Michelle Barrera’s SWAT Rags (Rigatoni with Mushrooms)

Michelle Barrera’s Creole Gumbo

Blogger Michelle Barrera loves the Cajun and Creole flavors of New Orleans and never takes shortcuts when it comes to making a proper roux.

1⁄4 cup vegetable oil

1⁄4 cup flour

1⁄2 medium onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1 (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

2 links of andouille sausage, cut into bite-size pieces 1 pound medium Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or

frozen)

1-2 cups of okra, cut into bite-size pieces (fresh or frozen) 2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon gumbo filé

Cooked white rice, to serve

Parsley or thyme, for garnish

Instructions: First, make a roux by adding the vegetable oil and flour to a large cast-iron pot over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the roux is a dark golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Add the onions, celery and bell pepper to the roux and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the Creole seasoning and sauté for another minute.

Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the sausage, shrimp, okra, bay leaves and thyme to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s fine to add the shrimp and okra still frozen. Just before serving, stir in the gumbo filé.

Serve the gumbo in bowls with a large spoonful of rice. Garnish with parsley or thyme.

Makes 4 servings

This hearty pasta dish became a fast favorite among colleagues of Michelle Barrera’s husband, Leroy, who spent years with the San Antonio Police Department’s SWAT team.

2 (1-pound) boxes of rigatoni pasta

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

4 bunches of green onions, chopped

2 jalapeños, seeds removed and chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning

1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper

1 ½ pounds fresh white mushrooms, sliced

Juice of 1 lemon

Italian parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish Optional: Sliced grilled chicken

Instructions: Prepare the rigatoni according to package directions subtracting 1 minute from the recommended cooking time. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta, and set it aside.

While pasta is cooking, use a food processor to finely chop the jalapeños and garlic. Remove the jalapeños and garlic from the processor and set aside, then coarsely chop the green onion in the food processor.

Return the pasta cooking pot to the stove and heat to medium. Add the butter. Once melted and bubbling a bit, add the jalapeño and garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Add the green onions, Italian seasoning and black pepper, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and lemon juice to the pot, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.

Return the pasta to the pot and stir to coat the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.

Serve topped with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. Add grilled chicken, if desired.

Makes 12 servings

Michelle Barrera / michellesipsandsavors.com