Bill Beck’s Shrimp-Andouille Scrapple

If you’re a lover of delicious and decadent foods, then you have to come to Scrapplefest at the Reading Terminal Market on Sat. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oh, but I don’t want all that fat you say? Then try this satisfying, surprisingly subtle, lower-fat version made Cajun style with shrimp and Andouille! It’s not too spicy and great with a fried eggs and cheese on French bread as a specialty breakfast po-boy. Take it from Chef Bill Beck, it brings a little “who dat” to one of Pennsylvania’s favorite foods!

Ingredients:

1.25 Lbs. Andouille Sausage
1 Lbs Shrimp, peeled, deveined,and raw
3 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
2 Cups Buckwheat Flour
2 Quarts Pork Stock (use low salt bouillon cubes or make your own from scrapes)
1.5 Cups Onion
2 Tbl Fresh Garlic
0.25 Tsp Mace
1 Tsp Oregano
2 Tsp Beck’s Devil Dust
2 ea Tbl Vegetable oil
To Taste: Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
1. Slice Andouille sausage links into four pieces per link, top to bottom
2. Medium dice onion and garlic, keep separate
3. Heat skillet, add half the veg. oil and lay Andouille sausage out like bacon and lightly caramelize in pan, do all and set sausage a side
4. In same pan while still hot, add rest of oil followed by the onion, cook till lightly caramelized. Then add the garlic, cook two minutes while stirring.
5. Add shrimp to the onion- garlic mixture and let simmer until the shrimp have released their liquid and the pan is dry.
6. Cool mixture for a couple of minutes, then combine with Andouillie and liquefy the mixture in a blender.
7. Put pureed mixture into sauce pan; add the seasonings followed by the cornmeal, buckwheat flour and the stock, add stock slowly stirring all the while.
8. Bring all to a simmer, and reduce for 10 to 15 minutes stirring all the while until the mixture is very thick and paste-like.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Butter loaf pans 3-4, pour in mixture, and refrigerate 4-6 hours till firm. Freeze well.
11. When ready to cook, cut and dredge in flour on all sides, cook in grease or oil until crispy and brown.

Beck’s Blackened Catfish Recipe

August is National Catfish Month. So, in honor of this delicious nod to the majestic catfish, chef Beck is sharing his tips on how to prepare the perfect blackened catfish dish.

Bill Beck’s Blackened Catfish

I’ve been blackening Catfish since I opened my first farmer’s market location in the Flourtown Farmers Market, just outside of Philadelphia. Now you can blacken any kind of fish with Becks Devil Dust as well as chicken, pork chops, or shrimp. A common misconception is that blackening the exterior of the flesh is burning it. Blackening means to char, but not to the point of burning. The crust should be crisp, robust in flavor, spicy and the fish or meat, moist on the inside. It’s important to add a little olive oil (not extra virgin as it will compete with the other flavors) or clarified butter to add moisture that will not evaporate during the blackening process.

Using a cast iron skillet is best, but a heavy duty sautée pan will do. Keep in mind that it will be hard to clean and you will not be able to use it for any other cooking after a couple tours of playing Cajun Chef.

Ingredients:                                                                    Feeds 4-6

4-6 Catfish Filets 6-7. Oz. each

2-3. TBL Olive Oil

2-3. TBL Beck’s Devil Dust

Preparation:

1. Coat catfish fillets with becks Devil Dust on all sides, shake off any excess seasonings.
2. Heat skillet/pan till smoking hot. Have good hood ventilation and fresh air source.
3. Add oil to the skillet/pan, low and slow as not to splatter, followed by the catfish.
4. Put the Rounded side of the fish down first so that when you turn it over it will be cooking on the side that will be put on the paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Cook on each side about 2.5 to 3.5 min till fully cooked

Beck’s Cajun Cafe 30th Street Specials 8/12 to 8/18

Check out this week’s specials at Beck’s Cajun Café
@ Amtrak’s 30th Street Station! Try the new Fried Chicken Po’Boy and get discounts on our great Cajun/Creole menu items! Also available are all Beck’s Kitchen Pantry condiments and spices including Creole Mayo, Tangy Onion Relish, 3 Devils Hot Sauce, Angel’s Kiss, Devil Dust and Rub-a-Dub Spice Rub. Get yours today!

Amtrak, IRS and police employees show your employee I.D. at the register and get 10% off on any menu item (daily specials not included). College students too!

Monday 8/12
Blackened Chicken Po Boy $6.50
Fried Mac & Cheese $1.00 off Today
Cajun Trio Platter: Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya W/ Fried Mac & Cheese, Collard Greens

Tuesday 8/13
The Train Wreck $1.00 off 11-3
Free Fountain refills when served at our counter
Cajun Trio Platter: Gator Gumbo, Sweet Potato Fries & Shrimp Pasta Salad $8.95

Wednesday 8/14
Breakfast Po Boys $1.00 OFF
Free Small Soup w/ any Beck’s Caesar Salads
Fried Chicken Po Boy, Fully Dressed $6.95

Thursday 8/15
BBQ Beef Brisket Po Boy $6.95
Blackened salmon Caesar Salad $7.95
Cajun Trio Platter: Grilled Muffaletta, Potato Salad, Bread Pudding $8.95

Friday 8/16
Jambalaya Bowl with free grilled corn Bread
”Our Best of Philly” Fried Shrimp Po Boy ……Fully Dressed $8.95
Cajun Trio Platter: Chicken Alfredo, Gumbo and Collard Greens

Saturday 8/17
Free Community Coffee w/ and Breakfast Po Boy
Quiche with Side Salad $6.96
The Train Wreck Po Boy with side of Cajun Fries $8.95

Sunday 8/18
$1.00 off Beignets
Cajun Trio Platter: Jumbo 3 Devil’s Hot Wings w/ Celery and Blue Cheese Dip (10ea)….. $7.95
Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad…. today $7.95

Beck’s Cajun Café
30th Street Station
215-382-2800

Beck’s @ 30th Street Featured by Daily Pennsylvanian’s 34th St.

Special thanks to Faryn at University of Pennsylvania for this great review!

Beck’s Cajun Cafe: Cajun (Food) Court

Skip the 28–hour train: Beck’s Cajun Cafe takes you to Louisiana in minutes

By FARYN PEARL

Shayla Cole

It’s strange to get such fine food in a food court. But that’s where the excellent Beck’s Cajun Cafe lies—right between a KFC and a nameless take–out Chinese stand. Of course, most people won’t have the luxury of sitting down and savoring Beck’s Louisiana–style offerings. They’ll be catching a train, grabbing gumbo on the go. That’s right: Beck’s is in the middle of 30th Street Station. While the venue might not scream “some of the best Cajun cooking in Philadelphia,” the food does.

And it’s the food that matters to chef and owner Bill Beck, who owned a Latin restaurant before starting the first Beck’s Cajun in Reading Terminal Market. A chef by trade, he was always attracted to Cajun cooking, an amalgamation of Latin, French and Southern cuisine. In talking to Beck, it was clear that he was passionate about bringing this style of cooking to Philadelphia and about the food he was serving.

So let’s get to the food. Namely, Beck serves alligator, and it is delicious. Honestly, my comrades and I were a little (read: completely) terrified when the Gator Gumbo ($6.95) came out. One bite and we were converts.

Alligator meat is surprisingly lean and flavorful, like chicken but more savory. Add that exotic meat (which, by the way, is authentic— they ship it from Louisiana) to a spicy and richly flavored gumbo stock and you have yourself a meal that’s truly crave–worthy. For favorites, the mini–cornbread loaves ($1.25) were a close second. Golden and crispy on the outside, warm and airy on the inside, they were the kind of pastry you read about in Martha Stewart magazines, but can never seem to recreate on your own. Also of note were the beignets ($3.95), a classic Louisiana–style doughnut smothered with fine confectioner’s powder (which got all over my pants but was otherwise totally worth it), and the Train Wreck Po Boy ($7.95), a hulking mass of steak and pork covered in cheese and sandwiched between crispy French bread—an alternate cheesesteak to rival Pat’s and Geno’s. The only disappointment was the Jambalaya Bowl ($6.95), the quintessential Cajun dish. It just didn’t have the spiciness or ingenuity of the other dishes; even the added kick of Beck’s own 3 Devils Hot Sauce ($6.99, part of their new retail line) couldn’t elevate it to the others’ level.

I know it’s no fun to read a gushingly positive review. But with incredible authentic Cajun cuisine—seriously, alligator—and the friendliest service around, it’s hard to find anything bad to say about Beck’s Cajun Cafe. Next time you need to go to 30th Street Station, give yourself a 30–minute head start and check out Beck’s. It will be worth the trip.

 

Shayla Cole | 34th Street

World’s Biggest Train Wreck Sandwich

We set the record yesterday–making our biggest train wreck ever, a 6 foot long sub of Best of Philly sandwich heaven.

We started with a gigantic loaf of hoagie bread…

Then we sauteed steak meat with caramelized onions, salami and andouille sausage and topped it all with American cheese.  While that was cooking up to a delicious blend of spicy goodness, we slathered a healthy dose of our Creole Mayo on the bread. 

And finally, we filled the bread with the steak mixture, closed it up and sliced it up for all to enjoy. And no, there was not a piece left.

Missed it? Come on into Beck’s for a regular sized version of this Best of Philly winning sandwich!

Pralines for Pecan Day!

Tomorrow is Pecan Day!  In honor of this momentous occasion, we are churning out batches of  Pralines.

In reading up on pecans for this post, we learned some interesting facts:

• Pecan trees are the only nut tree native to North America.
• George Washington planted pecan trees at Mt. Vernon.
• Pecan comes from an Algonquin word that means “any nut requiring a stone to crack”.
• Pecans are chock-full of anti-oxidants, are thought to be good for the neurological system, and can lower cholesterol.

We sure hope you’ll stop in and try some of our pecan pralines, but if you can’t make it to Reading Terminal Market this weekend, we’ll share our recipe with you:

Louisiana Pecan Pralines

Makes 2 dozen

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP light corn syrup

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups pecan halves

In saucepan, mix sugars, milk, butter, syrup and salt with wooden spoon.  Cook to softball stage (235 degrees).  Remove from heat and add vanilla and nuts.  Beat til mixture thickens, 1 minute.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto buttered waxed paper; allow to cool and solidify.

Beck’s Crawfish Boil, Don’t Miss It!

Run, don’t walk, to Beck’s Cajun Cafe this weekend for their Crawfish Boil!

The Radiators, one of New Orleans favorite bands, say it best: “Suck the head, Squeeze the tip.”  They’re talking about eating crawfish, of course.

Never tried fresh crawfish?  You don’t know what you’re missing!  Head to Beck’s Cajun Cafe  this weekend for a traditional Crawfish boil!  Chef Bill will be combining the season’s freshest crawfish shipped directly from the Gulf, with corn, potatoes, a healthy dousing of Yuengling beer, and a signature blend of his spice rubs to create a giant pot of Cajun heaven.

See you there!

King Cakes for Mardi Gras at Beck’s

Mardi Gras is February 21!    Celebrate with an authentic King Cake from Beck’s Cajun Cafe.

What is a King Cake?

A King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras treat:  a braided yeast cake, decorated with purple, green and gold icing, filled with cinnamon and nuts.  They also contain a small plastic baby, bean or other trinket.

Why purple, green and yellow?

These are the traditional Mardi Gras colors:  purple represents justice; green represents faith and yellow represents power.

What’s the deal with the baby?

The tradition holds that the person who finds teh baby has good luck for the coming year, and has to host the next King Cake Party.  Because Mardi Gras is based on the Christian celebration spanning Epiphany to Lent, the baby symbolizes the baby Jesus.

Where does the name come from?

“King Cake” takes its name from the three kings, or Magi, who visited the Christ Child on January 6 or Epiphany.

For the best Cajun food outside of N’Awlins, visit Beck’s Cajun Cafe today and laissez les bons temps rouler!

This Week’s Specials…starting January 23

Don’t miss these new items:

Hot Roast Turkey Po Boy with Pickled Jalapeno Relish

Butterscotch Rum Pecan Pie

This Week’s Specials….

Don’t miss these great new dishes…..

Cajun Cream of Potato and Spicy Ham Soup

Homemade Jalapeno Poppers with Beck’s Creole Mayo