The Heart Of Texas

Paul Prudhomme popularized the blackening process.  The process of heating a black iron skillet to very hot and quickly cooking meat coated with his signature spices most of the time with butter.  The theory was the thick coating of spices would quickly caramelize protecting the meat and creating a delicious outer crust.  I have been blackening both fish and meat for many years.  I always blacken meats outdoors because of the huge smoke cloud the process created.  Recently I ordered blackened beef tenderloin at Prudhomme's restaurant, K-Pauls', in New Orleans and it was delicious! The spice mixture I used on the steaks pictured was as follows:  granulated garlic, granulated onion, freshly ground tellicherry pepper corns and pink Himalayan sea salt.  I used about 1/3 of a stick of Kerrigold butter.  Enjoy!

Paul Prudhomme was the king of blackening fish.  His blackened red fish brought the red fish to the brink of extinction!  Well maybe not that extreme, but it was bad.  If all of Prudhomme's methods are done correctly, in a residential setting, you have to do it outside.  The cloud of smoke will run you out of the house. It has been raining constantly for 4 days and I was looking for an opportunity to blacken the cod outdoors.  I needed to get them cooked, so I modified the method and it turned out great! I rinsed the fillets and patted dry.  I sprinkled granulated garlic, granulated onion, fresh cracked black pepper, pink Himalayan sea salt and sweet organic paprika. both sides.  I put them all in a black iron skillet and put the heat on low.  I put a few tablespoons of grass-fed butter in the skillet with the fillets until it completely melted. I then removed from the heat and carefully dipped the top of each fillet in the butter. I pre...

First off, you have to have a very hot fire!  I like a hardwood fire because it adds exceptional flavor. If it was not for the added depth of flavor, I'd cook my steaks on a cast iron skillet all the time! A fire suitable for cooking steaks should literally engulf the meat in fire the second it hits the grate. A couple or 3 minutes on each side and you will have a dark crust and a rare, tender, succulent steak!

I recently had the craving for coconut shrimp.  My lovely wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in New Orleans.  On one of our many excursions through the French Quarter, we stopped at a small local café and had their coconut shrimp.  They were delicious and the following is a close recipe we have enjoyed here at home - 1 pound of Jumbo white gulf shrimp, wild of course (18 count) 2 egg whites 1 T corn starch 1 C organic coconut a little pink Himalayan sea salt after the shrimp are fried. coconut oil I cleaned, de-veined and butterflied the shrimp.  I dried them in a paper towel.  I put 1 T of corn starch in a grocery bag and dropped in the shrimp.  I shook up the grocery bag so all the shrimp would have a fine dusting of corn starch.  I beat up the 2 egg whites and dipped the shrimp in for a good coating.  I then rolled the shrimp in the coconut and put them in a black iron skillet on a medium heat.  If it is too hot you will...

When it comes to pork spareribs quality is very important.   Butchers offer ribs in various cuts.   They can be rough cut with a lot of bone, St. Louis cut without the chine, tail and tips, back rib cut also without the tips, flap and chine.   What is sold as a baby back rib is simply a small pig with the ribs cut with a band down both sides.   The added cost more than makes up for the loss of the flap, tips and chine bone.   Years ago a fresh, rough cut 2.5LBS and down pork sparerib was my favorite product.   These days you are lucky to find 3.5LBS and down frozen ribs.   Obviously, the more bone the meat markets sell the more profit they make.   The older the pig, the bigger the rib.   The bigger the rib, the heavier the rack.   Here in Southeast Texas the Asian food market has dominated consumption.   Paying the cost of a case of 2.5LBS and down is prohibitive if you can even find them.   Custom orders are very expensi...

Freshly milled organic Einkorn wheat berries Recipe is for 2 loaves 4 C organic einkorn wheat berries Fresh milled 1/3 C vital wheat gluten 1/3 C organic olive oil 1/3 C organic (RAW) honey 2 t's sea salt ( I like pink Himalayan) 1 T yeast 2 C very warm water (filtered) mix until dough clings to dough hook  Let rise in the mixing bowl until double in size (about 20 minutes) then beat dough down and divide into 2 then let dough rise in a warm oven until it is 1/2 inch above the sides of the bread pan Then bake at 350 for 36 +- minutes until golden brown let rest on a cooling rack for 30 minutes Enjoy~

I rinsed and dried the cod filets and then lightly covered them in fresh lime juice.  I then sprinkled the filets with a little of my latest dry rub.  I then added a little more fresh cracked black pepper and a little olive oil.  I cooked them in a hot black iron skillet in a huge hurry.  I put a little olive oil in the skillet.  The result was a highly moist and flavorful pan-seared filet.  I sprinkled a little dill on the filet on the plate.  The vegetable were cleaned and rinsed and put in a bowl.  I sprinkled a little lime juice on them and then a little apple cider vinegar, I added a small amount of dry rub and a little olive oil and I rolled them in the ingredients to get well coated.  I spread them out on a sheet pan and cooked them for about 30 minutes on low broil and then another 10 on high broil or until desired caramelization occurs.  The brown rice was done with homemade chicken stock and al dente, like I like it!