I hope I never stop learning. I've been trying to master the art of making corn tortillas after eating really fresh ones on a trip to Mexico last year. I've never cared for the packaged corn tortillas you can buy, but freshly made are delicious.

I bought a good tortilla press and the first batch I made was absolutely perfect-- beginner's luck, I guess. My next few batches failed miserably, so much so I had to send someone on an emergency trip to the grocery for flour tortillas the last time I attempted them. So I read a lot of blogs, watched a few You Tube videos, and gave them another try earlier this week; success, finally! Cooked for 45 seconds on 1 side, 90 seconds on the second side, one more flip, and they puffed up like magic. I was as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning. I love mastering a new technique!

Which is a nice segue to this week's recipes; the techniques for frying the crawfish tails and the eggplant both produce winners. I prepare and fry slices of green tomato just like I do the eggplant, minus the salting and pressing. The hint of hot vinegar gives both of them a nice, slightly tart, tingle. The Shrimp Étouffée is a classic, just be sure you don't scorch your roux or over-cook your shrimp.

Enjoy this week's recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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Shrimp Étouffée

Étouffée isn't difficult to make, particularly if you are a confident roux-maker and can get it to the right color over fairly high heat. Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start the roux, though. In the event of leftovers, re-heat only what you plan to serve at that meal over low heat, adding a little water if needed.

Battered Fried Crawfish Tails

Excellent in a po'boy, I also absolutely love fried crawfish tails scattered over a salad that's been tossed with a slightly sweet and spicy dressing. I call them crawfish croutons.

Crisp Fried Eggplant

I have an eggplant in the refrigerator and plan to make this over the weekend. I'll serve it with spaghetti and a spicy marinara; maybe some meatballs to add a little protein.