Tag: Southern Cooking

Crispy Fried Shrimp – Southern Restaurant Secrets

Fried ShrimpFried Shrimp at it’s Finest!

Oh I love me some Fried Shrimp.  Popcorn Shrimp, Jumbo Fried Shrimp or Coconut Shrimp, lay it on me. I won’t complain.  And in all honesty I don’t really have a favorite.  In fact the worst thing for me is the shell peeling and that’s just because it’s tedious.  But, it’s got to be done and it’s really easy to do if you know the technique.  But when it comes to Southern Fried Shrimp, you’r going to want to use a larger shrimp, jumbos even, and you’re going to need to leave on the tail for dipping.

This recipe is very simplistic and very easy for anyone to follow, based on very basic seasonings most everyone already has, right in their own kitchen.  Sure it can be perverted and spiced up like some kind of secret chicken recipe but it isn’t really necessary, unless you’ve just gotta have more kick.  But that’s entirely up to you.  Flour, Salt and Pepper, some Paprika and an egg wash with hot sauce will set your pallet off after you’ve fried these crustaceans!

Southern Fried Shrimp Ingredients:

2 lbs pealed Shrimp
2 cups Flour
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Paprika

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp Hot Sauce (Louisiana hot sauce is great)

Oil for Frying (I use Peanut Oil)

Peel and de-vein your shrimp.  Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet in another.  Place the shrimp in the dry ingredients first, then in the spicy egg wash and back into the flour a second time.  Fry at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until golden brown.  Be sure the oil is hot and don’t over crowd the fryer.  I eat Southern Fried Shrimp with or without cocktail sauce.

Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie

Southwestern Chicken Pot PieSouthwestern Chicken Pot Pie White Lie!

I thought I was a genius when I first came up with the Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie, but as it turns out, I didn’t come up with it.  Here I was, making Southwestern Egg Rolls for the family and toying with the notion of filming them, which I didn’t,  then later that evening, I was scrolling through Pinterest when I saw a picture of a traditional Chicken Pot Pie made with Grands Flaky Layer Biscuits.  Needless to say, that’s the exact moment lightning struck my brain.  Southwest BlendSouthwestern Chicken Pot Pie!  I even knew how I was going to make it.  But did I do any research before it was done?  The answer isn’t just no, it’s Hell No!  I was sure my idea was so ingenious that I was just going to pave the way to a new Frontier Pie.  Boy was I wrong.  The only real reassuring and comforting thing I can say after discovering other recipes for the same thing is that my recipe tasted great, and I didn’t consult with any book or anyone to make it, and it was exactly how I envisioned it!  So check out the video and the ingredients below and hopefully you’ll be convinced to try this for yourself next time you’re craving a homemade Pot Pie.

Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients:

1 bag Southwest Blend or 2 cups of assorted Black Beans, Corn, Onion and Peppers
3 chopped Boneless Chicken Thighs
2 Puff Pastry Sheets (Puff Pastry sheets should be thawed 40 Minutes in advance)
2 Cups Chicken Stock or Bouillon
1 thawed and strained Frozen Spinach
1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Flour
2 shakes of Garlic Powder (1 for veggies and 1 for the chicken)
Chopped Cilantro and Parsley (optional)
Oil for frying
 

Combine all the vegetables first and season with Garlic Powder and 1/2 tsp of the Chili Powder.  Prepare and Cook the Chicken in 1/8 cup cooking oil and season with the rest of the dry seasonings, then combine the cooked chicken with the Southwest Blend.  Using the same skillet melt 1 tbsp butter, add 3 tbsp flour, stir to form a light Roux, then slowly add 2 cups of Chicken Stock to make a gravy, then poor the gravy into the Southwest Blend.  Now fit one Puff Pastry Sheet to a well greased pie tin and trim the edges.  Add the Southwest Blend to the pie until it reaches the Brim.  Fit the Second Puff Pastry Sheet over the top and press the edges firmly in a circular motion around the pie to combine the top and bottom crust.  Again, trim the edges, then oil the top or egg wash and cut 3 small slits in the center of the Pastry dough for baking ventilation.  Bake the Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown, and serve.