Old Friends & Shrimp!

Today my wife and I spent the majority of the morning and afternoon at a food show in Detroit. The typical food show with lots of cooks, chefs, restaurant owners and yes; lots of food. The best part of a large annual food show, this one was hosted by US Food Service, is meeting old friends. Not just those you see from your regional area that you talk to or see at functions from time to time. But, those you only talk to on occasion or see every year or so. Today we a treat. I meet an old business friend that is the Regional Sales Manager for Contessa Premium Foods, Michael Blight. We did the customary shop talk and reminisce of other times we saw each other. Times like the American Culinary Federation national conventions and other culinary events. Today's visit with Michael brought to mind several great recipes using shrimp, and of course, Contessa's shrimp would be my shrimp of choice. Here is a recipe I love making using the 36/40 size shrimp.

Shrimp Stew

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup of chopped celery

4 tablespoons of oil

1 3/4 cups of 36/40 peeled and deveined shrimp

3 1/2 cups of water

3 tablespoons of flour

1 tablespoon of liquid browning sauce (like Kitchen Bouquet)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute onions, bell peppers and celery in oil; add shrimp and simmer five minutes on a low heat. Add three cups of the water and bring to a boil. Mix flour and one-half cup of the water until it is smooth; add to the shrimp mixture. Reduce heat and continue stirring until thoroughly mixed; add liquid browning sauce and simmer 15 minutes. I like this served over steamed white rice.

This tasty recipe is from the Acadiana Profile, the Magazine of the Cajun Country in Louisiana. This recipe from Mollie Prince of the Ascension Parish.

Sausage Products Recalled

Wisconsin Firm Recalls Cured UncoLabel, recalled product oked Sausage Products Due To Mislabeling and an Undeclared Allergen

WASHINGTON, September 24, 2010 - Mekong Fresh Meats, a Mosinee, Wis., establishment, is recalling approximately 29,893 pounds of cured uncooked pork ginger sausages because they contain an undeclared allergen, wheat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Wheat is a known allergen, which is not declared on the label.

The products subject to recall include: MEKON Fresh Meats Inc.

* 5-lb. bags of "CURED UNCOOKED PORK GINGER SAUSAGE 50 PCS."
* 16-ounce packages of "CURED UNCOOKED PORK GINGER SAUSAGE."
* 20-ounce packages of "CURED UNCOOKED PORK GINGER SAUSAGE."
* 32-ounce packages of "CURED UNCOOKED PORK GINGER SAUSAGE."


Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 27488A" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The sausage products were produced between June 21, 2010 and September 21, 2010. These products were distributed to retail establishments in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

The problem was discovered by FSIS during a labeling review at the establishment. FSIS and the company have received no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an allergic reaction should contact a physician.

The Creole Roux

Butter Roux

Butter roux was made in early New Orleans by the Creoles. They had access to volumes of butter from vendors in the marketplace. Cajuns traditionally used butter on hot French bread, and they considered it wasteful to use good butter in a roux.

Potentially Dangerous Bacteria Found

Crab meat products recalled!
From Rick Martin, CNN
September 19, 2010 3:33 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- An Oregon seafood company is recalling packaged crab meat products after testing revealed some products contained bacteria that could cause serious or fatal infections.

Hallmark Fisheries, based in Charleston, Oregon, is recalling crab meat sold under brand names Hallmark, Peacock, Quality Ocean International and Yaquina Bay.

Recalled products come in 5-pound cans, 1-pound vacuum packs, 1-pound plastic tubs and 8-ounce plastic tubs, according to a company press release.

The meat was distributed in California, Nevada and Oregon, mainly to food service companies.

The company said routine testing revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, "an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems."

Healthy people can suffer short-term symptoms, but the bacteria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths for pregnant women.

Consumers can find a list of the product codes involved in the recall at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website.

Hallmark has stopped crab production at its Charleston facility and was investigating what caused the problem, the release said.

Customers can return recalled products to the place of purchase for a refund.

Carolina Rub

BBQ season is slowing winding down and there is still time to do some serious outdoor cooking. Try this rub for that low country flavor on pork chops or pork loin.

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Rub the pork with the spice mixture and let stand 10 minutes. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking oil spray. Grill 4 minutes. Turn pork; grill 2 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce and grill 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Serve this with Cole slaw and grilled sweet corn for an outstanding outdoor cooking experience.

Cooked Beef Product Recall

Recall Notification Report
CLASS III RECALL FSIS-RC-052-2010
Sep 13, 2010

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2010 - Sampco, Inc., a Chicago, Ill., establishment is recalling approximately 258,000 pounds of cooked beef products that were imported from an ineligible Brazilian establishment, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Brazilian establishment SIF 337 was delisted on May 6, 2010 after repeat violative levels of the animal drug Ivermectin were confirmed in its products. FSIS has recently determined that eight lots of product from Brazilian establishment SIF 337 have been shipped into commerce despite the firm's ineligible status. As a result, FSIS and Sampco, Inc. are taking action to remove the products from commerce. Consumers who have purchased any of these products should return them to their point of purchase.

The following products are subject to recall:

* 12-ounce cans of "Libby Corned Beef" bearing a production code "100315U," "100316U," "100322U," or "100326U." These products were sent to distribution centers in Florida, and Pennsylvania for retail sales.
* 7-ounce pouches "Brushy Creek Shredded Beef" bearing a production code "100121," "100128," "100129," "100308,"or "100322." These products were sent to distribution centers in Missouri, New Jersey, and Ohio, for retail sales.
* 10-ounce "Brushy Creek Roast Beef" bearing a production code "100226," "100309," or "100311." These products were sent to distribution centers in California, Missouri, New Jersey, and Texas for retail sales.
* 12-ounce cans of "Kroger Corned Beef" bearing a production code "100224U." These products were sent to distribution centers in Indiana for retail sales.

A tour of the Whitehouse!

Top Chef Competition

Copyright: Howard County Times
September 2, 2010

The Atholton High School students whose buffalo chicken wrap won the Howard County schools' Top Chef competition in 2009 were invited to tour the White House last weekend. The students were invited on the tour after an aide to first lady Michelle Obama read about the Howard County contest (which challenged high school culinary students to create a healthy entree to be added to school lunch offerings) and saw how the effort aligns with the first lady's Let's Move! program.

Read more: CLICK HERE