Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2018 i Louisiana Cookin'

LOLA’S HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD MAKES 2 SALADS Green Goddess Dressing (recipe follows) 1 medium heirloom tomato, quartered 6 heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved 2 ounces Louisiana blue lump crabmeat 4 ounces Burrata cheese Garnish: chopped fresh chives Spoon desired amount of dressing on bottom of each plate. Top with tomatoes, crabmeat, and Burrata. Garnish with chopped chives, if desired. GREEN GODDESS DRESSING MAKES1/2 QUART 1/2 cup mayo 1/3 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup fresh chives 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup fresh tarragon 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 anchovy fillets Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. Store leftover dressing in refrigerator. ATASTEOF COVINGTON • April 11-15, 2018—Covington, Louisiana • Five days of food, wine, music,…

Check out a juicy new audio tour of the best New Orleans restaurants from French Market Coffee, produced by the team at Louisiana Cookin’. It’s full of historical anecdotes, menu suggestions, and even architectural footnotes. I’ll bet you did not know that the bright pink façade of Brennan’s is painted in a color called “Tomato Cream Sauce.” You can (and should) take the whole tour at https://app.vizzit.co/#!/tours/1599_The-Mouth-ofthe-Mississippi. Just a gentle reminder that one of our favorite Louisiana festivals, the World Championship Crawfish Étouffée Cook-Off is happening March 25 in Eunice. More than 100 teams will compete to see who cooks the world’s best étouffée. And we get to eat it! Étouffée is sold at individual booths for $2 a serving. You’ll also find a petting zoo, arts and crafts, pony…

LOUISIANA SEAFOOD ROYALTY For the last decade, chefs from throughout the Bayou State have competed against one another for the title of Seafood King or Queen of Louisiana at the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off. Last year the cook-off—presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board—moved from New Orleans to Lafayette, the heart of Cajun Country, and Chef Bonnie Breaux made history by becoming the first Queen of Louisiana Seafood. The competition is open to any Louisiana chef who is a member of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and during their reign, the winner represents the state at events throughout the country. OVER 100 MILLION POUNDS OF CRAWFISH ARE HARVESTED EACH YEAR IN LOUISIANA. CRAWFISH FESTIVALS  LOUISIANA CRAWFISH FESTIVAL · CHALMETTE · MARCH 22–25 LAKE CHARLES CRAWFISH FESTIVAL · LAKE CHARLES ·…

AS AVID HUNTERS, NEW ORLEANS RESTAURATEURS Sam and Cody Carroll have their freezers stocked with venison. Like many Louisianans, they often serve it fried, but they are always looking for new ways to serve the tender backwoods delicacy. Sam and Cody showed off their skills at presenting and reinterpreting dishes on their Food Network show Cajun Aces, which premiered last December, and this Cast-Iron Seared Backstrap is a terrific example of how they take simple country fare and dress it up for their menu at Sac-a-lait in New Orleans. CAST-IRON SEARED BACKSTRAP WITH GARDEN CHIMICHURRI MAKES 4 SERVINGS Recipe courtesy of Sam and Cody Carroll, Sac-a-lait, New Orleans 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ Fresno chile pepper, finely chopped ¼ cup minced fresh blue basil ¼ cup cane vinegar 2…

WITH THEIR DEEP RED HUE and sweet, juicy flavor, Ponchatoula strawberries are one of southeastern Louisiana’s most cherished agricultural items. The little ruby jewels hold a certain magic in this small town that has come to be known as the “Strawberry Capital of the World” and home to the famed Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. Strawberries were introduced in Tangipahoa Parish in the post-Civil War era. Following the war, the region went into an economic decline with the demise of cotton farming due to the arrival of the boll weevil, deforestation, and cotton overproduction. Farmers in the area tried growing different crops and found that strawberries were easy to produce, due in part to the availability of land, the abundance of fresh water, and the availability of pine straw to line the…

IT IS SAID, QUITE TRUTHFULLY, that folks in Louisiana live to eat, and beyond that, there is one meal that we spend all week dreaming about: Brunch. And since no brunch is complete without an eye-opener, whether it’s a Bloody Mary, French 75, or mimosa, we wanted to give you two fresh takes for your springtime enjoyment. JALAPEÑO BLOODY MARY MAKES 1 SERVING 6 ounces tomato juice 1½ ounces Jalapeño-Infused Vodka (recipe follows) ½ ounce fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon prepared horseradish ¼ teaspoon hot sauce ¼ teaspoon celery salt Garnish: lemon wedge, jalapeño, celery stick 1. In a large cocktail shaker, combine tomato juice, Jalapeño-Infused Vodka, lemon juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, hot sauce, and celery salt. Add ice. Cover and shake until cold. Pour mixture into…

In the Bayou State, crawfish is a season of its own. As the rest of the country anticipates warmer weather and longer days, Louisianans look forward to the time when mudbugs are plentiful and backyard boils fill our social calendars. Although frozen Louisiana crawfish tail meat is available year-round, there is nothing quite like crawfish season in Louisiana. While we make sure to get our fill of boiled crawfish during spring, that’s not the only way we like to eat the crustaceans. Whether boiled, fried, smothered, or tucked into hand pies, we love crawfish any way we can get them. Tail meat stored from springtime boils makes for the perfect addition to étouffées, crawfish pies, and creamy pastas throughout the spring and into the rest of the year. Chefs throughout…

IT IS SAFE TO SAY that thousands of cheesy loaves of crawfish bread are sold each year at Louisiana festivals. Here, we paid homage to that beloved treat and took the liberty of adding some tender Louisiana shrimp to the mix. Why not, right? BAYOU CRAWFISH BREAD MAKE 6 SERVINGS 1 (12-ounce) loaf French bread ¼ cup salted butter ¼ cup chopped yellow onion ⅓ cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped green bell pepper ½ cup chopped red bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, chopped ¼ cup white wine ½ pound peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened ½ (16-ounce) package cooked crawfish tails 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided (about 8 ounces) 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning Garnish: chopped Italian parsley 1. Preheat oven to…

“WHAT I LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT THESE RECIPES IS THERE’S SO MUCH HISTORY WITH CAJUN FOOD. I LOVE THAT IT TELLS A STORY.”—LEIGH ANN CHATAGNIER CLASSIC CAJUN DISHES GET A FRESH UPDATE in The Unexpected Cajun Kitchen: Classic Cuisine with a Twist of Farm-to-Table Freshness (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016), the first cookbook from Leigh Ann Chatagnier. While the food and lifestyle blogger is originally from Tennessee, she fell in love with the culture after moving to Louisiana and marrying into a Cajun family. Now, Leigh Ann shares her passion for Cajun food and traditions with recipes inspired by Louisiana’s seasonal bounty. When Leigh Ann set out to write The Unexpected Cajun Kitchen, she approached it through a modern lens while applying tips and techniques she learned from her in-laws. She puts…

LIKE MANY CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS COCKTAILS, the Roffignac has an interesting backstory. It was named for the very well-liked bon vivant Count Louis Philippe Joseph de Roffi gnac who also served as the city’s mayor from 1820 to 1828. To me, the fun part about the cocktail itself is that it doesn’t conform to the Creole norm and raises many questions about its proper setup. Essentially, the cocktail is surmised to be the predecessor to the highball: a spirited tall cocktail mixed with raspberry syrup and club soda. Whether it started with rye whiskey or brandy is one of the essential questions, and then there is the issue of the raspberry syrup. The Roffignac recipe that appears in the 1937 book Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em…

THROUGHOUT SOUTH LOUISIANA, catfish fry fundraisers are a staple during the Lenten season. It seems as though all of the schools, churches, and social clubs throughout New Orleans trade off Fridays, so there are always a few options to stop for a quick dinner on your way home from work. Last year, my wife and I tried out a different location each week and reveled in the crispy catfish, tender hush puppies, and more tartar sauce than we could ever eat. While it’s impossible to beat the convenience and simplicity of the $10 catfish plate, this spring, we are looking forward to hosting a fry of our own. Having a few friends over and treating them to some Spicy Cajun Fried Catfish (page 54) with Citrus-Jalapeño Slaw and Grilled Potato…

One of New Orleans’ most talked-about recent openings is Curio, a new French Quarter dining spot that retains much of the 19th-century charm of the curio shop that once occupied the same space. I sat down with Chef Hayley Vanvleet to get the 411. Tell us the juicy details about Curio please. Curio is a very eclectic bistro. We have a lot of New Orleans flavors and ingredients, but I try to keep the food on the lighter side: bright and fresh with lots of greens. Almost half of my menu is naturally gluten-free, and a lot of the menu items are made with fewer than six ingredients. What is your house specialty? Definitely the fried candied ribs. We braise overnight with fennel, onion, star anise, and garlic. The inside…

What makes Louisiana crawfish great? Louisiana crawfish have such a great flavor—and so much fat. The fat is where the flavor is, and it helps make a great stew or gravy. What’s your favorite crawfish dish? Crawfish boils are my favorite because you can do so many fun things with them. A traditional Cajun boil has potatoes, garlic and corn thrown into the pot with the seasonings and crawfish. And I’ve gone places where they’ve put a whole pork roast in the pot, or hot dogs and sausage, and all kinds of things. It’s fun to see how creative people get with their crawfish boils. What crawfish dishes do you like to cook? I’m from the crawfish capital of the world, Breaux Bridge, and am getting ready to open a…

INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS MINGLE on the menu at Meril, the 13th restaurant from Emeril Lagasse and his first to open in New Orleans since 1998. With Chef de Cuisine Wilfredo “Will’” Avelar at the helm, Meril’s menu of shareable plates and its inviting atmosphere have made a splash in the Crescent City since the restaurant opened in the fall of 2016. With a more casual approach than Emeril’s other New Orleans restaurants—Emeril’s, NOLA, and Delmonico—Meril has allowed its culinary team the flexibility to showcase a diverse range of dishes inspired by all types of cuisines. Snacks like Yellowfin Tuna Wraps, Buttermilk Biscuit with Foie Gras Butter and Blackberry Jam, and Crispy Turkey Necks coexist alongside fresh pastas, wood oven-fired flatbreads, and meats slow-roasted over a charcoal robata grill. “[WE] STAY TRUE…

Observant Catholics around Louisiana have it much better than many around the country because of the abundance of fresh, local, and delicious fish. Catfish fries are a common sight at churches and schools throughout the Bayou State, but making your own is a fun treat. Here, we breaded the catfish fillets with crushed Zapp’s Spicy Cajun Crawtator Potato Chips. (Feel free to use your favorite flavor, though. Their Voodoo, Salt & Vinegar, and Cajun Dill Gator-Tators would be equally tasty.) To help elevate the meal, we added touches of springtime with a Grilled Potato Salad and a bright, crunchy Citrus-Jalapeño Slaw. GRILLED POTATO SALAD MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS 3 pounds baby Dutch yellow potatoes, halved 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 cup diced red onion 2 lemons, quartered ¼…

BLUE DOG CAFÉ Locations in Lafayette and Lake Charles bluedogcafe.com BON CREOLE 1409 E. Saint Peter St. New Iberia 337.367.6181 bon-creole.com BRQ RESTAURANT 10423 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge 225.372.2674 brqrestaurant.com CHEF RON’S GUMBO STOP 2309 N. Causeway Blvd. Metairie 504.835.2022 gumbostop.com NEYOW’S CREOLE CAFÉ 3332 Bienville St. New Orleans 504.827.5474 neyows.com SEITHER’S SEAFOOD 279 Hickory Ave. Harahan 504.738.1116 seithersseafood.com TABASCO® RESTAURANT 1868 Hwy. 329 Avery Island 337.359.9560 tabasco.com/visit-avery-island…

AS A FUNDAMENTAL INGREDIENT of Cajun cuisine, rice has held a hallowed spot in Louisiana kitchens for centuries. Some of our most famous dishes are made or served with rice, including jambalaya, boudin, gumbo, and étouffée. Now, Prairie Ronde Rice is offering Bayou State cooks a high-quality Louisiana-grown rice farmed and milled by James Farms near Ville Platte. The rice mill, a partnership between Beth James and Rolando Sanchez, opened its doors January 1, 2017. Beth says that although James Farms has been farming in the area for more than 30 years, they only recently got serious about growing rice. The farm has raised crawfish commercially for years, growing rice as feed for the crustaceans. Then, about 15 years ago, Rolando, a farmer who has worked with the James family…

“[AT MAYPOP] WE BRING IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN INFLUENCES OF THE LIME LEAF, GINGER, AND LEMONGRASS TO BRIGHTEN UP THE FLAVORS.” — CHEF MICHAEL GULOTTA GROWING UP IN NEW ORLEANS, 2013 Chef to Watch Michael Gulotta was exposed to grillades and grits—a homey concoction of braised meat, rich gravy, and creamy grits—at a very early age. Throughout his years of cooking at some of the Crescent City’s best fine-dining restaurants, Michael’s culinary skill and creativity have blossomed, and he now serves a version of this childhood favorite at Maypop in New Orleans’ Central Business District. His take on grillades and grits shows off his adeptness at combining classic New Orleans techniques with bright, fresh Asian flavors. Q Did you eat much grillades and grits growing up? Grits and grillades is…

TOP TACO FESTIVAL New Orleans, March 15 After a successful debut last spring, Top Taco Festival returns to the Crescent City in March with more tasty tacos and top-notch tequila. Top Taco will feature an assortment of tacos from some of New Orleans’ best restaurants, handcrafted tequila cocktails, and live entertainment. Top Taco’s new, larger locale at Woldenberg Park will allow even more chefs and mixologists to compete for the top prize in four categories: Top Creative Taco, Top Traditional Taco, Top Creative Cocktail, and Top Traditional Margarita. Winners of the inaugural Top Taco judges’ choice and people’s choice awards included Blue Oak BBQ, Johnny Sanchez, Mizado (which shuttered last summer), and Tequila House. Taqueria Chilangos took home the Ultimate Top Taco award. In tribute to owner David Montes de…

JUST FOR YOU, I’VE BEEN DOING MY HOMEWORK (sort of), and here is what I learned. Recently, nola.com reported, “Typically, it costs about $1,000 an acre to produce a crop of crawfish. One acre produces on average 550 to 600 pounds of crawfish, although that amount can vary widely.” Hey, even if it varies widely, if you and I could have an acre of crawfish, what a party that would be, right? I was so ready for crawfish season, and I’m glad it got off to an early start! The earlier, the better. I learned from the LSU AgCenter that Louisiana has more than 225,000 acres of crawfish ponds that, in 2014, were home to more than 127.5 million pounds of mudbugs. So, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about fulfilling my…

LOUISIANA CRAWFISH BREAD MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS 1 (12-ounce) loaf French bread, halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ pound andouille, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 4 tablespoons butter, divided ¾ cup thinly sliced leeks ½ cup thinly sliced celery ¾ cup finely chopped shallots 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup finely diced bell pepper 1 pound cooked Louisiana crawfish tails 1 tablespoon chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon ancho chile pepper 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack & Cheddar cheese, divided ¾ cup shredded Italian cheese blend 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Remove soft centers of bread from both halves; reserve…

ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, CHEF CHRIS BARBATO took over the kitchen at The Country Club, an adults-only refuge in New Orleans’ Bywater. It had been popular for years—with many coming for the relaxed pool atmosphere—but the restaurant decided it was time to up its culinary game. Chris had been cooking in and around the Crescent City since 1991, spending much of that time with Commander’s Palace and other Brennan family restaurants. Much of the menu at The Country Club has been overhauled since his arrival, and his ethos of respecting ingredients and providing light, flavorful fare has struck a cord. For this spring menu, Chris starts with a simple avocado and tuna poké and moves on to a meaty Gulf day-boat swordfish steak topped with a delightful mix of asparagus,…

THE WARM DAYS AND COOL NIGHTS of Louisiana springtime are ideal for growing plump, juicy strawberries. Now that we’re in peak season, we’re always looking for new ways to take advantage of the crop. This light and fluffy Strawberries and Champagne Cake is not only studded with the beautiful berries, but its frosting is improved by the addition of a Strawberry-Champagne Jam. STRAWBERRIES AND CHAMPAGNE CAKE MAKES 1 (8-INCH) CAKE ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened 2¼ cups granulated sugar 6 large egg whites 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup whole milk, room temperature ½ cup plus 1½ tablespoons Champagne, divided ¾ cup finely diced fresh strawberries 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 3 cups…