Louisiana Gumbo, Trout Piccata and an Anderson Seafoods $250 Gift Card GIVEAWAY 8/20

***Disclosure: I received complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

My husband absolutely loves seafood. So much, in fact, that whenever we eat out, he orders some sort of fish dish. (I would say this is true 8 out of every 10 times we dine out.) Some of his favorite dishes include a nice, hearty Louisiana Gumbo, any variety of white fish in a lemony sauce, and of course crab legs. These are the things he orders, without fail, time and time again. 

Now it seems that finding a good seafood meal can be hit or miss. Sometimes the food is amazing, and sometimes... well....Not so much. There have been many times we've been to a restaurant and the seafood ended up severely overcooked and/or improperly seasoned. Or, in the worst cases, the quality of the seafood being served leaves a lot to be desired. Seafood is something you want to be as fresh as humanly possible. When it's not at the height of freshness, you can definitely tell.

Luckily, we don't have to rely on restaurants alone for some truly amazing seafood. I can create out very own restaurant quality seafood meals thanks to the folks at Anderson Seafoods. Anderson Seafoods has been in the business of providing top quality seafoods to consumers longer than I have been alive! Since 1979, this California based, family owned company has been a leader in their field by providing premium seafood products and superior service to their valued customers in the most sustainable and innovative ways. 

Yes, I said sustainable! All seafood companies are not created equal. Anderson Seafoods is a company with a conscience, and they care about the environmental impact of the fishing industry. Sustainable seafood is seafood from either fished or farmed sources that can maintain or increase production in the future without jeopardizing the ecosystems and communities from which it was acquired.

Anderson Seafoods sources from suppliers who have this  same vision and encourage those who do not, to have a better vision and become more sustainable. Anderson Seafoods is serious about its eco-impact. They do not do business with suppliers that overfish, deplete fish stocks or destroy their habitat. 

They have even partnered with the Aquarium of the Pacific in the SEAFOOD FOR THE FUTURE program, which will help support sustainable fishing practices by educating suppliers, and will also ensure healthier oceans for generations to come. As an eco-conscious consumer, this is something I can feel good about supporting! 

Recently, we received a nice assortment of premium quality seafood from Anderson Seafoods to check out for ourselves. We received assorted fish, shrimp, and even Alaskan King Crab. As always, our shipment arrived with lightning speed and was incredibly fresh. 

The first dish I decided to make was my husband's favorite: Gumbo. I used Wild Mexican Shrimp, some chicken, and some spicy sausage in this dish. It turned out to be absolutely amazing, and my husband literally licked his bowl clean. 

Ingredients: 
3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pound smoked Andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (I like Emeril's Essence)
1/4 cup Louisiana Crystal Sauce (Optional. Adds a bit of heat.)
1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
4 cups hot water
5 beef bouillon cubes
1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice
1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Directions:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.

Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and hot sauce. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the  shrimp and chopped parsley. Serve over rice, if desired. 

Another big hit in my home was a decadent Trout Piccata. Dan loves the flavors of lemon and wine paired with seafood. Even though he'd never tried trout before, I knew he would love this spin on a classic preparation. The result? Melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked fish with the nice tang of lemon, white wine, and capers. And it's SUPER easy, too! This was on the table in less than 30 minutes, making it the perfect meal for a busy weeknight! 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon pepper, or to taste
Coarse sea salt to taste
1 pound trout fillets (Skin on. It comes right off once cooked.)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or as needed
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine (DO NOT use cooking wine!) 
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place a serving platter into oven to warm.

Mix flour, lemon pepper, and salt in a shallow bowl and firmly press trout fillets into the seasoned flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan-fry the fish in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Keep fillets warm on heated platter in oven.

Pour off all but a thin film of oil in the skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour white wine into skillet and using a whisk, dissolve brown bits of food in the wine. Stir lemon zest into wine and bring to a boil; cook until sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, stirring often. Mix in lemon juice and capers and cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 more minutes. Whisk butter into sauce.

Lay trout fillets in the sauce and turn to coat; serve on the warmed platter and garnish with parsley.

This is amazing served with steamed broccoli, or even over a nice buttered pasta!

These are just a couple of the phenomenal, restaurant quality dishes you can make with the fresh seafood from Anderson Seafoods. Like I said, when it comes to seafood, quality is everything. This seafood is shipped overnight, and arrives at your doorstep at the pique of freshness. I would tell you to compare it to the seafood at your local grocery store, but that just wouldn't be fair...Anderson Seafoods blows store-bought fish out of the water, no pun intended! 

Connect With ANderson Seafoods : 

You can check out the awesomeness that is Anderson Seafoods on their website. Pay them a visit by clicking the image below: 

You can also follow Anderson Seafoods on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions! 

Enter to WIN :

I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will be receiving a $250 Gift Certificate to Anderson Seafoods! 

How cool is that?!

Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM EST August 20, 2014. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way.

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