This recipe was inspired by Chef John’s Roman-style chicken recipe and has a lot of potential. He is John Mitzewich and has a good video at his page. Our version below has much larger volume of spices than his but we did not compensate for the salt added by the dry brining and hence it was a bit salty. The recipe below leaves out Chef Johns salt and added a taste-test step.
Ingredients
6 large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 ½ to 3 pounds). Dry brined 6 hours before cooking. [FYI – Dry brining is when you add salt to the raw meat the same amount as if you were salting it on the table just before you eat. The salt needs 2-4 hours to penetrate chicken thigh IMHO. The salt will cause the meat to hold more moisture during the cook and be more moist when served.]
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers
1 anchovy filet or anchovy paste in a tube; that is what Mary used.
1 cup white wine
2 cups Marizano canned tomatoes crushed (Used one large can)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste
3 red or orange bell peppers, seeded and cut into 3/8-inch strips. Used our frozen bell peppers from the garden last year.
3 slices prosciutto, cut into strips – For the first cook on 3/24/2025 we did not have this. This would have added a nice flavor but it would have also added salt. Be careful.
Directions
Use a sharp knife to make 2 cuts through the skin in the center of the thigh, down to the bone, about one inch apart from each other. Be careful to not cut the skin fully across the piece so it does not hang together. Rulling the thigh so the skin is on top and down past the bone will avoid cutting it into pieces of having flaps.
Once cut, transfer thighs into a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil, and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne, and dried herbs. Mary used her hands to toss until very thoroughly coated making sure the seasoning got into the slices. Put the bowl into the refrigerator for about 4 hours. [Our future cooks will hopefully let it marinate at least overnight.]
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat remaining olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until a deep golden brown crust has formed, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook for 3 minutes more. Turn off heat, remove chicken to a plate, and set aside.
Turn heat back on to medium, and add onions. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes or until the onions just begin to soften. Make a space in the center of the pan, and add garlic, capers, and anchovy. Cook for about 1 minute, while stirring and smashing with the edge of a wooden spoon or spatula.
Pour in wine, and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until the wine reduces by about half. Add tomatoes, water, and chicken bouillon paste; stir to combine. Return mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add sliced peppers, and mix in evenly. Scatter about 3/4 of prosciutto slices evenly over the top. Place chicken thighs back on top, spaced evenly, skin side up. Place remaining prosciutto slices between chicken pieces.
Check for salt and add if needed.
Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is cooked through and the top is nicely browned, 40 to 45 minutes.
Top with parsley and serve immediately on olive oil mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.
3/18/2025 – Smoked a 10×10 package of relatively thin sliced country-style ribs on the RecTeq and they turned out great: moist and more tender than in the past. The smoke was at 225° for two hours and after the ribs had been seasoned and warmed up a bit on the counter for about 30 minutes. The seasoning was salt and a light dusting of 6POGS.
They were taken off the smoker and stacked on a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. BBQ sauce was drizzled over them then spread around with a basting brush. The foil was pulled together and the ribs rested on the counter for a half hour until we ate.
Next time salt them sooner to dry brine over night or at least 3-4 hours: especially if the “ribs” are the usual 1 inch thick and 2-3 inches wide. If they are larger then consider slicing them in half.
This cook differed from the past as the meat was more lightly seasoned with 6POGS (for Mary) and was only 2 hours rather than 3-4 hours. We had planned to wrap and put them into the oven to finish but when we tested them and found them perfect then all they needed to do was rest and the sauce settle in.
3/2/2025 – This dish was great and fairly easy to prepare. It was inspired by the recipe here.
Ingredients:
For the Shrimp:
1 pound large shrimp. Used frozen easy-peel and deveined from Publix 2 tablespoons olive oil – or more if serving on pasta 2 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon granulated onion 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes at least 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste
For the Lemon-Herb Aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon dry dill 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth and creamy. Let blend for an hour in the refrigerator.
In a bowl, combine shrimp with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Let season for 30 minutes to an hour.
Grill the shrimp in the square, cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until cooked through and slightly charred.
Next time try:
For extra crispy shrimp, air frying them for 10-12 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Roasting the shrimp on a sheet pan in the convection oven.
1/2 large lemon to squeeze over the chicken at the end
kosher salt and black pepper
Parsley for garnish
Instructions
Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Combine oregano, paprika, and coriander in a small bowl. Season the chicken with the spice mixture on both sides.
In a large skillet heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken thighs and cook until done, turning occassionally. When cooked thru set aside.
Used some chicken broth to degalze the pan.
In the same skillet, now add more extra virgin olive oil (if needed) and butter. Sautee the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add remaining broth, green onions, garlic, green olives, kalamatra olives, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add the chicken back to the pan, spoon some of the sauce on top. squeeze lemon juice over chicken. Served over rice.
1/30/2025 – This easy dish was inspired by the recipe at The Mediterranean Dish’s web site here. Mary made a lot of adjustments.
Ingredients
6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
~1 cup dry white wine
Lemon juice from our freezer. She called for juice of 2 limes.
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed, chopped; more for garnish
Spice mix: Used our No. 4 Mediterranean Spice Mix with Nutmeg grated over the seasoned thighs.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mix the spices and season dry thighs on both sides.
Brown the chicken well in olive oil in a cast iron skillet (with a lid). Remove from skillet and set aside briefly.
Lower the heat and deglaze the skillet with the white wine. Let cook to reduce and then add the broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer then add the lemon juice and garlic.
Return the chicken to the skillet and toss in the cilantro. Bring to a high-simmer for about 5 minutes or so.
Cover the skillet with the lid and transfer to the heated oven until the chicken has an IT of about 165°.
Remove from the oven, garnish with more cilantro and let rest.
1/4/2025 – We met Kelley and Rocky at Prejeans in Lafayette LA to drop off the girls after their week with us and had lunch. Mary ordered their Chef’s Fried Rice entree from the Brunch menu and it was great. We ordered one to go and brought it and half of hers home. It was served with two thin fried catfish fillets on top of a fantastic pile of rice and the other things we picked out and listed below in hopes of re-creating it.
Ingredients we found in the dish:
Shrimp, medium peeled
Carrots, 1/4 inch chopped
French style Green beans cut into 1.5 inch pieces
Onion, Large pieces about 1/2 inch wide x 1.5 inch long
White Mushrooms, small, sliced 1/16″ think
Green peas
Red Bell Peppers, chopped small
Red pepper flakes
Did it have a cornstarch glaze?
The menu said it was made with Ronin Sauce
Flavors we could taste:
Soy sauce
Ginger – distinctive
Garlic – distinctive
What are the ingredients in Ronin sauce? ginger, water, salt, citric acid, malic acid, acetic acid.
This page is a work in progress to develop a copy cat recipe of the great dish at Prejeans in Layfayette LA we enjoyed when meeting Kelley and Rocky for P & O’s Christmas 2024 visit.
12/28/2024 – We met the Hughes at Prejean’s in Layfayette LA to pickup P&O. Had lunch and I had their blackended shrimp on “dirty grits” as part of a shrimp combo platter. Later I found there were no online recipes. After asking ChatGPT for Prejean’s Dirty Grits recipe, the response/recipe was created by ChatGPT but inspired by Prejeans–so it said. I asked how it compared with Paul Prudhomme’s style, I got the second response/recipe on this page. The recipe immediately below this paragraph is the response directly to Prejeans plus our addition related to mushrooms in the dirty grits.
1/4/2025 – Met Kelley and Rocky at Prejeans to drop off P&O and again ate. Kelley ordered the full blackened shrimp and dirty grits entree. She agreed with Mary the grits are ‘dirty” with mushrooms. Hence, the additions to that effect in the recipes below.
Prejean’s Description in on-line menus:
Blackened medium gulf shrimp immersed in our
tasso & mushroom cream sauce
with blistered cherry tomatoes,
over our signature dirty grits.
Blackened Gulf Shrimp
Tasso mushroom Cream
Cherry tomatoes
Green Onions
Dirty Grits
Served with Green Beans
Source – OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com
Prejean’s Restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana, is renowned for its Cajun cuisine, including their signature Shrimp and Grits dish. This entrée features blackened Gulf shrimp immersed in a tasso and mushroom cream sauce, served over their distinctive dirty grits, and garnished with blistered cherry tomatoes.
While the exact recipe is proprietary, you can create a similar dish at home by combining elements from traditional Southern cooking. Here’s a recipe inspired by Prejean’s offering:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped, as we tasted mushrooms in the grits at Prejeans on 1/4/2025.
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Garnish:
1 cup cherry tomatoes, blistered in a hot skillet
Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Prepare the Dirty Grits:
In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. [As we do for grits for breakfasts, add 2 tsps. of our Creole Seasoning to the water as it heats].
Gradually whisk in the grits, reduce heat to low, and cover. Stir occasionally.
In a separate skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until browned.
Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the sausage; sauté until softened. Include the chopped mushrooms.
Stir the sausage and vegetable mixture into the grits.
Cook the grits for about 20-25 minutes until creamy. Stir in heavy cream, butter, and cheese (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the Tasso and Mushroom Cream Sauce:
In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the diced tasso ham and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the onions and cook until translucent.
Add the mushrooms and garlic; sauté until mushrooms are tender. Prepare
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the heavy cream and let the sauce simmer until it thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the Shrimp:
Toss the shrimp with Cajun seasoning.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through.
Blister the Cherry Tomatoes:
In a hot skillet, add the cherry tomatoes and cook until skins are blistered, shaking the pan occasionally.
Assemble the Dish:
Spoon the dirty grits onto plates.
Top with the tasso and mushroom cream sauce.
Place the blackened shrimp on top.
Garnish with blistered cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley.
Response on 12/29/2024 before asking for a recipe related to Prejeans.
3rd Response – After reviewing Chef Paul Prudhomme’s recipes, particularly his renowned Dirty Rice Magic Seasoning Blends, I [Chat] can confirm that the Dirty Grits recipe I provided [below] aligns with his culinary style. Both dishes incorporate a flavorful blend of meats, vegetables, and spices to achieve a rich, hearty taste. While Chef Prudhomme’s original recipes focus on rice, adapting these techniques to grits offers a delightful variation that stays true to the essence of Cajun cuisine.
Dirty grits are a delicious twist on traditional grits, inspired by the flavors of “dirty rice.” Here’s a recipe that incorporates bold, savory ingredients for a hearty dish. Servings: 4
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
Gradually whisk in the grits, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until creamy.
Stir in the heavy cream, butter, and cheese (if using). Cover and keep warm. See Step 2.3 below.
Step 2: Prepare the Dirty Mix
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the ground sausage and cook until browned and crumbly. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
[As we tasted mushrooms in the Dirty Grits at Prejeans on 1/4/2025, now could be a good time to saute them in the drippings before adding to the grits with the heavy cream, butter, and cheese.]
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the skillet. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another minute to toast the spices.
Return the sausage to the skillet, stirring to combine.
Step 3: Combine and Serve
Fold the dirty mix into the grits, stirring gently to incorporate.
Serve warm, garnished with green onions and parsley if desired.
Optional Additions:
Shrimp: Sauté shrimp separately with Cajun seasoning and layer on top of the dirty grits for a surf-and-turf twist.
Eggs: Add a poached or fried egg on top for a breakfast version.
12/25/2024 – This made a great Christmas 2024 lunch where we enjoyed it with Digger and Carol Creel. It was inspired by the recipe at Julia’s album here. Mary said it was very easy.
Overview of the meal: We also made for the first time spanakopita that turned out good but was a lot of work. In addition we served a Spinach/Bacon salad kit from Publix. Great meal that was not too heavy.
Lemon Shrimp Orzo with Asparagus is a 30-minute Mediterranean-style dinner that looks like a fancy restaurant-quality main course. It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for a quick Summer meal or a simple weeknight dinner. The orzo is coated in a delicious lemon garlic butter sauce and topped with capers and fresh herbs (basil and thyme).
Ingredients
Asparagus
1 lb asparagus ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch slices
Orzo
1 cup orzo uncooked
2 cups chicken stock
Shrimp
olive oil
1.5 lb frozen medium, easy-peel and deviened from Publix. Once defrosted season lightly with our Italian seasoning.
1 pinch red pepper flakes made from cayanne peppers from our garden [As Carol does not like “spicy” Mary moved some shrimp and orzo/asparagas to a small pot before adding red pepper flakes to the shrimp]
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper
Sauce
5 large cloves garlic minced
¼+ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice. This first cook used one of Digger’s lemons that are very juicy. Mary said “don’t slimp on the lemon juice”.
¼ cup dry white wine. More if needed to get the suace consistency correct.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Garnish
3 tablespoons capers
fresh basil from the garden
Instructions
Cook asparagus
Bring a medium saucepan half filled with water to a boil. Add asparagus sliced into 2-inch slices. Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Cook orzo
In the asparagus saucepan add 1 cup of uncooked orzo and 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a brief boil, reduce to a visible simmer, and cook, covered, stirring a few times to keep the orzo from sticking. Continue until liquid is absorbed.
Cook shrimp
Heat a large, high-sided, skillet until hot on medium heat. Add shrimp without overcrowding (you might have to cook in 2 batches). Sprinkle shrimp with seasonings (Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper).
Cook shrimp, flipping it once or twice, on medium heat, about 3-4 minutes total, until pink in color.
Remove shrimp from the skillet.
Make sauce
Add minced garlic, lemon juice, and dry white chardonay wine to the skillet where you cooked the shrimp and deglaze the pan. Reduce heat, and cook until the sauce reduces just a bit and garlic is softened. Remove from heat and fold in butter, off heat, letting it melt in the sauce.
Assembly
Add cooked orzo, cooked asparagus, and 2 tablespoons of capers to the skillet with the lemon garlic butter sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and season with more Italian seasoning, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and/or just salt and pepper.
Add cooked shrimp to the orzo and stir it to reheat on low heat.
Add more wine if needed to have enough sauce.
When serving, top with the remaining 1 tablespoon (or more) of capers, and thin sliced ribbons of fresh basil from our garden. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the shrimp.
11/26/2024 – This recipe came from ChatGPT who said the source was three recipes . Mary made it for Thanksgiving 2024 at Becky’s and for Jeff and Maggie’s visit.
Here’s a flavorful recipe for Spicy Roasted Pecans that brings together a delightful mix of heat, sweetness, and crunch:
Ingredients:
2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
1 tablespoon honey syrup
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder – Did not have powder so substituted 1 treaspoon of Granulated Garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions:
Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix Coating: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, honey, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and brown sugar until well combined.
Coat Pecans: Add the pecans to the bowl and toss until they’re evenly coated with the spice mixture.
Spread on Baking Sheet: Arrange the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake: Roast in the oven for 10–12 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even roasting. Keep a close eye on them to avoid burning.
Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet. They’ll crisp up as they cool.
