Crab & shrimp gumbo

Flour, all purpose	1 cup
Bacon drippings	¾ cup + 2 tablespoons
Celery, coarsely chopped	1 cup
Onion, large, coarsely chopped	1
Bell pepper, coarsely chopped	1
Garlic, minced	2 cloves
Sausage, Andouille, sliced	1 pound
Water	10 cups
Bouillon, beef	6 cubes
Sugar, white	1 tablespoon
Salt
Tabasco	2 tablespoons
Cajun seasonings	½ teaspoon
Bay leaves	4
Thyme, dried	½ teaspoon
Tomatoes, stewed	14.5 ounces
Tomato sauce	6 ounces
Gumbo file powder	2 teaspoons + 2 teaspoons
Okra, cut	20 ounces
Vinegar, distilled white	2 tablespoons
Crabmeat	1 pound
Shrimp, medium, uncooked, peeled, deveined	2 pounds
Worcestershire sauce	2 tablespoons

1. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the flour and ¾ cup bacon drippings to make a roux. 
2. Cook, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich copper brown color, about 20 to 30 minutes; watch constantly or it might burn. 
3. Remove from heat, and continue whisking until the mixture stops cooking. 
4. In a food processor, combine the celery, onions, bell pepper, and garlic, and pulse until very finely chopped. 
5. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and then add the sausage. 
6. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat; set aside. 
8. In a large Dutch oven, combine the water and bouillon cubes, and bring to a boil; stir until the cubes are dissolved. 
9. Whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. 
10. Reduce heat to a simmer, and add the sugar, salt, pepper sauce, Cajun seasonings, bay leaves, thyme, stewed and sauced tomatoes. 
11. Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stir in 2 teaspoons of gumbo file powder, and cook 15 minutes more. 
12. Meanwhile, melt the 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes. 
13. Remove the okra with a slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. 
14. Add the crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until the flavors have blended, about 45 minutes more. 
15. Right before serving, stir in 2 teaspoons of gumbo file powder. 

Serve with cooked rice, if desired.

Almond paste

Almonds, raw	1 ½ cups
Water, boiling
Sugar, confectioners’	1 ½ cups
Egg white	1
Almond extract	1 ½ teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon

1. Place almonds in a bowl, and barely cover with boiling water. 
2. Let sit for 1 minute, drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. 
3. Pat dry, and slip off skins. 
4. Place almonds in a food processor, and process until smooth. 
5. Add the sugar, egg white, extract, and salt; process until smooth.

Tasty in:

• Sweet almond "biscotti"
• Almond angel cake

Tortilla soup

Olive oil, extra virgin	2 tablespoons
Onion, white, thinly sliced	1 large
Garlic, thinly sliced	5 cloves
Salt, kosher
Tomatoes, plum, halved	1 ½ pounds
Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded, coarsely chopped	4
Chicken stock	8 cups
Canola oil
Tortillas, corn, halved, thinly sliced	6
Butter, unsalted, diced	8 tablespoons
Chicken, rotisserie, shredded	4 cups
Queso fresco, crumbled	garnish
Cilantro leaves	garnish
Chile, dried	garnish

1. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. 
3. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. 
4. Stir in the tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and stock. 
5. Bring to a boil, reduce to moderately low heat, simmer and stir occasionally until the tomatoes are very soft, about 30 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat ¼ inch of canola oil. 
7. Add half of the tortilla strips, and fry over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
8. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the strips to paper towels. 
9. Season with salt. 
10. Repeat with remaining strips. 
11. Carefully ladle half of the soup into a blender, and add half of the butter. 
12. Puree until smooth, and pour into a large saucepan. 
13. Repeat with remaining soup and butter. 
14. Stir in the shredded chicken, and gently reheat the soup. 
15. Season with salt, if necessary. 
16. Serve in bowls, garnished with queso fresco, cilantro, chile, and tortilla strips. 

Recipe from Food & Wine May 2013.

Lobster & shrimp paella

Lobster tails	2
Butter, unsalted, melted	½ cup
Paprika, ground	1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Salt	½ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Onion, finely chopped	1
Olive oil	5 tablespoons
Garlic, finely chopped	5 cloves
Tomatoes, peeled, chopped	2
Sugar	½ teaspoon
Saffron threads	Good pinch
Arborio rice	2 cups
Fish or chicken stock	3 cups
Wine, dry white	1 cup
Shrimp in shells	12

1. Preheat the broiler on high. 
2. Cut the tails lengthwise, and split apart; place on a baking sheet. 
3. Pour butter over, and sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper. 
4. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, until nearly cook through; set aside. 
5. In a 16-inch paella dish over medium-high, heat the oil, and then fry the onions, stirring often. 
6. Stir in the garlic, and before it browns, add the tomatoes. 
7. Add the sugar, and salt to taste, paprika, and saffron; stir well, and cook the tomatoes until reduced to a jam-like sauce and the oil is sizzling. 
8. Add the rice, and stir well until all the grains are coated. 
9. In a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil; pour over the rice, bring to a boil, and adjust seasonings. 
10. Stir well and spread the rice out evenly; do not stir again. 
11. Cook the rice over low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan occasionally to ensure the rice cooks evenly. 
12. Lay the shrimp on top after 10 minutes, and turn when they become pink on the first side. 
13. Add a little more hot stock toward the end, if the rice seems too dry or you hear crackly noises before you are done. 
14. Slice the lobster into bite-sized chunks, and arrange around the shrimp; cover with foil until ready to serve.

Strawberry lemonade

Water	1 cup +
Sugar	1 cup
Lemon juice	2 cups + zest of 1
Strawberries	2 pints

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and 1 cup of water; stir occasionally until it simmers, and then set aside to cool. 
2. Rinse and remove the stems from the strawberries; puree in a blender, and then pour into a large pitcher. 
3. Add the lemon juice and zest, and then the cooled simple syrup. 
4. Fill the pitcher with water, or to taste, and then chill in the refrigerator. 

If you are bored and have extra strawberries, using a silicon mold, add a berry to each section with a bit of zest and water, and then freeze to create ice cubes. Or, simply drop in a few frozen strawberries.

For the exceptionally bored (and of the legally required age), add 1 1/2 ounces of vodka to each glassful.

Raspberry flaugnarde

Flour, all purpose	½ cup
Sugar	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
Salt	Pinch
Eggs	3
Butter, unsalted, melted	3 tablespoons
Lemon, zest only	1
Milk	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
Raspberries	3 cups
Sugar, confectioners’	Dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Butter a 9-inch gratin dish. 
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and the salt. 
4. Whisk in the eggs, butter, and zest until smooth. 
5. Add the milk, and whisk until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. 
6. Pour the batter into the gratin dish, and top with the raspberries. 
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the flaugnarde is set and golden. 
8. Let cool slightly. 
9. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

Recipe from Food & Wine April 2010, but I corrected the name based on my Wikipedia research..