Cajun Bayou Swamp Stew Food

BAYOU STEW

Steps:

• 1. Bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a covered 2 quart saucepan. Add the rice, stir, and reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer until rice is tender.
• 2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 4 1/2 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Finely chop the onion and add them to the pot. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the pot. Raise heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is almost cooked through, about 4 minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile, cut the sausage link in half lengthwise. Slice both halves into roughly 1/4 inch pieces. Add the sausage to the pot and continue to cook, stirring from time to time, while you stem, seed, and cut the bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Add the broth to the pot, raise the heat to high, and add the bell pepper. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil. Add the Cajun seasoning. Re-cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and cook at a moderate boil until the bell pepper is tender about 3 minutes.
• 4. In a small jar, mix the flour with 3 tablespoons of cold water until there is no lumps. Gradually add the flour mixture to the soup stirring constantly until thick. Serve with rice.

SPICY CAJUN SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and the meat is well coated, about 2 minutes. Add the Cajun seasoning, garlic, peppers and onions and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened, 5 minutes. Add the clam juice, tomatoes and 4 cups water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and increase the heat to bring to a simmer.
• 2. Lower the heat slightly and simmer until the stew is thickened and the flavors are melded, about 30 minutes. Gently stir in the fish and shrimp. Cook, making sure the stew is not bubbling vigorously, stirring once or twice, until the shrimp and fish have just turned opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and serve over rice.

CAJUN BAYOU SWAMP STEW

Steps:

• Drain clam juice from clams into a bowl and set aside. Rinse clams to remove any sand or grit that may be left in clams. In a large pot, saute your onions, celery, carrots, basil, bay leaves, garlic and parsley in olive oil for approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze your pot with white wine and saute vegetables for an additional 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes with puree, clams, reserved clam juice, water, Hot Sauce, potatoes, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover your pot with lid. Simmer for 45 minutes or until potatoes are soft, the key is the potatoes. During the last 10 minutes ONLY of the above step add the shrimp and fish. (see note) Now Serve in with warm Sourdough Bread Bowls. (Available at any bakery)

BAYOU COUNTRY CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• 1. Use a black iron or other heavy pot. Put oil in pot, add flour and stir over medium high heat until roux turns a deep golden brown. Add onions and cook until edges begin to brown. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to roux mixture. Cook until chicken begins to brown off and roux is a dark brown color. Be careful not to burn the roux. stir in garlic, celery and bell pepper, being careful not to break apart the chicken.
• 2. Add 2 quarts of chicken stock, homemade or purchased. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer on very low heat until the hen is tender and the stew is thick. You should taste and adjust seasoning at this point. Add parsley and green onions. Simmer for just a few more minutes, remove from heat.
• 3. Serve hot over a bed of rice.