I come from a long line of Norweigan cooks that have, for generations, produced filling and varied meals having little if any flavor. There's a good reason why there are no Scandinavian restaurants around...Uff da! I enjoy making many dishes and would like to improve on an old favorite - Seafood fet w/broccoli. Any suggestions on what spices (and amounts) I might add to the sauce, seafood, or completely put together dish. Thanks
Open bottle of Ragu alfredo sauce, heat with shrimp and crab, add broccoli and a bit of garlic minutes later, pour over pasta - I prefer fet to others. Not much a recipe - again, Norway's finest.
Roast the garlic, add some yummy Creole seasonings to taste, and use tuna or grouper instead of the shrimp and crab.
Bag the Ragu and make the Alfredo from scratch with cream, butter, freshly cracked black pepper and parmesan. Oh, spices? I'll bet a pinch or two of Old Bay seasoning would be good in an fishy alfredo pasta thingy. Why not use fish AND seafood?
Thanks for the posts. One thing, I mentioned the whole Norweigian thing... What specificly are "Creole spices" exactly? And it what amounts? I usually make huge batches of 2 or 3 things at the same time. Also, I don't have a great deal of time, nor do I know how to make alfredo sauce from scratch, so the Ragu might stay. I'll attempt to add cracked pepper to it to help.
Well, I've been thinking about this. I think you should by the cookbook below. It's really done well. The recipes don't take much time and most are really simply. How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0028610105/ref=nosim/bestbookbuys00/103-3574014-2381412
You can buy spices that are preblended and sold as "Creole". I would have no idea what amount to add. I don't measure things like that as I cook. Just put a little in, stir, taste, add some more, stir, taste, etc. It everntually turns out right. Don't attempt to figure out an exact amount. Cooking is not a science. Just throw things in until it tastes good.
Okay, before you put the Ragu in the pot, try putting some Olive Oil in the pot, heat it up then throw some garlic in with the oil. Saute the garlic add whatever other spices your going to add to the oil then put in the Ragu and cook the way you would normally. The amounts are usually to taste. I personally would put in a couple spoonfulls of crushed garlic.
Thanks to everyone. On the Cajun spices: I realize you can buy it pre-mixed. As I have most spices already, I'm trying to avoid buying more. Basicly, I have the tools, I simply don't know how to use them properly. So again, anyone know what makes up "Cajun Spice"? Another point - I recently had a fettucini dish out that had an interesting addition to it. In the dish were sauteed diced red peppers done in garlic, olive oil, and other spices. They were added to the seafood and other vegis. The diced red peps were the most flavorful part. Sometime within 2 weeks I will make this using some of the suggestions. I'll post how it turned out.
Epicurious' food dictionary says this about cajun spice: "In general, a Cajun seasoning blend might include garlic, onion, chiles, black pepper, mustard and celery." My Morton & Bassett brand cajun spice has the following ingredients: paprika, celery seed, garlic, basil, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and parsley. From the color and smell, I'm thinking it's heaviest on the cayenne, paprika, and garlic. Red peppers are great. Depending on ripeness, you can get them to add sweetness without being cloying to a savory sauce. I love them in jambalaya, and if you ever want to make a meat and seafood jambalaya pasta sauce to serve over your fettucine, I'd be happy to post my recipe here.
- 1/2 pound chicken, turkey, or salmon - 1 pound (preferably) Andouille sausage - 3/4 pound shrimp - 16 ounce can of crushed tomatoes - 8 ounce can of whole peeled and diced tomatoes - 1/2 of a medium onion, purée'd - 1 medium red bell pepper - 1 medium green bell pepper - 1/2 cup chicken broth - 1/2 cup white wine - 2 teaspoons oregano, preferably fresh - 2 teaspoons parsley, preferably fresh - 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning - 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Cut first meat into roughly 1" cubes, slice Andouille sausage finely on the bias, and devein shrimp. Cut bell peppers into 1" x 1/2" dice, and mince or chiffonade the oregano and parsley. Put everything into a crock pot or other slow-cooker and simmer for at least 6 hours on low - 8-12 hours is ideal. Serve hot over cooked pasta. You can also add cooked rice within the last 30 minutes to make a proper jambalaya, though you may need to use more chicken broth and white wine in that event to avoid sludge, since the rice will absorb some of the liquid in the already-thick jambalaya. Halve the Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper if you prefer your sauce mild! Enjoy.