60 Seconds with Chuck Subra

What inspired you to become a chef?
My grandmother’s cooking, and the joy of
being in the kitchen.

What do you most often cook at home?
Mostly, I love to grill meats and vegetables
while my 2-year-old son runs around the
backyard.

What does the Gulf mean to you?
The Gulf means everything. It is our
biggest sustainable resource.

What was your most memorable meal?
At the French Laundry in Yountville, CA.

Define your culinary style.
Cajun French.

What is your favorite ingredient to work
with?
Seasonal Gulf fish and mirliton.

What is your favorite comfort food?
Mom’s pot roast.

What was your first restaurant job?
I was a sauté cook at Charley G’s.

How long have you been cooking?
21 years.

Louisiana Seafood Stew

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 pounds large Louisiana shrimp, raw, peeled
12 Louisiana oysters, shucked
1/2 cup mirliton, diced
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
4 ounces Abita Amber beer (can substitute white wine or any other
beer)
4 ounces shrimp stock (can substitute chicken, vegetable stock, or
water if necessary)
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
4 ounces heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds Louisiana crawfish tail meat
Kosher salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Heat a large sauté skillet over high heat. When it is hot, add the oil,
onions, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp,
oysters, mirliton and Cajun seasoning.

Continue to cook until the shrimp are partially cooked. Deglaze with the
beer and reduce by half. Add the shrimp stock, hot sauce, heavy whipping
cream, Worcestershire sauce and crawfish tail meat. Bring to a simmer
over medium heat for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black
pepper.

To serve, ladle Louisiana Seafood Stew in a bowl over Sunset Sweet Potato
Black Pepper Biscuits (see recipe below).
Serves 4 to 6

Sunset Sweet Potato
Black Pepper Biscuits

3/4 cup sweet potatoes, baked and puréed
1/2 cup butter, divided, softened
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons Louisiana brown sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir together the sweet potato purée
and 1/4 cup of the butter.

In a separate bowl sift together the baking powder, brown sugar, flour,
black pepper, salt, milk and Cajun seasoning. Combine the sweet potato
and butter mixture with the flour mixture in a mixer using the dough
hook attachment, until thoroughly blended.

Lightly butter a baking sheet with the remaining 1/4 cup of butter. Using
a small spoon, drop the dough (about 2 tablespoons at a time) onto the
baking sheet. Continue until all the mix is gone.
Bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Keep warm.
Serves 4 to 6