Spanish, Exercises, Cooking, The Highwaymen, Gumbo.

You may remember I am learning Spanish and last night, I was still doing lessons at gone midnight. By the time I had finished, I really didn't want to blog and anyway hadn't a lot to write about, so, sorry, being lazy.

Not that I have a lot to write about today, I had a thoroughly lazy day really. I didn't even go to exercise class, slap hand and go to bed with no tea. My excuse was I was hurting, my reason was I was again being lazy. I just seem to have been on the go lately.

Admittedly Thursday I spent a lot of time making cole slaw. Easy if you are fit, tiring and painful if you are not. Today I made the shrimp and leek recipe I posted on September 25. We both enjoyed it. Matt wasn't too sure at first,  but after he had been eating it for a bit, he decided he liked it. I liked it from the start. Of course it has no spiciness too it which maybe what threw him off. It is really easy to make, I wasn't sure at first, but it was. I cooked the pasta in the Instant Pot of course, then I can forget about it until it's done and concentrate on the rest of the recipe. It is certainly a recipe I will be making again although of course we have leftovers already. Probably eat them Sunday depending on what I decide to cook for Saturday night.

I was wondering, in bed last night thinking about it, does anyone ever cook my recipes? If you don't, you are really missing out on some good nosh.

We just watched "The Highwaymen", with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Chris Christopherson. I could name all of them except Waylon Jennings. We are not supposed to be Country Music fans but we both thoroughly enjoyed the concert and I certainly was familiar with most of the songs. I would love to get the DVD, but not at $50 something. Lot more on the TV of course as they were fund raising once more.

Well, getting pretty late again, did my Spanish earlier, so this is it for tonight.

I haven't made a gumbo since we came back from the Carolinas. This recipe turned up today on MyRecipes.com and I thought, why not. Saving it I noticed they said frozen okra, sorry, I would not use that unless I had to. I haven't seen okra for a while, but there must be somehwere I can get it.

Smoky Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo

Freeze leftover stock up to three months, and use for chowder or risotto.

Stock:
1 lb unpeeled medium shrimp
8 cups water
1 tsp black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large celery stalks, chopped
3 bay leaves
3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
Gumbo:
6 Tbs canola oil, divided
2.25 oz all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups finely chopped white onion
1 Tbs Creole seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen cut okra
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups hot cooked brown rice

1. To prepare the stock, peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells. Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise; cover shrimp, and refrigerate.

2. Combine reserved shrimp shells, 8 cups water, and next 6 ingredients (through onion) in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Set aside 3 cups stock; keep warm. Reserve the remaining shrimp stock for another use.

3. To prepare the gumbo, heat a large cast-iron skillet over low heat; add 1/4 cup canola oil. Cook for 2 minutes, swirling to coat pan. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Gradually add flour to oil, stirring constantly with a whisk until smooth. Increase heat to medium; cook for 8 minutes or until the flour mixture is caramel-colored, stirring frequently. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture is chestnut-colored, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; slowly add warm shrimp stock, stirring until smooth. Pour stock mixture into a large bowl.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 7 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add onion and the next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); sauté for 3 minutes. Return stock mixture to pan; add broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.

5. Add okra and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper). Simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Combine shrimp and paprika; toss to coat shrimp. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shrimp; sauté for 2 minutes or until the shrimp are done. Stir shrimp into okra mixture. Discard bay leaves. Serve over rice.

Servings: 8

Source: Cooking Light

Have a great weekend.