DONNA KEATING / L’Observateur / June 3, 2000

LAPLACE – Lindsey Marshall of LaPlace is only 13 years old, but when it comes to cooking don’t let her age fool you. This eighth-grade Riverside Academy student is already an award-winning cook.

As a five-year member of 4-H, first with the LaPlace Elementary 4-H Club and later with 4-H Junior Leaders, she has entered 4-H cooking contests for the past four years. She placed first in her division at the St. John FoodFocus contest during the Andouille Festival then again at the area cooking contest held at Lakeside Mall in March.

From there she qualified to compete in the state 4-H cookery contest in Alexandria, where she was awarded first place and a gold medal in the seafood/fish category for her recipe for pan-sauteed snapper with crawfish and artichoke sauce. She also won an educational trip and will join a group ofstate 4-H winners in July when they travel to San Antonio.

Marshall has come a long way in the past three years since she began cooking at the age of 10. With the help of her mother, Mary Ann Patrick Marshall,and the 4-H Club she has learned at lot about cooking.

The first thing she can remember cooking was stuffed bell peppers, which she says turned out pretty good.

Though Lindsey appears to be a natural when it comes to cooking, she says she can remember having an accident or two. She recalls the first time shemade brownies and wasn’t careful measuring the water for her recipe. Hermom noticed that the brownie batter looked watery. Since Lindsey had nevermade brownies before, she wasn’t sure and ended up cooking them longer.

She says, “The brownies were all eaten anyway.”Her advice to beginner cooks is measure correctly, take your time and follow the recipe.

“It’s best to cook what you like and when your in the mood,” she says.

Also, omitting or substituting ingredients is another way to create recipes to suit your own taste.

Lindsey confesses that she prefers baking over cooking and is often requested to bake cakes or brownies by friends or her brothers, Philip and Nicholas.

Though Lindsey cooks for her family only occasionally she is often in the kitchen giving her mother a helping hand. Some of her favorites are Italianfood, salads and seafood.

In the future Lindsey hopes to become a 4-H agent and plans to take college courses in home economics and agriculture. She wants to help teach childrenhow to cook.

Here are a few of her recipes which were entered into 4-H cooking contests:

PAN-SAUTEED SNAPPER WITH CRAWFISH AND ARTICHOKE SAUCE

For snapper: 4 (6-ounce) red snapper filets 1 tbsp. seasoning mix (no salt for seafood)1 cup flour 1/2 lb. non-fat margarine

Season snapper fillets and dredge in flour. In a small saute’ pan heat margarine onmedium heat. When hot, lay filets in pan and saute’ until golden brown. Turn filletson other side and cook until golden brown. (About four minutes each side). Setaside, keeping warm.

For sauce: 2 ozs. non-fat margarine1/4 cup chopped bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/8 cup chopped celery 1/4 lb. crawfish tails2 1/2 ozs. canned artichoke hearts, chopped1 oz. chicken base1/4 tbsp. minced garlic1/4 tbsp. garlic powder1/4 tbsp. onion powder1/2 tbsp. basil1/2 tsp. red pepper1/2 tsp. white pepper1 cup milk (2 percent) 1 oz. blonde roux ( 2 tbsp. non-fat margarine, 1 tbsp. flour)1 slice American cheese

Melt margarine, saute vegetables until onions are clear. Add crawfish tails andchopped artichokes; saute’ for five minutes. Add chicken base, minced garlic andnext five seasonings; saute five minutes. Add milk, bring to a simmer. Whip inblonde roux and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Topfilets with sauce. Serves four.STUFFED PEPPERS

8 medium fresh green peppers 1 lb. ground beef1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley1/2 tsp. ground black pepper1 lb. can whole tomatoes, drained1 3/4 cup firm boiled rice 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce*Omit dried basil if the canned tomatoes are prepared with basil 1 tbsp. vegetable oil1 cup chopped onion 1/2 tsp. dried thyme3/4 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. dried basil*3/4 tsp. minced garlic1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Cut off and discard the top fourth of the green peppers. Remove the seeds andmembrane. Place the peppers upright in 1/3- to 1/2-inch salted water in a heavypot or sauce pan. Bring the water to boil and cover tightly, then lower the heat andcook for exactly five minutes.

Remove peppers, drain them thoroughly and set aside while preparing the stuffing.

In a large heavy skillet or saute’ pan heat the vegetable oil and saute’ the ground meat and onion until brown (about eight to 10 minutes). Add the parsley, garlic,thyme, salt, black pepper and basil (if used). Continue cooking and stirring over lowheat for a few minutes, then add drained can tomatoes.

Cook for six to seven minutes longer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon while cooking. Add the cooked rice and worcestershire and mix well, then cover andsimmer for about 10 minutes. Uncover and turn off the heat, and add theparmesan cheese. Blend thoroughly with spoon.Stuff the parboiled peppers with the meat and rice mixture and bake uncovered in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Serves four.

CHICKEN JAMBALAYA

1 lb. ground lean pork1/2 cup finely chopped lean baked ham 3 tbsp finely minced fresh parsley 6 smoke sausages, sliced 1/2 thick 3/4 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice 1 fryer (3 to 4 pounds) cut up, rinsed and thoroughly dried 3/4 cup thinly sliced green shallot tops 2 tbsp. vegetable oil4 cups onion, chopped 1 tbsp. finely minced garlic1/4 tsp. dried basil3 1/2 tsp. salt2 whole bay leaves crushed 1/4 tsp. dried thyme3 cups water

In a heavy 7 to 8 quart pot or kettle, heat the oil over high heat. Brown the chickenparts in the hot oil, turning them frequently with long handled tongs to ensure even browning. As the pieces brown (the smaller parts will do so more quickly), removethem to a large platter. When all the chicken is browned and removed, add thevegetables, parsley, ham and pork to the pot.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables and pieces of meat are browned.

Add the sausages and seasonings and continue cooking and stirring for five minutes more, then add reserved chicken parts, rice and water. Mix gently.Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn to very low.

Cook for 45 minutes, uncovering from time to time to stir. Uncover the pot forthe last 10 minutes of cooking and raise the heat to medium. Stir gently andfrequently as the rice dries out. Serve immediately. Serves four.SICILIAN SHRIMP BOATS

6 French-style dinner buns 2 lbs. whole medium-size shrimp, peeled2 tbsp. coarsely chopped white onions4 tbsp. real mayonnaise1/2 cup coarsely chopped black olives 1 cup shredded lettuce 1/2 stick corn oil margarine 1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoninga pinch of oregano 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

Heat your oven to about 350 degrees and lightly toast the rolls. When they’restarting to brown remove them from the oven and cut a deep wedge – lengthwise – out of each one. Keep the wedges and set the rolls aside.Take a skillet, melt the margarine and saute’ the shrimp, Italian seasonings, onions, and oregano. Cook just until the shrimp turn pink. Stir constantly while the shrimpare simmering to get an even cooking. Remove them from the fire.When the sauteed shrimp and seasonings have cooled blend in the mayonnaise and the mozzarella cheese. Don’t add either until your basic saute’ is cool because thecheese will melt before you want it to.

Place the rolls on an ungreased pizza pan and spoon in generous helpings of the sauteed shrimp mixture. Then put them back in the oven (still set at 350 degrees)and bake for about five minutes or until they’re hot and bubbly.

Serve them open-face, with the black olives, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce sprinkled over the stuffing.

If you want to you can put the wedges you removed from the rolls back on top.

Stated cost: about $9. Preparation time: approximately 1 hour, 10 minutes.

COLD CRABMEAT NACHOS

24 ozs. Philadelphia cream cheeseDash of Tabasco 1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery 1 No. 303 can black olives, finely chopped1 1arge bag Nacho Cheese flavor chips 2 tbsp. real mayonnaise1/4 cup minced green onions salt and pepper, to taste 1/2 lb. flaked crabmeatDash of paprika

Mix the cream cheese to a pasty consistency. It has to be soft and pliable. Then, ina large mixing bowl, whip together cheese and the mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth. Toss in the Tabasco and blend it in. Next, add the minced onions, celery, the seasonings, the finely chopped olives and the crab meat. Blend them all gently. When you’re ready to serve, lay out the whole bag of nacho chips on a dish and stuff each one, heaping on the crabmeat mixture and sprinkling the tops with paprika. To increase the flavor put the stuffed chips in the refrigerator for anhour or two.

Stated cost: about $11. Preparation time: approximately 2 hours, 20 minutes(including refrigeration time).

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