Crab Boiling, Curry Fouling, Spaghetti Squashing

My daughter Jazmin can cook!  This September I was served dinner by a budding master chef. For real, she has been cooking since she was a little girl, always stirring pots. She learned most of her cooking skills from her grandma Bessie, since she spent so much time with her while I was off making the bacon.  She also planned dinner parties with well thought-out menus, that included all courses, with desserts. We had dishes like spaghetti squash, turkey meatballs, crab boil, tacos, curry, salads, and breakfast sweat potatoes.

Gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands.

Spaghetti squash is a good alternative to pasta, potatoes, or rice. The cooked squash flesh shreds into threads like thin spaghetti or vermicelli, hence its name. On average, a spaghetti squash measures about 12 inches in length and about 6 inches in diameter. The squash should be an even light yellow color and firm with no bruises. Store whole at room temperature up to 3 weeks. Spaghetti squash is available year-round with peak season in fall.

Spaghetti squash has a very mild flavor, thus it is usually served with a sauce of some sort. It may also be enjoyed simply with salt and a bit of butter. Cooking the squash is very simple.

Turkey Taco & Avocado Slices

Black Beans

Tossed Salad

 

Taco’s (ground turkey, taco seasoning, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, Limón)  corn tortilla shells, black beans.

 

 Crab, Cajun Shrimp, Corn Cob Boil 

½ cup vinegar

½ cup water

½ cup OLD BAY Seasoning

1 dozen crabs legs

1 lb. shrimp (Cajun seasoned shrimp)

Corn on a cob (leave in husk)

 Pot should have raised, rack minimum 2” high. Add equal quantities water and vinegar to just below level of rack. Layer crabs sprinkle each layer with OLD BAY. Cover and steam until crabs are red.  In a saucepan combine first 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp stir gently. Cover steam until tender about 3-5 minutes. Drain remove shells.

TIPS:

Make your own seasoning for seafood and chicken dishes.

Ingredients: Celery seed, Salt, Spices (including mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice (pimento) ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon) and paprika.

ADD 2 TSP.  OLD BAY to 1 lb groundbeef to create sizzling burgers.

Sprinkle OLD BAY generously on French fries, corn-on-cob, steamed veggies and even popcorn!

Curried Foul

Ethiopian Cabbage Dish

Red Beans and Rice

So here’s a healthy recipe that you can have ready if you prep the foul, remove skin, season and place in crock pot to stew. Stir in curry mix well and cook in a crockpot, for 2 to 3 hours (until foul is tender)

Curried Foul

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard/rye seeds

Half teaspoon cumin

1 large onion chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1 can foul drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon curry powder

Half teaspoon chili powder

Salt

1 cup tomato puree (optional)

1 cup water

 Method:

Heat half the oil on medium heat in a pan and fry onions till light brown. Remove. Add the onion and garlic and fry for half a minute. Add stewed foul and stir. Add the curry powder, chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes till the sauce thickens. Serve with rice (we had it with red beans and rice) or quinoa or couscous

Ethiopian Cabbage Dish

1/2 cup olive oil

4 carrots, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 head cabbage, shredded

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Red Beans and Rice

2 cups dried red beans

1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

2 teaspoons salt

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced (turkey)

 Directions:

-Pick over the dried beans, and soak them in water overnight. The next day, drain off the soaking water, and place the beans in a large pot or slow cooker. Cover with water, and stir in the dried garlic and onion, salt, bay leaf, sugar, cayenne pepper, celery seed, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes.
-Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 hours.
-Stir in the smoked sausage, simmer for 20 more minutes, and serve.