June 26th - Pappadeux - Filling and Abundant but rather bland

As I mentioned, vacation blog posts will be briefer than usual.  We had a 6 hour layover in Houston Airport.  D refused to eat in the food court.  I don't know why.  The food courts, multiple at this airport are quite a bit more varied than any in Canada where you get a choice of Sbarro's and Tim Hortons... more or less.

In any case, D insisted we find somewhere to sit down.    We chose the Pappadeux in the international terminal. There was bound to be seafood for me considering it is easily spotted from any terminal by the truck-sized Crawfish head protruding from the ceiling.

We waited 15 minutes for seating despite being told it would be 5 minutes.  There were several empty tables that simply needed bussing that sat empty and dirty for a good 10 minutes while the line in the cramped waiting area grew and grew.

It was quite expensive given the fayre of fried food but we were at an airport, I guess.

I had the Maryland Lump Crabcakes on Sauteed Crawfish in a Butter Tarragon Sauce and D had
Crawfish Platter with Crawfish Etouffee and Fried Crawfish.  I enjoyed my dish.  The Crabmeat was real and decent quality.  Though I thought the breading was rather factory-esque.  The Crawfish below were nicely flavoured, not over seasoned and the sauce was tasty.  I was disappointed that none of my food was at all spicy though it was cajun and hot sauce was not already sitting at the table nor offered defacto.

D did no enjoy his dish. The fried Crawfrish were shelled and might as well have been breaded popcorn fish.  The Etouffee was odd but much better than the fried Crawfish.   All in all, not my best experience in airport food.  The servings were decent though the temperature could have been better and spicier.

Cost: $$$
Ambiance: TGIFriday's like
Staff: Friendly but slow

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Houston Airport
3798 N Terminal Rd Spc 23
Houston, TX 77032
(281) 821-7684
www.pappadeaux.com

Jan 30th - Seafood Gumbo

I think my version of this dish is somewhere between cajun and creole. So it's not classic but it's is very good simple to make. It does take time but it is not complex. I use the cajun trinity or mire pois but I don't use chicken or sausage. The ROUX or cooked oil/flour base is common as is the okra. The okra is what the dish is named for from the african word for Okra. The long cook time reduces what some people fear about the veg, that slight slimey-ness. I like it spicy and piping hot!

Seafood Gumbo

1/2 c vegetable oil1/2 c flour1 c diced celery (2 stalks)
1 c diced carrot (1 med/large carrot)

1 c diced bell pepper

1 c diced onion (1 small or half medium)

1 diced tomato fresh

4 cloves garlic
2 jalapenyos
2 c vegetable broth (1/2 - 1T seasalt if unsalted)
1 large tin tomatoes chopped
2 c okra chopped in 1 inch pieces

1 t dried sage
1 t dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 T dried parsley
1 T worchest. sauce
2-3 t tobasco sauce2 lb mixed seafood(we used a mixture of shrimp, cod, scallops, squid, mussels)

1-2 chopped scallions (green onion)

In a large dutch oven (large heavy pot), heat the oil on medium/high. Sprinkle in the flour as you whisk. Whisk until smooth. Whisk every couple of minutes until the ROUX turns a caramel colour (20 minutes). You may be tempted to chicken out early when it's just a light tan colour which is acceptable but the depth of flavour in cajun or southern cooking comes from the darkness of the roux. Be brave and watch it. If it burns and you see alot of black specks, start over.

Add the onions, carrots, pepper and celery. Stir and cook for a few minutes until tender. It will seem goopy but that's okay. Keep stirring. Add the okra. Cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno. Don't scorch the garlic.

Add the tomatoes, tin tomatoes and broth. Add the spices, and the seasoning. Stir and combine well. Turn the heat down to a low simmer. Simmer covered for at least 2 hours. This will bring out the herbs and spices and deepen the flavour of the roux.

After 2 hours add the seafood. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve as is or on top of rice.

YUMMO.

Preparation is alot of chopping. Cooking takes patience but I like involved evolving flavours like stews and marinades. Serve with your favourite hot sauce on the side if you need more kick. Don't use a smoky chipotle sauce tho. It changes the whole flavour profile.

We had a Palazzo Del Torre 2005, fantastic.

Catch-up - Dec 20th - Christmas Pecan and Walnut Shortbread

Every Christmas, I make the holiday goodies. I have been doing this self-imposed duty for years. For a few years, my sister would at least help me by doing the decorations. Well, as she flies in so rarely now, she was doing the rounds and dropped her decorating duty this year. The thing is, I don't really care if they're decorated or not. O has always been the one with the collection of sprinkles stored at mom and dad's that she breaks out when I bake.

I was tempted this year not to bake. I had already made alot of cookies in Vancouver before going home to Toronto and was pretty full up with shortbread. I stopped making the fudge and truffles when I seemed to be the only one eating them. I didn't bother with my favourite pumpkin cheesecake for the same reason. See mom gets excited when we come home and stuffs the cupboards full of her korean goodies and won't let us eat a single leftover so she can cook us our favourites when we're home. But the cookies, I did. It wouldn't be Christmas, ... if I didn't gain 5 lbs.

This is an extension of the base recipe. I replaced the use of the vanilla with Kalhua. It didn't taste as strong as I would have like. I would double it and so that's what you're going to see in the recipe.

Pecan and Walnut Christmas Shortbread

1 lb butter room temperature
1 c sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar
1 t salt
2 T Kalhua
4 c flour
1 c chopped pecans
1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 325. Place racks at the 1/3 and 2/3 positions so they are equidistant from the top and bottom and you can bake two sheets at a time.

Use non stick pans or line the pans with the parchement paper.

Beat the butter and sugar until even.

Add the Kalhua or 1t vanilla extract and salt stir.

With the mixer on stir, add the flour carefully 1/2 - 1 cup at a time. When you have all the flour in turn up the speed briefly. Don't over beat because you don't want chewy but without water and all that butter, it shouldn't happen.

With the mixer on stir, add the nuts. Fold / stir untili evenly combine.

Line a shallow sheet pan with plastic wrap. In handfuls, spread the dough out and evenly press out on the pan, 3/4 cm thick (1/4 inch) Chill until firm. Now you could just chill and roll out but I was trying to minimise the mess. It was December in Toronto so I put the pan, covered, outside for 15 minutes.

Turn out onto a large cutting surface. Cut out shapes as you like. Try to cut them close to each other to save you time later. Decorate and place on baking sheet.

When all the dough is cut, (2 dozen or so) roll the dough back together. I decided to save time because this makes ALOT of cookies, to just roll a log and cut slices for the next batches.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes. Turn half way. Don't let brown.

Cool on racks and keep in wax paper lined tins. Keeps and gets better every day for weeks. MMMM