Innholdsfortegnelse for August - September 2012 i Louisiana Cookin'

Cool Treats for Hot Times “You want to make a good snowball? You’ve got to make sure the ice is cold cold,” said the Cajun man next to me at Th e Chimes in east Baton Rouge. If that ice block starts melting before the machine can shave it, the result is disaster. Th is is one of the things I love about Louisiana: You can learn all sorts of interesting things sitting on a barstool Back in May, I went to the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge to help judge the Louisiana Seafood Fitness Challenge Recipe Contest (see the Grand Prize-winning recipe on page 23). By the time it was over, I had a choice to make—sit in aft ernoon traffic for hours, or relax before returning home…

When reader Christa Montgomery of River Ridge has left over farmers’ market veggies and needs a quick meal, she usually turns to frittatas. According to Christa, “Th e simplicity of the dish, plus the reward of eating all those delicious vegetables, makes it something all home cooks should keep in their back pockets.” If you don’t have crème fraîche on hand, use an equal amount of sour cream. To thank Christa, we’re sending her a copy of New Orleans Classic Brunches by Kit Wohl. Send your favorite home recipes to daniel@louisianacookin.com, and if we print yours, you’ll receive a fabulous prize. Preheat oven to 375º. In a medium skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes. Add squash and tomato, and cook…

AUGUST 2-5 New Orleans Satchmo Summerfest fqfi.org 800.673.5725 3-4 Mamou Mamou Cajun Music Festival 337.550.5814 4 New Orleans White Linen Night neworleansartsdistrict.com 504.528.3805 9-12 New Orleans Six String Music Songwriters’ Invitational sixstringmusicnola.com 11-12 New Iberia SugaSheaux sugarena.com 337.365.7539 15-19 Delcambre Delcambre Shrimp Festival shrimpfestival.net 337.685.2653 18 Lake Charles Arts and Crabs Fest artsandhumanitiesswla.org 337.439.2787 20 New Orleans Louisiana Cookin’ Chefs to Watch louisianacookin.com 888.884.4114 25 St. Francisville White Linen Night stfrancisvillefestivals.com 225.635.3873 25-26 Carencro Lafayette Reggae and Cultural Festival 337.886.0572 29 to September 3 New Orleans Southern Decadence southerndecadence.net 30 to September 3 Morgan City Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival shrimp-petrofest.org 985.385.0703 31 to September 1 Natchitoches Cane River Zydeco Festival natchitoches.net 800.259.1714 SEPTEMBER 1 Goldonna Drake Salt Works Festival explorenatchitoches.com 1-2 Plaisance Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival zydeco.org 877.948.8004…

My favorite summer days in coastal southern Louisiana involve lazy hours catching, picking and cooking the delectable blue crab. In my childhood, there was nothing more entertaining than a round crab net baited in the center with a chicken neck. All through the sunny, hot aft ernoons, I’d guard nets tied to the dock boards of a Lake Pontchartrain boathouse, waiting to see the crab crawl aboard. Slowly, carefully, I’d bring the net to the surface, trying not to catch the attention of the critter while it feasted on the chicken neck. Turning the crab out into a bucket, my prized catch would provide endless entertainment, blowing bubbles and menacing me with snapping claws until dinnertime arrived and the boiling pot was ready. Th ese days, I do most of…

For eleven years, our team of experts has travelled throughout Louisiana with keen eyes and trained palates searching out chefs who celebrate our diverse culinary history and excel in using the state’s exceptional raw products. Most of these chefs are Louisiana natives who have enjoyed our unique traditions throughout their lives, but they’re all united by passion and dedication to excellence. Representing Cajun country are two chefs with remarkably different (yet still similar) stories: Sicilian-born Manny Augello, executive chef of Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro in Lafayette, has spent his years in Louisiana embracing boucherie and charcouterie, while Chef Lindsay Mason, a Th ibodaux native who helms Cristiano Ristorante in Houma, uses local ingredients for a crisp, fresh take on Italian cuisine. In the capital city of Baton Rouge, Chef Ryan André…

“I love crawfish because they’re simple and versatile. Of course, we fry them in south Louisiana, but sometimes I make a crawfish-filled rice puff. It’s a totally different presentation, but it comes out a bit like an etouffée.” —LINDSAY MASON “The day aft er my 15th birthday, a friend of mine talked me into taking a job as a dishwasher,” says Executive Chef Lindsay Mason. “But at the time, I never knew this would be my life.” Lindsay experienced different styles of Louisiana cooking at a young age in Th ibodaux. “One of my grandmothers was a traditional Cajun cook,” he says. “And the other was an old New Orleans Jewish lady, so their cooking styles were totally different.” Th rough his dishwashing job at Flanagan’s Creative Food and Drink…

The end of summer brings high hopes for sports and foodie fans alike with a new season of football and outdoor grilling. But the real gridiron competition takes place in festivals across the state as backyard barbecue kings light their fires. Not only do they compete for prized titles, they’re also a major draw in earning donations for local charities. Join me as I search the state for a sizzling trail of late-summer grilling festivals. Barbecue teams from across the South vie for top honors at the Oldies But Goodies Fest & Smokin’ Oldies Cook-Off, held September 15-16 in Baton Rouge. Th e International Barbeque Cookers Association State Championship will hit the festival take place Saturday, September 15 and barbecue plate sales will benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Enjoy great…

When Dr. Kim and Debra Judd married thirtyfive years ago and moved from New Orleans to Shreveport in 1981, Debra, a native of Baton Rouge, noticed something strikingly different about her new town. “North Louisiana food was totally different from south Louisiana’s. Because Shreveport is only thirty miles from Texas and not far from Arkansas, the food was more Deep South, Tex-Mex, and barbecue than Creole or Cajun, which is the food I grew up with in Baton Rouge,” she said. It was a bit of culture shock. Chicken and dumplings and lots of game—duck, quail, and venison—were oft en served. Tex-Mex favorites like enchiladas, quesadillas, and tostados were popular foods to serve when entertaining. Shreveport residents, many of whom were Texan transplants involved in the oil and lumber industries,…

In the wake of Hurricane Rita in 2005 and the 2010 oil spill, the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana and the Lake Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau joined forces to create an event to celebrate southwest Louisiana’s rich seafood and culture. “We want to showcase the connectivity between seafood, art, and community. Th ose are some of our finest resources,” said Erica McCreedy, executive director of the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. “Th ey contribute to our economy and our culture.” Now in its third year, the festival features live music, local artists’ works, and a crab and Abita beer pairing. Last year, ten area restaurants presented inventive dishes such as crab ceviche, crab gazpacho, and crabmeat poblano bisque. Th e Arts and Crabs Fest has…

Born and raised in the heart of the Crescent City, Frank Davis began cooking New Orleans food at 8 years old and hasn’t stopped since. Frank’s unique culinary style can only be described as “Strictly N’Awlins.” Visit frankdavis.com. When you find a tuna salad these days, it’s usually made with canned or foil pouch-packed tuna. So I make you this promise: Even if you hate tuna salad, you’re gonna love this one. It’s light, flavorful, and tastes more like chicken than tuna. So get ready—no more cans or pouches! MAKES 4 SERVINGS 1 tablespoon liquid seafood boil 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt, divided 1 pound fresh tuna fillet ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion ½ cup finely diced celery ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion 1 tablespoon finely minced…

“Food brings everyone together. It puts smiles on their faces. That’s why I love cooking.”—ZAC WATTERS Chef Zac Watters learned the joys of living in the Bayou State early. Meals at his childhood home in Mandeville— especially loud holidays with the whole family bringing their best jambalayas, etouffées, and gumbos to the table— formed a solid base for his love of food and cooking. “I grew up hunting with my father and grandfather,” Zac says. “Th en we’d go home and cook with what we’d caught. It was a very eye-opening experience.” After training at the Louisiana Culinary Institute, Zac worked in the kitchens of Cafe Adelaide in New Orleans, followed by a few years at Del Porto in Covington. He soon returned to the Crescent City for an internship…

“To be a farmer in Louisiana right now is huge. The farm-to-table movement has really taken off, and I’ve seen a lot of these farmers take what they’re doing to the next level.” —BRAD MCGEHEE Growing up outside San Francisco, Chef Brad McGehee has always been keenly interested in not only bringing high-quality products to the table, but also knowing their connection to the land. “When I started at Ye Olde College Inn, we had a small garden with raised beds,” he says. “Now, we’ve developed almost an acre of land on Carrollton Avenue in the middle of New Orleans and have a couple dozen chickens laying eggs for us.” Brad grew up watching his grandmother cook and considers himself fortunate to be part of a family that dined out…

Since its beginning as a speakeasy during Prohibition, Pat O’Brien’s has been a French Quarter staple. While the establishment is best known for its Hurricane, Pat O’s has an extensive list of colorful cocktails, including the Skylab featured here. MAKES 1 SERVING Courtesy of Pat O’Brien’s, New Orleans ½ ounce Absolut Vodka ½ ounce Bacardi Gold Rum ½ ounce blue curacao ½ ounce apricot brandy ¾ ounce orange juice ¾ ounce pineapple juice ¾ ounce Collins mix Cherry (garnish) Shake all ingredients with ice until cold. Strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice, and garnish with a cherry.…

Dear Louisiana Cookin,’ I can’t say how thrilled I was to see a burger recipe in the Summer issue. I needed a great one to impress my family and friends at our Memorial Day party. Th e Smoked Bacon and Cheese-stuffed Burgers were fantastic! Any recipe that calls for bacon and cheese is a winner in my book. And I might add, my family and friends were both satisfied and stuffed! —Randy LeBlanc, Shreveport Dear Louisiana Cookin,’ Seeing Andy’s Drop Biscuits made me think back to when I was a kid and watching my grandma make biscuits. She used an old jam jar to cut her biscuits. My grandpa would wait—always impatient— for the biscuits to finish while my grandma insisted that they get to the perfect golden brown. Andy’s…

Hot Days, Cool Meals Beat summer’s heat with these simple, healthy treats. Avocado Cucumber Soup blends my favorite food, avocado, with crunchy, cool cucumbers for a refreshing break on a hot summer day. Th e Mediterranean Chicken Spinach Salad is a Greek-style entrée salad that’s chock-full of fresh veggies and topped with hearty, flavorful chicken. For a quick din ner solution, marinate the chicken in a resealable plastic bag early in the day, pop it on the grill or in a skillet when you’re ready, and you’ll have a delicious dinner in no time. And this indulgent, no-bake lemon pie will be a citrus-lover’s delight— the cross between cheesecake and pie absolutely melts in your mouth. Lemon Pie MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS A cross between cheesecake and pie, this…

“As cool as a cucumber” is a well-known figure of speech, implying a calm demeanor. It’s also, quite literally, a condition to be desired, especially in summer’s heat. Because cucumbers are comprised almost entirely of water, the inside of a cucumber growing in a field is about twenty degrees cooler than its surrounding air temperature. Many people regard cucumbers as a summertime treasure, finding refreshment in their crispy texture and mild, slightly sweet, melonlike flavor; others hate them with a vengeance. Like the first group, I rejoice in finding new and interesting ways to enjoy them with the bounty of fresh herbs from my garden. Cukes pair well with borage (Borago officinalis) and salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor), two lesser-known but delightful herbs whose fragrance and flavor resemble those of cucumber.…

Long, luxurious brunches filled with delicious food, flowing cocktails, and good friends are part of what makes New Orleans great. For the fift h installment of her Classic Recipes cookbook series, author Kit Wohl has collected fift y essential brunch dishes from some of the city’s brightest chefs for New Orleans Classic Brunches. Th e recipes are paired with heartwarming anecdotes, history, and helpful tips. Recipe highlights include Grits & Grillades from Feelings Café, Huckleberry Pancakes from Commander’s Palace, and Bananas Foster from Brennan’s. To complete the experience, Kit also features classic drinks like Café Brûlot from Antoine’s and the always-refreshing Pimm’s Cup from Napoleon House Susan Spicer’s Lemon Ricotta Crêpes MAKES 16 CRÊPES From New Orleans Classic Brunches by Kit Wohl, © Wohl & Company, Inc., used by permission…

“I hunt for deer and squirrel, and I’d love to serve them in the restaurant. I think people would go for it, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture won’t let us. You can’t just go out the back door, hunt rabbits, and sell them in a restaurant. I’d love that, though.” —RYAN ANDRÉ “Six months into my first job at J. Alexander’s in Baton Rouge, I got ‘Chef’ tattooed on my arm. Right there, I knew what I’d be doing for the rest of my life,” says Chef Ryan André of Le Creolé. Twenty-one years old at the time, the Gonzales native knew he had to follow his passion. Ryan came from a family of cooks and took great joy in cooking and eating at a young age. “My Dad…

“Louisianians and Sicilians value food the same way: It’s a celebration! It brings people together. We cook out of passion, out of love, not just for sustenance.” —MANNY AUGELLO “To not work as a cook in my family is to be the black sheep,” says Chef Manny Augello. At 7 years old, he began his career stuffing rotisserie chickens at his father’s restaurant in Palermo, Sicily. He was soon promoted to dishwasher, and his love affair with food has only deepened. “I learned all the classic techniques from my father—an award-winning chef of 40 years—and was inspired by British chefs like Fergus Henderson and Marco Pierre White,” he says. Manny came to the United States in 1995 and spent time on the Northshore and in Natchitoches before heading south to…

You love to cook, but it’s so hot outside that your lungs protest when you breathe in the scorching air. Th e last thing you want to do is work over a stovetop for hours…even though your air conditioner is blasting. How can you beat the heat but still cook like a true Louisianian? Easy: Use fresh summer produce to create cold or low-cook meals that take traditional Louisiana fare to a new level of yum. Louisiana Cookin’ spoke with four Louisiana food pros to get their takes on staying cool and eating good all summer long. “Louisiana is known for so many wonderful things—great music, Mardi Gras, cypress trees, but most importantly, its Cajun and Creole cooking,” says Lonnie McDonald, co-owner of Cajun Landing restaurant in Alexandria. “In the…