Pasta & Rice

Low Country Gumbo

Serves 4-6

¼ lb chicken thighs, skinned and bone removed. Dice into ¼” pieces

½ lb sausage, andouille or breakfast. Not Polish. Cooked.

4 tb butter

1 onion, diced

1 tb minced garlic

2 stalks celery, diced

1 red and 1 green bell pepper, diced

2 tb flour

1 tb Low Country seafood boil seasoning. substitute Old Bay or Cajun

2 cups good chicken stock

2 cups diced tomatoes, can or in the box-Pomi

2 tb fresh thyme, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 tb sugar, if needed

8-10 fresh okra, chopped or diced zucchini

1 cup corn

Worcestershire

Crystal hot sauce

1 bunch scallions, diced for garnish

2 cups of Basmati rice, cooked. Regular white rice will do

Melt the butter over medium in a large non-reactive pot or pan

Cook onions, with a healthy pinch of salt until translucent

Add chicken and brown on both sides

Add garlic and celery and cook 1 minute

Add peppers and cook another minute

Add flour and seafood seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes

Turn heat to high. Add stock, thyme, bay leaves and sausage

Deglaze and bring to a simmer.

Cook for 5-7 minutes

Add okra and corn and remove from heat

Season with hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt and pepper

Serve over rice and garnish with chopped scallions**

** remove bay leaves first

Greek Pasta With Shrimp

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp minced garlic
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 ½ cups canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped, seeded tomatoes
3 tb lemon juice
3 tb chopped, fresh parsley
2 tb chopped, fresh oregano
2 tb chopped olives for garnish
12 oz angel hair or linguine
Cook pasta in salted water
While pasta is cooking heat oil in large pan over medium heat
Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds
Add shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes
Add remaining ingredients and sauté for an additional 2 minutes(reserve some chopped parsley for garnish)
Season with salt and pepper
Pour over cooked pasta in a large serving bowl
Toss and serve with olives and remaining parsley as garnish
You can also add some dry white wine before you add the shrimp.
Let it boil off for a minute or so before adding shrimp


Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Spice Rub

1 tb kosher salt
1 tb black pepper
1 tb onion powder
1 tb garlic powder
2 tb cayenne pepper
2 ½ tb paprika
1 tb dried oregano
1 tb dried thyme

don’t’ use ground for the thyme and oregano

Mix well and store in an airtight container away from light. Goes well on everything

Cajun Chicken Pasta


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat, 1” dice
extra virgin olive oil
green bell pepper, diced
red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 green onions, tops only, diced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
parsley, chopped for garnish
black olives, chopped, for garnish
green onion tops, diced for garnish
penne pasta
Cajun seasoning
Salt for pasta water

Season water for pasta and bring to a boil. Do not add oil. The sauce won’t cling to the pasta. Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking heat 1 Tb oil in large heavy skillet over medium to medium high heat. Coat chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning and cook until done. Remove cooked chicken to large bowl. Add 1 Tb oil to pan and add peppers, garlic and shallots. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and green onions and cook for 1 minute. Remove vegetables to bowl with chicken. Turn down heat to medium low and add cream. Reduce by 1/3 while stirring. After cream has reduced add some Parmesan to thicken. Return chicken and vegetables to sauce and heat through about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over well drained pasta and garnish with remaining Parmesan, olives, parsley and green onions.

Serves 4