The Heart Of Texas

I love good fried rice.  The Asian food options in Houston are many. This recipe incorporates many of my favorite flavors and methods. I like to cook one big batch and eat it for 4 or 5 days.  This batch was no different. Ingredients - 2 LBS of calamari 2 LBS of large gulf shrimp 1 LBS large scallops 1 large onion Fresh ginger, I use about 1/8 Cup Fresh garlic I like a lot, 1/8 Cup celery 5 stalks cilantro, 1/2 bunch green onion - 3 stalks 2 Cups roasted almonds chopped 2 Cups fresh mushrooms quartered 1/2 Cup water chestnuts 1/2 C mini corn 2 Cups snow peas of green beens 1/2 Cup bamboo shoots 1/4 Cup oyster sauce 1/8 Cup fish sauce black pepper 4 T powdered ginger 2 T granulated onion 2 T granulated garlic 1/8 C sesame oil 6 C cooked rice Corn starch or arrowroot slurry to tighten up the liquid Heat up a large wok using sesame oil- Add your onion and cook till medium brown, add fresh ginger and fresh garlic only for a minute or two. Then add the celer

Crab Cakes Gluten Free 16 ounces wild lump crab meat 2 eggs 1/2 T granulated garlic 1/2 T granulated onion 6 chopped green onion 2 T arrowroot 5 T coconut flour 1/2 T tellicherry black peppercorns fresh ground 1/2 T pink Himalayan sea salt the juice from 1 lime 1/2 C crushed pork skins Combine all ingredients and gently incorporate.  I used bacon grease to fry until golden brown. We served them with warmed clarified butter and homemade mayo. They were delicious and look how pretty ~

The king of blackening meat was Paul Prudhomme.  The most popular item on his menu at his restaurant in New Orleans is blackened filet.  It is off the charts delicious!  No doubt about it!  I have employed his method and some of his flavors and changed it over the years to suit my situation and tastes.   Prudhomme uses butter in a black iron skillet and then places his well seasoned meat in the melted butter.  I changed the process a bit by seasoning the meat and then adding clarified butter to the meat and smearing it all over the meat to basically create a paste.  I always do the blackening of my meats outside because of the white cloud of smoke it creates.  I heat up a black iron skillet for a few minutes and then add a little avocado oil to the skillet and immediately put the steak on.  It is very important to have a large spatula to flip the steak so you do not lose the spice coating.  It usually only takes a few minutes on each side to cook the steaks to rare to medium rare.  O

Healthy Organic Ranch Ingredients: • 1 egg (room temperature) • 1 cup avocado oil (organic 1st cold press) • 1 T lime juice • 2 T apple cider vinegar • 1/2 T pink Himalayan sea salt • 1/2 T Tellicherry black peppercorns • 1/2 T granulated onion • 1/2 T granulated garlic • 1/2 cup organic coconut milk • 1/2 of a bunch of organic cilantro (stems and all) Method: Crack egg and add salt, granulated garlic and granulated onion, vinegar and lime juice together in a wide mouth Mason jar.  Use a submersible blender and blend well. Then slowly add avocado oil while blending until thick and well incorporated.  Add cilantro and coconut milk and thoroughly blend all the ingredients. Enjoy ~ Twist - Add 1/2 T organic jalapeno powder for zip ~