Bertram's Spicy Tomato Sauce - a weekend recipe

Except for occasional help from his on again, off again girlfriend Shirley, Bertram Picou relies mostly on himself to manage his French Quarter bar. Every now and then, he grows tired of tourists and locals, and shuts the doors for some R and R, usually cooking something just for himself. Sometimes, his friend Wyatt Thomas becomes the lucky recipient of his cooking prowess.

Bertram might lug his charcoal grill upstairs to Wyatt’s room, grilling on the balcony overlooking Chartres as they listen to the sounds of boats on the river, and cacophony on Bourbon Street. When Wyatt gets very lucky, Bertram, drinking shots of Cuervo as he cooks, will grill up his Andouille Fired Oysters, topping them with his spicy tomato sauce.

Here’s the recipe for Bertram’s own spicy tomato sauce. It’s a great sweet and sour sauce that goes perfectly with broiled and baked fish, and, oh yes, Andouille Fired Oysters. Stay tuned for Bertram’s Andouille Fired Oyster recipe. Meantime, here’s the recipe for his spicy tomato sauce.

Bertram’s Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

·         1 onion, thinly sliced

·         2 Tbs. butter

·         2 tomatoes, fresh, finely chopped

·         2 lemons, juiced

·         1 ½ Tbs. sugar

·         ½ tsp. mustard, dry

·         salt, to taste 

Directions 

Sauté onion in butter and then stir in tomatoes. Add lemon juice, salt, and mustard, and then simmer for a few minutes.

 

Check out more of Bertram and Wyatt in the French Quarter mysteries Big Easy, City of Spirits, and Primal Creatures.

Eric'sWeb

Big Billy's Curry Mango Shrimp Tacos

My good friends Big Billy and Kathy, his significant other, once bought a large sailboat and pulled it on a trailer to Seattle. They were both too young to retire, but neither knew it at the time. They lived on the sailboat for two years, sometimes sailing miles from shore. Usually, they were docked in Seattle, enjoying their sea-going neighbors and the ambiance of the City.

Big Billy, a former Dallas restauranteur, was a wonderful cook. Despite the fantastic fare in the Seattle area, he couldn’t help but cook with Texas flair. He had a little charcoal grill he kept on deck and quite often prepared world-class meals for him and Kathy before they ventured out for the night to drink the local beer and listen to music in the clubs. Here is a simple recipe for one of their favorite dishes.

Big Billy’s Curry Mango Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

• ½ lb. shrimp, large, peeled and de-veined
• ¼ cup mango chutney
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
• ½ tsp. curry powder
• 1 avocado, large, cubed
• corn tortillas

Directions

Combine mango chutney, lime juice, olive oil, ginger and curry powder in a mixing bowl. Grill shrimp over the white hot coals on the grill while heating the soft corn tortillas in a pan (don’t overcook the shrimp and just warm the tortillas). Wrap the shrimp in tortillas and drizzle mango mixture over them. Top with cubes of avocado. Enjoy.

Good with a nice Riesling, but Big Billy much preferred Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Eric'sWeb