Banana Fritters

Shrimp Étouffé

2 packages of medium (71 -90 count) peeled and deviened shrimp

4 large onions, cut up

1 medium green pepper, cut up

1/2 cup celery, cut up

1 stick of butter or equivalent in olive oil or peanut oil

4 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground

2 teaspoons thyme

2 teaspoons oregano

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Cayenne pepper to taste

Sauté onions, celery, green peppers in butter over medium heat in a large skillet covered with a lid until soft.

Add tomato paste and blend well. Add shrimp and bring back to temperature. Mix in the flour, blending well. Do not let mixture stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add garlic, pepper and spices, mixing well. Cover and let cook at low heat for 15-30 minutes, scraping bottom of the pan occasionally.

Serve over cooked white rice. Feeds 6-8.

— Recipe by Carl Latham, Terrebonne Downtown Catering

Jambalaya

2 large onions, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

4 to 5 large stalks of celery, chopped

1 package of cooked chicken thighs, cut up

1 package of small raw shrimp (or crawfish tail meat)

1 package of andouille sausage, sliced thin

1 package of hot Italian sausage, uncooked, cut into bite-size pieces

2 teaspoons each of thyme, oregano, black pepper

2 tablespoons of dry parsley

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

2 to 4 tablespoons of Cajun spice, or more to taste

4 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of uncooked white rice

Put all of the above in a large, deep casserole-size pan. Stir well. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the rice is cooked. Stir well to fluff up. Serve with hard rolls. Serves 8-10.

* For a red Jambalaya, you can add a 16-ounce can of chopped tomatoes and a 6-ounce can of tomato paste.

— Recipe by Carl Latham, Terrebonne Downtown Catering

Banana Fritters

2 medium bananas, ripe but firm, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

3 cups vegetable oil

Powdered sugar, to sprinkle

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, flour, sugar, egg, salt and baking powder. Add enough of the milk to form a thick pancake batter. You may not need all of the milk.

In a deep saucepan or in a deep fryer, heat the oil to 360 F. Once the oil is hot, drop the batter in by large spoonfuls, a few at a time, and fry until the fritters float to the surface and are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately. Makes 15 to 20 fritters.

— Recipe adapted by the Associated Press from “Cooking up a Storm,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker, Chronicle Books, 2008.