Sunny's Kitchen (22 page)

2
Cook the vegetables.
Add the bell pepper, garlic, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper to the pan. Cook until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the corn, lima beans, pearl onions, hot sauce, and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

3
Finish and serve.
Stir in the crab and cook just 1 minute more, then add the reserved bacon. Taste and season with a pinch of salt, if needed.

 

tip!
Canned or jarred tuna works great here in place of the crab. The types of beans and vegetables are also interchangeable.

m
eaty tilapia holds up to the hopped-up flavors in my easy beer-batter recipe. Other meaty fish work well, but farm-raised tilapia is easy to find year-round and the fishy level is low, so it pleases people. If cooking just for yourself, use what you like, but don’t leave out the fries—this is the standard pairing with fried fish across the pond. Mine are fluffy and light due to the soaking-then-frying method. Sprinkle on some heat after frying and enjoy a perfect combination.
SERVES 4

1
Season the tilapia.
Brush both sides of the tilapia with lemon juice. Season both sides with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

2
Make the beer batter.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, beer, lemon zest, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Whisk together. The texture should be a bit thicker than pancake batter.

3
Dredge and fry the tilapia.
In a Dutch oven, large pot, or fryer, pour enough oil to deep-fry and heat it to 360°F. When you add the fish, the temperature will settle at 350°F.; try to keep it there by adjusting the heat. Line up your dredging station right next to the pot—put a bit of flour in a large bowl next to the batter. When the oil is ready, first coat the fish with flour and shake off the excess, then dunk it in the beer batter and immediately into the oil. Repeat, working in batches to keep the temperature at 350°F. Remove the fish when golden and cooked through. Time will vary per piece, but each batch will take 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the fish to a paper towel–lined plate. Serve with cajun frites.

1
Prep the potatoes.
Put the potato planks in a resealable plastic bag or large bowl and cover with water. Rest at least 2 hours.

2
Fry the potatoes.
Remove the potatoes from the water and rinse, then dry them with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. In a Dutch oven, large pot, or fryer, add the garlic cloves and pour enough oil to deep-fry and heat it to 260°F. When you add the potatoes, the temperature will settle at 250°F.; try to keep it there by adjusting the heat. Add the potatoes in batches and fry until limber and light golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack to cool. When all the potatoes are done, remove the garlic cloves and raise the oil temperature to 365°F. The temperature should rest at 350°F. during the second frying. In batches, fry the potato planks again until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with Old Bay and a pinch of sea salt and serve with mayonnaise dressing, for dipping.

 

tips!
Don’t have beer? Use seltzer water instead.
•
Other great fish to fry are cod, haddock, or any meaty fish.

w
hen I began working at HOT 97 in New York, N.O.R.E. was one of the first people I met. He was nice, welcoming, and one of the more fun rappers to interview. Throughout my four years at that radio station, he was a constant, performing at station events or inviting me to hear new music in his studio. I always showed up with food, then one day, he requested a gumbo with no pork or okra, and he had a list of specific ingredients. This was my first-ever recipe request. So here it is. A gumbo with lump crabmeat, jumbo shrimp, and oysters. Serve this with plain white rice and a glass of pinot grigio, just like N.O.R.E.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Build the flavor.
Heat the butter and oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, a pinch of salt, and few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the veggies are softened and slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add the filé powder, bay leaf, cayenne, paprika, thyme, and oregano and cook until combined and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until it turns a deeper red color, about 5 minutes. Add the seafood stock and taste; add more salt if needed. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

2
Add the fish and seafood.
Ten minutes before serving, add the haddock and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat. Cook until the shrimp and oysters become opaque, another 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Finish with a few shakes of hot sauce and serve over rice with a sprinkle of filé powder.

i
’ve made this dish as a whole side of salmon, wrapping the entire side in puff pastry, but I love the individual pockets. I’m often in search of ways to make classics a bit different, and if I’m already doing the puff, why beef it up when I can have salmon instead? I make a quick duxelles, or mushroom mixture, kept earthy with fresh thyme and garlic, then finish with a light note of sour cream. This is a knockoff you can be proud of.
SERVES 4

1
Prepare the salmon.
Brush both sides of the salmon fillets with lemon juice and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2
Cook the spinach.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, 5 minutes. Add the spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice, tossing and cooking until the spinach is wilted. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

3
Cook the mushrooms.
In the same pan over medium heat combine the olive oil, mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are reduced and tender, about 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Set aside.

4
Assemble and bake.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Unroll the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Pass a rolling pin lightly over the pastry 2 or 3 times to seal the seams. With 3 swipes of a knife or pizza cutter, cut each pastry sheet into 4 equal rectangles along the width. Working with 4 of the strips, lightly prick the
bottoms with a fork. Place 1 heaping spoonful of the mushroom mixture in the center of each rectangle, top with one of the salmon fillets, then layer with a heaping spoonful of the spinach mixture. Wet the edges of the pastry with water and top the rectangles with the 4 remaining pastry pieces. Using a fork, press the tines into the dough to crimp the edges. Transfer to the lined baking sheet. Brush with the heavy cream. Cut three 1-inch diagonal slits in each pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Garnish with parsley.

 

tip!
To prepare these in advance for guests, assemble the pastries and freeze them uncooked on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 2 hours, then place in a resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month. Throw them in the refrigerator overnight, then rest them at room temperature for 2 hours before baking.