Crazy Cajun Salmon

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Everyone loves salmon. It is such a flavorful fish, especially with all the great herbs and spices included here. Give this recipe a try and it will be Mardi Gras in your mouth.

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets

  • Spice Blend:

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ½ teaspoon white pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • Chile Herb Butter:

  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

  • 2 fresh green jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, very finely minced

  • 4 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped

  • 2 sprigs parsley, leaves only, finely chopped

  • Insanity Seafood Sauce or prepared salsa, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium high. Prepare the filets by rinsing and making sure that all of the bones have been removed and that no skin is left on the edges. Pat the filets dry and reserve.

Combine all of the spice blend ingredients in a sauté pan and lightly toast over very low heat, stirring constantly, until light brown and aromatic. Remove from the pan. Transfer to a shallow dish or plate.

Prepare the chile-herb butter by combining the butter, chiles, and herbs in small bowl and blending with a wooden spoon until smooth and well mixed. Place the butter on a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap, rolling the butter up in a tube shape. Refrigerate briefly while the filets are grilling.

To grill the filets, lightly oil each filet with canola oil then roll the filet in the spice blend until uniformly covered. Grill the filets over medium heat until browned on each side and cooked through to the middle, about 3 minutes per side.

Unroll the tube of butter and allow to soften briefly. Cut the butter crosswise into ½ inch thick rounds. Serve the filets hot from the grill topped with the chile-herb butter and Insanity Seafood Sauce or your favorite salsa.

Coconut Chicken with Yam Chips

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This recipe is from Fofo Voltaire of Caribbean Temptation, Inc.

Ingredients

Coconut Chicken:

  • 2 pounds chicken breast

  • 2 tablespoons vinegar

  • ¼ cup virgin olive oil

  • 2 packages of Caribbean Temptation spices (or your favorite spicy spice mix)

  • 1 cup diced onions

  • 2 cans coconut milk

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeds and stems removed, diced

  • ¼ cup of water

  • ½ cup white rum

Caribbean Yam Chips:

  • 2 pounds of yams

  • Vegetable Oil

Instructions

Coconut Chicken:

Remove the skin and cut the chicken into ½ inch cubes. Place the chicken into a bowl with vinegar, add one quart of cold water, rinse chicken and drain all remaining water.

Combine oil, 2 packages of Caribbean Spices, and chicken in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, until golden brown.

Add red bell pepper, onion, coconut milk, water and rum. Cover for fifteen minutes on medium high heat.

Serve over crispy salad with Yam chips (see below) or steamed potatoes

Yam Chips:

Wash yams (leave skin on) and slice medium. Fill a skillet or deep fryer half full with vegetable oil and heat to 375 degrees. Deep fry the yams for three minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle Caribbean spice of your choice or salt.

 

Penne Pasta with Chipotle Salsa Vodka Cream Sauce

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This recipe is from John Hard of CaJohn’s Fiery Foods.

Ingredients

  • 2 (16 ounce) jars chipotle salsa

  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream

  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

  • ¼ teaspoon dried leaf basil

  • ¼ cup vodka

  • 1 (16 ounce) box mini penne pasta (prepared according to manufacturer’s directions)

  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place 1½ jars of the salsa in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Pour into a high walled skillet and add the basil, oregano and remaining salsa. Bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the heavy whipping cream and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes whisking often. Turn off the heat and add the vodka, stirring well

Place the prepared pasta in a large bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and toss. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese and serve.

Pepita-Grilled Venison Chops

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Here is a tasty grilled dish featuring native New World game, chiles, and tomatoes, plus pepitas–toasted pumpkin or squash seeds. Garlic is not native to the New World, but is given here as a substitute for wild onions, which the people of Cerén would have known.

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons pepitas

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon red chile powder

  • ½ cup tomato paste

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar

  • 4 thick-cut venison chops, or substitute thick lamb chops

Instructions

Puree all the ingredients, except the venison, in a blender. Paint the chops with this mixture and marinate at room temperature for an hour.

Grill the chops over a charcoal and piñon wood fire until done, basting with the remaining marinade.

Ceren Beans

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Three varieties of beans were found beneath the ash in the village kitchens of Cerén. Certainly they were boiled, and since they are bland, they were undoubtedly combined with other ingredients, including chiles and primitive tomatoes. The Cerén villagers would have used peccary fat for the lard and bacon, and of course would not have had cumin. But they probably would have used spices such as Mexican oregano.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked pinto beans (either canned or simmered for hours until tender)

  • 1 onion, minced

  • 2 tablespoons lard, or substitute vegetable oil

  • 5 slices bacon, minced

  • 3/4 cup chorizo sausage

  • 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  • 6 serrano chiles, stems removed, minced

  • 1 teaspoon cumin (or substitute Mexican oregano)

Instructions

Saute the beans and onion in the lard or oil for about five minutes, stirring constantly. In another skillet, saute the bacon and chorizo together. Drain.

Combine the beans and onion with the drained bacon and chorizo in a pot, add the other ingredients, and simmer for 30 minutes.