The rumor was true! I got two cases of Creole tomatoes last week; they weren't quite ripe so I had to wait a bit before slicing, but we've been eating at least two a day ever since. It's one of those things that remind me of childhood; over the summer, there was a plate of sliced cucumbers and tomatoes on the table with every meal, usually with a few hot peppers for those of us who wanted to spice things up.

For the recipes this week I'm kind of all over the map. First, a seafood and artichoke dip that always seems to be the first thing to go when it's set out at parties. Next, a super-indulgent date night meal of surf and turf: Filet mignon topped by jumbo lump crab and smothered in bearnaise sauce. It definitely calls for some asparagus on the side. And finally, a perennial favorite, perfectly fried shrimp. Toss them on a salad, serve as is with your favorite cocktail and tartar sauces, or use them to build my favorite po'boy, a dressed fried shrimp po'boy.

Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind.

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

Last week's recipes:

 • Crawfish Pie • Southwest Okie Catfish • Shrimp Stuffed Creole Tomato Salad

Artichoke and Seafood Dip

This one is always one of the first to go when set out at a party. The recipe calls for shrimp and crab, but crawfish would be good in it too.

Tenderloin and Jumbo Lump Crab

This is definitely a date night dish. Cook the steaks to your desired level of doneness and, while they rest, gently warm up the crabmeat in a little butter. Plate the steaks, divide the crabmeat over the top, and pass bearnaise sauce for drizzling. Divine. 

Southern Fried Shrimp

I could eat fried shrimp five times a week. My doctor wouldn't approve, I'm sure, but I do indulge from time to time. The key to non-greasy fried anything is keeping the oil temperature around 360F, and making sure you return it to temperarature between batches.