vegetable oil and butter.  Place the first French toast sandwich face down in the egg-wash for several seconds, then turn over to coat the second side.  Then place it in the heated pan to cook, this may take several minutes per side.  Make sure to keep the heat on medium, as a high heat can burn the butter.  Cook the French toast until it is golden brown.  Remove and let it drain on paper towels.

For plating, slice the French Toast diagonally, then dust with powdered sugar and top with seasonal berries or the seasonal berry coulis.

Fresh Seasonal Berry Coulis

• 1 pint of berries (strawberries, blueberries or raspberries)
• 2 tbsp White Sugar
• Juice of 1 Lemon

METHOD
Heat a small saucepan and add berries, 2 tbsp of white sugar and squeeze in the juice of one lemon; stir all ingredients together.  The berries will cook down and render juices that will combine with the sugar to make a thick sauce.  Add extra lemon juice if necessary.  Continue to cook until your sauce is to its desired consistency, the longer it cooks, fewer whole berries will be present; 10 minutes should be adequate.

INGREDIENTS

• 1     pound     Shrimp (heads still on)
• 1/2     pound    Butter (2 Sticks)
• 1/2    large     White or yellow Onion (small dice)
• 4     cloves     Garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1/4     cup    Worcestershire Sauce
• 1     Bottle     Abita Amber Beer (or any good craft brew amber lager)
• 1    lemon     Juiced
• Garlic powder
• Coarse Kosher Salt
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper
• CajunLand Crab/Shrimp Boil (Powdered), or Cajun seasoning

METHOD

• Lay shrimp in one layer in a large Pyrex baking dish, sprinkle with kosher salt and grind a LOT of black pepper
• In a large saucepan, melt a bit of butter and sauté onion until translucent, then add garlic for a few minutes, then the two sticks of butter.
• When butter has liquefied, add each seasoning while stirring – garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, crab boil, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Add the olive oil, squeeze in the lemon, stir, and then add about half of a bottle of beer (6-8 oz.).  It may foam up, so watch your heat on the stove.
• Keep stirring; drink the rest of the beer.
• When the foam from the beer subsides, pour the sauce over the shrimp in the baking dish; make sure the shrimp are covered by the sauce (or nearly covered).
• Place in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, stir, then another 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cooked.
• Remove from oven and let rest for at least five to ten minutes.
• Serve in a bowl with lots of sauce and pieces of po-boy bread for dipping.

Shrimp and Grits – Southern Style

Serves 4 (about 8-10 large shrimp per serving)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½  pounds             Shrimp, Florida Pink, 21-25 — peeled and deveined
• ¼      cup                    Yellow Onion – Small Julienne
• ¼      cup                    Red Bell pepper – Julienned, small
• ¼      cup                    Orange Bell Pepper – Julienned, small
• ¼      cup                    Yellow Bell pepper – Julienned, small
• ¼      pound               Smoked Sausage, Uncle John’s Pride — Cubed
• 2        tablespoons   Butter, unsalted
• ½      cup                    White Wine
• 1        cup                    Heavy cream (or more if necessary)
• 1 – 2  glasses            White wine or Beer of choice (to drink while cooking)
• Creole or Cajun Seasoning — To Taste
• 1         recipe             Creamy Grits (recipe follows)

METHOD

• Season shrimp liberally with Cajun/Creole Seasoning (Emeril’s Essence is good and readily available)
• In a large sauté pan (non-stick is fine), sauté the sausage for 3-5 minutes to brown and render grease,
• then remove (leave the grease).
• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in pan and add shrimp to pan and sauté for 5-6 minutes until they are pink and curled up (cooked, but not overdone).  Be careful not to overcook, as the shrimp will be added near the end to re-heat.
• In the same pan – melt 1 tablespoon butter then sweat the onions and peppers for 5-10 or more minutes until nearly soft.
• Add white wine and reduce for 5 minutes.  Then add heavy cream and reduce until desired thickness.

Add shrimp back to pan for 2-3 minutes.
Season to taste using salt, pepper and cayenne (or Creole/Cajun Seasoning).

Creamy Stone Ground Grits

(your best bet is to follow the recipe on the package of grits)

• 6 cups chicken Stock
• 4 cups heavy cream (can use whole milk)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup stone ground white grits
• 1 pound grated white or yellow cheddar

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the chicken stock, cream, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Stir in the grits. Cook for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (**The grits will stick to the bottom of the pan, so make sure not to scrape the bottom of the pan. If the grits have absorbed all of the liquid, add some additional chicken stock or milk to thin out the grits.) Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and all of the cheese.

Easy method – use Quaker Quick Grits (not instant) and this process should only take 10-15 minutes.  The cream, chicken stock, butter and salt are the most important factors in making these, especially when they are being topped with a shrimp sauce.

SUPERIOR GRILL CHILI CON QUESO

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsps. butter
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 whole diced poblano peppers or 2-3 fresh chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup peeled tomatoes, mashed
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
• 2 lbs. grated Monterrey Jack cheese

METHOD
Melt butter over medium fire. Saute onions, peppers and tomatoes for approximately 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the flour, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add the evaporated milk and cook until hot, stirring frequently from the bottom. Once the milk is hot, add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly until melted, and add the next handful. Serve hot with chips. If you like a milder version, use the poblano peppers; for a spicier version, use the jalapeno peppers.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 lbs          beef short ribs — cut English style (cut parallel to the bone)
• Coarse salt and black pepper — to taste
• 3 cups      red wine — preferably cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel
• 6 oz          canned chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups      beef broth
• 1 tbsp      minced garlic
• 3 sprigs      fresh thyme — picked off stem
• 2 each        bay leaves
• 3 oz          canola oil
• 1 large      onion — diced (2 cups)
• 2 medium      carrots — diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 stalks      celery — diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 oz          dried porcini mushrooms

METHOD

Season short ribs with salt and pepper; be rather generous. In a mixing bowl, whisk together red wine, tomatoes, beef broth, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt.

Pour canola oil into a heavy 12″ cast iron skillet or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) and place over high heat. When oil is hot, working in small batches, brown the meat. Turn each piece to brown on all sides before removing from the pot.

Tip: A sturdy pot that conducts heat well has a lot to do with the success of this dish. Get yourself a cast-iron pot!

When all beef is browned and removed from pot, add onion, carrots, and celery, allowing to cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Return beef to the pot along with wine mixture. Allow wine to come to a boil before reducing heat, skimming fat from surface.

After simmering for several minutes, add mushrooms. Cover and simmer over very low heat until meat is fork tender and nearly falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Once the beef has cooked, remove from pot and keep warm. Turn up heat and reduce the pot liquids until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer ribs to four shallow bowls, spooning liquid over top. Serve with mashed potatoes or grits.

courtesy of Kevin Lacassin

www.NolaFoodie.com

Although I sometimes make this dish with chicken, my favorite is with shrimp.  And since they were on sale yesterday at the local supermarket, I picked up about six ounces of shrimp for my dinner for less than three bucks.   With the addition of just a few more ingredients, the whole dish took me ten minutes to prep, ten minutes to cook and only cost around $3.50 for one serving.

To complement the spicy chili sauce, I paired the dish with a German Riesling, 2006 Petals.  The wine was a bit sweet for me to enjoy by itself, but putting it with the food was a match made in heaven.  Spicy pink shrimp, Thai chili sauce and a nice sweet wine sure did make for an enjoyable weekday evening.  Try it yourself!

Courtesy of Kevin Lacassin
www.NolaFoodie.com

Serves 2, Wine Pairing: Riesling

INGREDIENTS

• ½ lb. SHRIMP, peeled and de-veined
• 2 packages Ramen NOODLES
• 3 green ONIONS, chopped
• 2 SHALLOTS, minced
• 2 tablespoons Sambal CHILI PASTE (can use Sriracha)
• 2-3 tablespoons BUTTER
• dash of SOY SAUCE
• 2 tablespoons olive OIL
• dash of HOISIN SAUCE
• dash black PEPPER

METHOD

1.    Peel and de-vein shrimp, season with black pepper, soy sauce and Hoisin sauce.  Fill a two-quart saucepan with water and bring to a boil (to cook the noodles).

2.    Coat a large (12”) non-stick skillet with a bit of olive oil and sweat the shallots and half of the green onions for five minutes, until soft.  Add shrimp and cook on a medium heat for several minutes, until shrimp turn pink.

3.    Add two tablespoons of butter and the green onions to the skillet.  Cook for a minute or two until all of the butter is melted.  Add two tablespoons of Sambal chili sauce and stir thoroughly.  Continue to cook the sauce on low heat for several minutes.

4.    While the sauce is cooking, open two packages of Ramen noodles and discard the seasoning packet.  Cook according to instructions on the package (generally 3 minutes).

5.    Drain the noodles and add to the skillet; toss all ingredients together and serve in a bowl or small plate with chopsticks.  Garnish with green onion.

NOTES

• You will have to eyeball each of the liquid ingredients.
• The Sambal chili sauce is spicy! If the end result is too spicy, you can cut the heat with extra butter.

I’m afraid I’ve been spoiled by cooking my steak in a cast iron skillet.  So much so that I can’t even remember the last time I threw one on the grill.  The cast iron skillet allows a steak to be seared and then cooked in its own juices under the broiler.

There are two key parts to the equation; preparing the pan and seasoning the meat.  First, the pan.  Heat your oven to its highest temperature (usually 500 degrees F) with the cast iron pan inside.  It may take a while until the pan is completely heated.  When the pan has reached the temperature of the oven, remove it place over a lit burner (this works best with a gas range) for a few minutes to let the pan soak up more heat.

While you are heating the pan, make sure your steak has been taken out of the refrigerator and allowed to warm up to room temperature.  Season the steak with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (this is my steak rub).  Rub in the seasonings to make sure the steak is evenly coated on both sides.  Be careful not over season, as the seasonings are there to enhance the flavor of the meat, not cover it up.  On one side of the steak, rub (or spray) a little olive oil in to cover the surface.  This will be the first side placed down the heated pan.

Place your steak, oiled side down, in the heated pan while still on the burner.  DO NOT touch the steak for at least 1 1/2 to 2 minutes while it is searing.  The meat and seasonings will form a crust and the steak with slightly separate from the pan.  With a pair of tongs, flip the steak once and allow the other side to sear.  After searing the second side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, remove the pan from the stovetop and place under the broiler.  The time you leave it under the broiler depends on how well done you want your steak.  Five to six minutes should be adequate for a 1 1/2 inch steak to be cooked medium rare.  Cook it longer or shorter to your liking.

The drippings in the pan make a great base for a red wine sauce, but I tend to enjoy my steaks plain or with my bleu cheese butter.  A close second is chimi churri sauce.

Feeds 4-6 as a meal or 10-12 as a party dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound smoked SAUSAGE, cut into cubes
• 1 pound boneless, skinless CHICKEN THIGHS
• 3 cups white RICE
• 2 slices BACON, chopped
• 2 medium yellow ONIONS, diced
• ½ green BELL PEPPER, diced
• 3 stalks CELERY, diced
• 4 green ONIONS, chopped
• 4 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1 can (10 oz.) Rotel TOMATOES and chiles, drained
• 1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
• 1 teaspoon each of SALT, BLACK PEPPER, CAYENNE, OREGANO and THYME
• 4 ½ cups CHICKEN STOCK (if homemade isn’t available, use Kitchen Basics)
• Cast iron DUTCH OVEN

METHOD

1.     Heat a large (5 ¼ quart or larger) cast iron Dutch oven and fry the bacon pieces to render the grease, remove and drain on paper towels.

2.     Brown the chicken in the bacon grease, remove and when cool, cut into strips.

3.     Brown the sausage for several minutes, then add the trinity of onion, celery and green pepper and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 or 15 minutes on low heat.

4.     Add bacon, chicken, minced garlic, Rotel Tomatoes, Kitchen Bouquet, seasonings and rice, then stir all together.

5.     After rice is coated and mixed well, add the chicken stock.  Bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer (low) and cover.  Set a kitchen timer and do not touch the lid for 20 minutes!  You will need to cook until the rice is soft and all liquid is absorbed.1.

6.     Lift the lid and confirm that rice is almost completely cooked and all liquid has been absorbed, then add the chopped green onion.  Fold in the onions to the mixture, turn off the burner and replace the lid and let it sit for another 10 minutes.

courtesy of Kevin and Ken Lacassin
www.NolaFoodie.com

INGREDIENTS

• sack of CRAWFISH (35 pounds)
• 1 container of commercial seafood boil (a container sold to do a sack of crawfish or hamper of crabs contains all seasonings you need for a basic boil and depending on the brand will be about 4 lbs) I like Cajun Land complete Crab-Shrimp-Crawfish Boil but Zatarains also makes a good one)
• 2 ONIONS cut in half
• 2 LEMONS cut in half
• 2 heads of GARLIC cut in half
• Optional: 3 lbs small red creamer potatoes, small ears frozen corn and smoked sausage cut into 2 inch pieces.

METHOD
1.     Start off by washing the crawfish well with water until the water runs clear. You can do this using the pot you will boil the crawfish in. After they are cleaned place them in the basket along with the onion, lemon and garlic and set aside.

2.     Add water to the pot to a level half way up the pot and place the pot on the burner.

3.     Place the potatoes in the water and light the burner. Bring to a boil. Boil potatoes until they are almost done then remove from the water and set aside. Add the commercial seafood seasoning to the pot and boil for 5 minutes to let flavors blend.

4.     At this point carefully lower the basket into the water and cover. When you add the seafood the water will stop boiling. Turn up the heat and wait for the water to come back to a rolling boil. Add the potatoes, corn and sausage when it starts to boil. When it comes to a rolling boil start the timer. Boil the crawfish 2-4 minutes (2 minutes for small and 4 minutes for large) then remove the cover and turn off the heat. Crabs would be 8-12 minutes.

5.     You will notice that boiled seafood will tend to float because of air trapped under their shells. Add enough ice to change the temperature and stop the cooking and the seafood will sink. This also allows the seasonings to soak in. Allow the crawfish to soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Test after 15 minutes and remove when they are spicy enough. To remove just lift the basket enough to drain. You can place 2 flat sticks on the basket and place the pot on the sticks so the water will drain into the pot and not on the ground.

NOTES

• For a little extra kick add 2 oz of cayenne pepper and 2 oz of hot sauce (not Tabasco) along with the commercial seasoning.
• Be careful where you dump the seasoned water, the salt will kill your grass.

courtesy of Ken Lacassin
www.NolaFoodie.com