Viet Cajun Seafood Boil Recipes

VIET-CAJUN SEAFOOD BOIL

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, lemongrass, cayenne, and salt. Simmer until softened and flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
• Add water, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, Cajun seasoning, and Old Bay into large stockpot. Bring to a boil and simmer until flavors combine, about 5 minutes. The broth should be flavorful and spicy, almost too salty.
• Add potatoes and sausages. Cover and boil for 8-10 minutes, until potatoes are almost done. (The potatoes and sausages take longer to cook than clams, shrimp, and corn.)
• Add clams, shrimp, and corn. Cover and boil until clams open and shrimp are pink and curled, about 4-5 minutes.
• Using a mesh strainer, transfer potatoes, sausages, clams, shrimp, and corn to a tray. Leave behind broth and aromatics (garlic, ginger, lemongrass). Cover tray loosely with foil and set aside.
• Bring broth to a boil. When the broth is furiously simmering, add lobsters. Cover and boil until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. The lobsters should be bright red. Transfer to tray with tongs, making sure to remove the foil first. Scatter with sliced green scallions.
• Serve with Spicy Garlic Butter Sauce divided evenly into 4 ramekins. Also, serve the broth in small bowls for additional dipping. Enjoy!

VIET-CAJUN SHRIMP BOIL WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan halfway with cold water then add the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of the Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, then continue to cook until the potatoes are fork-tender (but the skins are still fully intact), about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
• While the potatoes cook, use sharp kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the shells along the back of the shrimp, stopping at the tails and making sure to cut through the edge of the flesh. Devein the shrimp while keeping the shells as intact as possible. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl and refrigerate while you make the butter sauce.
• Melt 1/2 stick of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 sticks butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and starting to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, lime zest and juice, cayenne pepper if using, and the remaining 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine and add more Cajun seasoning if desired. The butter sauce should be very strongly seasoned. Cover with a lid and set aside.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one or two burners on low or off; for a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side of the grill). The ideal cooking temperature is 375 to 400 degrees F.
• On a large rimmed baking sheet, lay out 2 extra-long pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil with 8 inches of overhang on all sides of the baking sheet. Top with 3 of the banana leaves, overlapping them slightly to cover the foil completely. Moisten both sides of the banana leaves with a damp cloth (this will help prevent tearing). Cut the remaining banana leaf in half crosswise and set aside.
• To the bowl of shrimp, add 1/4 cup of the butter sauce and toss to combine. Arrange the shrimp in the center of the banana leaves in a single layer. In the empty bowl (no need to clean it out), combine the cooked potatoes, corn, sausage, and 1/2 cup of the butter sauce (reserve the rest for serving) and toss gently to combine. Arrange the vegetables and sausage on top of the shrimp. Cover the shrimp mixture with the halved banana leaf. Gently fold the sides of the bottom banana leaves up and over the shrimp mixture. Use 2 long pieces of kitchen twine to tie the banana leaf packet together. Do not pull the twine too tight or it will rip the banana leaves. Fold the foil overhanging from the longer sides of the baking sheet over the banana leaves then fold over the foil from the shorter sides.
• Transfer the foil packet to the grill. Cook for 45 minutes.
• Use oven mitts or 2 large metal spatulas to transfer the packet back onto the baking sheet. Carefully open the foil, cut away the twine, and unwrap the banana leaves (discard the ones directly on top of the shrimp mixture). Drizzle the remaining butter sauce over the seafood boil and stir to combine. Serve immediately with warm toasted bread, lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.

CHEESY CAJUN SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and butter until melted; keep warm., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Cook and stir shrimp in bacon drippings until shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in Cajun seasoning and parsley., Divide grits among 8 serving bowls; top with shrimp mixture and the bacon.