Why "The Catholic Foodie?"

Lots of exciting things are happening here at The Catholic Foodie! Most of these things are in the works, so I can't reveal much now. But I can say that the mission of The Catholic Foodie is growing very quickly, and it is becoming much bigger than I initially anticipated.

Thank you for listening to the show, reading the blog, and spreading the word!

So what is The Catholic Foodie all about?

The Catholic Foodie... "where food meets faith!" produces fun and entertaining media that foster growth in faith and community. The goal? To strengthen families and to encourage a stronger sense of community through social networking.

The mission of The Catholic Foodie is based on the what Fr. Oscar Lukefahr, C.M. calls "the sacramental principle," which in its basic form "states that created things are good and are signs of God's presence and grace." As Fr. Lukefahr mentions, the sacramental principle is distinctly Catholic and is the basis for all we do as Catholics. God became man in Jesus, and the Incarnation changed everything.

Of course, at The Catholic Foodie, the created thing we focus on is food. Yes, food can be a sign of God's presence and grace! And food fosters community because we often eat food with others. Not only do families eat together, but many business deals are made over a shared meal as well.

So, how has the Incarnation changed everything?

In the Incarnation, Jesus:
- did not shun the body but, rather, emptied Himself and "was born in the likeness of men."
- called Himself the Bread of Life and commanded us to eat His Body and drink His Blood.
- tended to our bodies by healing the sick, raising the dead, and multiplying the loaves and fishes to satisfy our bodily hunger.
- instituted the sacraments, which work their spiritual effects by means of the body.
- revealed Himself to the disciples in "the breaking of the bread."
- reassured the apostles that He had indeed risen from the dead by cooking fish on the seashore and sharing a meal with them.
- enjoyed faith and fellowship with Joseph and Mary for years around the family table.

What about the growth of The Catholic Foodie?

All I can say right now is that The Catholic Foodie is becoming much more than a blog and a podcast (but something that incorporates the blog and podcast). As soon as I am able to do so, I will share more details with you. Until then, please consider sending me your answer to the following questions:

What do you see as the mission of The Catholic Foodie? Is it something different than I mentioned above?

What do you enjoy about The Catholic Foodie?

What could we do to make the blog and podcast better?

Please leave your comments here on the blog or email me directly at catholicfoodie@gmail.com. If you would like to leave voice feedback, please call 985-635-4974.

Until I hear from you... Bon appetit!

Mastic Shrimp Saganaki (Γαρίδες Σαγανάκι με Μαστίχα)

Wow! This looks incredible! I don't know how I can come across mastic resin... perhaps I can come up with a creative substitute.

Anything with shrimp is wonderful. Throw Greek into the mix, and it makes me want to shout, "Opa!"

(Posted with permission of Sam Sotiropoulos, the Greek Gourmand)

 

 

 

Mastic Shrimp Saganaki (Γαρίδες Σαγανάκι με Μαστίχα)

via Greek Food Recipes and Reflections by Sam Sotiropoulos on 4/7/09

This is one of my Greek food signature dishes. I created this recipe for my wife and it is now her favourite shrimp dish. For those of you who are unfamiliar with mastic resin, have a look at my previous post about this extraordinary spice.

My Mastic Shrimps served over of a bed of rice - Click to Enlarge Image

Here in North America, the term saganaki often refers to a Greek fried cheese that is set alight to resounding shouts of "Opa!" In truth, the word saganaki refers to a single-serving frying pan with two handles. In Greece, a saganaki can be a fried cheese, or it can be a shrimp saganaki and/or a mussels saganaki, both of which are usually tomato sauce based dishes and typically include Feta cheese. If this is confusing, no worries, it's all Greek food to me too!

Shrimps in the pan and ready for turning - Click to Enlarge Image

This particular version of my dish does not include the Feta cheese as it is meant to be a fast-friendly recipe. Easter is just around the corner and many Greeks observe the Lenten fast during this period which means dairy is a no-no. If you are not fasting, feel free to add the Feta cheese as mentioned below. You can also halve the quantities of ingredients as listed for a single serving portion. In addition, if you happen to have some good olive bread on hand, it makes for an excellent complement which allows you to mop up every last bit of this unbelievably tasty sauce.

Ingredients:

20 - 24 large raw shrimp, shelled with tails on
2 cups strained tomato puree/sauce
2 medium sized onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
1 roasted red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons masticha liqueur
½ teaspoon mastic resin crystals
½ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

1. Sauté diced onions in olive oil over a medium heat until soft and translucent (3 - 5 minutes).
2. Add garlic to the pan and stir it in well for about 30 seconds. Then, add the tomato puree/sauce to the pan, along with the diced roasted red pepper and a half cup of water, then the salt and pepper to taste and stir it well to mix. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat only slightly and allow the sauce to simmer well for 8 minutes; do not cover the pan.
4. Add the masticha liqueur along with the mastic resin crystals to the sauce and stir well to incorporate. Continue to simmer the sauce for another 2 minutes, stirring the sauce a couple more times.
5. Quickly add the shrimp to the pan and make sure to give the pan a couple shakes to settle the shrimp well into the sauce. Cook for two minutes. Then, using a pair of tongs or a fork, quickly turn all the shrimp over and cook for another minute or so, then remove the pan from the heat for serving.
   

I often serve this recipe over a bed of rice and garnished with some sesame seeds. as depicted in the photo above. It is equally good with pasta, especially spaghetti or linguini noodles. Or, you can simply eat it on its own with some olive bread as already mentioned. Also, if you are not able to find the mastic liqueur, simply add another teaspoon of the mastic resin to the sauce when cooking. Lastly, a cup of crumbled Feta cheese can optionally be added to the pan just before you remove it from the heat for serving.

If you are interested in obtaining high-quality pure mastic resin or any other mastic products, drop me an email: greekgourmand[at]gmail.com


Kali Orexi! (Bon Appétit),

Sam Sotiropoulos
Greek Gourmand™
http://www.greekgourmand.com
Greek Food Recipes and Reflections
Copyright © 2008, Sam Sotiropoulos. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

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Holy Thursday & Good Friday - Episode 15

On the menu today... an interview with Dr. Brant Pitre, feedback from Fr. Seraphim Beshoner, TOR and Char & I discuss our Holy Thursday dinner plans.

Dr. Brant Pitre is the Donum Dei Professor of Word and Sacrament at Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, LA.



Join us here on The Catholic Foodie, where food meets faith!

Leave feedback at catholicfoodie@gmail.com or call the listener feedback line at 985-635-4974.

You can download episode 15 here or listen to it below:

I confess... I love dem crawfish! - Episode 14

Confession and crawfish? Yes! Both are wonderful, and both are on the menu today at The Catholic Foodie.

Confession is a sacrament. It is an efficacious sign instituted by Jesus to give grace. According to the gospels, the power to forgive sins was the first power given to the apostles by the Risen Lord.

Although confession lines are much, much shorter than communion lines, it is obvious that confession is making a comeback. In this episode, we will see some evidence of that. As a matter of fact, I see a beautiful openness to the sacrament in the teens entrusted to my care and, in this show, I share how I explain the sacrament to teens and their parents.

Crawfish is a South Louisiana delicacy. Experts have told us that this year's crop will not be plentiful. But, our experience this past week tells us something different. We have been to three crawfish boils... and, twice this week, we have come home with ice chests full of crawfish! Wow!

All of this and more is on the menu at The Catholic Foodie, where food meets faith!

Leave feedback at catholicfoodie@gmail.com or call the listener feedback line at 985-635-4974.

You can download episode 14 here or listen to it below:

Crawfish Boil Recipe at Nola Cuisine

This is not my (secret) recipe, but the post is good and the photos are... wonderful!

 

 

 

 

Crawfish Boil Recipe at Nola Cuisine

via New Orleans Cuisine by Danno on 4/8/09

From Crawfish Boil

Charlie from Cajun Grocer was kind enough to send me 15 lbs of their wonderful Live Louisiana Crawfish, so I was more than thrilled to have a crawfish boil over the weekend with a few family and friends. I got a ton of great pictures that I am really happy with and which I hope do those large beautiful crawfish justice.

From Crawfish Boil

Here is my Crawfish Boil Recipe that I used to cook those beautiful mudbugs!

From Crawfish Boil

Also be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes!

 

 

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South Louisiana Crawfish: Scarce this Year or just a bit Delayed?

"Daddy, can we get crawfish for my birthday again this year?" my 7-year-old asked as her birthday neared. She loves our boiled crawfish and believes, as we do, that we boil the best in the world (got the coveted recipe from my mother-in-law).

We did not let her indulge in her favorite food on her birthday because, at the time, crawfish were selling for $3.79 a pound. That is an outrageous price to pay for crawfish in South Louisiana. That's what happens when the crop is not plentiful. Crawfish season begins in January and peaks in April or May. It doesn't really end until late June. Usually you can hear the propane tanks heating up the crawfish pots on sunny afternoons in January and you can smell the seasoning all the way down the block.

The prices do tend to be high in January, but nowhere near $3.79 a pound. By March, prices are usually down to around $1.79. At peak season you can find them for $1.19. The crawfish themselves are not the only expense. There's also the seasoning and all the extras that go into the boil: lemons, lemon juice, garlic (lots of garlic!), corn, potatoes, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, and some people even throw in smoked or andouille sausage. Oh, and don't forget the beer! Boiling crawfish is not cheap, but it is worth it.

The prices are so high this season because of Gustav and company. The major storms that hit and affected the Louisiana coastline in the fall pushed salt water into the ponds and rivers and left debris that impacted the crawfish food source. This stunted the crops. For the last couple of months we have heard experts forecast a terrible season, saying there simply won't be much crawfish this year. However, all hope is not lost. Many believe the crops are just delayed and that we will see an increased yield as we move into the peak season.

Spring is here, and as far as I can tell, the crawfish season is in full swing. True, my daughter did not get crawfish for her birthday, but she has had her fill of it this week. Just in the last five days we have been to four crawfish boils, and one night we came home with an ice chest full of crawfish from a boil we didn't even attend!

A bad season or were the crops just delayed a bit? If you ask my family, we'd say, "The pots a-boilin' and bugs are clean. It's time for a party y'all!"

Bon appetit!

For more information on Louisiana crawfish, please visit Louisiana Crawfish Company and the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival.

Know Thyself this Lent with an Examination of Conscience

"Know thyself," said Socrates. "The unexamined life is not worth living." This has always been an important maxim, but for us it should take on a certain urgency during Lent. One of the best ways to know thyself is to take up an ancient spiritual practice: the examination of conscience.

"Examination of Conscience" sounds peculiar to modern ears. I teach high school. A typical teen reaction to "Examination of Conscience?"

"Eeeewwww. What is that?"

Well, believe it or not, it's not as scary as it sounds. At least, it usually isn't.

So, what is an examination of conscience? It is simply an opportunity to stop and honestly reflect, in God's presence, on the condition of one's soul and on the way in which one is living the Christian life. This reflection takes only a few moments.

We look at our day to see if we are living up to our baptismal promises. We look at our actions to see if they befit a child of God. If not, then we simply ask God to forgive us and give us the strength to do better. The whole point of the examination of conscience is to make progress in the Christian life.

There are three basic examinations we can make: preventive, particular, and general.

The preventive examination usually takes place in the morning. We look at our usual faults and make a simple plan for the day on how to improve in those areas.

The particular examination focuses on what is called our predominant fault. Everyone has a predominant fault. It is the one area in which we fall most often. It is usually bound up with our personalities. Pride, selfishness, envy, greed, anger - these are some examples of predominant faults.

These are ingrained sins that influence our daily actions and relationships. It is helpful to make the particular examination around midday. It is like a check-up: "How am I doing so far with this fault? What can I do better?"

The general examination takes place at night, usually just before bed. It is a time to review the day and to mark one's progress. Once again, we look at the areas in which we failed and ask forgiveness.

We also look at the times when we succeeded: that moment when I almost lost my temper, but by God's grace it was held in check; the gossip at the water cooler that I was able to avoid, by God's grace.

By looking at our little successes we can see how God is really working in our daily lives. The general examination helps us to take our spiritual temperature. It also helps us prepare for the day ahead.

An examination of conscience is really a simply matter. It takes only a few minutes and, according to many saints, is very effective in nurturing our growth in Christ. It is an excellent tool to help us enter more deeply into the season of Lent, especially as Holy Week approaches. So, know thyself, and experience the mercy of Christ!

This article was also published at Blogcritics.org.