Seafood Nachos

Seafood

Ingredients

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 lb. small shrimp, roughly chopped

1/4 cup yellow onion, small dice

2 Tbs green bell pepper, small dice

2 tsp fresh garlic, minced

2 tsp Creole seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp hot sauce

1/2 lb small shrimp

1/2 lb crawfish tails

1 cup sliced jalapeños

1 Egg

2 cups Buttermilk

2 cups Corn flour

1 Tbs Salt

2 Tbs Creole Seasoning

Oil for frying

3/4 cup half and half

1/2 lb Velveeta

1 lb cream cheese, softened

1/2 lb cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 lb. lump crab meat

2 tsp lemon juice

1 large bag (1 pound bag) of your favorite tortilla chips, a large chip is best

Instructions

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Cook the shrimp, onion, peppers, garlic, Creole seasoning and salt for 7-8 minutes. Add the hot sauce and half and half and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and add the Velveeta and cream cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and remove from the heat. Add in the shredded cheddar and mix until the cheese is melted. Fold in the crab and lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 225

Heat oil to 340 degrees in a large cast iron skillet. Beat together the buttermilk and egg. Combine corn flour, salt and Creole seasoning. Dip shrimp, crawfish and jalapeños into buttermilk mixture and dredge corn flour mix. Shake off excess corn flour. Fry 1/3-1/2 of the mixture for 5-6 minutes, until golden. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, place the cooked items in oven. Repeat the process until everything is fried.

To assemble, place about 1/3 of the chips on a large serving platter, ladle 1/3 of the cheese sauce over the chips. Repeat this process until sauce is completely used. Top the nachos with the fried mixture and serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Recent Recipes

Chocolate Christmas Cheesecake

Chef Linda Roderick has been by my side through these cookbooks for over two decades, and there’s no one I’d rather have guiding me through a cheesecake recipe. She’s a master of the craft—steady, exacting, and always aiming for perfection. This rich, decadent chocolate cheesecake is no exception. It's all about balance. The deep, smooth chocolate filling meets a crisp, slightly salty crust for a perfect bite every time. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing—otherwise, you’ll end up with lumps. And when you melt the chocolate, give it time to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter, so you don’t end up with curdled filling. It’s worth the patience, every time. A few techniques can elevate this recipe to another level: chilling the dough overnight for a richer flavor, using a water bath to ensure an ultra-smooth texture, and letting the cheesecake rest for at least 24 hours before serving for the best flavor.

Harrison’s Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Having a son who’s following in your footsteps is one thing. Watching him take what you’ve taught him and elevate it to something even better—that’s special. During his Christmas break from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, a few years ago, he nudged me out of the way and made these mashed potatoes. I was skeptical, of course as I’ve been making mashed potatoes for decades. But there was no question his version was better. There’s a lot of pride in seeing him excel in the kitchen, making something as simple as mashed potatoes taste extraordinary. This recipe has become a new tradition in our family. Watching him cook now, with all that skill and precision, is a proud moment for me every time. This is his recipe, and I’ve adopted it as my own.

Macaroni and Cheese

Growing up, elaborate mac & cheese wasn’t something that made its way to our dinner table. That’s not some sort of elitist statement. We grew up in a very modest way. It’s just that macaroni and cheese was something my mom never purchased at the store and therefore never served. This recipe is rich and indulgent with a blend of cheeses that create a creamy, savory masterpiece. Adding crispy fried shallots or crumbled bacon to the breadcrumb topping gives it a savory, satisfying crunch. The blend of cheeses—Velveeta for creaminess, Gruyere for nuttiness, Cheddar for sharpness, and Colby Jack for that buttery melt—makes all the difference.

RobertStJohn.com