Shrimp Etouffee

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra flour, optional

• 1 cup chopped yellow onion

• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if desired

• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

• 1/2 cup minced green onions, plus extra for garnish

• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

• 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

• 1 (8-ounce) can clam juice

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

• Salt (Cajun seasoning has salt already)

• 2 pounds small or medium shrimp peeled and deveined (recommended: (31/35 size count)

• 1/2 stick butter

• Rice, optional

• Diced green onions, for garnish

Directions

Make the roux: mix oil and flour in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk flour into the oil to form a paste. Continue cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15 to 20 minutes. To the roux, add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are limp.

Add the black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, green onions, parsley, and hot sauce to taste. Add 1 can clam juice and the tomatoes with their juice, stir to blend. Add the salt, starting with 1 teaspoon, then add more if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add shrimp and stir.

It will take about 3 minutes for shrimp to cook, don't overcook. Remove from heat. Add the butter and stir; the heat from the dish will melt the butter. Transfer the etouffee to a tureen, serving bowl, or if you prefer, over rice. Garnish with the green onions.

Red Beans & Rice

For red beans:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped

• 3 stalks celery, chopped

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 12 ounces pickled pork, cut into 1-inch pieces, recipe follows

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 quarts water

• 1 pound red kidney beans, rinsed and picked of debris

For rice:

• 3 cups water

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 cups long-grain rice

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Place the vegetable oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are semi-translucent and the bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the pickled pork, bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, water and beans to the pot and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

Uncover, increase the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking. If you prefer an even creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher.

Prepare rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking the beans. Place the water into an electric kettle and bring to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil place the butter into a 3-quart saucepan, set over medium heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, add the rice and stir to combine. Add the salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Carefully pour the water over the rice and stir to combine. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the beans over the rice.

Hurricane
• 12 ounces dark rum
• 10 ounces grenadine
• 10 ounces fresh orange juice
• 10 ounces sour mix, or fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons superfine sugar, or more to taste
• 1 large orange, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Directions
Mix all the ingredients in a tall pitcher or large pot and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a punch bowl and add the ice cubes and orange segments. Serve.