Weekend Company {Guest Blogger Shantell}

Welcome to the weekend! Are you as happy as I am that we made it through another week? And hard to believe, another month! Today is the first day of Spring Break for us, and I don't know who is more excited, Alex or I! We are both looking forward to some down time and having a fun week with each other. I hope you have a fabulous weekend, and thanks for including EMM in it! Now please welcome Shantell, a wonderful friend whom I am so happy to have sharing a fantastic recipe with us; and for those who don't know about it yet, a phenomenal company too! So be sure to visit their site soon, and say hi on Facebook too!

Mr. Pete's Cajun Spices is a family-owned operation offering authentic Cajun flavors. Our Cajun Spices are truly made with the very heart of Mr. Pete. My father began creating his special blends, and allowed me and my wife to take over the business. We are greatful for his faith in our ability to promote his products, but even moreso that he trusts us to represent him. Our passion for food has made our dreams come true to offer these flavors to many people across the world. We are very proud of our creations; and know that once you try it, you'll Get Hooked On It!!!  

Once upon a time on the bayou, there lived Mr. Pete, his wife, and their five children. Mr. Pete was fortunate enough to be able to raise his family doing what he loved… cooking. The people on the bayous loved eating; so it seemed suiting that he would open a restaurant serving authentic Cajun dishes for the community. 

During the creation of his menu, he became frustrated. Seafood is a large part of Louisiana culture. He would definitely have to include many of the popular dishes that the Cajun folks would expect. However, his menu would not be complete at any time during its opening. Unfortunately, seafood is not always available. You have different seasons that offer different types of seafood. For instance, although oysters are harvested year round, the saltiest oysters are only fished during the winter months. There are two seasons for shrimp, the brown shrimp season in May and the white shrimp season in August. Crabs are mostly available in the summer months, but can be found at various times. Crawfish are limited, only being offered in the Spring and early summer months. Therefore, Mr. Pete’s menu was always a work in progress. Even when the time wasn’t quite right for crawfish, the customers would still ask about Mr. Pete’s Crawfish stew. It was his most requested dish, and rightfully so. The flavors and seasoning blends combined with that wonderful seafood we Cajuns love, this meal is both filling and satisfying.  

Each day, Mr. Pete would arrive in his kitchen and begin cutting his vegetables and preparing some amazing dishes. He would slowly cook the meals daily, so that his customers could enjoy fresh and flavorful foods. I took great pride in watching my father and learning from him. He has shared his recipe for Crawfish stew with me; and I am honored to share it with you as well.

Crawfish Stew

1/2 cup cooking oil                                                                           1 TBS minced garlic

3/4 cup flour                                                                                      5oz. of Rotel

6 cups water                                                                                      1 lb. potatoes, cubed

1/2 lb. onions                                                                                     1 lbs. crawfish (boiled)

1/2 cup diced celery                                                                        1 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup diced bell pepper

1 ½ TBS Sea Salt

1 ½ TBS Mr. Pete’s Cajun Seasoning

Hot Sauce (according to your tastes)

In a stock pot, heat cooking oil to 350 degrees and add flour slowly constantly stirring. You are going to be creating a roux. Continue stirring until the roux has reached a dark golden brown color, which colors and thickens your stew. Once you have achieved the correct color, add water. Bring the mixture to a boil; then add the onions, celery, and bell pepper (also known as Cajun trinity). Also add the garlic and Rotel (or mixture of tomatoes and peppers). Cook over medium/high heat for 45 minutes.

Add your potatoes to the stew. At boiling, cook an additional 10 minutes. Add crawfish and spices to stew and stir well. At boiling, cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the green onions, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes before serving over rice with your choice of side dish. Ca C'est Bon!

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