½ cup chili sauce, preferably Rojo ([>]) or another homemade variety
Dash of cider vinegar, optional
Serves 4
Rub the rabbit loins with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the cayenne over them lightly.
In a heavy skillet, warm the butter and oil together over medium-high heat. Sauté the loins until they are lightly browned and just cooked through, two minutes or less per side, depending on their size. With tongs, remove the rabbit loins to a platter, and keep them warm while preparing the sauce.
Reduce the heat to medium, and add the apple to the drippings, sauteing it briefly until the fruit is softened but still a little crunchy. Stir in the peanuts and the chili sauce, and heat the mixture through. Taste, and adjust the seasoning, adding a dash of vinegar to balance the sweetness if it is needed. The sauce should be thick and chunky.
Arrange two tenderloins each, sliced if you like, on four individual plates, and top each loin with a few spoonfuls of the sauce.
* * *
In The New Texas Wild Game Cookbook, Judith and Richard Morehead estimate that two million Texas hunters spend some $600 million a year on licenses, guns, transportation, clothing, camping equipment, ammunition, and other expenses of their sport.
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Roast Wild Turkey
The common holiday turkey, bred for white meat, is very different from the wild variety, which is now being farm-raised in various areas of the country. The wild ones have a dark, dense flesh, with a rich, almost smoky flavor, reminiscent of duck.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 canned chipotle chile, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 8- to 10-pound wild turkey, fresh or frozen
1½ cups unsalted turkey or chicken stock
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Serves 6 to 8
Start preparing the turkey the night before you plan to cook the bird. In a food processor or mixer, combine the butter with the garlic and other seasonings until the mixture is smooth. Loosen the turkey's skin with your fingers, being careful not to tear it. Rub the turkey inside and out with the butter, especially under the breast skin. Place the bird in a plastic garbage bag, and refrigerate it overnight.
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 1 hour before you plan to begin cooking it. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease the rack of a roasting pan.
Transfer the turkey breast-side down to the roasting pan. Roast it in this position for 1 hour, reducing the oven temperature to 325° F after the first 20 minutes. Turn the turkey breast-side up, using sturdy long-handled spoons. Again try to avoid tearing the skin or piercing the flesh. Baste the bird with some of the stock and accumulated pan juices. Allow a total roasting time of about 13 to 15 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 155° to 160° F. Continue basting every 20 to 30 minutes during the remaining roasting time. The breast can be covered with foil toward the end if it appears to be browning too quickly, but keep basting.
Take the turkey from the oven when it is done, tent it with foil, and let it sit for about 20 minutes before carving it. Add any remaining stock to the drippings, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the roasting pan, and pour the liquid into a small saucepan. Degrease the liquid. Bring it to a boil, and reduce it as needed to make a thin sauce that can be spooned over the bird like gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Slice the turkey thin, and serve it on a platter with the sauce. If you like, accompany the turkey with the dressing used in the recipe for Honey-Roast Quail with Cornbread Dressing ([>]).
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Technique Tip
Game shot in the wild reacts with an adrenaline surge that tightens the muscles. On all except the most tender cuts of store-bought venison, use a soak to loosen muscle fibers and draw out some bodily fluids. Buttermilk is the best soak for most purchased meat, but for older, gamier animals you need a vinegar-water soak mixed in the proportion of a gallon of water to 1 tablespoon of salt and ¼ cup of vinegar. Place the venison in the liquid in a plastic bag, and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
* * *
* * *
Other wild game varieties eaten in Texas include rattlesnake, armadillo, squirrel, opossum, and javelina. For many years, the San Antonio Reptile Gardens at the Witte Museum served free fried rattlesnake every Sunday afternoon.
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* * *
Native to the Americas, turkeys used to roam freely in much of Texas and the United States. Even after being extensively hunted, they remained more common than chickens in some areas even in the early nineteenth century, and they often cost less to buy. Ben Franklin, always the sage, wanted them named the national bird.
* * *
Fish and Seafood
Here a while back there's a fellow telling another fellow 'bout how he caught a fish weighed 500 pounds. This other fellow told him, says, "Well, I caught one that had swallowed a coal oil lantern that was still burning." This fellow that had caught the big fish says, "I don't believe that." Second fellow says, "Well, you cut off part of your fish and I'll blow that lantern out."
Told by George Tull in The Loblolly Book II
Somehow it never mattered whether you liked fish. It didn't even matter if you actually caught one. The important thing was going to the river and bragging about your time there.
When it came to cooking and eating fish and seafood, many Texans turned up their noses, partially because until recent decades much of the available supply smelled. Galveston, Houston, and other settlements along the Gulf were the only places where you could count on freshness and variety, as well as any amount of ice, which had to be brought in by boat in the early years. Farther inland, Texans ate a little freshwater fish, but it wasn't a major part of their diet as long as cooking oils were limited to meat fats.
Despite the limitations, cooks along the coast gradually developed a strong seafood tradition, influenced by New Orleans and by the Texas propensity for frying anything that moves. With improvements in refrigeration, food processing, and vegetable oils, the Gulf style flourished and spread slowly around the state. Today, when a Texan talks big about fish, it's more likely to concern the one on the plate than the one that got away.
Bona Fide Fried Shrimp
Most of the fried shrimp in the United States looks and tastes like it was wiped off the bottom of a boot. Sometimes we think only Texans treat the dish seriously, particularly people like the Gaido brothers in Galveston, who have volunteered the frying tips below. This is a double-dip version, using both cornmeal and flour for a wonderful, crunchy coating.
2 pounds medium or large shrimp, peeled, with tails
1½ cups medium-grind cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons white pepper
1½ cups buttermilk
2
to
3 garlic cloves, minced
Several splashes of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce or pickled jalapeño brine
Oil for deep frying, preferably canola or peanut
Sassy Seafood Cocktail Sauce ([>])
Serves 4 to 6
Devein the shrimp if you wish. Definitely butterfly them, slicing down the curved lower side and pressing the shrimp open.
In one small paper sack, place the cornmeal; in another, the flour, paprika, and black and white pepper, shaking to combine everything. Measure the buttermilk into a small bowl, and add the garlic and Tabasco or other sauce to it.
Pour the oil into a heavy saucepan, filling the pan to a level of at least 4 inches, but no more than half full (to avoid the possibility of overflows during cooking). Heat the oil to 350° F. If the oil smokes before reaching the correct temperature, it cannot be used for deep frying. Use only fresh oil.
Plan to cook the shrimp in batches, coating only as many as will go into the pan at a time. Drop the shrimp in the bag of seasoned flour, shaking well to coat them thoroughly. Then remove the shrimp, shaking off any excess flour, dip them in the buttermilk, and shake them in the bag of cornmeal. Remove the shrimp, shaking off the excess cornmeal, and fry them 2 minutes, until they are golden brown. Drain them. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
Serve the shrimp immediately with the seafood cocktail sauce.
* * *
Paul and Mike Gaido's father opened the family's famous Galveston restaurant in 1911. Even in its early decades, Gaido's was the master fry house of the Texas Gulf, everyone's favorite stop for perfectly cooked fresh fish and seafood.
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* * *
Aransas Pass, Texas, calls itself the "Shrimp Capital of the World" and celebrates the title each September at its Shrimporee. We've always yearned to be a double winner at the event, taking both the shrimp-eating contest and the outhouse race.
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* * *
Technique Tips
Paul and Mike Gaido provide this advice about frying seafood and fish:
Batter-coat fish and seafood to seal in moisture. If you fry correctly, very little of the oil seeps into the food.
Don't use the same breading or coating indiscriminately for different fish and seafood. The idea is to match flavors and textures, which vary among the critters you're cooking.
Use a fresh vegetable oil for deep frying. At Gaido's Restaurant, the kitchen works with soybean oil, but any oil with a high smoking point, such as canola or peanut, is a good option.
Deep-fry fish and seafood at 350° F.
Never overcrowd the pan, or the temperature will drop substantially and you'll end up boiling your batter-coated fish instead of frying it. Always check the oil temperature before beginning a new batch.
* * *
Sassy Seafood Cocktail Sauce
This sauce is great for fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, or almost anything that once lived in the Gulf of Mexico. Use the suggested proportions as a guide, mixing, squeezing, and splashing in the ingredients until the flavor is right for you. If you want the sauce sassy, though, don't skimp on the horseradish and lime.
1½ cups ketchup
⅓ cup prepared horseradish
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Splash or two of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
Makes about 2 cups
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and then refrigerate the sauce at least 30 minutes. The sauce keeps for several days.
* * *
The best commercial seafood sauce we've found is New Canaan Farms' Jalapeño Shrimp Sauce. The owner, Tim Tingle, and his son created the original version when they were eating at a Gulf seafood house that featured a mammoth salad bar, from which they took their improbable but inspired mix of ingredients. See "Mail-Order Sources" ([>]) for additional information.
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Shrimp Rémoulade
Gennie's Bishop Grill in Dallas proudly displays a sign that says the kitchen cooks for "Texans, not Frenchmen." Even Gennie probably likes rémoulade, though, despite its Gallic origins. It became a Texas favorite after the good neighbors in Louisiana transformed it into a premier Gulf shrimp sauce.
4 cups water
2 tablespoons shrimp- and crab-boil seasoning, such as Zatarain's
1½ pounds medium shrimp, unpeeled, with tails
SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
2 celery ribs, chopped
5
to
6 green onions, chopped
¼ cup minced parsley
2 tablespoons prepared creole mustard
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons White Wine Worcestershire sauce or 1 teaspoon regular Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Lettuce leaves
Lemon wedges, optional, for garnish
Serves 4 as a mam dish or 6 as an appetizer
A couple of hours before you plan to eat, prepare the shrimp: Put the water and the boil seasoning in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 or 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, and simmer them until they are just cooked through and pink, a matter of only a couple of minutes. Drain the shrimp, discarding the cooking liquid, and refrigerate them until they are cold. Peel the shrimp, leaving their tails on, and, if you wish, devein them.
Place all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor, and purée them until they are smooth. Refrigerate the sauce until you are ready to use it. It can be made a day ahead. Before serving, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasonings. It should have a tangy assertiveness and a touch of heat that builds pleasantly in your mouth after a few bites.
When you are ready to serve the shrimp, arrange the lettuce leaves on plates, top them with the shrimp, and drizzle each plate with a few tablespoons of the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges, if you like.
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Technique Tips
The Gulf provides superlative fish and seafood, but pollution has contaminated the supply in some areas. Use a little caution.
Find a reputable source, such as a market that specializes in seafood. Good suppliers should be able to tell you where the fish is from, how long it has been out of the water (not just when they got it), how it was transported, and how it has been stored.
Observe the fish. It should look fresh and smell briny but not fishy. The skin and eyes should glisten on a whole fish, and fillets and seafood should look moist and firm.
Talk to your supplier about what you plan to do with a particular fish. Many fishes are reasonably interchangeable in recipes, and a good dealer can suggest substitutes that may be a day fresher or several dollars per pound cheaper.
Look for fresh seafood, but remember that some high-quality products are shipped frozen. This is often true with shrimp. The frozen shrimp may be better than the "fresh" down the block, if the latter has been out of the water two weeks.
Be willing to pay for your supplier's expertise and high-quality ingredients. You'll find an ample reward at the table.
* * *
Texiana Shrimp and Rice
This Texas variation on a Gajun jambalaya blends Louisiana and Southwestern flavors.
1½ pounds large shrimp
3 tablespoons oil, preferably canola or corn
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup chopped roasted green chile, preferably poblano or New Mexican, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1½ cups uncooked rice
3 cups shrimp or seafood stock
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 green onions, sliced
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
Serves 6
Peel, and, if you wish, devein the shrimp. Save the shells for stock. Refrigerate the shrimp until you are ready to use them.
Warm the oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, green pepper, and green chile, and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the dried seasonings and the rice, stirring to coat all the grains, and cook another couple of minutes. Add the stock and the lemon juice, and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 18 minutes. Check the mixture toward the end of the cooking time, and stir if the rice appears to be sticking. Add the shrimp and the s
liced green onions, stirring to incorporate them. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the shrimp and rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle the cilantro over the dish, and serve it immediately. Eat any leftovers the next day.
* * *
Texas has its own Cajun population, concentrated in the southeastern part of the state. Some Cajuns crossed the Sabine River into Texas from Louisiana during the first years of the Republic, and more came early in this century with the oil boom.
* * *
Grilled Pickled Shrimp
We like to grill these pickled shrimp, hut gou don't have to take that last step. They're also tasty cold, just out of the marinade, and mang Texans eat them that way.
1
to
1½ pounds medium shrimp
MARINADE
Texas Home Cooking Page 26
