Since I haven't had much free time to myself to finish all my drawings I've been wanting to upload ... I figure I'd upload some stuff related to one of my OTHER hobbies--cooking!

As part of a new sub-series of mine, Culinary Adventures, each installment will have a photograph of the creation as well as a recipe, for those interested in recreating any of these dishes for their own enjoyment. So without further adieu, I give youuuuuu...

Culinary Adventures Episode 1 - New Orleans With A Twist
Combining the hearty simplicity of home style Creole cuisine with the flair of French elegance, our first dish is a rich and decadent seafood gumbo with flowery-sweet little biscuit-like lavender breads for dipping or even just enjoying by themselves. How can you have a taste of the deep south for your very own? Follow along with this recipe and try it for yourself!

Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (If you like your gumbo with a kick; can be omitted if you prefer your gumbo tame)
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I used fresh leaves in this case, but dried is fine too!)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (Also used fresh leaves, but dried is just as good)
1 bay leaf, crushed (A 1/4 teaspoon of powdered bayleaf works, too, if you don't have whole leaves)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening or butter
1 bag all-purpose flour (You won't be using the entire bag, but keep it nearby--you'll be using some of this for your roux, which we'll cover later)
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped white onion
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped okra
1 teaspoon minced garlic (Fresh or jarred)
3 tablespoons file powder (Or if you can't locate this classic Creole spice in your area, you can do what I did and substitute it for two pinches of dried saffron)
1 can diced tomatoes
7 cups water
3 small cubes vegetable bouillon
2 teaspoons hot sauce (Again, if you prefer a bit of burn, feel free to add this; if not, this can be left out)
1 cup crabmeat (Either canned or fresh)
1/2 pound whole regular-sized shrimp
1/2 pound bay scallops

Cooking Instructions:

Start by putting your 7 cups of water and the 3 bouillon cubes into a niiiiice big pot and set your stove a few degrees under the High setting, until you get a nice rolling boil going. While the water is heating, melt about a tablespoon of the butter/shortening in a large skillet and add in your chopped okra, stirring and turning until the pieces begin to take on a slightly darker green coloration and then transfer them into the pot of now-boiling vegetable broth. Reduce the heat by another 2 degrees or so and let it boil. After about 5 minutes have passed, add the chopped celery and the can of diced tomatoes into the pot. In the same skillet you prepped the okra, add in your chopped white and green onions, as well as the green peppers. Stir consistently until the green peppers and green onions start to brown slightly and the white onions begin to turn more translucent. Remove from the heat and add to your pot. Add in your seasonings, minced garlic, and hot sauce (if making spicy gumbo). Give it a good stir and now let's get started on the quintessential part of making any good gumbo--the roux.

In a small saucepan, melt your 3/4 cup butter or shortening and start slowly stirring in your flour until you get a nice thick lump-free paste. Stir constantly. WATCH YOUR ROUX CAREFULLY! Tho there are various types of roux (dependent upon how long the mixture if kept over the heat), the kind we're going for with this recipe is a nice peanut butter-like coloration with a smooth creamy texture. It'll also have a nice nutty aroma to it, which is a good indicator that your roux has hit the perfect level of doneness required for this recipe. When your roux is all velvety smooth and beautiful, pour it into your gumbo pot. To make sure all of it goes into the gumbo, spoon a little of the broth into the saucepan and stir it around until the leftover roux has completely blended with the broth and then pour it back into the pot.

At this point, your gumbo is just about done. Let it cook for about another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is nice and tender and the gumbo has begun to thicken. Add in your shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat, stir well, and then let it cook uncovered for about another 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and then let it stand for about another 10 minutes before helping yourself to a bowl of your rich savory creation.

Lavender Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup dried lavender flowers (crushed)
3/4 vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine all your dry ingredients and mix well. Add in your shortening and water and mix all your ingredients together REALLY well. You might want to use your hands for this job and really get in there. When your dough is slightly stretchy and little sticky to the touch. Tear off chunks of the dough and roll them into balls about a little larger than your average golf ball and then flatten then into pancakes about a quarter-inch thick. Brush each side with vegetable oil and lightly pat on the crushed dry lavender flowers. Don't put too thick a coating, or else your bread will taste more like perfume than the sweet faintly-floral taste we're going for.

On an ungreased non-stick skillet, lay down as many of your little flatbreads as will fit comfortably. Let them sit on one side for about a minute or two (until the outside is just EVER so slightly charred) and then flip over. Let them sit for another minute or two and then transfer them to a plate.

Repeat until all your entire batch of lavender bread is complete!

Well, hope you guys enjoyed this little cooking corner with yours truly. Next time, we'll be lingering a bit longer in the Creole/French area of cuisine, this time covering dessert ... Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding!