Louisiana Crunch Cake

2 3/4 Cups Flour -- SIFTED
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Crisco
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Orange Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract
3 Eggs -- UNBEATEN

Topping
2 Tablespoons Flour
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Confectioners Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Orange Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Orange Rind

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into large mixing bowl. add sugar and stir. Cut in shortening (as for pie crust). Add milk, orange extract, almond extract, and eggs. Beat thoroughly. "do not pour into pan yet"

Topping:
Combine 3/4 cup of batter with flour, brown sugar, confectioner's sugar, orange extract, and orange rind. Mix well (add pecans for a crunchier topping.) Spread topping in bottom of well-greased tube pan. pour batter on top and bake at 375° for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from pan immediately or topping will stick.

Variation:
Substitute cake flour for regular flour for a finer textured cake. Grease and flour tube pan and bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes.

Variation of topping:
3/4 cup butter or margarine, 2 tbsps flour, 3 tbsps brown sugar and 1/4 tsp orange extract. - mix topping ingredients together and blend well. Spread topping in bottom of well-greased tube pan. Set aside.

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Seafood Dirty Rice

1 3/4 lb Small shrimp (see notes)
2 tb Unsalted butter
1 tb Vegetable oil
1/2 c Canned tomato sauce
3 tb Onions, chopped very fine
2 1/2 tb Green bell peppers, chopped
2 tb Celery, chopped very fine
1 t Minced garlic
1 t Salt
1 t White pepper
1 t Dried thyme leaves
1/2 ts Ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 c Basic shrimp stock
1/2 c Heavy cream
3 1/2 c Basic cooked rice
3/4 c Green onions finely chopped
1 c Packed, lump crabmeat (1/2lb

JMR NOTE: If shrimp with heads are not available, buy 1 pounnd shrimp with shells and substitute other seafood ingredients for the heads in making the seafood stock. Peel the shrimp and use the heads and shells to make the stock; refrigerate shrimp until ready to use. In a large skillet melt the butter with the oil.
Add the tomato sauce, onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, salt, white pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper; saute over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the stock and continue cooking over high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice, green onions and crabmeat, keeping the lumps of crabmeat intact as much as possible. Heat through and serve immediately.

From Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen

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