To quote the poet, Willie Nelson, "Turn out the lights, the party's over."
That's right, it's time for my annual announcement that the frivolity of Mardi Gras has given way to the solemnity of Lent. This year's Carnival has been a good one, but now is time for reflection and rededication of ourselves in the 47-day run up to Easter.
Many people will take this opportunity to improve some aspect of their existence by taking a break from unhealthy habits. Some folks quit drinking alcoholic beverages while others give up sweets or cease tobacco usage.
A new school of thought holds that instead of taking a siesta from bad habits, that it may be better to take up a new habit. Like exercising more regularly or and some even avoiding social media.
This year I'm going to try and mix those two schools of thought by trying to cut down on fried foods while also incorporating more locally sourced seafood into my diet planning.
It's going to be tough, the fried part at least. I do love me some fried chicken. Or fried shrimp or fried oysters or chicken fried steak; you fry it and I will eat it with impunity.
I pretty sure that I can make up for it by eating more seafood, only not fried. It ought to be fun.
Yeah, the party may be over for another Mardi Gras season. But that doesn't mean we have to starve to death.
I'm going to enjoy this bit of self-improvement. And aren't we lucky that we have a good resource for finding local seafood recipes?
The folks at the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission play host to a fun, informative site that I use quite often. It has a catchy name, too: www.eatalabamaseafood.com
Here is a recipe from Chef Jim Smith, who owns a popular neighborhood bistro in Mobile - Hummingbird Way Oyster Bar - and he is well-versed in the ways of local seafood.
Core the tomatoes and slice a shallow "X" in the tomato opposite if the core and roast with 5 cloves of peeled crushed garlic. Roast for 10 -12 minutes until the skins separate and have a good roasted color. When done let cool and then peel the tomatoes, move them to a pot and gently crush the peeled tomatoes and roasted garlic set aside.
Season the shrimp and red snapper with salt, white pepper and blackening seasoning.
In a medium rondeau (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat sear the red snapper and shrimp until almost done, then remove and set aside.
Reduce the heat and add the sausage into the pot and cook until the sausage begins to crisp then add the diced onion, celery, and green bell peppers, and minced garlic, season, and sauté.
Cook on medium low heat until the onions are translucent, making sure not to brown or burn the trinity.
Deglaze with the white wine and let reduce.
Next add a healthy dash of Tabasco sauce, blackening, the reserved oyster liquor, and the roast tomatoes and let stew for 5-10 minutes over low heat.
After stewing add in the rice and mix; next return the shrimp, snapper, and raw oysters and very gently mix making sure not to break up the snapper.
Finish with the parsley, green onion, and thyme and let stew for a couple of minutes making sure not to overcook the shrimp and snapper.
When it comes to local seafood, it doesn't get much more local than flounder. These curiously flat fish are found in abundance in the coastal waters of Alabama and are much prized for their delicate - but distinctive - flavor.
If you don't have the resources to go fish for them yourself, you can almost always find flounder at your favorite fishmonger. Here is a recipe sent in by a reader a long, long time ago.
Make stuffing for the flounder by sauteing the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic and parsley in vegetable oil. Add salt and pepper, bread crumbs, crabmeat and beaten egg; stir to combine.
Slit fish to make a large pocket and season with more salt and pepper. Insert part of the stuffing into the slot and secure with skewers or toothpicks.
Melt butter in a baking pan and add fish, turning fish to get butter on all sides. Place remaining stuffing on top of flounder and bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes; remove cover and cook 10 more minutes.
Finally, here is a wonderful recipe for a traditional South Louisiana favorite, Shrimp Sauce Piquant. It's from a cookbook that I've had many years titled "Enola Prudhomme's Low-Fat Favorites."
Spray the inside of a 5-quart Dutch oven with nonstick vegetable cooking spray and place over high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery and saute for 8 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth and bay leaf; cook, stirring, for 20 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, granulated garlic, basil, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
Add shrimp, green onions and parsley. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, 10 minutes more.