Creole

Fried Shrimp Po’boy Sliders

June 2, 2015

I’m currently spending a few weeks in New Orleans, so in honor of such an occasion, I thought I’d share one of my favorites from the city. Fried Shrimp Po’boys…in slider form. Because we all know that sliders are always 100 times better than their original counterparts. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. In a city that is so rich with delicious cuisine, though, it seemed only right that I should mark the occasion with food. I find myself making food be the solution to everything. I think this is the only way to go. I’ve eaten at a few po’boy places in Nola while I’ve been down there, and although I’ve had some great sandwiches in each, the best to me is still Johnny’s in the French Quarter (I’m sure some people will yell at me and tell me I’m wrong). I’m no New Orleans expert and perhaps it’s a tourist trap, but to me (and my taste buds), it’s one of the best. I also think it’s partly because I first tried it with Julian. He got a catfish po’boy and I ordered the crawfish. We took it to go and then walked to the WWII museum eating our sandwiches along the way, and wishing we had ordered another one to share. Now we can eat as many po’boy sliders as we’d like and not feel guilty about it, because ten of these sliders count as one normal sized sandwich. It’s true.

I’m no stranger to sliders. Someone even referred to me as “The Slider King” of the world (that someone might’ve been me, but that’s okay). Sliders and I go way back. It’s a love affair that I don’t think will ever go away. And I don’t want it to. Some of my favorites from the site are Pot Roast Sliders, Fried Green Tomato and Shrimp Sliders, and Loaded Baked Potato Sliders, just to name a few. Here’s a hint, if you search for “Sliders” on the site you’ll be able to find many more. That’s free of charge for you because I like you guys so much. Maybe not as much as sliders, but still, you’re up there on my list.

If you’ve never visited New Orleans before and have always wanted to go, I highly recommend it. I can’t give you guys a trip (I’m not Santa Claus, or Oprah) but I will do the next best thing. I’ll give you the recipe for these po’boy sliders! Whaaat?! Say it ain’t so!! My generosity knows no bounds. Now you can feel like you’re right here with me. That’s pretty awesome. If you really think about it, I’m doing you a favor. You don’t have to pack and travel to the airport and get through security and fly on a plane and then have the best time ever, but all the while knowing you have to go back home inevitably and so you get depressed about it. You don’t have to go through all of that. I’m saving you from it. Instead, you can make a batch of these sliders and bring New Orleans to you. TO YOU! Isn’t that so much better?! I think it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go eat some more food while I’m here.

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Red Beans and Rice Empanadas

January 23, 2015

Each time I take a trip to New Orleans I become more and more infatuated with the food there, and the people in general, but really the food. It’s some of the best food I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. ENTIRE LIFE. Yes that might be the biggest statement I’ve probably said in my 25 years of living, but it’s also the most truest sentence I’ll ever say. If you were to ask me what my favorite dish/meal/restaurant has been, I’d go through a series of complicated but meticulously thought out reactions. My first would be a slap to your face (from pure shock of course). The next stage would be me calling you crazy. You’ve lost your mind. I can’t pick just one thing to be my all-time favorite. That’s madness! Madness I tell you! An impossible feat. I’d then probably just pick something because the pressure would eventually get to me. No need to hold a gun to my head, I’ll choose. You win.

I’ve basically eaten my way through the entire city and I have no regrets. Except maybe not eating seconds of everything. The one thing though that completed my life when I first tried it, since you’re forcing me to pick and all, would be red beans and rice. It’s insanely delicious and yet ridiculously simple. You’d think that my favorite dish would be super fancy and have all these exotic ingredients like truffles and caviar and what not, but no. That’s not the case at all. This dish sums up my taste and what I prefer in my regular day to day life. A combination of simple ingredients and flavors coming together to create something out of this world. Sure it’s a wee bit time consuming, but how else are you supposed to get all of that punch-you-in-the-mouth flavor?

If I’m going on and on about one dish, it’s because it’s that good. If you’ve had it before and love it just as much as I do, step right up to the front and give me a virtual hi-five because you’re my new best friend. If you’ve tried it and didn’t care for the dish, let’s not talk about it. I’ll pretend like you didn’t just break my heart. Perhaps though you haven’t had a plate of finger-licking red beans and rice yet. You know what I think? I think you should give it a go and try making it for yourself. You might be surprised what a star you can be in the kitchen with this dish. I couldn’t give you a simple recipe though, you know me well enough by now to not expect that. Instead, I wanted to crank things up a notch by turning my favorite cajun dish into my new favorite appetizer with these red beans and rice empanadas. It’s everything you didn’t know you wanted.

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Jambalaya

October 10, 2012

Gone are the long summer days with scorching three digit weather. The heat beating down on our barely-clothed bodies is now behind us. It is in the past. We say goodbye to artificial cold air better known to us as the AC. We bid adieu to shorts, skirts and tanks. Sunglasses we break them. Bathing suits we toss them. Flip flops we trash them. Maybe I exaggerate and we do not go to such extremes but we just put them in the closet far away from sight. We pull out such luxuries as coats, scarves, gloves and knitted socks. For us Southern Californian’s these are luxuries because we take them out for a day and then we are forced to retire them as quickly as we brought them out. But we are not complaining. We will take what we can get. We grab whatever is given to us when it is given to us. We welcome with open arms shorter days with cooler weather. Those overcast mornings and chilly nights. The sun is no longer our arch nemesis—trying to kill us—rather we are excited to see it. The sun is now our friend. We look up and even give it a smile from time to time when we spot it peeking through the clouds. Its rays warming and lighting the way, not heating and killing.

Autumn has finally arrived. It has presented itself at the perfect time. The most opportune moment. Just when we thought that summer was going to murder us with its excessive heat, the Fall came and relieved with its brilliant colors and decadent aroma. Yes, there is an aroma to Autumn. Walk outside at five in the evening—just when the sun is beginning its slow descent— take one giant whiff. Devour all that Autumn has to offer. Inhale that chilly breeze. The leaves changing colors, they begin to fall and swirl down to the ground. As you walk back home, admire the environment all around you. Remove your hat and tip your head to your neighbors passing by walking their dogs. The warmth from the houses down the street, to the left and right of you is contagious. Their doors are closed keeping the cold air out and the warm happiness in. The yellow light within, seeps through the curtained windows, casting a glow onto their garden. Onto their lawn. Onto their picket fence. It barely reaches you, but it’s enough to make you smile. You tighten your scarf closer around your neck and you continue your walk back home taking in all your surroundings.

As you walk home wearing your warm pants, heavy coat, scarf, gloves and beanie, you begin to be thankful that summer is over. No longer because of the heat and worrying about staying cool, but rather you are thankful because of something entirely different. Something entirely selfish. You stop in your tracks. Right there in the middle of the sidewalk, halfway home, you stall. You do a little jump kick out of sheer enthusiasm for you have just realized that you no longer have to eat super healthy and watch your figure because you have to dip into a bathing suit. Gone are the bikini days that summer brings with it. Happy are you for finally being able to eat buckets full of carbs and comfort food to your heart’s content. I cannot help but think that this is the cycle of life. You spend spring worrying and exercising for summer. And then you spend autumn and winter eating and not worrying. Then spring comes around and it starts up again. Perhaps I’m just projecting. Whatever the case might be, you begin to walk again, but this time you walk with a bounce in your step and a grand idea on your mind. The temperature has dropped and it could be perfect for a soup. But you do not want to make soup for dinner tonight. No, you want something special. You yearn for something heartier. Something more filling. You want to fill your house with wonderful smells from spices and fresh herbs. You shall make a Jambalaya. Because you want to bring that Southern cajun-creole excitement into your home.

Here’s what you will need.

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