New Orleans duex

We had some andouille sausages I wanted to use and as you know, I'm in a New Orleans kind of mood. So, I was browsing the Gumbo Pages and found this recipe that uses andouille sausage. Now, I have to admit to being very bad and hardly following the recipe at all. I was planning to and I will do so next time. But, this version came up pretty darn good.

Black Eyed Peas and Andouille Sausage Soup/Stew

• 1/2 pound black-eyed peas
• 2 Andouille Sausages  - pan fried and cut into bite size pieces
• 5 oz ham (I had some left over in the freezer from a dinner we had done up a bit ago)
• 6 cups beef stock (well that was what I had in the fridge since we had just done up some beef stock)
• 2 tbsp Cajun spices (I used Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning )
• 1 large onion - chopped finely
• 1 large bell pepper - chopped finely (red since the BF doesn't like green, go figure)
• 2 bay leaves handful of parsley leaves - roughly chopped
• butter to saute

In a hot pan, saute the onions and bell pepper in butter until onions are softened, about 5 min.

Add Cajun seasoning and give it a quick stir. Add bay leaf, stock, black eyed peas - simmer for about 10-15 min.

During the simmering time, cook up the sausages and cut them into bite size pieces.

Put in sausages, ham and parsley.

Simmer for a few min - until the black eyed peas are done to a consistency you like.

We did eat it with a wee bit of sourdough bread that I got from Gene's. Best sourdough I've bought outside of San Fran.

New Orleans

Yes, yes, I know - everyone has something to say about BP, the gov't and the oil muck-up.

I have been telling the BF that I feel that we need to go down to NO to support the businesses there. Can you imagine the lousy luck - Katrina, Jindal, BP. The triumvirate of tribulation.

Here is a article about P & J who will now be importing oysters from the west coast to LA.Can you imagine? A company which has been around since 1876 - being forced due to this fiasco to buy from the west coast.  And, you know that NO people pride themselves on their seafood.  Now chefs in NO are finding creative ways to deal with the loss of seafood.  But, chicken livers?  I don't like oysters but I don't think that chicken livers and oysters taste anything like each other.  I actually kind of like chicken liver. *blush*

Anyway - due to my affinity of what is going on down in Louisiana - the BF has been having a New Orleans themed meals (for the few meals I've cooked this week - god, but I hate painting!) .

Here is a recipe for Shrimp Etouffee that I got from Gumbo Pages which is based on a combo of  Mom's recipe and Perry's .

Shrimp Etouffee

• 1 pound shrimp
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup minced bell pepper
• 1/2 cup minced celery
• 1 cup cold water (more if you wish more soupier mix)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Creole seasoning blend, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Pinch dried thyme
• Pinch dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 tomato - pealed

Heat the butter in a saute pan and saute the onion, bell pepper and celery until the translucent. Add the Creole seasoning, thyme, oregano, bay leaf - quick stir it to just warm up the spices a bit. Add tomato, stir it up. Add water. Simmer for about 10 - 15 min.
Once the liquid is almost gone - add in the shrimp. Cook it through.  You know shrimp are done once they are nicely pink - but pull off as soon as that happens or they will get rubbery. Since we aren't eating rice - I tend to make my sauces a bit thicker - hence the "once the liquid is almost gone".  If you want a soupier mix, just keep more liquids. Or add more water.